Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 4 PM & 5 PM

James Bridges Theater, Melnitz Hall, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television

Step into a world of imagination at the Animation Extravaganza!

This vibrant annual celebration brings together graduate and undergraduate animation students for a one-of-a-kind showcase of their completed films, Saturday, June 6th.

It’s a night where hard work meets creative brilliance—an opportunity for the students to share their hilarious, heartfelt, and awe-inspiring stories on the big screen. From mesmerizing 3D and hand-drawn works to inventive stop-motion and interactive pieces, these students have pushed the boundaries of the medium in every direction.

Join us as we honor the incredible talent emerging from the UCLA Animation Program at the School of Theater, Film & Television. Plus, don’t miss the presentation of the Crystal Anvil Award, given each year by the students to a trailblazing figure whose work has made a lasting impact on the field of animation.

Come for the films—stay for the magic!

Hosts: Grace Capooth & Divsang Sangani

Crystal Anvil Award: Valerie Lettera-Spletzer

Valerie Lettera-Spletzer is an artist, educator, and animation professional whose career spans over 35 years across feature animation, interactive media, television, and higher education. She earned her BFA in Sculpture from Syracuse University and her MFA in Animation from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.

In 1995, Valerie became the first artist hired at DreamWorks Interactive during the studio’s early formation, and later joined DreamWorks Animation in 1998, where she spent over 25 years contributing as a Background Department Technical Director, Final Layout Artist, and Final Layout Supervisor. She contributed to films including Trolls, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, The Road to El Dorado, Shrek Forever After, The Croods, and How to Train Your Dragon 2 & 3.

Before joining DreamWorks, Valerie developed animation and artwork for projects including the 1993 live-action feature film Super Mario Bros., where she designed and animated a hand-drawn digitally painted character sequence. She also designed and directed the Main Title Motion Graphics used for many seasons of the television series Baywatch.

Alongside her industry career, Valerie taught the MFA course Advanced Computer Animation at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television for over 25 years, and currently teaches Animation History and Culture for Syracuse University’s Dick Clark Los Angeles Program. She is passionate about encouraging emerging artists to explore storytelling, technology, and creative innovation with curiosity and a spirit of exploration.

Program 1 | THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER | 4:00pm

An eclectic mix of non-MFA films completed in the Animation Program course 181C and the stop-motion class

Program 2 | YOU’RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER BOAT | 5:00pm

Crystal Anvil Award Honoree, Student Awards and films from the individual voices of the MFA Animation Program: stop motion, 2D and 3D CG animation

Maya Bogoniewski – Ideas

A dog struggling with artistic burnout finds new inspiration through a magical dream.

Shike (April) Du – Unheard

Unspoken dreams. Unheard melodies.

Yanzhang (Jessica) Song – Scissors

Haunted by recurring nightmares, a young girl journeys through layered dreams into the pasts of her mother and grandmother, inheriting the courage of three generations of women through a pair of family scissors.

Alex Gerardo – The Umbrella

When his umbrella becomes trapped in the high branches of a towering tree, a young boy embarks on a journey upward, discovering how much the tree changes him as he changes the tree.

Sophia Kawaguchi – Protostellar

A young man meets a new vendor who happened to know his late father, revealing a side to his dad he never knew.

Claudia Liu – Noodle Fight

Rival swim captains Marissa and Armada face off in a duel for glory and honor.

Yiru Deng (Ru) – Tunnel Vision

Using tunnel vision, a symptom that narrows one’s field of sight as the main metaphor, the film reveals the female experience of intense pressure and lack of autonomy within East Asian families. The film questions traditional values that can result in generational trauma.

Simon Hernandez – The Tower

A construction worker recounts the story of building a tower.

Bianca Badillo – Out West: The Last Dragons

In the wild west there’s more at stake to lose to America then just land, as the US expands west into Mexico a Vaquera makes her last stand.

Elaine Lu Qu – To Do List

A grieving puppet embarks on a surreal journey through dreams and memories to complete a to-do list left by her deceased best friend, discovering the courage to embrace life again.

Edelle Craig – La Sirena y el Pescador

A young fisherman from the coast of Lima Peru goes out fishing and makes and unexpected catch.

Matt Haro – Van Helsing’s Journal

Half-human/half-monster Bruce Van Helsing lives a quiet, isolated life as a wildlife conservationist alongside his trusted sidekick Jack the Jackalope. But when a magical rift resurrects Count Dracula from Bruce’s family journal, it is up to the duo to stop him.

Dylan Martis – Pyre

An experimental film exploring loss and conflict.

Zitong (Christine) Cui – Bobble Hat

Maybe there wasn’t enough time to say goodbye, but the part of me that was changed by you will carry you forward,walking with me for the rest of my life.

Xibin (Alisdair) Zhang – Princess Unburied

Tami Tedesco – My Body Is Not Mine

In this experimental animated horror film, a young girl endures bizarre medical experiments carried out by sinister aliens.

Eric Babajanian – The Starlet

When a curious starlet sea anemone hears music drifting through the reef, she discovers a passion for dance and wishes to impress the ocean around her. But as her need for approval grows, she must learn whether dancing is for applause — or for herself.

Jungsu Lim – Thunder Within

This is about Lucie, a gentle wild hamster who longs to live a joyful and peaceful life in her vibrant grass field, but when a natural disaster destroys her home, her grief and anger awaken a storm within, transforming her into the rage-fueled Thunder Hamster. Now, she must confront the destructive power that burns down the world she loves before it consumes her entirely.

Adrianna Grayson – The Shadow of Death

This film shows a young woman processing the death of her sister, and trying to reconcile that grief with her religious beliefs.

Waverly Wang – Eliette’s Garden

A young woman grows a magical garden in her home as she enjoys spending time alone. But as flowers start to imprison her, she fights to open up her home again.

Marcello Frisina – Snowblind

A vengeful hunter and his dog stumble through an otherworldly storm.

Nova Gutierrez – A Small Solemn Mass

Just another day in the Catholic Church.

Xiangzi (Zora) Xu – What Remains Above

In an inverted world formed from forgotten memories, the traces of a life gather beyond time, suggesting that what is lost never truly disappears.

Yiru (Ru) Deng – The Pit

Longing to be accepted, a boy with a twisted face sacrifices his true self in a quest for physical perfection, only to discover that acceptance comes at the cost of his identity.

Louise Liu – The Heroine With A Thousand Faces