Student Stories

At the 2026 Public Domain Film Festival, The Flowers You Left by Phil Creates was awarded Best Picture. The film was produced by a student team from BYU–Hawaii, made up of five students from the island of Oahu.

With faculty sponsorship, the team traveled to Provo, Utah to attend this year’s festival and participate in the screening. While in Utah, students toured BYU broadcasting, met with other student filmmakers, and enjoyed experiencing the magic that happened in the Varsity Theater.

Their selection and recognition highlighted both the strength of their storytelling and the beauty behind the public domain. Their achievement reflects the growing reach of student filmmakers across campuses and the opportunity the festival provides for emerging creators to showcase their work on a larger stage.