The City of San Antonio is calling on its youth to bring forth their cinematic visions in the 2024 #FilmSA Contest. The venerable San Antonio Film Commission, along with the Department of Arts & Culture, has sounded the proverbial horn for submissions, with a keen eye on films that capture the essence, and challenges of the local food system or the city's unique qualities as a filmmaking destination. "The film culture of San Antonio is constantly growing, and we continue to be one of the best places to live and work as a filmmaker in the nation," Krystal Jones, the executive director of the Department of Arts & Culture, reportedly said.
Budding auteurs from 14 to 21 have until March 25 at 4:30 p.m. to submit their work, where a grand prize of $1,000 awaits the highest-scoring entry in each age group for both categories, according to a statement on the city's official website. The winners can look forward to a May 4 awards ceremony hosted at Mission Marque Plaza, where their films will be screened publicly.
Of particular interest is the "Beyond the Plate: Exploring San Antonio’s Food System" category. This contest segment nudges young filmmakers towards interrogating the importance of local food systems, especially as San Antonio basks in being a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. “Food systems not only supply the food that we consume but also connect us to our natural environment, culture and traditions,” Colleen Swain, Director of the City of San Antonio World Heritage Office, told FOX San Antonio.
For those looking to spotlight San Antonio as a cinematic gem, "Lights, Camera, Action, SA!" provides the perfect stage. Here, participants are encouraged to utilize their filmmaking prowess to show off San Antonio's unique characteristics that make it a film-friendly locale. It’s a chance for young directors not just to immortalize the city's past and present in celluloid but to envision, and shape its narrative future. Information and guidelines for the 2024 #FilmSA Contest are available on FilmSanAntonio.com, while updates dwell neatly on the @FilmSanAntonio social media handle.
