The Sarasota Film Festival and Sarasota County Schools announced a new partnership to kick off the “REEL TALK! Student Film Contest,” and inspire students to craft positive digital entertainment through the production of public service announcements (PSAs). With the new generation of students using social and digital media on a consistent basis, the contest aims to encourage students to leave a lasting, positive digital legacy by creating their own shorts that engage with their community. The Sarasota Film Festival, now in its 21st year, running April 5-14, 2019, will create a new category in the Young Filmmaker Showcase for this initiative.

The contest will be open to students at the traditional Sarasota public schools, where students will be provided with social and digital tutorials, while the festival will provide film screenings in the school as well as a filmmaking workshop and boot camp. Four winners will be selected, one in the Middle School category (grades 6-8), two in High School (one in freshman and sophomore grades, and an overall school district winner. In addition, the public will vote for their favorite PSA or People’s Choice Winner, at a special screening.

Registration for the contest opens on December 18, 2018 through January 9, 2019. Students can register online at the website below. Submissions will be due February 11, 2019, with reviews and voting happening throughout February and March. The People’s Choice winner will be announced March 7th, 2019, followed by the official contest winners on April 4th, 2019 prior to the festival, April 5 - 14, 2019.

Sarasota Film Festival REEL TALK!