Thanks for your interest in the FOCUS On Impact Film Library.

We are offering San Diego County High Schools the opportunity to include films from our FOCUS On Impact film library in spring 2020 curriculum.

See below for details and trailers about the films.

Teacher guides are also available.

To RSVP and receive a link please out the form here: RSVP

The Mission: Creating Empathy In A Complex World….

The San Diego Film Foundation is dedicated to creating empathy through the experience of  film. We believe that film can be transformative.  In a divisive world, we are bound together through human connection.  Race, identity, country, shelter, health, and economics are all elements of the human condition that can divide us. Through the FOCUS ON IMPACT program, the San Diego Film Foundation uses documentary film to explore these complex issues — to create dialog, to encourage self-reflection, and ultimately to develop empathy. Through this program, students can take in new perspectives and determine how that information might change their own views and actions within their communities. 

The Program: How We Make A Difference With Film

High School Film Tour – Spring 2020 | Contact: Cindy Saylor | cindy@sdfilmfest.com to be added to invite list.

Film Submissions: Students submit films to the San Diego International Film Festival

San Diego International Film Festival: Students attend special screenings and meet filmmakers

Film Residency: Student Film/Video Projects  Check Out Past Film Projects

Our growing FOCUS ON IMPACT Film program works to enhance academic engagement with dynamic film screenings, in-person discussions with working filmmakers, and opportunities for students to attend the San Diego International Film Festival, submit student films to the Festival and to create video projects and receive feedback. FOCUS applies a holistic approach to learning–emphasizing creativity, critical thinking and a shared film experience that impacts students from a variety of diverse backgrounds and subject areas.

FOCUS On Impact has explored topics such as homelessness, water pollution, refugees and the question – what does success look like? Students have the opportunity to grapple with the most pressing issues of our day and interact with the filmmakers who are exploring these important topics. Film is a powerful medium of understanding. A film allows you to walk in another person’s shoes and understand an issue from a deeply connected point of view. The results…85% of students feel more empathetic and informed after participating in our program.