The Santa Clarita International Film Festival has announced the launch of its new internship program in partnership with College of the Canyons, marking a major step forward in the festival’s ongoing commitment to education and the professional development of emerging filmmakers, creatives and production professionals.

As part of SCIFF’s mission to empower the next generation of storytellers, this internship program expands upon the festival’s training and development initiatives. Over the past several years, SCIFF Founder and Executive Director Lisa deSouza has built and refined a hands-on, real-world training program designed to support students seeking practical experience in film, media, arts and event production.

“Our training program has been designed and built over the past years to give our interns real-world production experience,” said deSouza. “We give them tasks and place them in situations that have them plan but also think on their feet. They get to see firsthand the ‘controlled chaos’ and all the moving parts that come with putting on an event of such scale.”

Students from College of the Canyons have already begun participating in the program, working as screeners, reviewers, camera operators, production assistants and coordinators across a variety of festival departments. The partnership provides COC students with unparalleled access to professional workflows, industry-standard practices and the behind-the-scenes demands of hosting an international arts festival.

“Interning with SCIFF, I viewed phenomenal films from all around the world and learned firsthand how films are analyzed within the festival circuit. Through critiquing every aspect of the projects, I learned more about filmmaking and can apply these intricate lessons to my own projects. Interning as a SCIFF screener/reviewer taught me how films are analyzed in the festival circuit, and I’m applying these lessons and criteria to my own films,” said COC intern Sophia Card. “The submissions were phenomenal, I learned so much about filmmaking through their critique.”

The collaboration has also been embraced by leadership at College of the Canyons, who view the partnership as a meaningful, career-building opportunity for students across the Media, Entertainment and Arts pathways.

“We are very excited to be working with SCIFF to support their upcoming Arts Festival,” said Harriet Happel, Dean of Career Education, Integrative Learning and Career Services at College of the Canyons. “This internship opportunity is providing our Media, Entertainment, and Arts students a wide breadth and depth of experience as both camera operators and program coordinators. We appreciate the partnership with SCIFF and look forward to future collaborations with them.”

Through this internship program, SCIFF continues to deepen its investment in arts education, community outreach and career preparation—strengthening Santa Clarita’s role as a hub for film, media and creative innovation.

SCIFF’s mission is dedicated to celebrating independent cinema, music and live performance while fostering education, artistic growth and professional development for creators at every level. Based in the heart of Santa Clarita, SCIFF continues to expand its programs and partnerships to elevate the next generation of filmmakers and artists.

For more information, visit sciff.org.