On the left, Director Dale Griffiths Stamos and First Assistant Director James Dudley on the set of “Imbalance,” which receives its world premiere at SBIFF this year. On the right, Ralph Torrefranca works on his short film “Fil-Am” which is based on his experience as a teenager moving from an inner city in Northern California to Santa Barbara. (Kameron Renteria photo and Eddie Shin photo)
On the left, Director Dale Griffiths Stamos and First Assistant Director James Dudley on the set of “Imbalance,” which receives its world premiere at SBIFF this year. On the right, Ralph Torrefranca works on his short film “Fil-Am” which is based on his experience as a teenager moving from an inner city in Northern California to Santa Barbara. (Kameron Renteria photo and Eddie Shin photo)

The films featured at this year’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which opens on Wednesday, may come from upwards of 50 different countries, but filmmakers here at home are also well represented.

A slate of seven documentary shorts by local filmmakers screens twice during the festival, as does a group of narrative shorts. Nearly all are receiving their world premieres.

Programming Director Claudia Puig proudly reported that women made more than half of all accepted films at this year’s festival. Of the local films, half of the shorts and 75% of the feature films are helmed by women.

“We had more than ever last year, and this year we even topped that; there’s no going back,” she said. “We are more inclusive and representational than ever.” 

Three feature films are directed by local women filmmakers: “Relatively Normal” by Amy Wendel, “Stand By, Mother” by Kerrilee Gore, and “Imbalance” by Dale Griffiths Stamos.

Joshua Pomer also has a feature documentary called “Eternal Stroke,” which profiles Santa Barbara surfer Chris Brown. All four features are world premieres.

“It used to be that most of the films submitted to festivals were calling cards looking to be picked up by distributors,” said Puig. “But we increasingly see short films which are pilots for television series, such as ‘Committee Animal,’ or those needing funding to complete a full-length film, like ‘Fil-Am.’”

She also pointed out that even the shortest films can be just as moving as features.

“Cody Westheimer’s 4-minute film, ‘To My 14 Year Old Self,’ doesn’t have to go on and on to tell the story, as is the poignant ‘A Sunday on the Moon’ by Trevor Silverstein,” she said. 

Here is a deeper dive into three local filmmakers with submissions in the festival this year.

Filipino American Experience Explored

Ralph Torrefranca may now live in Los Angeles, but Santa Barbara inspired his short film “Fil-Am” (jargon for “Filipino American”).

The 14-minute film is based on his experience as a teenager moving from an inner city in Northern California to Santa Barbara. 

But his local ties are stronger than just that.

“I took a film studies class by Film Festival Executive Director Roger Durling at Santa Barbara City College, which was pivotal for me,” Torrefranca said. “It was the first time I had seen true cinema, and it made me want to tell stories that have an impact.”

Nikolai Brazan stars as JP “Fil-Am” (jargon for Filipino American), which has its world premiere at this year’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Based on director Ralph Torrefranca’s experience as a teenager moving from an inner city in Northern California to Santa Barbara, the short film is a proof of concept to raise funds for the full-length feature to shoot this summer.
Deuce Basco stars as JP “Fil-Am” (jargon for Filipino American), which has its world premiere at this year’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Based on director Ralph Torrefranca’s experience as a teenager moving from an inner city in Northern California to Santa Barbara, the short film is a proof of concept to raise funds for the full-length feature to shoot this summer. Credit: SBIFF photo

His screenplay for “Fil-Am” was selected by Goldhouse for their Gold Pitch at the Toronto International Film Festival and was in the second round of Sundance Labs.

The short film is a proof of concept to raise funds for the full-length feature to shoot this summer. 

As a filmmaker, Torrefranca focuses primarily on his experiences as a second-generation Filipino, but says, “anyone from any culture can relate to this story. We wanted to tell it in a universal way.”

Santa Barbara “Convert” 

Dale Griffiths Stamos is a playwright, director, poet, and writing teacher who moved to Santa Barbara from Venice Beach six years ago.

“I just love it,” she says. “I am a convert to Santa Barbara.”

In 2006, she wrote the play “Dialectics of the Heart.” Set within the academic world of philosophy, it follows the repercussions of a female university professor’s romantic relationship with a male student. 

It is now a feature-length film called “Imbalance”, starring the play’s original lead actors Sharon Lawrence (“NYPD Blue,” “Grey’s Anatomy”) and Nicholas Gonzalez (“The Good Doctor”).

“The main theme remains reason versus passion, but it has been updated to reflect their current ages,” she said. “They are now two grown-ups and colleagues. We’ve had #MeToo and Title IX, so it’s now a workplace drama in addition to a romance.”

Director Dale Griffiths Stamos shot her feature film “Imbalance” in Santa Barbara, with Santa Barbara City College and the Riviera Park standing in for the fictional Prentiss University, where the story is set. The title comes from the repercussions of a romance between a female philosophy professor and a younger male assistant.
Director Dale Griffiths Stamos shot her feature film “Imbalance” in Santa Barbara, with Santa Barbara City College and the Riviera Park standing in for the fictional Prentiss University, where the story is set. The title comes from the repercussions of a romance between a female philosophy professor and a younger male assistant. Credit: SBIFF photo

Santa Barbara City College and the Riviera Park (original location of both City College and UCSB) stand in for the fictional Prentiss University. 

“The community was so generous and supportive of this film,” said Griffiths Santos. “A UCSB professor lent us her home for the interiors, and we even shot at the Black Sheep restaurant. Owner Ruben Perez plays the maître d’.”

Who Designed a Corgi?

Robert Redfield was walking with his wife when they spotted a corgi ahead of them.

“Everything about the animal makes sense – until you look at the legs,” he recalled. “What happened there? Did they run out of parts? Did a committee create it?”

That was the germ of the idea for Redfield’s 13-minute film “Committee Animal,” which he wrote and directed.

It has a self-contained story, but is intended to be the first episode in a proposed television series. 

“This is not unusual due to the practical realities of finding money for the next project,” he said. “There’s no commercial market for shorts. Either you go into features or into TV.”

Local filmmaker Robert Redfield’s short comedy “Committee Animal” supposes that a dysfunctional group of animal designers is working on an impossible deadline, resulting in some of the world’s odd animals. It was inspired by a corgi. “What happened there?” he asked. “Was it designed by committee?”
Local filmmaker Robert Redfield’s short comedy “Committee Animal” supposes that a dysfunctional group of animal designers is working on an impossible deadline, resulting in some of the world’s odd animals. It was inspired by a corgi. “What happened there?” he asked. “Was it designed by committee?” Credit: SBIFF photo

The 13-minute short focuses on the fauna design department of Genesis Original Development (note the acronym). Five oddball designers race to meet an unrealistic deadline and receive conflicting directions, resulting in platypuses and armadillos, to name a few. 

“You have to just marvel at some animals,” Redfield said. “They can be serious or comedic, but the specification is amazing.”

The filmmaker studied at Santa Barbara’s Brooks Institute of Photography and moved back to the area in 1998. Previous projects include the 2023 feature documentary “More Than Just A Party Band” that profiles local musician Spencer the Gardener. 

The cast of “Committee Animal” includes local actress Leslie Zemeckis (left) as Iris, who heads up the fauna design department at the fictional company Genesis Original Development. The comedic short by Robert Redfield, also a Santa Barbarian, is the first episode in a proposed television series. Also pictured are Riley Conrad, Lukas Dziemidok, Alec Reusch and Rick Reischman.
The cast of “Committee Animal” includes local actress Leslie Zemeckis (left) as Iris, who heads up the fauna design department at the fictional company Genesis Original Development. The comedic short by Robert Redfield, also a Santa Barbarian, is the first episode in a proposed television series. Also pictured are Riley Conrad, Lukas Dziemidok, Alec Reusch and Rick Reischman.
Credit: SBIFF photo

Redfield had not met local actress Leslie Zemeckis, who plays Iris, until she was recommended by her casting agent. She is the wife of director Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump,” “Back to the Future).

Their son Rhys has a short comedy on the same screening slate as “Committee Animal.”

Programming Director Puig called the young Zemeckis “super talented” and shared her standard answer when filmmakers ask her how to get into a film festival.

“I say ‘make a comedy,’ she revealed. “Many independent filmmakers want to tackle serious subjects, but there are too few comedies, and we really need to laugh and be entertained – especially right now.”

The title of Rhys Zemeckis’ film is amusing all on its own – “Nuns With Guns.” 

Get Local at the International Film Festival

Want to see more films by locals?  A different local filmmaker is showcased during Downtown Santa Barbara’s monthly 1st Thursdays, with free screenings and conversation at the Festival’s Education Center.

Want to make a film? SBIFF’s Filmmaker Fund annually supports four Santa Barbara County independent filmmakers with up to $10,000 each to fund their films. 

Local high school and college screenwriters, directors, and composers can apply for the 10-10-10 Mentorship and Competition. See this year’s winning projects on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 2 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre. Admission is free. 

For information about this year’s festival schedule, download the program guide. Visit the website for information about buying tickets and details of other programs.