The inaugural San Quentin Film Festival, the first ever to take place inside a prison, exceeded all of our hopes and expectations! We showcased the six finalists -all produced by currently or formerly incarcerated filmmakers -in the Documentary Short and Narrative Short categories before a packed house. The inside filmmakers definitely dominated in the Documentary field as they translated their lived experience to the screen with power, insight and compassion.
SQFF24 also included a series of filmmaker panels, each with a lively Q&A exchange with the audience. Throughout the two days, our outside guests and San Quentin residents had an opportunity to meet and engage in real conversations, without the distraction of a single cell phone! The requirement to leave all cell phones at the gate turned out to be a gift, with all attention focused on making genuine connections in the moment.
Enjoy some snapshots from SQFF24 above, and visit our Merch Store to support the festival and our upcoming initiatives:
Bringing screenings, filmmaker conversations, workshops and master classes to San Quentin residents year round.
A fellowship program in development, dedicated to easing the transition of returning filmmakers and empowering them to tell stories that make a difference.
We thank you for your interest, engagement and support and look forward to keeping you updated with SQFF News!
