El Dorado High School Shines at the 2025 Orange County Film Festival

On Friday, April 25, students from El Dorado High School’s Film and TV program experienced a momentous evening at the 2025 Orange County Film Festival (OCFF), held at the historic Lido Theater in Newport Beach. Entering the prestigious event with 34 nominations across numerous film and individual achievement categories, the Golden Hawks emerged with seven notable film awards.

The pinnacle of the evening was the recognition of El Dorado senior James Conlee as the 2025 Orange County Filmmaker of the Year. Conlee received an impressive 11 individual nominations and was acknowledged in nearly every major category, including a sweep of all three nominations for Best Original Score. His work extended beyond El Dorado, as he collaborated with peers from Irvine and Valencia High Schools on the short film Intake, which earned the award for Best Short Film.

El Dorado’s success was further highlighted by the recognition of teacher Mark Switzer as the 2025 Mentor of the Year, underscoring the strength and support of the program’s leadership.

Select award-winning and nominated films will be featured during the upcoming El Dorado Film Festival, scheduled for Friday, May 2, in the Performing Arts Center (PAC).

2025 Orange County Film Festival Awards — El Dorado Highlights

Orange County Filmmaker of the Year: James Conlee
Mentor of the Year: Mark Switzer
Best PSA: Seasons of Hope – Ciana Gonzales, Claire Ng, River Santiago
Best Music Video: April Come She Will – JD Cavalluzzi
Best Documentary: The Hillclimber – James Conlee
Best Short Film: Intake – Benjamin Loy (Irvine), Sienna Perez (Valencia), James Conlee, Katelyn Marshall (Irvine)
Best Score: April Come She Will – James Conlee and Avalina Thomas
Best Director: Zoey Rodriguez – The Bottle Spin
Best Cinematography: James Conlee – April Come She Will