Santa Barbara International Film Festival Educational Programs

Santa Barbara International Film Festival Educational Programs introduce film as an art form to young children through programs like AppleBox and Mike’s FieldTrip to the Movies. The programs also teach film analysis to high school and college students through Rosebud and the Film Studies Program, and teach the craft of screenwriting and filmmaking through Film Camp and the 10-10-10 Mentorship programs. These activities take place across SBIFF’s various facilities, including a state-of-the-art Film Center, the Riviera Theatre, and an Education Center in the downtown area.

• Schedule: 11 days of 200+ films, tributes, and symposiums during the festival

Over the past 40 years, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival has become one of the top 10 film festivals in the United States, attracting 100,000 attendees. SBIFF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing independent and international cinema, with a mission to engage, enrich, and inspire the Santa Barbara community through film. SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community through many free educational programs and events that support over 18,000 kids, students, and families in the local community, with programs directed towards under-represented and under-served communities within Santa Barbara County. The organization has a long-term lease for an iconic multi-plex, has completed a landmark acquisition and renovation of a state-of-the-art Film Center that serves as a central hub for cinema enthusiasts and the heart of the festival, built on the revitalization of the Riviera Theatre in 2016, and opened its own Education Center in 2019.

Last updated July 2, 2026.