ORU's Maggie Peña Wins Best Student Film Award; Freshman Santiago Carvajal Nominated for Best Documentary

Story Highlights:

• ORU's Maggie Peña wins Best Student Film at the 22nd Annual 168 Film Festival.
• Freshman Santiago Carvajal named a finalist in the College Broadcasters Inc. (CBI) competition for Best Documentary Short Form.

Tulsa, Oklahoma, December 2, 2025-Two Oral Roberts University (ORU) film students have received national recognition for their outstanding work in faith-driven filmmaking. Senior Maggie Peña won Best Student Film at the 2025 168 Film Festival, while freshman Santiago Carvajal was named a finalist in the College Broadcasters Inc. competition for Best Documentary Short Form.

"Being recognized as 'Best Student Film' is a great honor for my team," said Maggie. "It affirmed that all the work we put into it was strong enough to be acknowledged. It means the message came through. If my team hadn't had experience in the Media Mastery Institute, we probably would have spent most of the time figuring out "how" we were going to do it, rather than intuitively knowing what to do next. ORU has a unique program set up that pushes us beyond our limits."

"Being a finalist is a response to the calling God has placed on my life," said Santiago, "the opportunity to show His love and glory through the stories of believers around the world. None of the credit belongs to me; all the honor and praise belong to Him. ORU has equipped me with the knowledge, environment, and tools to bring these projects to life. Both professors and students have been an incredible source of support throughout the process."

Learn more about their films below:

Maggie Peña - AUGUSTA

Based on a randomly assigned Bible verse, "Augusta" tells the story of a prideful performer whose fame leaves her empty. The film, which was part of the 168 Project's speed-filmmaking competition, had to be completed in just 168 hours. "Augusta" was filmed partly in ORU's new Peggy V. Helmerich Media Arts Center using the Extended Reality Stage.

These students helped create "Augusta":

• Maggie Pena, Class of 2025 - Writer, Director, and Producer
• Meagan Dryden, Class of 2025 - Director of Photography
• Tori Ruffin, Class of 2025 - Costume and Art Director
• Bethany Swanson, Class of 2025 - Gaffer
• Nathan Tinkler, Class of 2026 - First Assistant Camera

Watch "Augusta" (5:13): The password to watch: "168" https://www.filmfreeway.com/augusta2025

Santiago Carvajal - UNSHAKABLE LOVE

"Unshakable Love" follows a young woman wrestling with her faith after devastating earthquakes in Turkey. Screened at ORU's 2025 MMI Film Gala, "Unshakable Love" was the first freshman documentary ever chosen for this annual event. As a CBI finalist, the film was selected from hundreds of national submissions, including student films from Penn State, Syracuse University, Temple University, Ohio University, University of Wisconsin, Arkansas State University, and Texas A&M University.

These students helped create "Unshakable Love":

• Santiago Arrigui, Class of 2027 - Director and Producer
• Lucy Wentz, Class of 2027 - Talent and Writer
• Pablo Barillas, Class of 2027 - Assistant Director
• Alejandro Mancia, Class of 2027 - Camera Assistant

Watch "Unshakable Love" (4:22): https://youtu.be/ddDMygL6WU4

For more information on the College of Arts and Cultural Studies, please visit the college's webpage.

Nationally Ranked, Globally Recognized

ORU is a Christian, Spirit-empowered, interdenominational university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 17 years of consecutive enrollment growth. Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ORU offers over 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional programs at the bachelor's level, ranging from business and engineering to nursing, ministry, and more. In 2024, the Carnegie Foundation recognized ORU with a "Leadership for Public Purpose" award, a distinction earned by only 25 universities nationwide. Under the leadership of President Dr. William Wilson, ORU is preparing students from all 50 states and 174 nations in the last 6 years to be whole leaders for the whole world.