Santa Barbara International Film Festival Awarded $60,000 In Grants By NEA And CAC

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) announced today that has received four generous grants in support of the festival and its affiliate educational programs. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) awarded SBIFF $20,000 to put towards the 2019 edition of the festival, as well as $15,000 to be applied towards Film Camp, an annual summer film program for underserved youth that is now in its fourth year and scheduled to take place in June 16th through 21st. Additionally, the California Arts Council (CAC) granted SBIFF two awards totaling $26,440 -- $14,400 of which is to go towards the festival's year-round educational screening program Mike's Field Trip to the Movies and $12,040 of which is to be applied towards Film Camp.

"We're honored and extremely grateful to receive this level of support from organizations both at the federal and state level," said SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling. "Thanks to the NEA and CAC, SBIFF can continue to serve as a platform for emerging voices, as well as help nurture and inspire, through its various educational programs, the next generation of storytellers."

The 35th edition of SBIFF is slated to take place Jan 15-25, 2020.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Over the past 34 years, SBIFF has become one of the leading film festivals in the United States - attracting 95,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes and symposiums, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire the Santa Barbara community through film.

In addition to the annual festival program, SBIFF is deeply committed to film education through a wide range of free programs and events hosted throughout the year, including Film Camp and Mike's Field Trip.

Organized in partnership with the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County, Film Camp is a 6-day overnight experience held at the beautiful Camp Whittier, a 55-acre site nestled in among the hills of Los Padres National Forest where underserved youth with an interest in storytelling and filmmaking are introduced to the exciting world of film production and film appreciation.

The year-long educational screening program Mike's Field Trip to the Movies, which was founded by the late acclaimed nature cinematographer Mike DeGruy, explores how to use the art of filmmaking to stimulate creative, confident and culturally aware thinkers and empower students and teachers with a creative approach to education. To guarantee that underserved populations can experience this opportunity, SBIFF provides free transportation to students from Title I schools (low-income demographic areas). In addition, SBIFF provides a study guide for the film and works with select schools to coordinate in-school filmmaker presentations prior to the field trip so that students approach the film as active viewers.

SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community throughout many free educational programs and events. In June 2016, SBIFF entered a new era with the acquisition of the historic and beloved Riviera Theatre. After a capital campaign and renovation, the theatre is now SBIFF's new state-of-the-art, year-round home, showing new international and independent films every day. In May 2019, SBIFF opened its own Education Center in downtown Santa Barbara on State Street to serve as a home for its many educational programs and a place for creativity and learning.

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