Friday, March 20, 2020
7:30 p.m. at the Raleigh Studios
The Sierra Canyon Film Festival is an annual spring event. Student films ranging from high school to collegiate level are screened, and several exceptional films are recognized and awarded. Organized and run by Sierra Canyon students and the Visual Arts Department instructors, the festival aims to showcase aspiring filmmakers from around the world in an evening that honors the time, effort, and talent that goes into their films.
The festival consists of a reception, screening, and Q&A session with the attending filmmakers. During the reception, the filmmakers meet privately with a guest speaker – a professional currently working in the film industry – where they may ask questions and are given advice on how to advance their craft and careers.
After an introduction by the industry guest speaker, the screening runs roughly 90 minutes and consists of short films, animated and live action, from a wide pool of applicants. After the screening, filmmakers are presented with trophies and awards – from scholarships to program downloads to cash prizes – for their outstanding work in one of several categories. The festival ends with an open Q&A with all attending filmmakers.
The Sierra Canyon Film Festival offers aspiring young filmmakers the opportunity to have their films screened on a Hollywood studio lot and to get feedback from an industry professional and a large audience of first-time viewers. Young filmmakers are encouraged to learn from each other and make contacts for future collaborations.