Since 1991, SFFILM’s Schools at the Festival outreach program has created a vital connection between the annual San Francisco International Film Festival and the local educational community, providing students of all ages the opportunity to experience stories from around the world.
The Schools at the Festival program introduces students ages 6 to 18 to international film and the art of filmmaking while promoting media literacy, deepening insights into other cultures, enhancing foreign language aptitude, developing critical thinking skills, and inspiring a lifelong appreciation of cinema.
2023 In-Person Program
Please submit all Schools at the Festival ticket orders online here. Act soon, programs fill up quickly!
1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed
Mon, Apr 24 at 10 am PT | SFMOMA
Directed by W. Kamau Bell (USA, 59 min)
Playful and enormously charming, W. Kamau Bell’s latest work profiles the joys and struggles of children growing up mixed-race. Beginning with his own family, Bell speaks with kids and parents throughout the Bay Area as they illuminate the unique experience of defining themselves in a world that seems to prefer hard lines and neat categories. Tender but never shying away from hard questions, 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed is a timely exploration of identity and belonging that challenges our assumptions.
Suggested Subjects: African American Studies, Asian American Studies, History, Latin American Studies, Mental Health, Native American and Indigenous Studies, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Studies
Recommended Grades: 2–8
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Mon, Apr 24 at 12:15 pm PT | SFMOMA
Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig (USA, 105 min)
Margaret Simon, the 11-year-old New Jersey tween experiencing the first pangs of adolescence comes to vivid life on the big screen in this fresh, funny adaptation of Judy Blume’s classic 1970 novel. Abby Ryder Fortson gives a star-making performance as young Margaret, coping not only with the onset of puberty but also grappling with her religious identity. Writer/director Kelly Fremon Crain (The Edge of 17) faithfully captures the book’s defining moments while also freshening the material with new touches. Brilliant in support of Forston are Rachel McAdams and Benny Safdie as Margaret’s loving, complicated parents, and a heartwarming and hilarious Kathy Bates as her grandmother Sylvia. Margaret’s story of longing and self-discovery has resonated with generations of readers. With this luminous adaptation, she stands poised to repeat the feat and capture the hearts of filmgoers.
Suggested Subjects: Drama/Acting, English Language Arts, Health, Peer/Youth Issues, Religion, Women and Gender Studies
Recommended Grades: 5–12
Program Note: This film contains some adult themes.
Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia
FRI APR 21 10 AM PT | SFMOMA
Directed by Jean-Christophe Roger & Julien Chheng (France, 80 min)
In French with English Subtitles
Based on the beloved illustrated children book series, this animated adventure is a sequel to Ernest & Celestine (SFFILM, 2013). Ernest and Celestine, the bear and mouse best friend duo, are traveling back to Ernest’s country, Gibberitia, to fix his broken violin. This exotic land is home to the best musicians on earth and music constantly fills the air with joy. However, upon arriving, our two heroes discover that all forms of music have been banned there for many years. And for them, a life without music is unthinkable. Along with their friends and a mysterious masked outlaw, Ernest and Celestine must try their best to bring music and happiness back to the land of bears.
Suggested Subjects: Art/Media, French, Music, Social Studies
Recommended Grades: 2–8
Home is Somewhere Else
THU APR 13 12:30 PM PT | SFMOMA
Directed by Carlos Hagerman & Jorge Villalobos (Mexico, USA, 88 min)
In Spanish and English with English Subtitles
This “animentary” follows three personal stories about immigrant youth and their undocumented families to highlight the complexities and challenges they face today. Voiced by the actual children and their families, the stories are woven together by spoken word poet José Eduardo Aguilar, also known as Lalo “El Deportee,” the film’s host and MC whose vibrant “Spanglish” breaks codes, switches standards, and pushes the viewer to decipher his poems. Each story has its own unique visual animation style drawn by three different teams. The animation allows us to truly see and feel these characters’ worst nightmares, alongside their colorful hopes and dreams for a better future.
Suggested Subjects: Activism, Latin American Studies, Peer/Youth Issues, Political Science, Social Sciences, Social Studies, Spanish
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Program Note: This film contains profanity.
Judy Blume Forever
TUE APR 25 12:15 PM PT | SFMOMA
Directed by Davina Pardo & Leah Wolchok (USA, 97 min)
This documentary traces Judy Blume’s journey from childhood to storytelling pioneer who elevated the physical and emotional lives of kids and teens. Intimate conversations with the author take us on a journey to understand Blume’s profound impact on readers young and old alike, and how the banned writer continues to fight back against censorship today. This funny, touching, and radically honest documentary tells the story of the woman whose revolutionary books changed the way millions of readers understand adolescence and puberty, their sexuality, and what it means to grow up.
Suggested Subjects: Career Path Training, English Language Arts, Health, Mental Health, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Studies, Women and Gender Studies
Recommended Grades: 7–12
Program Note: This film contains some adult themes and brief profanity.
King Coal
FRI APR 21 10 AM PT | CGV
Directed by Elaine McMillion Sheldon (USA, 78 min)
To outsiders, coal is a pollutant, and a major contributor to climate change. But inside the Appalachian region where miners have descended into the depths of mountains for generations, the mineral is something else: sustenance and a way of life on the brink of extinction. The daughter of a miner, documentarian Elaine McMillion Sheldon blends vérité and dreamy narration to weave a lyrical story in which coal has played an outsized role in the lives of these communities. Scenes of pageants and fairs devoted to coal, a miners’ memorial, two young girls learning about the industry that supports their families, forested mountains, coal barges floating downriver, and archival footage of coal’s boom years blend together to form a portrait of a fading culture but one that may find new life in the natural world that surrounds it.
Suggested Subjects: African American Studies, Art/Media, Environmental Science, History, Journalism, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Studies, Women and Gender Studies
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Mushka: Workshop with Andreas Deja
FRI APR 14 10 AM PT | SFMOMA
Directed by Andreas Deja (USA, 28 min)
Total Running Time: 75 min
Disney legend Andreas Deja began perfecting his mastery of hand-drawn animation as a boy in Germany. At 10, he first applied to work at Disney, and began his legendary career at the studio at 23 with The Black Cauldron (1985). Since then, with his immense talent with pencil and paper, he brought life to such iconic characters as Gaston, Jafar, Mickey Mouse, and Tigger. Always pushing himself and his craft, Andreas left Disney in 2011 to pursue personal projects. His animation blog, Deja View, receives millions of views and serves as an invaluable resource for aspiring animators. Now, as a first-time writer and director, Andreas presents Mushka, a beautiful and touching tale of a young girl raising a tiger cub in Russia. Andreas will also present behind-the-scenes artwork, answer questions, and lead students in a drawing activity with his latest creation. Be sure to bring paper and pencils to draw along.
Suggested Subjects: Art/Media, Career Path Training, English Language Arts
Recommended Grades: 1–6
My So-Called High School Rank
MON APR 17 12:30 PM PT | CGV
Directed by Ricki Stern & Anne Sundberg (USA, 101 minutes)
My So-Called High School Rank goes deep into the lives of high school students in three radically disparate communities as they navigate the pressures around college while staging a musical, until seismic events upend their dreams and expectations. In 2019, students in Sacramento, CA were busy creating a new musical that drew from their own experiences as talented but very anxious students, all focused on getting into the same top schools. As word about the musical spread, schools around the country–including in Cupertino, CA, Ripley, WV, and the Bronx–reached out to stage it with their students. The film follows the journey of these students, the musical, and reveals the remarkable resilience that binds this generation across economic and racial divides.
Suggested Subjects: Art/Media, Career Path Training, Drama/Acting, Peer/Youth Issues, Mental Health, Music, LGBTQ+ Studies, Social Sciences, Social Studies
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Program Note: This film contains brief profanity.
The Pod Generation
WED APR 19 12:15 PM PT | CGV
Directed by Sophie Barthes (Belgium, 109 min)
Rachel (Emilia Clarke) and Alvy (Chiwetel Ejioror) live a comfortable lifestyle in New York City in this satiric, sci-fi social commentary set in the near future. While Rachel has a corporate job at a company that makes AI assistants, Alvy works from their upscale apartment studying plants as a botanist. The couple want to have a child but pregnancy would impede Rachel’s prospects for promotion. Her employer has a solution to the dilemma in a new biotech breakthrough, a portable artificial womb in which the fetus can incubate. Experiencing impending parenthood at a remove tests the relationship between husband and wife as well as their connection to their “pod baby.” Writer/director Sophie Barthes presents a striking, darkly funny critique of the effects of capitalism and technology on daily life.
Suggested Subjects: Art/Media, Computer Science, Drama/Acting, English Language Arts, Environmental Science, Social Sciences, Women and Gender Studies
Recommended Grades: 7–12
Program Note: This film contains adult themes, brief nudity, and brief profanity.
Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra
THU APR 20 11 AM PT | SFMOMA
Directed by Gary Rydstrom (USA, 25 min)
Total Running Time: 80 min
Using a magical guide named Sprite to lead the way, this gorgeously animated adventure flies through the instruments of the orchestra to explore the fundamental connections between music, sound, performance, creativity and technology. The multi-media concerto was created by Grammy award winning composer Mason Bates, in collaboration with Oscar-winning director and sound designer Gary Rydstrom, and animation director Jim Capobianco. Much like Peter and the Wolf and Fantasia had done for years before it, this exciting new work is sure to produce a whole new generation of musicians and music connoisseurs. The program will also incorporate interactive activities to further explore the themes.
Suggested Subjects: Art/Media, Career Path Training, English Language Arts, Music
Recommended Grades: 1–6
Shape Island
TUE APR 25 10 AM PT | SFMOMA
Directed by Drew Hodges (USA)
Total Running Time: 80 min
In the delightful new series from Apple TV+, the best-selling books of dynamic duo Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen are brought to life with eye-catching stop motion and mischievous humor that will be equally appreciated by viewers both young and old. For the geometric residents of Shape Island, daily life comes with its own set of ups and downs. Serious Square, intrepid Circle and tricky Triangle seek adventures as they dig up some fun, search for answers and build on their friendships, all while learning how to navigate each other’s differences. This program will include a few select episodes of the series followed by a behind the scenes look with Jon and Mac as they talk about bringing their beloved stories to life. There will also be a drawing activity to explore shapes and characters. Be sure to bring paper and pencils to draw along.
Suggested Subjects: Art/Media, Career Path Training, English Language Arts, Math
Recommended Grades: K–4
Stephen Curry: Underrated
FRI APR 14 12:15 PM PT | SFMOMA
Directed by Peter Nicks (USA, 110 min)
Award-winning filmmaker Peter Nicks (The Waiting Room, Festival 2012; The Force, Festival 2016; Homeroom, 2021) returns with another searing documentary about a Bay Area institution. This time his camera turns to the celebrated and singular iconography of NBA superstar Stephen Curry. Intertwining Curry’s emergence on the court at North Carolina’s Davidson College with thrilling footage of the 2021-22 Golden State Warriors season when the team won its fourth championship of the Curry era, Nicks deftly builds a portrait of a man who continually defies expectations. In addition to career-defining moments on and off court, Nicks also explores Curry’s academic ambitions and familial bonds. With unique access, heart-pounding edits, and electrifying footage, Underrated tells the remarkable story of a local legend.
Suggested Subjects: African American Studies, Career Path Training, Health, Journalism, Peer/Youth Studies, Women and Gender Studies
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Program Note: This film contains brief profanity.
What These Walls Won’t Hold + How We Get Free + Sol in the Garden
THU APRIL 13 10 AM PT | SFMOMA
Total Running Time: 94 min
Titles are listed alphabetically rather than in order of play.
How We Get Free
Directed by Geeta Gandbhir & Samantha Knowles (USA, 31 min)
Over the course of two years, How We Get Free follows the intrepid Elisabeth Epps as she works to abolish cash bail in Colorado and put an end to the criminalization of poverty. Epps is the founder and leader of the Colorado Freedom Fund, one of the over 100 community bail funds around the country, which was started to help incarcerated individuals who can’t afford their bail before trial. For Epps, this work is personal. She spent time in jail herself, bearing witness to the conditions she is so desperate to change. After years of grassroots activism, and on the heels of the 2020 racial reckoning, Epps is confronting a new challenge: calls from her community to run for State Representative.
Sol in the Garden
Directed by Emily Cohen Ibañez & Débora Souza Silva (USA, 21 min)
After 16 years of incarceration, Sol is released from prison, when she discovers that her freedom can be as challenging as living behind bars. Through a community gardening collective of formerly incarcerated horticulturalists in East Oakland, Sol strives to recover her humanity and sense of self.
What These Walls Won’t Hold
Directed by Adamu Chan (USA, 42 min)
Set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic at San Quentin State Prison, What These Walls Won’t Hold, chronicles the organizing and relationships of people who came together beyond the separations created by incarceration, to respond to this crisis. Filmmaker Adamu Chan, who was incarcerated at San Quentin during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, documents his path through incarceration and beyond. The film is a meditation on how relationships–built on trust, shared liberatory struggle, and connections across broader abolitionist organizing work–can unfold into sites of resistance and radical change.
Suggested Subjects: Activism, African American Studies, Art/Media, Asian American Studies, Journalism, Latin American Studies, Mental Health, Political Science, Social Studies
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Program Note: This film contains brief profanity and adult themes.
From Fact to Fiction
WED APR 19 10 AM PT | CGV
Total Running Time: 73 min
This striking collection of shorts explore the imaginative and thought-provoking range that film as a medium can showcase. Topics traverse youth activism in Hawai‘i, intergenerational family bonds with a sprinkle of magic, a spider with a lunar dream, and an eternal Indigenous tale. It features narrative, documentary, and animated films using rotoscope, cut out animation, and autobiography to create a delightful assortment of some of the best that SFFILM Festival has to offer.
Titles are listed alphabetically rather than in order of play.
Blood, Sweat & Sparkles: The Young Activists Guide to Ending Period Poverty
Directed by Faviola Leyva, Aggie Ebrahimi Bazaz, Joel Serin-Christ (USA, 6 min)
Social change isn’t easy, but for middle schoolers fighting to end period poverty across Hawai‘i, it’s bloody worth it.
El Moño
Directed by Luis Fernando Puente & Lizde Arias (USA, 9 min)
In English and Spanish with English Subtitles
Andrea learns of generational family magic that helps her find lost objects in unexpected ways.
I Am Home
Directed by Kymon Greyhorse (USA, 3 min)
A retelling of the eternal tale of the ties that binds us all together.
Labor of Love
Directed by Richard O’Connor (USA, 3 min)
Mary shares memories of her grandmother, a formerly enslaved, life-saving midwife in North Carolina.
Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó (Grandma & Grandma)
Directed by Sean Wang (USA, 17 min)
Director Sean Wang’s ode to his two colorful grandmas is a captivating and bittersweet reflection of life.
Now I’m in the Kitchen
Directed by Yana Pan (USA, 5 min)
In English and Mandarin with English Subtitles
Filmmaker Yana Pan reflects on her mother and her independence while cooking her mom’s favorite dish.
Rest Stop
Directed by Crystal Kayiza (USA, 12 min)
A young Ugandan-American girl embarks on a soul-stirring bus ride with her immigrant mother.
Still Waters
Directed by Aurora Brachman (USA, 12 min)
A daughter’s quest for answers about her mother’s past unearths a memory with a lasting impact.
Swing to the Moon
Directed by Marie Bordessoule, Chloé Lauzu, Adriana Bouissié, Vincent Levrero, Nadine De Boer, Solenne Moreau and Elisa Drique (France, 6 min)
Living in the forest, a spider will do anything to reach her lunar dream.
Suggested Subjects: Activism, African American Studies, Art/Media, Asian American Studies, English Language Arts, Latin American Studies, Mental Health, Native American and Indigenous Studies, Peer/Youth Issues, Political Science, Social Studies, Spanish, Women and Gender Studies
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Program Note: This film contains brief profanity and adult themes.
Shorts 4: Family Films
MON APR 17 10 AM PT | CGV
MON APR 17 11 AM PT | CGV
TUE APR 18 11 AM PT | CASTRO
Exciting possibilities burst forth on our festival screen as this lively collection of shorts by veteran and new filmmakers alike thrillingly demonstrates. A flock of rose-colored aquatic avians disrupt the military precision of a massive warship while an adventurous arachnid dreams of a lunar destination just out of web’s reach. A young sapling soaks up the wisdom passed on from the rustling leaves of its wise neighbor as lush cinematography captures Ecuador’s flora and fauna and the cozy streets of suburbia. Collected from many corners of the world, these true, not-so-true, and animated stories are sure to inspire laughter, curiosity, tears, and awe in the youngest filmgoers.
Total Running Time: 70 min
Titles are listed alphabetically rather than in order of play.
Code Rose
Directed by Taye Cimon, Pierre Coëz, Julie Groux, Sandra Leydier, Manuarii Morel, Romain Seisson (France, 5 min)
Hijinks ensue when flocks of flamingos disrupt operations on an aircraft carrier.
Dipsas Speaks
Directed by Craig Daniel Leon (Ecuador, 6 min)
Wildlife sounds a warning message of deforestation in their fragile Ecuadorian Amazon ecosystem.
El Moño
Directed by Luis Fernando Puente & Lizde Arias (USA, 9 min)
In English and Spanish with English Subtitles
Andrea learns of generational family magic that helps her find lost objects in unexpected ways.
Kintsugi
Directed by Cleto Acosta-McKillop (USA, 8 min)
When a flashy neighbor moves next door, a restaurant’s lucky cat is faced with insecurities.
Labor of Love
Directed by Richard O’Connor (USA, 3 min)
Mary shares memories of her grandmother, a formerly enslaved, life-saving midwife in North Carolina.
New Moon
Directed by Jeff Le Bars, Jérémie Balais (USA, 12 min)
Surrealist night shared by a mother and son filled with love, inspiration, and Aretha Franklin.
Pete
Directed by Bret Parker (USA, 7 min)
A true story about gender identity, Little League Baseball, and people who accept change.
Swing to the Moon
Directed by Marie Bordessoule, Chloé Lauzu, Adriana Bouissié, Vincent Levrero, Nadine De Boer, Solenne Moreau and Elisa Drique (France, 6 min)
Living in the forest, a spider will do anything to reach her lunar dream.
The Wind and the Trees
Directed by Todd Stewart (Canada, 9 min)
Deep in the boreal forest, a mature pine tree and a seedling begin a conversation.
With a Wool Ball
Directed by Belén Ricardes (Argentina, 5 min)
In Spanish with English Subtitles
Charming stop-motion musical of an Argentinian winter full of ponchos, animal friends, and warm stories.
Suggested Subjects: African American Studies, Asian Studies, Art/Media, Drama/Acting, English Language Arts, Environmental Science, Latin American Studies, LGBTQ+ Studies, Music, Science, Spanish, Women and Gender Studies
Recommended Grades: K–6
Program Note: This program contains mild peril.
Shorts 5: Youth Works
FRI APR 21 12:30 PM PT | CGV
Young directors from as close as the Bay Area and as far away as Spain and Taiwan bring empathy, awareness, and specificity to storytelling. Encompassing emotive composition, breathtaking drone footage, and playfully sleek editing, this collection includes a diverse range of animation, narratives, and documentaries. Experimental movement, dark political humor, and tales varied enough to embrace classroom romance and reflections on growing up and interdependence mark this introduction to an up-and-coming group of cinematic voices carrying us one short at time into the next generation of filmmaking.
Total Running Time: 73 min
Titles are listed alphabetically rather than in order of play.
American Ball Game
Directed by Teja Mettu & Krish Mysoor (USA, 9 min)
With twisting dark humor, Dan uncomfortably tries to fit in with his friend’s white family.
The External-Internal Monologue of an Interdependent Insomniac
Directed by Julian Felix Aaronson (USA, 7 min)
Fraught with insecurities over sexuality, self-acceptance, and gender, a sleep-deprived teenager explains various smells.
Growing up with Memory Loss | A Gift for My 16th Birthday
Directed by Keertana Sreekumar (USA, 3 min)
A young artist with an impaired memory reflects on what it means to grow up.
Hop Heel Drop
Directed by Sania Bhatia (USA, 3 min)
Tap dancer Sydney Barnas shares her story of encouragement and passion for movement.
An Island in the Middle of the Sea
Directed by Alberto Montull (Spain, 5 min)
In Galician with English Subtitles
Students plan a surprise trip for their unwell teacher amongst the striking Galician landscapes.
My Sisters In The Stars: The Story of Lee Yong-soo
Directed by Ian Kim (USA, 10 min)
In Korean and English with English Subtitles
Meet one of the last surviving WWII era Japanese “comfort women” through this multimedia animation.
Our Days in Dongshi
Directed by Hsiang-Yu Li, Tse-Ling Huang, Po-Wen Yen, Hsin-Yi Hung (Taiwan, 10 min)
In Mandarin with English Subtitles
Connect with the charming children of Dongshi, Taiwan, a coastline township famous for its oysters.
Parental Orbit
Directed by Dara Carneol (USA, 9 min)
Described as a gruncle dance extravaganza, two family filmmakers discuss life and creativity.
Rational Functions
Directed by Esmé Nix (USA, 6 min)
A lonely girl finds connection in class through understanding math as tragic love stories.
Shopworn
Directed by Athena Cheris (USA, 6 min)
Stubbornness might be the downfall for an aging boxer unable to let go.
The Sound
Directed by Cole Willis (USA, 5 min)
Preparing for an upcoming performance, a young dancer begins to embrace her unrealized potential.
Suggested Subjects: African American Studies, Art/Media, Asian Studies, Dance, History, LGBTQ+ Studies, Math, Mental Health, Peer/Youth Issues, Political Science, Social Studies, Women and Gender Studies
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Program Note: This program contains mild peril and brief profanity.
2023 Online Program
Please submit all Schools at the Festival ticket orders online here. Act soon, programs fill up quickly!
1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed
Mon, Apr 24 at 10 AM PT | ONLINE (For Q&A Only)
Directed by W. Kamau Bell (USA, 59 min)
Screening link(s) will be sent to view film at your convenience.
Playful and enormously charming, W. Kamau Bell’s latest work profiles the joys and struggles of children growing up mixed-race. Beginning with his own family, Bell speaks with kids and parents throughout the Bay Area as they illuminate the unique experience of defining themselves in a world that seems to prefer hard lines and neat categories. Tender but never shying away from hard questions, 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed is a timely exploration of identity and belonging that challenges our assumptions.
Suggested Subjects: African American Studies, Asian American Studies, History, Latin American Studies, Mental Health, Native American and Indigenous Studies, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Studies
Recommended Grades: 2–8
The Art & Science of Lucasfilm: Working on the StageCraft Set
FRI APR 28 12:30 PM PT | ONLINE FOR FULL PRESENTATION
Program Running Time: 90 min
What is it like to work on one of the most advanced virtual production sets in the world? Sr Virtual Production Technical Director Emil Chang will present a behind the scenes look at what a typical day looks like on set with ILM’s StageCraft, covering everything from gear and attire to working with different personalities. First used in 2016, the groundbreaking technology provides a continuous pipeline from initial exploration, scouting, and art direction, traditional and technical previsualization, lighting, and of course, real-time production filming itself, with the innovative StageCraft LED volumes. This presentation marks the 15th year of our collaborative educational series with Lucasfilm, demonstrating the intersection of art, science, and technology in the entertainment industry, all while making connections to current STEAM curriculum. Artists and leaders in the field share their expertise in an interactive multimedia presentation and participate in an in-depth discussion and Q&A.
Suggested Subjects: Art/Media, Asian American Studies, Career Path Training, Computer Science, Math, Peer/Youth Issues, Science
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Blood, Sweat & Sparkles: The Young Activists Guide to Ending Period Poverty
FRI APR 28 10 AM PT | ONLINE FOR FULL PRESENTATION
Directed by Faviola Leyva, Aggie Ebrahimi Bazaz, Joel Serin-Christ (USA, 6 min)
Program Running Time: 40 min
Screening link(s) will be sent to view film at your convenience.
Can middle school students change the world? After three years of organizing and advocacy, a middle school activism club is celebrating. This school year, students all across Hawaii now have access to free menstrual products in their schools, in part because of ‘Ilima Intermediate School’s Activist Club and their mission to end period poverty. In this animated and spunky guide, these young activists and their teacher, Sarah “Mili” Milianta-Laffin, share their journey and offer a lesson to other would-be change-makers. Students will watch the short film and meet some of the subjects of the film and learn more about their path towards fighting period inequity and ensuring a healthy future for all.
Suggested Subjects: Activism, Health, LGBTQ+ Studies, Peer/Youth Issues, Political Science, Social Studies, Women/Gender Studies
Recommended Grades: 5-12
My So-Called High School Rank
THU APR 27 12:30 PM PT | ONLINE (For Q&A Only)
Directed by Ricki Stern & Anne Sundberg (USA, 101 minutes)
Screening link(s) will be sent to view film at your convenience.
My So-Called High School Rank goes deep into the lives of high school students in three radically disparate communities as they navigate the pressures around college while staging a musical, until seismic events upend their dreams and expectations. In 2019, students in Sacramento, CA were busy creating a new musical that drew from their own experiences as talented but very anxious students, all focused on getting into the same top schools. As word about the musical spread, schools around the country–including in Cupertino, CA, Ripley, WV, and the Bronx–reached out to stage it with their students. The film follows the journey of these students, the musical, and reveals the remarkable resilience that binds this generation across economic and racial divides.
Suggested Subjects: Art/Media, Career Path Training, Drama/Acting, Peer/Youth Issues, Mental Health, Music, LGBTQ+ Studies, Social Sciences, Social Studies
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Program Note: This film contains brief profanity.
Shorts 4: Family Films
THU APR 27 10 AM PT | ONLINE (For Q&A Only)
Total Running Time: 70 min
Screening link(s) will be sent to view film(s) at your convenience.
Exciting possibilities burst forth on our festival screen as this lively collection of shorts by veteran and new filmmakers alike thrillingly demonstrate. A flock of rose-colored aquatic avians disrupt the military precision of a massive warship while an adventurous arachnid dreams of a lunar destination just out of web’s reach. A young sapling soaks up the wisdom passed on from the rustling leaves of its wise neighbor as lush cinematography captures Ecuador’s flora and fauna and the cozy streets of suburbia. Collected from many corners of the world, these true, not-so-true, and animated stories are sure to inspire laughter, curiosity, tears, and awe in the youngest filmgoers.
Titles are listed alphabetically rather than in order of play.
Code Rose
Directed by Taye Cimon, Pierre Coëz, Julie Groux, Sandra Leydier, Manuarii Morel, Romain Seisson (France, 5 min)
Hijinks ensue when flocks of flamingos disrupt operations on an aircraft carrier.
Dipsas Speaks
Craig Daniel Leon (Ecuador, 6 min)
Wildlife sounds a warning message of deforestation in their fragile Ecuadorian Amazon ecosystem.
El Moño
Directed by Luis Fernando Puente & Lizde Arias (USA, 9 min)
In English and Spanish with English Subtitles
Andrea learns of generational family magic that helps her find lost objects in unexpected ways.
Kintsugi
Directed by Cleto Acosta-McKillop (USA, 8 min)
When a flashy neighbor moves next door, a restaurant’s lucky cat is faced with insecurities.
Labor of Love
Directed by Richard O’Connor (USA, 3 min)
Mary shares memories of her grandmother, a formerly enslaved, life-saving midwife in North Carolina.
New Moon
Directed by Jeff Le Bars, Jérémie Balais (USA, 12 min)
Surrealist night shared by a mother and son filled with love, inspiration, and Aretha Franklin.
Pete
Directed by Bret Parker (USA, 7 min)
A true story about gender identity, Little League Baseball, and people who accept change.
Swing to the Moon
Directed by Marie Bordessoule, Chloé Lauzu, Adriana Bouissié, Vincent Levrero, Nadine De Boer, Solenne Moreau and Elisa Drique (France, 6 min)
Living in the forest, a spider will do anything to reach her lunar dream.
The Wind and the Trees
Directed by Todd Stewart (Canada, 9 min)
Deep in the boreal forest, a mature pine tree and a seedling begin a conversation.
With a Wool Ball
Directed by Belén Ricardes (Argentina, 5 min)
In Spanish with English Subtitles
Charming stop-motion musical of an Argentinian winter full of ponchos, animal friends, and warm stories.
Suggested Subjects: African American Studies, Asian Studies, Art/Media, Drama/Acting, English Language Arts, Environmental Science, Latin American Studies, LGBTQ+ Studies, Music, Science, Spanish, Women and Gender Studies
Recommended Grades:K–6
Program Note: This program contains mild peril.
Shorts 5: Youth Works
Wed, Apr 26 at 12:30 PM PT | ONLINE (For Q&A Only)
Total Running Time: 73 min
Screening link(s) will be sent to view film(s) at your convenience.
Young directors from as close as the Bay Area and as far away as Spain and Taiwan bring empathy, awareness, and specificity to storytelling. Encompassing emotive composition, breathtaking drone footage, and playfully sleek editing, this collection includes a diverse range of animation, narratives, and documentaries. Experimental movement, dark political humor, and tales varied enough to embrace classroom romance and reflections on growing up and interdependence mark this introduction to an up-and-coming group of cinematic voices carrying us one short at time into the next generation of filmmaking.
Titles are listed alphabetically rather than in order of play.
American Ball Game
Directed by Teja Mettu & Krish Mysoor (USA, 9 min)
With twisting dark humor, Dan uncomfortably tries to fit in with his friend’s white family.
The External-Internal Monologue of an Interdependent Insomniac
Directed by Julian Felix Aaronson (USA, 7 min)
Fraught with insecurities over sexuality, self-acceptance, and gender, a sleep-deprived teenager explains various smells.
Growing up with Memory Loss | A Gift for My 16th Birthday
Directed by Keertana Sreekumar (USA, 3 min)
A young artist with an impaired memory reflects on what it means to grow up.
Hop Heel Drop
Directed by Sania Bhatia (USA, 3 min)
Tap dancer Sydney Barnas shares her story of encouragement and passion for movement.
An Island in the Middle of the Sea
Directed by Alberto Montull (Spain, 5 min)
In Galician with English Subtitles
Students plan a surprise trip for their unwell teacher amongst the striking Galician landscapes.
My Sisters In The Stars: The Story of Lee Yong-soo
Directed by Ian Kim (USA, 10 min)
In Korean and English with English Subtitles
Meet one of the last surviving WWII era Japanese “comfort women” through this multimedia animation.
Our Days in Dongshi
Directed by Hsiang-Yu Li, Tse-Ling Huang, Po-Wen Yen, Hsin-Yi Hung (Taiwan, 10 min)
In Chinese with English Subtitles
Connect with the charming children of Dongshi, Taiwan, a coastline township famous for its oysters.
Parental Orbit
Directed by Dara Carneol (USA, 9 min)
Described as a gruncle dance extravaganza, two family filmmakers discuss life and creativity.
Rational Functions
Directed by Esmé Nix (USA, 6 min)
A lonely girl finds connection in class through understanding math as tragic love stories.
Shopworn
Directed by Athena Cheris (USA, 6 min)
Stubbornness might be the downfall for an aging boxer unable to let go.
The Sound
Directed by Cole Willis (USA, 5 min)
Preparing for an upcoming performance, a young dancer begins to embrace her unrealized potential.
Suggested Subjects: African American Studies, Art/Media, Asian Studies, Dance, History, LGBTQ+ Studies, Math, Mental Health, Peer/Youth Issues, Political Science, Social Studies, Women and Gender Studies
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Program Note: This program contains mild peril and brief profanity.