HOW THE JURY PROCESS WORKS
We take judging very seriously - because every filmmaker deserves a fair shot. Here's how it works:
1) Film Turn-In & Qualification
After the 7-day deadline, all films are reviewed by the CC7D Steering Committee and an expert guest. They confirm each project meets the rules, then score the films to create a qualified pool.
2) Screening Committee
A selection of qualified films is then shared with our Screening Committee - a group of local film aficionados, creative-community supporters, and long-time CC7D fans. Their scores determine which films advance.
3) Grand Jury
The top films land in front of the Grand Jury. This panel scores each film on story, creativity, technical craft, and overall impression to help us determine the best of the year.
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We're grateful for the time, passion, and thoughtful consideration our Screening Committee and Grand Jury bring to the process. Their dedication ensures the top CC7D films each year are chosen with fairness and consistency.
2025 GRAND JURY
MATT MCCLUNG
Matt McClung is a writer/director from Corpus Christi, TX, now based in Los Angeles. His short film, One to One, premiered at the 2019 Austin Film Festival, and has been featured online for Short of the Week and Director’s Notes. In 2020, Adult Swim hired Matt to write a pilot script for an animated horror-comedy series. His debut feature film, Inhabitants, premiered at the 2023 Austin Film Festival and was awarded the Dark Matters Jury Prize by Roy Lee and Vertigo Entertainment. It was released in February 2025 and is now available to stream on Amazon Prime.
VIA BIA
Via Bia was raised in a multi-generational Puerto Rican and Jewish family in New York where God was in charge (aka her abuela). Her screenplays have been selected for fellowships with Sundance, Stowe, Women In Animation, and Cine Qua Non, with a recent script option by Happy Accidents for a feature rom-com she co-wrote. Via is the Director/Co-Writer/Producer of Post Comedy and Director/Writer/Producer of These Colors Don't Run, which was distributed by HBO Max. She is a Producer on the Austin Film Society grant recipient, Cohetes, by Drew Saplin, gearing up to shoot on the Coastal Bend in the near future! Via resides in Los Angeles and loves working on projects about curvey Latinas who say they don’t give a shit… but nah, they totally do.
CARMEN HILBERT
Carmen Hilbert is a Cinematographer based in Brooklyn, NY and Austin, TX. Her documentary work has been featured in New York Magazine and PBS. Her most recent release was the 2007 period piece stoner comedy RATS! (2024, dir. Carl Fry & Maxwell Nalevansky), a feature film that premiered at Fantasia Film Festival and won a Fantasia Audience Award. Her commercial projects include clients such as Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Toyota, and New York Fashion Week. Carmen has been the Director of Photography for numerous shorts and music videos that have screened at festivals across the globe.
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LOCAL JUROR - MARK SCOTT
Mark Scott is a dedicated supporter of Corpus Christi’s creative community. As the lead City Council member working on the Corpus Christi Film Incentives, he is helping lay the groundwork for large-scale productions to film locally—bringing new job opportunities, economic development, and visibility to Corpus Christi's creative industries. He currently represents the city as an At-Large Corpus Christi City Council member, where he has served a combined 16 years. He has also contributed to long-term regional planning as a member of the Coastal Bend Regional Water Planning Group for over a decade.
2025 CC7D TOP 10 FILMS SENT TO THE GRAND JURY
"In the Ditch"
Acuñamatata
Team Leader - Ashton Acuña
"Baby, Baby"
Basic Cable Productions
Team Leader - Andrea Puyol
"One On"
Bell Lap Productions
Team Leader - Emanuel Ibañez
"Into the Turn"
Brainstorm
Team Leader - Pablo Schmitt
"Nuestra Torta"
Bridge Burners
Team Leader - Aaron Salinas
"Finch"
Cam Jam
Team Leader - Cameron Zertuche
"Route 76"
Mohler Media
Team Leader - Erin Mohler
"Something Darker Than Dark"
Ratwood Productions
Team Leader - Roel Rodriguez, Jr.
"The Friendship Fee"
Team Edge
Team Leader - Kippy Edge
"Paper Coffins"
WE3 Productions
Team Leader - Julie Bryan
View all the 2025 CC7D Films on YouTube.