“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” 

Marcel Proust

For me, this quote embodies the essence of this year’s film festival.  We have, yet again, reimagined the San Diego International Film Festival.  My festival team created new experiences partnering with some of the top luxury brands at Westfield UTC.  We took our festival audience from early morning events to late night nightcaps with the thread of independent films from around the world, 

We were honored to partner with the Gary Sinese Foundation with the World Premier of BROTHERS AFTER WAR.  There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as we honored the men and women who have given so much in service to our country.  Our partnership with Joey Travolta’s Inclusion Films showcased the issue of Adults with Developmental Disabilities.  I will always remember seeing 16 young adults on the spectrum walk the red carpet and hear them express how much it meant to tell their stories.  Our Women’s Film Series and panel in partnership with the Women’s Museum of California provided a showcase for women filmmakers to share their journeys. 

This is the essence of a film festival.  To discover with new eyes something that you  would never have experienced…and maybe walk out of the dark theatre a little bit changed.  This year we had a record number of filmmakers in attendance.  From Buenos Aires to Serbia, filmmakers from around the world came to San Diego to share their stories. They were warmly embraced by our audience who were deeply moved by their films. While my team and I celebrated many highlights during the film festival,  the biggest highlight came 7 days after the festival where the San Diego International Film Festival was honored, for the first time, as one of the Top 20 Vacation Film Festivals IN THE WORLD by Movie Maker Magazine.

So I want to thank my extraordinary team, my Board of Directors, our Patrons and every single one of you who attended.  We had the shared experience of coming together in a theatre to celebrate the power of film!  

—Tonya Mantooth, CEO/Artistic Director

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