10 Screenwriters, 10 Directors, 10 Films:

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) has been a beloved annual tradition since its conception in 1986. Drawing celebrities and locals alike to the historic seats and stages of the Arlington and Riviera theaters, SBIFF honors those who have made an impact in international cinema through 11 days of movie screenings, tributes, and forums. Beyond professional recognition, SBIFF has long since been dedicated to providing Santa Barbara’s youth with access to countless programs, events and educational opportunities. 

One of these programs is the 10-10-10 program: a screenwriting and filmmaking mentorship and competition that runs from October to February and is available to young, local artists who are interested in honing their craft. Funded by donations, grants, and private funders, 10-10-10 is offered completely free of charge to all students who are accepted.

Roger Durling, the director of SBIFF and a professor in the film department at Santa Barbara City College, stresses the importance of media literacy in young people.

“Everybody should understand the power of visuals, and in particular the power of film,” he said. “I think that is why film education is so important.”

The program involves pairing 10 high school students and 10 college students into screenwriting/director duos. These pairs then work together over the course of five months, with the help of professional and award-winning filmmaker mentors to create their final project – a 10 minute short film that will be premiered on the big screen at SBIFF in February. This year’s theme is Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Accepted into the program are three of Santa Barbara High School’s very own student body: Amelia Skidmore-Prado, Harvey Gilman, and Dragon Aditya. Gilman and Aditya entered as a pre-determined pair, with Aditya as the screenwriter and Gilman as the director. Skidmore-Prado, however, applied and was accepted into both programs independently. 

“I plan to take full advantage by listening to my mentors, taking their advice to heart and just trying to make the most out of this experience,” she stated.

While at its core, 10-10-10 is a filmmaking competition, the experience is beyond beneficial to anyone who is involved and interested in pursuing film, regardless of if you win. According to Gilman and Aditya, being part of 10-10-10 is more than just a resumé booster. Premiered to around 3,000 viewers and judged on the spot, it provides acclaim and status to the participants and their work.

“This program is very much about opportunity,” said Aditya. “Opportunity to hone my craft,  opportunity to get my work produced, opportunity to have that out there in the world for people to see.”

The application process consisted of in-depth questions about why the program would benefit the applicant alongside a sample script or film, and a short interview. In the beginning days of the program, participants are just starting to get their ideas off the ground and meet with their mentors

“I like getting into the weeds of projects,” said Gilman. “I’m excited for [really] getting into the nitty gritty of it, and really like starting to make the actual film… that’s my favorite part.”

Quality arts education pathways will continue to provide a space for all individuals to creatively express themselves in many different ways: in this case, through filmmaking. 10-10-10 not only provides learning opportunities, but provides a pathway for so many young people to experience what many consider essential to the human experience: art.

“It’s like when Dorothy opens the door and it’s all black and white, and you suddenly see technicolor,” said Durling when describing his first film festival experience. “Film… is like a common denominator. You can relate to whomever through film… at whatever education level or political incline or country.”

SBIFF will take place Feb. 4-14, 2026, which is where all films created by the 10-10-10 participants will be screened to the public.