Highbridge Film Festival Celebrates 21 Years of Student Storytelling

Asbury University’s campus came alive as students, faculty, and guests gathered in Hughes Auditorium for the 21st annual Highbridge Film Festival, a celebration of student creativity and storytelling through film.

Held in April, the event featured a screening of the official film selections, chosen from dozens of student submissions across high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. A panel of Asbury’s media faculty curated the official selections, 11 to 15 finalists, which were judged by industry professionals in categories including best actor, cinematography, editing, sound design, and more.

“The main purpose of Highbridge is to showcase student storytelling,” said Dr. Todd Wold, festival director. “You don’t get to your destination as a filmmaker until someone experiences your story.”

This year’s judges included Disney director and digital effects artist Barry Cook (Mulan, Tron), award-winning actress Maria Canals-Barrera (Wizards of Waverly Place), and television actor David Barrera (The West Wing, NCIS). Judges also hosted seminars on Friday, April 11, offering students insight into the entertainment industry and opportunities for one-on-one conversations.

Behind the scenes, the festival was produced entirely by students in the School of Communication Arts’ Special Events class, which functions like a creative agency with teams responsible for public relations, design, production, and more.

“It’s a great night out as an Asbury community,” Wold said. “It’s one way to see all the creativity and artistry that goes into these student productions.”

2025 Highbridge Film Festival Winners:

• Audience Choice Award: “How Did We Get Here?” by Corrie Alford ’26
• Best High School Film: “The Legend of Marrow Creek” by Jed Davis
• Best Documentary: “In Service to Others” created by Stone Thompson ‘25, Chance Middleton ’25, Kayden Purvis ‘25, and Ethan Ivey ‘26
• Best Drama: “How Did We Get Here?” produced by Ethan Ivey ‘26
• Best Comedy: “Ball: The Movie”  produced by Alex Janus ‘25
• Best Director: Corrie Alford ’26 for “How Did We Get Here?”
• Best Actors: Wesley Ridings and Drew Farmer for “The Low Road”
• Best Actress: Kiley Reynolds ’28 for “How Did We Get Here?”
• Best Cinematography: Tyler Chong ’25 for “How Did We Get Here?”
• Best Editing: Andrew Stratton ’24 for “Ball: The Movie”
• Best Sound Design: Cameron Tapp ‘26 for “3 Minutes”
• Best Original Score: Aiden Chase Gaither ‘25 for “Stories End”
• Best Visual Effects: Ann Messinger ’24 for “Ball: The Movie”
• Best Costume, Hair, and Makeup Design: Monique Caraman ‘27 for “The Mess”
• Best Screenplay: Katie Jornod ’24 for “The Low Road”
• Best Production Design: Kaja Jaques ’25 for “The Mess”
• Servant Leader Crew Awards: Ian Rhodes ‘27 and Lilli Bell ’26

For more information or to rewatch the festival, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho97mg_pnnI