FILM FEST SET START EVENT BEGINS ON SEPT. 23.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

The International Family Film Festival, which has provided children hands-on experience in media literacy in Santa Clarita for the past 11 years, is set to kick off later this month.

While several churches, corporations and both major political parties have offered to underwrite the screenings and workshops, festival organizers have refused, priding themselves on keeping religion and politics out of entries.

``Someone in Sacramento was looking for a model program in media literacy and realized that we had been running one all these years,'' said Suzanne Shoemaker, who organized the festival with her husband, Chris.

``Our goal is to bring together the global family and teach tolerance and diversity, which also addresses some of the problems on school campuses.''

Shoemaker said the Los Angeles Unified School District also expressed interest in hosting the program, but said the festival needed a bit more fine-tuning before it was taken on the road or adopted statewide.

The festival was launched locally as the Santa Clarita Valley International Family Film Festival in 1994, but changed its name a few years ago. Besides showing films suitable for viewing by audiences of all ages, the festival sponsors workshops matching industry professionals with students to learn filming techniques, sound, editing, stunts, special effects and animation.

These workshops are what have attracted the state's attention. The workshops have also evolved through the festival's development. In addition to a series of demonstrations presented by studio artists during the festival itself, children can attend a pay-to-play camp held during the summer.

This year's festival starts Sept. 23 instead of following its traditional spring schedule.

Teachers participating in a series of screenings that will be held Sept. 23-29 will receive study guides that relate the subject matter to classroom curriculum. Shoemaker emphasized that students aren't just there to watch a movie and get out of class.

``Digital filmmaking can help students communicate without dealing with the fear of public speaking,'' Shoemaker explained. ``The films our students produce aren't just scratches on film. There are some incredibly talented kids out there and we want to showcase them.''

She related the story of one 14-year-old filmmaker who was inspired to make a film after talking with a man at a bus stop who told him the story of riots by African-Americans during World War II. The student researched the subject and produced a film that has gone from the festival to airing on the Discovery Channel.

``One of our goals is to take the winning films from these festivals and put a copy in every classroom,'' she said. ``So often, when substitute teachers come in, they just let the kids watch whatever movie they can get from Blockbuster. Why not have films that can provide subjects for discussion?''

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

For more information call [phone] or visit www.iffilmfest.org