SBMS Teen Press

Stories from
Team 47

Scroll down for all the interviews and stories from the 47th group of Teen Press Reporters, covering the 37th Santa Barbara International Film Festival in March, 2022, and a special section on the documentary SALT IN MY SOUL.

CLOSING NIGHT FILM

It's the closing night of the festival, a film documenting Dionne Warwick is to be shown. Recently announced award winners from the festival are on the red carpet. PAIA & ETHAN are waiting to talk with the songstress herself, and finding all sorts of amazing filmmakers to talk with...instead!

JACK RIVAS

GRACIELA CABELLO, TIMNET KEFELA

DIANA DAHLLUND, EMIL SANA

STEPHEN MICHAEL SIMON

CHEZIK TSUNODA, CLAIRE AVE'LALLEMANT

MATTHEW SHURKA, ZVI LANDSMAN

MARILYN COOKE, SCHELBY JEAN BAPTISTE

DAVE WOOLEY

JAVIER BARDEM

LEONARD MALTIN

MODERN MASTER Award

The festival's highest honor is the Maltin Modern Master Award. It was created "to honor an individual who has enriched our culture through accomplishments in the motion picture industry." Although both NICOLE KIDMAN and JAVIER BARDEM were to be awarded, she had been injured filming a new movie, and would only attend the ceremonies virtually.

CINEMA VANGUARD Award

SBIFF's Cinema Vanguard Award "recognizes actors who have forged their own path, taking artistic risks and making a significant and unique contribution to film."

Yes--Benedict Cumberbatch. But only one question. It's enough.

Aaaand many other filmmakers!

To view a description of each interview, click to watch on YouTube.

VINCENT SAMARCO

BRAD MIZELLE

EVAN HAND

TINNA HRAFNSDÓTTIR

ANA LAZAREVIC

YOAV BRILL

MONTECITO Award

The night of the Montecito Award, CHLOE & EVITA prepped questions and were ready, and waiiiiiiiiiited on the red carpet for an interview. With time running low, PENELOPE CRUZ arrived, and made her way along, talking with many groups. Finally, after 8pm, she arrived at the very end of the press area...where the TEEN PRESS was stationed...and voilà! We got ONE question. Evita made it count.

SBIFF #37, Tuesday, March 8, 2022

LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA

ROBERT MORGAN

PAUL MASSEY

VARIETY ARTISANS

SBIFF has a very special evening of awards dedicated to the people who help make the magic of movies happen, those who work in music, editing, sound, costumes, makeup, and special effects. Check out our coverage of this night's red carpet!

GERMAINE FRANCO

FREDERIC ASPIRAS, GÖRAN LUNDSTROM

TAMARA DEVERELL

AUNJANUE ELLIS

OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS

Great night, great performers, lousy electronics. A great red carpet experience with post-hoc pain.

WILL SMITH

AMERICAN RIVIERA Award

Owen & Gigi are prepped and ready, hoping to interview the honoree, Kristen Stewart. Instead, they enjoyed the company of these fine folks!

DON DiPETTA

RICHIE ADAMS

YOAV KLEINMAN, IDO GLASS

KATYA PEEK, ANASTASIA PEEK

LINDSEY OLSON

ROGER DURLING

Behind The Scenes

TROY KOTSUR

CIARÁN HINDS

EMILIA JONES

VIRTUOSOS Award

Gigi & Chloe tackle the red carpet at the Virtuosos Award, prepping to interview all 7 awardees. See how many they got to talk with!

Alana Haim

VIRTUOSO Award winner for her work in LICORICE PIZZA

ROSARIO DAWSON

OUR WORDS COLLIDE

A documentary following 5 teenage spoken word poets, members of the Get Lit program – a non-profit organization educating and empowering young people through poetry.

JASON ALVAREZ, VIRGINIA VILLALTA, AMARI TURNER

Some of the poets of OUR WORDS COLLIDE!

SAMUEL CURTIS, DIANE LUBY LANE

JORDAN BARROW, MATT EDWARDS

OPENING NIGHT!

SBIFF #37 kicked off with the Opening Night Film, PHANTOM OF THE OPEN, and a red carpet featuring filmmakers of movies for the coming week. Makayla & Malachi were on hand to quiz the walkers!

ISAAC HERNÁNDEZ DE LIPA

NANCY BLACK

ALI & NICK RICHEY

ZAC

SHARON GREEN, GARETH KELLY

BENJAMIN HOFFMAN, DARBY HANNON

JOEY SZALKIEWICZ

SANTOS HERRERA, KEVIN ROBLES, LESLIE ARCOS, GUILLERMO CASARIN

Team 47 BTS - Take 2

SALT IN MY SOUL

Film Review

By: Chloe, Ethan, Evita, Malachi & Marley, Team 47

Who did it:

Will Battersby, Director

Who’s in it:

Mallory Smith, Mark Smith, Micah Smith, Diane Shader Smith and many friends and experts

The Basics:

Salt in my Soul is the powerfully told and extremely moving story of Mallory Smith's difficult battle against cystic fibrosis and serves as a constant reminder of how precious life is. Throughout her life, Mallory recorded all her struggles in a plethora of private journal entries, video recordings, and online diaries that offer a glimpse into how she viewed the world.

Her experiences have now been shared in this remarkable documentary directed by Will Battersby. Although the film was shocking and brutally honest, it gave us a much more accurate look into a cystic fibrosis patient's daily struggles. Her never-ending hope and ability to see past the bad in the world inspired each and every one of us to seize every moment and to treasure the little things. Mallory has truly shown the world how to live every day like it could be your last, and to never take anything for granted, even if it's as small as a breath of fresh air. This movie gets a four out of five stars. It is an engaging reminder of how precious life is, and I challenge anyone to finish Salt in My Soul with dry eyes.

The Good News:

Powerfully told and extremely moving, this movie is an engaging reminder of how precious life is. It is a thought-provoking tale about living your life to the fullest even when you could end up in the hospital at any moment.

The Verdict:

4/5 An engaging reminder of how precious life is, I challenge anyone to finish Salt in My Soul with dry eyes.

Where to See It:

Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Microsoft/Xbox, Vudu

SALT IN MY SOUL

Before SBIFF #37, Team 47 had our own festival, screening and being moved by the documentary SALT IN MY SOUL, The Art of Dying. Here family & filmmaker speak with the Teen Press about MALLORY SMITH and her movie.

Click to "Watch on YouTube" for the linked list of questions, and where to see the film.