Santa Barbara City College Film Students Enjoy the Festival

Santa Barbara City College offers a Festival Studies Program in conjunction with the LA Film Fest, thanks to Instructor and Film Studies Program Chair Nico Maestu. Classwork includes multiple daily screenings, blog postings, and instruction/"office hours" at the festival. Student blogs can be read at http://filmreviews.sbcc.edu 

"I like meeting everybody. Getting conversations going," says student Jackie Lopez. "As a film student, I feel like I’m getting more out of it than watching movies for sure." Lopez's favorite film of the fest, she says, is The Garden. "Not a dry eye in the house," she continues. "[Scott Hamilton Kennedy] made a beautiful movie. "By the end of the movie, whether you started off knowing anything [about the LA Community Garden] or not, you want to fight for their cause. Everyone should see this. " The Garden, just one of the amazing films--and learning experiences--at this year's festival, will be screening again on Friday, July 27. The best part of LAFF for Maestu? "Introducing the festival to all the students, most of whom have never been to a festival," he says. Santa Barbara City College Instructor Nico Maestu and student Stephanie Rieger in the Target Red Room at LA Film Festival.