Closing Night: SB Short Films (2020)

Reviewed by Cate Herrell. Viewed at the SBIFF 2020.

As the Santa Barbara Film Festival came to a close, the energy from our community was still high and vibrant. Closing night at the festival was one that I was particularly looking forward to, as it consisted of six screenings of short films made locally. I grew up in Santa Barbara, and I feel so at home here. Knowing that I share this feeling with beautiful, talented people is something very special to me. 

The short films shown this year were 10 Miles Out (directed by Preston Maag), Cabrillo Village (directed by Chris Ward, Ben Leanos, Dyvianne Martinez, Eric Coronado, and Ingrid Bolio), Carrizo Plain: A Sense of Place (directed by Jeff McLoughlin), Hannah’s Ride (directed by Andrew Schoneberger), The Last Ride (directed by Schoneberger), and State Street Serenade (directed by Michael Love). Each of these shorts were well-made, inspiring, and enjoyable to watch. While they all were commendable, two stand out to me more than the others. 

Hannah’s Ride directed by Andrew Schoneberger was just so inspiring to watch! I love stories of triumph against the odds, and the attitude of Hannah Jordan was extremely uplifting. Hannah’s Ride is the story of a young girl who does not let her illness define who she is, and becomes an incredible cyclist despite what everyone expects. Her hard work, which was shot with a lot of care, only adds to the amazement as she already has a star quality about her. This short film was one of my favorites because stories like hers are ones that need to be shared more. Her determination and infectious attitude, as well as her admirableness, make me want to start working harder at the things I love so much. 

The Last Ride, also directed by Schoneberger, has to be by far the coolest short film I have ever seen in my lifetime. Randy Johnson, a spirited bronc rider, took everyone’s breath away as his story played for everyone in the Arlington that night. Everyone was cheering as if we were watching him live at work. Stylistically fitting the theme, beautiful, desaturated shots of Randy clinging on to his bronc, as well as his youth, captivated me and made me want to see more of him. This was such a lively film, and was stock full of character, as we all watched in awe as Randy was flung left and right with a bright smile on his face. 

Overall, these short films were a great, positive end to the Santa Barbara Film Festival. They were all stylistically diverse, and there was a lot to gain from each and every one. The audience that night was cheering loud and proud for each and every showing. The best part about closing night was that it emphasized how amazing community can be. A community is essentially just one large family, and I was blown away by the radiance from the crowd as it bounced off the walls of the Arlington. Truly a great, positive, end to an amazing festival. Everyone left that theatre with a smile on their face!