Moonboogie Film Festival Back at 7 Tonight!

Student filmmakers from around Orange County will screen their works tonight at the second annual Moonboogie Student Film Festival.

The festival was developed by students to showcase their cinematic skills to a live audience and panel of judges. This year, Santa Margarita Catholic School partnered with Sage Hill School to put on the event.

The judges include Leslie Feibelman, director of special programs for the Newport Beach Film Festival; Ben York Jones, who wrote Like Crazy, a recent Sundance winner; and Santa Margarita Catholic alumnus Justin Lutsky, a graduate of Chapman University’s film school and a director/editor for Epic Image Entertainment.

Santa Margarita alumnus Ryan Eggold, a star on the television series 90210, will appear tonight to host a Q&A session with audience members after the intermission.

Moonboogie is a play off of Sundance, with Moon replacing Sun and boogie replacing dance. Santa Margarita Catholic and Tesoro High students began the festival in 2009.

Filmmakers from Santa Margarita, Sage Hill, Northwood, Mission Viejo, Capistrano Valley and El Dorado high schools will screen their films.

Students submited films in such categories as feature film, music video, documentary and short-short (less than one minute). Graduates of participating schools could enter the alumni category. Cash prizes will be awarded in each category, and for audience favorites.

The festival runs from 7:30 p.m. to 10 tonight at The Studio at , 20402 Newport Coast Drive in Newport Beach. Tickets are $10, with profits going toward grants to help students pursue film careers.

For more information or to purchase tickets, go to moonboogiefilmfestival.com.