CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
All Festival attendees 18 and under are invited to submit an essay about select Festival films and compete for cash prizes. This contest is made possible by the generous support of the Nellie Wong Magic of Movies Education Fund, endowed to support the year-round outreach efforts of the SFFS Youth Education Program.

Essays can be written in response to any of the following questions about the selected Festival films only. Separate essays can be submitted for more than one program. Winning essays will be determined based on creativity, depth, enthusiasm, clarity, grammar and relevance to the essay questions.

		Eleanor’s Secret Q: Like Nat was able to do with Alice and other fairytale characters in the film, is there a character in a story that you have read that you would call upon to help you deal with a problem or challenge in your life? Why would you choose that character and how would they be able to help you?
		Girls’ POV (schools program only) Q: How do the films in this program represent the lives and experiences of girls and young women compared with other movies that you’ve recently seen? Choose one film from the program and explain how it deals with a specific girl-oriented issue, such as body image, women’s rights or puberty.
		Little White Lies Q: Have you ever been affected by a lie that you told or was told to you, which led to unexpected consequences? How did it play out and how could it have happened differently if the lie had not been told? Is there an historical period or event—such as the rise of fascism in Germany referenced in the film—in which lies or deception led to a negative outcome? Explain.
		Mia & the Migoo Q: Much like Mia fights to help the Migoo, how can you—or other individuals—help to preserve the natural environment, and what are some of the obstacles that may prevent or impede that?
		Sounds Like Teen Spirit Q: How can music and the arts help people to overcome personal issues or crises, such as Marina’s troubles with her divorced parents or the displacement of Mariam’s family in war-torn Georgia? Give an example of another art form or event that brings people together from different backgrounds. How does it help them to connect and communicate?
		Tahaan Q: Are there any similarities between your life and Tahaan’s? How would you handle some of the difficulties or decisions Tahaan deals with in the film—such as the absence of his father, the loss of his pet donkey or being asked to do something that he knows is wrong.
		Turtle: The Incredible Journey Q: What are the natural and manmade obstacles encountered by the turtle on its journey and are any of them preventable? Which other animals undertake a long annual migration, and what types of obstacles do they encounter?  In what ways do you think the recent Gulf oil spill has affected the turtle’s migration?

CONTEST RULES

Length of Essays
Grades 2–5: 150–200 words
Grades 6–8: 200–350 words
Grades 9–12: 350–500 words

Deadlines
Essays must be posted or postmarked by October 15, 2010.

Submit all essays to:
San Francisco Film Society
Attn: NY/SFICFF Essay Contest
39 Mesa Street, Suite 110
The Presidio
San Francisco CA 94129

Essays may also be submitted online at:
https://sffs.wufoo.com/forms/nysficff-essay-contest/

To be eligible for consideration, all essays must include the following information:
Name of Child
Grade
School
Parent or Teacher contact name
Parent or Teacher phone number
Parent or Teacher email address

Prizes
The following cash prizes will be awarded:
Elementary School, Grades 2–5
Grand Prize: $150
Runner-up: $50 cash prize

Middle School, Grades 6–8
Grand Prize: $300
Runner-up: $100

High School, Grades 9–12
Grand Prize: $500
Runner-up: $150

Contest winners will be notified by November 12, 2010.

For questions, contact Keith Zwölfer at 415-561-5040 or kzwolfer@sffs.org.