Southern California is packed with film festivals \u2014 but few are as exciting as one where audiences can witness young filmmakers discovering their voices in real time.<\/p>\n
Students from across the Long Beach Unified School District will have the chance to see their creative discoveries projected onto the big screen when the Museum of Latin American Art hosts its second annual \u201cOne Frame at a Time Student Film Festival\u201d on Sunday, May 31.<\/p>\n
Presented by MOLAA\u2019s Department of Education. in partnership with LBUSD\u2019s Office of Pathways and Business Engagement, the festival invites high school students in grades nine to 12 to submit original short films exploring this year\u2019s theme \u2014 \u201cEscape.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event will take place in person at MOLAA\u2019s Viva Event Center, 628 Alamitos Ave.<\/p>\n
Students created and submitted films between two and three minutes long in one of four categories: animation, drama, comedy\/satire and documentary\/broadcast. Organizers encouraged participants to push beyond traditional approaches, whether through unconventional storytelling, bold visual techniques, inventive editing or experimental production design.<\/p>\n
Rather than focusing solely on polished technical execution, the festival emphasizes originality and artistic risk-taking.<\/p>\n
Submissions exploring themes connected to art, education or social equity are especially encouraged, alongside a required artist or group statement explaining the creative vision behind each project.<\/p>\n
In addition to category awards, the festival will once again present its \u201cBalboa Award,\u201d honoring the top silent film submission. That award pays tribute to MOLAA\u2019s historic location, once home to the famed Balboa Amusement Producing Company during the silent film era.<\/p>\n
Finalists and winners will be selected by a panel of judges from the Hollywood film industry and Long Beach cultural organizations, with projects evaluated on storytelling, creativity, technical achievement, and educational or artistic impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne Frame at a Time,\u201d with its blend of student creativity, cinematic experimentation and community engagement, continues to grow as a platform for emerging young filmmakers in the city.<\/p>\n
To RSVP for a panel discussion with industry experts and a film screening starting at 1 p.m., go to molaa.org\/molaa-student-film-festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n Journey cover band<\/p>\n Cover band DSB \u2014 short for \u201dDon\u2019t Stop Believin\u2019\u201d \u2014 will celebrate the catalog of classic band Journey on Saturday, May 30, at Gaslamp Long Beach, 6251 E. Pacific Coast Highway, during a night devoted to one of rock\u2019s surprisingly enduring acts.<\/p>\n Why a surprise? Because for most rock bands, losing a legendary front man would mark the end of an era. For Journey, though, it became part of their story.<\/p>\n Ever since Steve Perry left Journey in the late 1990s, the band has continued touring with a succession of vocalists chosen largely because they could channel the unmistakable soaring sound of the former front man.<\/p>\n With longtime guitarist Neal Schon still leading the group, the modern version of Journey already exists somewhere between legacy act and living tribute to its own classic era.<\/p>\n That\u2019s part of what makes DSB such a fitting tribute act: the band doesn\u2019t shy away from leaning fully into recreating the arena-rock energy, polished musicianship and Perry-style vocals that made songs like \u201cSeparate Ways (Worlds Apart),\u201d \u201cFaithfully\u201d and \u201cWheel in the Sky\u201d staples of classic rock radio.<\/p>\n DSB is unapologetic about giving us an experience of \u201970s and \u201980s rock \u2014 re-creating the sound, look and emotional sweep of Journey\u2019s heyday.<\/p>\n For audiences who grew up with these songs \u2014 or younger listeners discovering Journey for the first time \u2014 the concert offers a chance to savor the oversized hooks and emotional power that made Journey one of the defining rock bands of their era.<\/p>\n Their opening act, meanwhile, is also a tribute to another legendary band from the very best era of rock music: Candy-O, paying homage to The Cars.<\/p>\n