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In its third year, the Montecito Student Film Festival will showcase a diverse selection drawn from nearly 900 submissions submitted by local, national and international student filmmakers on Saturday, Nov. 15, at Porter Theatre and surrounding venues on campus. Audiences will enjoy creative stories, meaningful documentaries and exciting visual storytelling techniques, and roundtable discussions featuring leading professionals in the film industry. The festival is free and runs from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. A full schedule can be found at .

“Each student film represents not only emerging talent, but the raw courage to share a truth, a dream or a question through the language of cinema,” says Wendy Jackson, the festival’s co-founder and executive producer. “Storytelling still has the power to transform, connect and reimagine the world around us.”

Jonathan Hicks, chair of ���ϰٿ�’s theater arts department and production manager of the film festival the event offers crucial networking opportunities, provides a platform for exposure and career advancement, and serves as a vital learning and creative outlet for aspiring filmmakers. “The festival allows students to gain experience, build a professional portfolio, receive feedback, and connect with industry professionals and peers who can help shape their careers,” he says. “My favorite part of the festival is watching the students see and experience each other’s artistry, as well as the breakout sessions with professionals in the industry.”

Junior Kasey McCoy, festival programmer, says this is an important opportunity for student filmmakers to connect nationwide. “I am most looking forward to being in a room with students who share my passion and to be able to share and grow that love,” she says.

Senior Granite Waterman has been screening films and judging them on originality, cinematography, structure and sound. “The student film festival creates an environment to collaborate and talk about the films they watched,” he says. “Who knows, a screenwriter, a director of photography and a director might end up talking with each other and eventually make something together.”