Santa Barbara Short Docs Program (SBIFF): 2012

Review by Bethany Burns. Viewed at Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Lobero Theater.

All of the films in the Santa Barbara Short Docs program had the same overall theme, overcoming obstacles. Each film in its own inspiring way brought me to tears, be it from sadness or an overwhelming sense of joy. Every film maker had an obvious goal through each short film, not only to share a story but to help themselves work through their own feelings on the topics addressed.  Everything from cancer, to moving away from home, to suicide, to lending aid to 3rd world countries were touched on in these films.  There was even a short film featuring the occupy Santa Barbara movement included in these documentaries.  Every individual featured throughout these docs had not only overcome their own hurdles in life, but had moved on to help others along their own journey of release and self discovery.

After A film by Jeremy Cohan touched on the loss of a young man who had committed suicide, and how his family and loved ones were  coping with his death.  It gave viewers an insight into true raw grief  that people experience when they lose a loved one who has taken their own life.  It relayed a message of hope to anyone who has ever considered suicide and offered the alternative; unconditional love and understanding. The final scene of this film gave viewers the ultimate insight into why this short documentary was created.  It was a shot of the film maker in his shower, the caption told the story of how Jeremy found his room mate in that same shower, he had hung himself. Jeremy never moved out of the apartment, and washed himself in that same shower every day.  Though everyone deals differently with grief, this film really drove it home for me. I have never lost a person to suicide, but I cannot imagine what it must feel like to lose someone so suddenly and without explanation.

Leaving Alaska a film by Michael Warner featured a small town in Alaska (population 40) who’s students worked hard to raise the funding to send 12 of them on a trip to southern California. These children had never left their home town, and most of them had never even seen paved roads.  The theme of this story was “follow your dreams” and the 1 teacher who taught all 12 students at all different grade levels gave more support and aid than the average instructor who teaches 30 students at 1 grade level. She made it possible for these children to have the experience of a lifetime, working with them for 3 years to raise the money and meet the academic standards required to make the trip. In California the students learned to surf, went to Six Flags Magic Mountain, and the zoo, among many other luxuries we in California take advantage of every day. Each child experienced a world they had never seen before and learned the lesson of how working hard and dreaming big enables them to achieve their goals.

These were just 2 of the 6 films featured in the short docs program, none of which any more or less inspiring than the other. By the end of the program I had seen a part of myself i every film and left inspired to create positive change around me in any way I can.