TCS 8th Grader Calder Baseheart Wins New Mexico Film Prize Junior Award for Animated Film

Taos, New Mexico-Calder Baseheart, an 8th-grade student from Taos Charter School, has been named a winner of the prestigious Film Prize Junior award of New Mexico for his animated short film “The Muralist of Mosstown.” His winning entry won the award for Best Animation and Best Grand Prize for middle school films. 

This past weekend Film Prize Jr. celebrated 89 schools and 206 films submitted to the film festival. Taos Charter School submitted 5 incredible films by 10 talented student  film makers. We would like to give a huge shout out to all the films our school submitted and the huge challenge they worked towards to finish these films  for 5 months! Thank you Gigi Bailey, Larka, Schultz, Maverick Burnham, Scout Gontram, Ella Corner, Lara Whitson, Tirzah Schilke, Zephania Martian and Rose L! 

Calder and all of the Taos Charter School student filmmakers were supported in their filmmaking efforts by their teacher producers, Elliot Magic Paynter and Zoe Elston, whose guidance and encouragement helped bring his vision to life.

The Film Prize Junior program celebrates emerging student filmmakers and provides a platform for young creatives to share their work with broader audiences. Calder’s achievement highlights both his dedication to the craft and the strength of arts education within his school community. 

Taos Charter School will be screening all the short films in April or May and there may be more opportunities to see them around town so stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks! 

To see all the winners of  Film Prize Junior and this year’s winners, please visit https://filmprizejr.com/newmexico/.