Timeless Dreams, Creative Stories, Endless Inspiration
WILMORE, Ky. (March 2) – Asbury University’s School of Communication Arts will host the 22nd annual Highbridge Film Festival on Asbury’s campus in Hughes Auditorium. Programming will kick off on Thursday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m. with the Sounds of Stage and Screen Concert in Jameson Hall. Festival seminars will be held throughout Friday, April 17, at the Miller Center for Communication Arts. The live show showcasing students’ official film selections, followed by the awards show, will be in Hughes Auditorium on Saturday, April 18, at 7 p.m. Tickets for the film festival showcase and red-carpet reception following the showcase are on sale now. In-person sales begin on campus three weeks prior to the festival.
This year we’re harkening back to the early days of cinema, when movies were a brand-new form of entertainment, and people first attended not knowing what to expect,” said Todd Wold, Festival Director and Associate Professor of Communication. “Everything felt new and magical—the stories, the technology, and the wonder of the experience. Going to Highbridge is much the same: Timeless dreams and new story creations—shining on the screen to inspire the audience for the first time.”
Official film selections for the Festival are screened by an esteemed panel of film and creative industry professionals to determine student award-winners in the Narrative, Documentary, and Super Short categories. The 2026 panel of judges includes Michelle Jubilee Gonzalez, Jim Krieg, and David J Negron, Jr.
Michelle Jubilee Gonzalez: Actor / Stuntperson / Producer / Storyteller
Michelle Jubilee Gonzalez is a two-time Screen Actors Guild Awards nominee and a multi-hyphenate storyteller working across film and television as a writer, producer, executive producer, actress, and stunt performer. Her career bridges performance and production, giving her a rare 360-degree perspective on set culture, physical storytelling, creative leadership, and the real-world decisions that move projects from script to screen. With more than 200 film and television productions to her credit, Michelle recently served as a producer and screenwriter on Christmas North of Nashville, a feature film distributed by Great American Family.
Michelle is also a founding executive of Ethical Media Group (EMG), an innovative entertainment company and platform designed to modernize how film and television are financed, owned, and distributed. In addition, Michelle is the Founder and Executive Director of the Paragon Institute of Innovation, where she works at the intersection of creativity, sustainability, and workforce development, championing innovation and long-term impact across industries.
Passionate about craft and entrepreneurship, Michelle is honored to support emerging filmmakers through the Highbridge Film Festival, championing bold visual storytelling, clarity of intent, and collaboration rooted in professionalism and respect.
Jim Krieg: Writer / Producer / Showrunner
After his parents told him that watching too much TV was “a complete waste of time,” Jim Krieg has spent his adult life trying to prove them wrong. Most recently, he completed an eight-year run at Warner Bros. Animation, overseeing more than 40 animated features, including much of the DC Super Hero film slate and franchises like Scooby-Doo and Mortal Kombat. He concluded his tenure by writing and producing DC’s first animated trilogy, Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Krieg has written across animation and live action, including the fan-favorite Supernatural episode “Scoobynatural,” head writing duties on Spooksville (two Emmy nominations and a WGA-nominated episode), television films for Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, and staff work on Monk and Clueless. His YA novel, Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol, was nominated for an Edgar Award.
In addition to his industry work, Jim enjoys teaching part-time at Asbury University, where he shares his love of film history and storytelling with the next generation of filmmakers.
David J. Negron, Jr.: Storyboard Artist / Visual Effects Supervisor / Second Unit Director
David J. Negron Jr. is a veteran film professional with decades of experience working on major Hollywood productions. His career includes work as a storyboard artist, visual effects supervisor, and second unit director on films such as National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Lethal Weapon 2, National Treasure, and Clear and Present Danger. In recent years, he has continued contributing to large-scale studio productions, including Kong: Skull Island, Venom, and In the Heights. He is currently collaborating with Kevin Costner on Horizon: An American Saga. In addition to his film work, Negron has taught seminars and guest lectures at the University of Nebraska and Chapman University.
He brings extensive industry experience and a strong commitment to mentorship to this year’s judging panel.
More Festival Updates Coming Soon
Full Highbridge Film Festival programming, the festival’s featured Asbury chapel speaker, and a special film screening will be announced soon. Tickets are available online now.
About Highbridge
The Highbridge Film Festival began in 2004 as a vehicle for Asbury University’s School of Communication Arts to showcase student films and, in the process, encourage visual storytelling. Each year, the festival selects about a dozen student films and provides a venue for special presentations from Communication Arts and the panel of judges from the film and television industry. The film festival is entirely produced and promoted through the combined efforts of the School of Communication Arts’ Special Events class and student volunteers. 2025 marks the 22nd edition of the festival, which has grown into a nationally recognized collegiate film festival, delighting audiences and attracting wide-ranging interest from the film industry.