Outreach

Outreach and Film Education Programs

Film has the power to teach, inspire, entertain, empower, and change the world we live in today. Film offers refuge and release, new perspectives, conversation starters, and tells important stories that can direct the course of history. Breck Film is proud to share film and its industry across Summit County, Colorado, and even the nation. To see how we utilize film as educational outreach and level up education programs in the realm of cinematic arts, scroll down.

Girls in STEM workshop
group of girls outside at workshop
Two girls at festival
Sunday Keystone Science School Kiddos

Girls in STEM

In partnership with Keystone Science School and sponsored by HP, our Girls in Stem program is an annual 4-day workshop for young girls to learn the ins and outs of filmmaking. Mentored by industry filmmakers, actors, and other professionals, the girls make short films that are screened at our annual festival!

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Girls in STEM-Film Festival + Our Partnership with Keystone Science School

When you hear the acronym “STEM,” do you think of film? We do now, thanks to our partnership with Keystone Science School. During the 2023 festival, we hosted over 35 young women in grades 3-8 and opened the doors to film as a career that uses different elements of STEM (science, technology, engineering & math).

Girls were split into groups and provided professional mentors to create their own 1-3 minute films in a 48-hour crash course in film basics. Not only did these young women in STEM get an opportunity to watch their masterpiece on the big screen, but also walk the red carpet.

The Girls in STEM program is crucial to our community and beyond because it provides a unique platform for girls to explore and engage in STEM subjects through film. Additionally, they are able to hear from women working in the film industry and learn about potential career opportunities.

We want to continue to introduce film career opportunities to younger generations,– but need your help to do it. Check out our Support Tab to learn how you can boost our STEM outreach program.

CU Denver Logo
Man holding laptop

Breck Film offers elite film internships to collegiate juniors and seniors throughout the summer in preparation for the Breck Film Fest.. Interns provide marketing, operations, and programming support and are, in turn, offered unique experiences to enhance their craft. From meeting industry leaders, working alongside filmmakers, and learning the ropes from festival organizers, we empower students to continue their careers in film and the cinematic arts.

Our internships offer aspiring young filmmakers hands-on experience in advertising, public relations, festival coordination, guest management, and more. This allows interns to hone their skills in a dynamic industry and contribute to the success of Breck Film’s projects.

Many of Breck Film’s former interns are now gainfully employed in the design field and film industry. To learn more about our internship opportunities, click here.

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
rainbow carpet at event

After the eruption of a new civil rights movement in 2020, Breck Film took action. Breck Film was not only first on scene in the local arts community to offer a statement of support, but began building programming and marketing initiatives to highlight racial inequality through film and engage more diverse audiences.

In 2020, Breck Film launched “What We’re Watching,” a weekly Instagram initiative that highlighted films that drove conversations around social inequality.

Also in 2020, Breck Film supported its first Solidarity Talk with Solidarity Nation in which the community gathered to discuss what Black Lives Matter means to each individual.

Breck Film has worked to secure films in both Spanish and English to better engage the LatinX community that makes up 30% of the Summit County, Colorado population and Breck Film has hosted more events in Silverthorne to offer better access to the LatinX community who primarily reside there.

Aamuro Kanda High School Film Winner

In 2017, the Breckenridge Film Festival launched a revised high school program with the Centennial State Film Festival. Colorado student filmmakers are recognized at the Rialto Theater in Loveland, CO in June, and winners are invited to compete against a broader pool of high school filmmakers at the fall Breck Film Fest. After seeing their own films on the big screen, high schoolers attend a lunch with professional filmmakers who offer feedback on their projects, networking opportunities, and resources to continue their careers. .

Since the program’s inception, alumni of the high school program have returned as professional filmmakers to share their own insight to the next generation.

“I feel like my experience at the Breck Film Fest is just the beginning of my career in film. I’m excited to start at USC film school in 2020 with an award from this festival!”

— Aamuro Kanda, Best High School Film Winner 2019

Matthew Glave

Adults are not the only ones who benefit from Breck Film Society. When possible, the Breckenridge Film Festival brings special guests into the Summit School District. Opportunities are determined based on age-appropriateness, such as the all-school assembly in 2017 at Summit Cove Elementary in which students were enraptured by the LAIKA Entertainment stop-motion animation presentation and a chance to view the puppets.

In 2019, Hollywood actor Matthew Glave visited Summit High School to talk with two classrooms of students about the evolution of his career, with an inspirational message to be true to self, passions, and willpower.

While 2020 and 2021 have proved difficult to host in-person events, we have offered live Q&As with this year’s filmmakers and actors to high schoolers including athlete Matthias Giraud, filmmaker Ben Proudfoot, and the original female vocalist from the Black Eyed Peas, Kim Hill.

Kids at school

Breckenridge Film Festival hosts a free – yes, free! – event to families on Saturday morning during the annual fall festival. After a short program of age-appropriate independent films, kids have the opportunity to express creativity in a guided art project. Previous activities have included building storyboard flipbooks, meet and greets with visiting avalanche dogs, and creating their own superheroes.

“Anyone’s creative journey is exciting for me to hear about. At the Children’s Program I was able to meet and talk to the filmmakers of “Recoiled”, a group of young innovative spirits that focused on the importance of honoring our authentic selves and learning about what makes us happy!”

— Kathye Conti, Children's Program Coordinator

group around computer

Breckenridge Film Festival is proud of its community and statewide partnerships, whether for ongoing projects or for special presentations. These partnerships streamline our resources while expanding our impact across the county and country.

Partnerships include: 

- Breckenridge Creative Arts 
(WAVE, BIFA, Dia de los Muertos, Filmmaker in Residence, Art Workshops, Art Installations) 
- Mountain Dreamers (Social Advocacy/Immigration presentations) 
- Building Hope Summit County (Mental Health panel discussion) 
- The Music District & Lyric Cinema out of Fort Collins (Music Videos) 
- Colorado Mountain College (Speaker Series) 
- National Repertory Orchestra (Film + Music) 
- Colorado Office of Film, Television & Media (Statewide project facilitation) 
- Colorado Creative Industries (Project funding, facilitation) 

film around town

Like Breck's altitude, we elevate the film experience in Summit County as the acting clearinghouse for special film presentations. Pursuing partnerships with community organizations to co-promote local screenings mean more synergy and streamlined access to film events throughout the county.

Eventually, the Breck Film Fest seeks to provide one source of film information for easy access to the community. With newly increased staffing, the Breck Film Fest is poised to grow the influence of this program.

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