CHELSEA BEST – Young Local Filmmaker Debuts At CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

 When Santa Clarita native Chelsea Best wrapped her first film, she was merely hoping to place in a college film competition at San Diego State University.  Beyond that, she only dared to dream of awards, screenings and festivals in her very distant, very adult future.  But the world had other plans for her.  Thanks to that same college film, Chelsea’s first walk down the red carpet will end in her directorial debut at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
From an early age, Chelsea’s imagination and drive to entertain propelled her through the arts.  She got her first shot at production at Rancho Pico Junior High School, joining the inaugural Rancho Pico TV class.  At the high school level, she continued taking video production courses and joined West Ranch TV as a sophomore.  Learning the hours and stresses involved with a successful project would deter most teens; but for Chelsea, this program only solidified her excitement for a career behind the camera.  Perusing the industry further, she enrolled in and completed a Video Production Career Pathway, an occupational program offered through the William S. Hart Union High School District that connects students to working professionals and real-life career experience.
Upon graduating from West Ranch High School in 2014, Chelsea broadened her horizons and knowledge at San Diego State University.  As a sophomore, she created and submitted a short film for Campus Movie Fest.  The competition was fierce.  More than 60 groups would submit films; of the 60, only 16 would move on as campus finalists, and only four would receive the coveted Jury Award.
Chelsea and her seven peers had their work cut out for them.  Production lasted five days, with full effort and time sacrificed by the team.  Taking the lead on production, Chelsea directed, filmed and edited the entire project to completion.  An emotional exploration, Enamored follows two young lovers and their immense infatuation, but not all is as it seems.  The film leaves a lasting impact on its viewers with a jarring twist of events.  The impact was enough, in fact, to earn Enamored a Jury Award, as well as the competition’s Best Actress Award.
Following success at the local level, the opportunity of a lifetime arose when Chelsea received an invitation to the 2016 Cannes International Film Festival, a two-week event starting May 9 in the South of France.  Referred to as the world’s most prestigious and publicized film festival, Cannes is an honor for even practiced, working filmmakers.  Amongst thousands of competing films, only 30 were chosen for this honor, and Enamored was one of them.
Along with screening her film in front of the world’s most connected audience, Chelsea will walk the red carpet to world premiers, network with industry professionals, attend panels to learn more about the film world, and represent her short film.  With accomplishment often come new challenges, however; today, Chelsea is working hard to earn money for the trip, as well as applying for scholarships.
This young filmmaker’s budding career has only just begun, given she still has a few years left at school before she can dive in head first.  Applying what she learns during this voyage can lead to new opportunities and open doors Chelsea has dreamed of from the day she chose film as a career.  The accomplishment has turned out to be much more than a trophy – but a chance to become the world’s next great director.
To support Chelsea Best on her trip to the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, please visit bit.ly/1PWu9ad.  

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