Pacifica Stories

The next sixty days at Pacifica Christian High School promise an extraordinary outpouring of imagination, discipline, and creative courage as PACARTS takes center stage across film, visual art, theatre, music, and dance.

Leading the way is the SCREEN Student Film Festival, now in its 21st year, hosted at the historic Aero Theatre. What began as a Pacifica initiative has grown into one of the largest high school film festivals in Los Angeles. SCREEN receives hundreds of submissions annually from some of California’s most talented young filmmakers. This year, Pacifica students will curate 15 films from more than 200 submissions, culminating in a red-carpet evening hosted in partnership with American Cinematheque. The night is a celebration of storytelling, a connection between schools, and a packed house filled with creative energy.

In the visual arts, Pacifica will host its 20th Annual Winter Gallery, the department’s signature exhibition. Students from Drawing and Painting, Mixed Media, and Photography classes curate, install, and publicly present their strongest work, transforming the gallery into a vibrant space of exploration and expression. Opening night is a joyful gathering of students, parents, and local artists, with awards recognizing artistic excellence and creative accomplishment.

Theatre arts students will take the stage at the iconic Santa Monica Playhouse, producing 12 Angry Jurors and Wit in repertory. Two casts and crews will rotate nightly, showcasing versatility, collaboration, and professional-level commitment.

All of this builds toward an exhilarating spring, our Winter Dance and Music Concert and the PACARTS interdisciplinary collaboration I.Sight in April and May. Together, these moments reflect what PACARTS does best: form artists who think deeply, create boldly, and bring beauty into the world.