Mission Viejo Film Festival Comes to Kaleidoscope

From the City of Mission Viejo:

Fourteen judges – ranging from Hollywood TV and film actors, producers and directors to a former NFL star – have been tapped to judge the first, annual Mission Viejo Film Festival on Saturday, May 21.

Residents throughout Orange County are invited to savor the free daylong event that takes place from 12:30-9 p.m. at the Kaleidoscope, located at 27741 Crown Valley Parkway. The festival is a showcase for impassioned filmmakers that also supports a great cause. All proceeds will go toward cancer research and treatment at City of Hope.

From the likes of actors PJ Marshall, who has appeared on "American Horror Story" and in "Mississippi Grind" with Ryan Reynolds, Austin Falk from CBS's "Broke Girls" and Rodney Van Johnson of CBS's "Young and the Restless" to former NFL player and WWE wrestler Russ McCullough, the slate of talented judges is impressive, to say the least.

These individuals will judge 11 of the top short films submitted by the following Orange County high school filmmakers: "Laundromat" (Kirsten Hoang), "Viral" (Nick Jackson), "You" (Connor Simon), "Misgiving" (Luke and Rita Konopasky) and "‪#‎SelfieDad" (Taylor Huddleson).

College and independent submissions are "The Music Around Him" (Leigh Stiepel), "Mr. Santa Monica" (Mark Lawson), "Lilith's Game" (Johnny Whichard), "Cosplayer Rana McAnear Transforms" (Shannon Cottrell), "Treintañera" (Tamara Bunker) and "Lucky Day" (Mike Gilmore). Also screening are two short films from two young filmmakers: "Sounds of Hope" (Devon Salvin) and "Star Walk 'to school'" (Kristen Slymen).

The festival’s screening schedule is as follows: Block 1 (Young Filmmakers, 12:30-1 p.m.), Block 2 (High School, 2-3:30 p.m.), Block 3 (College/Independent, 5-6:30 p.m.), award ceremony from 7:30-8 p.m. and Opportunity Drawing from 8-9 p.m.

Further information is available through the Mission Viejo Film Festival website.