(RAHWAY, NJ) -- Big Dreams & Silver Screens Youth Festival (formerly the Rahway Film Festival Jr), successfully wrapped its second annual event this past weekend and three young filmmakers will now be making room on their mantle for a shiny new trophy.  After enjoying an afternoon of fantastic student films, red carpet interviews and photo ops, students and friends raised their glasses of Shirley Temples to the talent of one another. 

Twenty films from students across New Jersey were screened at Patria Latin Bistro in Rahway, NJ followed by a brief discussion with the filmmakers.  The afternoon concluded with an awards ceremony to honor three talented students in the categories, “Best Short Animation”, “Best Short Documentary”, “Best Short Narrative” and the festival’s top honor, “Best Picture.”

Leanna Culver of Clayton, NJ won “Best Short Animation” for her short film, “String.”

Alexia Ross of Fanwood, NJ  won “Best Short Documentary” for her short film, “You Are What You Wear.”

John Tuohy of Little Silver, NJ won “Best Short Narrative” as well as “Best Picture” for his short film, “Parallax Dreams.”

As grand prize winner, John Tuohy will appear on Edison TV’s “Classic Movies with Ron MacCloskey” and his film, “Parallax Dreams” will receive a special screening at this year’s Rahway International Film Festival taking place September 22-24, 2017 at the James Ward Mansion in Westfield, NJ.

The Big Dreams & Silver Screens Youth Festival is a program of Big Dreams & Silver Screens Inc, a 501c3 Non Profit Organization in the state of New Jersey.  Big Dreams & Silver Screens is also the organization responsible for the Rahway International Film Festival.

For more information about Big Dreams & Silver Screens, please visit www.bigdreamsandsilverscreens.org. For more information about the Rahway International Film Festival, please visit www.rahwayfilmfest.com.

PHOTOS: (TOP) John Tuohy, Winner of ‘Best Short Narrative’ and ‘Best Picture’ - Red Bank Regional High School. Photograph by Dale Clarke of PeaceMaker Photography & Graphic Design

(BOTTOM) Pictured Film: Hue, Directed by Holly Grobholz and AnnMarie Ciulla Patria Latin Bistro- Rahway, NJ. Photograph by Stacy Ignacio