When my talented crew and I finished filming the final scene of “First Impression,” a short film I directed for Production Management, I spoke with Charis Herrington, the Assistant Director, and Audrey Mattox, the Director of Photography. After such a positive experience on a set with all female department heads, we desired to create an opportunity for more women to showcase their creativity and meet fellow female filmmakers. We came up with an idea: why not organize a screening? 

“Me, Audrey and Evyn first thought of this event when we realized we wanted to showcase our films because of how much effort went into them, along with the fact that we hadn’t seen a female spotlight event happen on campus yet,” Herrington said. 

“I think that we all are in this program to constantly make things that a lot of us are really proud of, and they’re aren’t many events where we’re able to showcase it outside of class screenings,” Mattox said. 

The Female Director Spotlight was held on April 30, 2026. With over 50 attendees, it was the first screening event curated specifically to highlight the work of women in the Snyder School of Cinema and Media Arts. The program consisted of four trailers for upcoming films and ten short films of various genres, all of which were directed by women. 

Herrington’s directorial debut “Love, Dad” is a coming-of-age story that explores a touching relationship between a father and daughter. “In Bloom,” Mattox’s charming comedy short, follows the story of an anniversary almost-gone-wrong. These were showcased alongside the premiere of “First Impression,” a romantic comedy about overcoming perfectionism in art and love. 

Alexa Lee is the director of “Fingerprints,” a deeply personal short film about artistic expression and the loss of a parent. She spoke on her experience having the opportunity to showcase her work at the event. 

“Honestly, my heart was pounding out of my chest while it played on a big screen in front of so many people. I was surprised how many people showed up and supported,” Lee said. “Knowing that my film was being shown to so many of my peers who wouldn’t have seen my work otherwise was amazing, and seeing it up there made me get very emotional. I felt seen.” 

Some of the other films screened were award-winning “Altar” directed by Julianna Huffman, “Brevity” directed by Kaylin Menezes and Charis Riley and “Intellectual Ecstasy” directed by Evelynn Moorman. 

“Sometimes I just need to hear that my work impacts people,” Moorman said. “I tend to doubt myself and be critical of my own work, but showcasing it helps me to see its value through the eyes of others and encourages me to keep going.”

“Even though the films weren’t all overtly Christian, they all felt so vulnerable and personal that I could tell there were Christian filmmakers at the center,” CMA student Ty Felberg said. 

The event ended with an opportunity for filmmakers and audience members to mingle, enjoy refreshments and discuss the films that were screened. One of our main goals was for female filmmakers to connect with each other not only to build a network, but to develop a genuine and supportive community.

“It was amazing, honestly a highlight of my year being able to get together with so many wonderful and talented women. I felt like I hadn’t had a lot of opportunities to gather with so many of those girls, especially because a lot of sets are male dominated – at least the ones I’ve been on,” Lee said. 

“My favorite part of planning and hosting this event was getting to know female directors and filmmakers that I didn’t know before and wouldn’t have if they hadn’t attended or submitted their films,” Mattox said. 

Audrey, Charis and I plan to make the Female Director Spotlight an annual event, in hopes that women in the Cinema and Media Arts program are regularly given opportunities to showcase their work, foster new connections, and inspire each other in their creative endeavors and professional journeys. 

“Hearing that it may be an annual thing brings me so much joy and excitement for the years to come,” Lee said. “[It] motivates me to keep directing, even though my concentration is cinematography.”

“I think Biola should have more events like this because it does create a community, and it even brings in the non-film community. Some people were here just to support women,” English major Justice Johnson said. “It brings groups together that don’t usually interact.”