SBIFF announces student screenwriting and film contest applications
News Channel 3-12
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara International Film Festival announced its opening for student screenwriting and film contest applications for the upcoming 2026-2027 year.
Below is a press release from SBIFF with further details:
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is thrilled to announce that its annual 10-10-10 Student Screenwriting and Filmmaking Competition is opening up applications for its 2026-2027 Program year. SBIFF accepts applications from local high school and college students. A jury of industry professionals review submissions and invite selected applicants for an opportunity to interview for a spot in the program which will run from late September / early October 2026 – February 2027.
SBIFF accepts applications from local high school and college students. A jury of industry professionals review submissions and invite selected applicants for an opportunity to interview for a spot in the program which will run from late September / early October 2026 – February 2027.
ABOUT THE 10-10-10 STUDENT SCREENWRITING AND FILMMAKING COMPETITION
(10 Screenwriters – 10 Filmmakers – 10 Films)
Each year, SBIFF offers an outstanding and prestigious, five month-long filmmaking program to 20 local students. We pair 10 high school and 10 college students into screenwriter-director duos, and with the help of professional filmmaking mentors, they work together to create 10 films that premiere at the historic Arlington Theatre during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival! The 2027 SBIFF dates are February 3 – 13, 2027. Final films will be screened during the festival at the Arlington Theater on February 13, 2027.
We have also expanded to reach 10 additional college student composers guided by a Composing Mentor to score each of the 10 films! SBIFF is also partnered with the American Society of Cinematographers for additional professional workshops and a loaned rental prize camera package for the two winning directing students to use on their next projects.
Participants work together to bring their creative vision to life, and in so doing, learn skills that translate to better self-esteem, better self-expression, and future job readiness. Engaging with art is essential to the human experience, but quality arts education is often the most difficult to access, which is why SBIFF offers 10-10-10 absolutely FREE TO ALL STUDENT PARTICIPANTS!
The theme for this year’s 10-10-10 Program is: Freedom of Speech
The application deadlines for the 2026-2027 10-10-10 program are:
Priority Deadline: Monday, July 27th, 2026
Final Deadline: September 7th, 2026
For more information, and to apply, visit https://sbiff.org/education/10-10-10/
Program Testimonials:
“During 10-10-10, I experienced some of the most fun, collaborative, and challenging moments over 4 months creating, thinking, and producing a short film. Being able to collaborate with my peers and get assistance when needed was so important to my process of making my 10-10-10, and without it, it wouldn’t be the same. The countless workshops that we were able to attend proved important, and hearing from industry professionals on what we could do better with our films made the experience even better. This experience allowed me to grow and learn how to be a better filmmaker and to be more confident about my own work. I learned skills of leadership that I had previously not obtained before, and that is now helping me in creating my next projects. Being able to celebrate with the other 10-10-10 participants on the day of the screening was so special to me, as we all got to smile and be happy that what we made got to show at the film festival on a movie theater screen. 10-10-10 gave me the experience to be myself, be creative, be curious, and to explore. I have no regret participating in this program, and I encourage all young filmmakers with big dreams to be a part of this program.”
— Marcus Cavitt, 2025-2026 10-10-10 College Directing Participant
“I wanted to write to express my gratitude to the SBIFF 10-10-10 program. Participating as a junior was pivotal to me and encouraged me to dream bigger for myself. I’m now a senior at NYU Tisch majoring in Film & TV. I’ve worked alongside industry professionals, helped produce several short films both NYU and indie, and I’m currently writing my thesis film that I will be filming in the spring.v Without 10-10-10, I could not be where I am today, and I wanted to sincerely thank the program directors and all of the mentors for helping to lay the foundation of who I am as a filmmaker and a creative. I will never forget where I caught that persistent bug of having to make movies.”
— Ella Skye Klaerner, 2019-2020 10-10-10 High School Screenwriting Participant
“The SBIFF 10-10-10 Program was instrumental in helping me break into the film world. Pairing me up with collaborators and having deadlines for completing my music was incredibly helpful in pushing me to translate my instincts as a songwriter into a more intentional, story-based music. I loved the intentional pairing and collaborative relationships that were fostered. I already have plans to continue to work with both the screenwriter and director that I was paired with. Also, the ability for our work to be shown in front of so many people at once was truly amazing! 10-10-10 provided me with an amazing opportunity to network with peers and professionals in the film industry. Working alongside my director was an informative and useful experience that helped develop my skills and get me into the film world.”
— Elijah Geduldig, 2025-2026 10-10-10 College Student Composer
