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Orem Film Festival founder Trevor Allen presents an award to a producer on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Vineyard.

Courtesy Orem Film Festival

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Do Not Watch directors Andy Matthews and Aaron Tharp pose for a photo on Sept. 23, 2026, in Vineyard.

Courtesy Orem Film Festival

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Orem Film Festival founder Trevor Allen interviews Orem Mayor Karen McCandless on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Vineyard.

Courtesy Orem Film Festival

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Year one of the Orem Film Festival last year was considered a success, with founder Trevor Allen saying the novelty of the event attracted curious visitors to come and see what it was all about. 

Another strong turnout in year two may suggest a proof of concept — that the demand for a new film festival in Utah County is real. The event, which took place last week at the Megaplex in Vineyard, sold out the auditoriums and delivered what Allen called “an excitement in the room.” 

“It’s just so electric to see hundreds of movie fans all just talking to each other in the hallway and arguing about the films,” he said. “That just excites me so much.” 

The event, formatted the same way as last year, featured 10 short films, five of which were created by local filmmakers, ranging all across the film spectrum. There were stop-motion animations, horror films, documentaries and dramas. 

There were three award categories given out, including a jury prize, audience award and Utah emerging filmmaker award. 

Attendees, who spent $10 to get in the doors, took their role in the audience vote seriously, said Allen, arguing in the hallways at intermission about their favorite films. A group of girls even showed up with their notebooks to take notes so they could talk about the films afterward, he added. 

Winning the audience award was “A Love Letter to My Parents” a documentary by Mira Plummer discussing her parents and her experience growing up in Provo in the 1980s. 

“I stood and watched the audience for a little bit, and they were just laughing, and there were some tears, and that was just so fun to hear just the audible responses to the film,” Allen said.

Winning the jury prize from a six-member panel of critics and filmmakers was “Moderator,” directed by Eli Staub, and the Utah Emerging Filmmaker Award went to “Do Not Watch” by Andy Matthews and Aaron Tharp. 

Those three films stood out from what Allen said was a really strong group of films that were presented. He said there were hundreds of short films to sort from, and that it was difficult to leave so many good ones out. But the team selected 10, curating a lineup that would balance serious and light-hearted films. 

“I didn’t think we’d be able to top last year’s selection because I thought it was so strong. But I think we did it this year. We had some really, really fun films, and I think we have got a good mix,” Allen said. 

His ultimate goal in starting the festival was to give a platform to homemade, original short films that would evoke a variety of emotions in people. 

“One of my primary objectives is for Utahns to have something to look forward to every year, and that it is really an experience worth going to,” he said. “It’s also important to me that the curation and energy of the festival should be very accessible to anyone.”