For the 2020-21 season of this series, we continue to focus on issues related to teen wellness in the areas of health, mental health, sexual health, and substance use and abuse in order to create a community forum for education, communication, understanding, and awareness. Each screening will include an in-depth discussion with filmmakers, film subjects, and/or subject area experts. All programs will take place online until the Smith Rafael Film Center reopens.
A portion of the proceeds for this series will go to support Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) Wellness Centers.
2020 – 2021 SEASON PROGRAMS
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TRY HARDER!
AVAILABLE 48 HOURS • CA ONLY
FRIDAY, MAY 14 • 7PM PST – SUNDAY, MAY 16 • 7PM PST
“When you first come in from middle school, you’ll want to cry.” These words, spoken by a wizened Lowell High School student at the beginning of Debbie Lum’s delightful Try Harder!, describe the school’s well-deserved reputation as San Francisco’s number one ranked public high school and academic pressure cooker. Inside the classroom and at home, we follow Sophia, Shea, Rachael, Alvan, and Ian as they try their hardest to attract the attention of their “dream” school (invariably, Stanford). Striving for college admission is not simply a matter of academic achievement. Each must grapple with challenging issues, from tense family dynamics to anti-Asian and anti-Black discrimination. When it comes time for the students to find out what their college fates will be, our hearts go out to them; not because we care so much where they’ll end up, but because we’ve grown to admire who they are becoming on the journey there. US 2021, 85 min Director Debbie Lum
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TRUST ME
AVAILABLE TUESDAY, FEB 2 – MONDAY, FEB. 8
If you’ve felt the weight of the world on your shoulders as a result of our 24-hour news cycle or felt negative thoughts invade your daily life after endlessly scrolling through social media, you’re definitely not alone. Following his 2012 documentary Happy, in which he ventured to over a dozen countries seeking out the meaning and source of happiness, Oscar®-nominated documentarian Roko Belic (Genghis Blues) takes an investigative look at the darker side of the modern human experience, exploring how we consume, process, share and internalize media messages in the digital age. Addressing a range of critical issues from confirmation bias to fake news, Trust Me examines not only the psychological effects but the emotional and social ramifications of misinformation on society, on democracy, and on our mental health—particularly for younger generations who’ve known no other reality. With testimonies from a wide range of media and psychology experts alongside everyday media consumers of all ages, Belic outlines the inherent dangers in spreading false information as well as some tangible solutions. Stressing the critical need for media literacy and journalistic integrity, Trust Me makes the decisive case for each and every one of us to become more informed media consumers.. Director Roko Belic (US 2020) 91 min
The screening will be followed by an in-depth panel discussion featuring:
ROKO BELIC director, Trust Me
MICHELLE CIULLA LIPKIN executive director, National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE)
KALINA KULA student, High School 1327
DR. ROBERT LUSTIG, M.D., M.S.L neuroendocrinologist; professor, UCSF
Moderator: JOANNE PARSONT CFI Director of Education
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CLOUDS
SPECIAL MVFF SCREENING
Following his feature directorial debut Five Feet Apart, actor-turned-director Justin Baldoni brings us another triumph of the human heart. Starring Fin Argus and Neve Campbell, this Disney+ original movie covers the inspiring, all-too-brief life of teen YouTube star Zach Sobiech, who captured the hearts and attention of the world with his hit single “Clouds” while battling a rare bone cancer. Preceded by a pre-recorded Q&A with Justin Baldoni and cast members to be announced.
CFI Education is building the next generation of filmmakers and film lovers through its creative film programs for Bay Area students, serving more than 8,000 young people per year as well as hundreds of educators, adults, and families. Featuring a rich program of screenings, events, seminars, and hands-on workshops, CFI Education introduces students to the power of film, promotes global awareness, fosters media literacy, develops critical thinking skills and lays the foundation for a lifelong appreciation of cinema.
TUHSD Wellness Centers offers specialized support for teens at their high schools including health, mental health, substance use/abuse and sexual health services and education. TUHSD Wellness offers both direct services (1:1 + group services) as well as school wide prevention and educational programs for students. TUHSD Wellness partners with a wide array of local community organizations to provide expertise and support to our teens. Learn more at the TUHSD Wellness website
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