2026 Award Winners
On Wednesday, September 23, the Orem Film Festival came back for its second year at Megaplex Theatres at Geneva. Ten films played on the big screen in premium projection and luxury seating, and six of them were followed by live Q&As with the people who made them. Thank you to everyone who came out to support independent film and local artists.
Each winning filmmaker went home with a $1,000 cash prize in recognition of their work.
Eli Staub - Director of Moderator
Andy Matthews, Aaron Tharp - Directors of Do Not Watch
Indya Wilson - Cinematographer of A Love Letter To My Parents
Jury Prize: Moderator
Directed by Eli Staub
Our jury's top honor, chosen from all ten official selections. Evaluated based on originality, technical execution, narrative strength, emotional impact, and artistic vision.
Audience Award: A Love Letter to My Parents
Directed by Mira Plummer
Voted on by the audience, this film earned the most votes of the night.
Utah Emerging Filmmaker Award: Do Not Watch
Directed by Andy Matthews & Aaron Tharp
Andy and Aaron were part of our first festival with The Ghost in the Road, and it was a real treat to have them back and see them take home this award.
Filmmaker Q&As
Guests heard directly from the filmmakers behind Suction, Moderator, Dear Pelican, A Love Letter to My Parents, Do Not Watch, and I Hid My Heart Inside My Head. Hearing how these films came together is one of our favorite parts of the night.
2026 Recap
On Wednesday, September 23, the Orem Film Festival came back for its second year at Megaplex Theatres at Geneva. Ten films played on the big screen in premium projection and luxury seating, and six of them were followed by live Q&As with the people who made them. Thank you to everyone who came out to support independent film and local artists.
Opening the Night
Orem City Mayor Karen McCandless welcomed our filmmakers and spoke about the power of film, adding that "Orem City loves the arts." OFF Founder Trevor Allen followed with a few words about building community and giving local artists and filmmakers a spot on the big screen.
"These films were all made by passionate artists who have something to say," Trevor said. "They're original films, not soulless remakes or something made with AI. We curated a mix of genres this year, with documentary, horror, drama, and animation, and we're so happy to share them. These films are thought-provoking, entertaining, and great conversation starters. Film is for everyone. We all love a good story, and whether you're a casual movie fan or a professional filmmaker, there's something here for you."
The 2026 Official Selection
This year's lineup was split evenly, five films from Utah and five from across the country and around the world.
Made in Utah
A Love Letter to My Parents, directed by Mira Plummer
Provo High School, 1990. Charles and Erica come from opposite kinds of Mormon households, fall in love anyway, and get pregnant at 16. What everyone around them calls a tragedy, they see as a chance to finally be together.
Dear Pelican, directed by John Meier
As the Great Salt Lake recedes, thousands of American White Pelicans abandon their nesting grounds on Gunnison Island. Students from Emerson Elementary carry their story to the Utah State Capitol in poetry.
Do Not Watch, directed by Andy Matthews and Aaron Tharp
After an argument with his wife, Nick starts digitizing a box of old family home videos and finds something that was never meant to be seen.
I Hid My Heart Inside My Head, directed by Luis Fernando Puente
A Mormon man wrestles with his faith as he comes to terms with the approaching death of his wife. Tension rises when the men of his congregation arrive to give the frail woman a healing blessing.
Suction, directed by KoDie King Romero
A young woman trying to build a perfect home is pitted against a demonic vacuum set on tearing her world apart.
From outside Utah
And The Moon Bloomed, directed by Stanley Q-Brick
A LEGO stop-motion film about a corporation that sets out to commercialize life on the Moon after a groundbreaking discovery, and what sits between nature and the machine.
Baggage, directed by Lucy Davidson
Three friends check their bags at the airport, but one is carrying more than the others. As the luggage moves toward security, can she hide what is inside? Stop-motion from a director selected by the Aardman Animation Studios Academy.
Moderator, directed by Eli Staub
An immersive drama following a day in the life of a social media content moderator, based on true anonymous accounts.
Relationship to Patient, directed by Caroline Creaghead
A woman arrives at the hospital to visit the man she is dating, and on the way to his bedside she begins to question whether she belongs there.
Running Late, directed by Alistair Nicholls
A stop-motion film about a surreal morning routine, from a Norwich-based director whose clients include Burberry, Amnesty International, and Nickelodeon.
Meet the Jury
A special thank-you to our jury of critics, filmmakers, and movie lovers who closely evaluated all ten official selections and chose the Jury Prize and the Utah Emerging Filmmaker Award. We're lucky to have them.
Scott Renshaw, Arts and Entertainment Editor and film critic, Salt Lake City Weekly. Primary film critic since 2001, founding member of the Online Film Critics Society, and past president of the Utah Film Critics Association.
Derek Mellus, Production Manager, Utah Film Commission. With the commission since 2007, and previously ran the Utah Arts Festival's Fear No Film for seven years.
Jahanara Saleh, Filmmaking Professor and Program Coordinator, Southern Utah University. An award-winning filmmaker born and raised in Iran whose work has screened internationally.
Mekhai Lee, writer and director. His short Them That's Not won the Golden Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival, making it Academy Award eligible, and took the Audience Award at our 2025 festival. He knows exactly what this night feels like from the other side.
Carli Mahas, Production Coordinator, Utah Film Commission. More than a decade in film production support, state film incentives, and workforce development.
Quian Redfern, film critic, The Reel Fella. A Utah-based editor, producer, and critic covering film, sports, and culture.
Edward Pollei - Orem Film Festival Producer
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Swig came back for a second year with a free drink for every guest. Megaplex Theatres at Geneva hosted us again and gave these films a real screen. The Utah Film Commission joined as a sponsor for the first time this year, and we're grateful to the Utah Film Center, our fiscal sponsor, who have supported us from the start.
Special thank you to our generous volunteers who made this celebration of cinema possible.
We're already thinking about next year. If you'd like to get involved as a supporter or volunteer, reach out to Festival Director Trevor Allen at trevor@oremfilmfestival.com.
