The fourth annual America’s Finest Film Fest will showcase 20 short films made in San Diego about San Diego. The one-day festival also showcases handmade goods, food and drink.
San Diego-based nonprofit 1 to 1 Movement once again plays host to a showcase of locally made short films.
Jonathan Zaidman is the executive director of 1 to 1 Movement.
"We carefully curate a diverse mix of shorts that represent the best our community has to offer," Zaidman said. "The focus of the event is to celebrate San Diego by showcasing the top 20 short films made in San Diego, by San Diegans and about San Diego. In the theme of highlighting our community, there is also an on-site Maker’s Market with 30-plus local craftspeople as well as 10-plus local food and beverage vendors."
There is the gorgeous aerial and time-lapse footage of our beaches and landmarks in "Hello San Diego," as well as a documentary about seniors playing baseball in La Mesa.
One highlight of the festival is the highly engaging portrait of musician Mark Goffeney in "Hands Free."
"My first guitar literally came from a landfill," Goffeney said in the film. "Between 'Godzilla,' 'Smoke on the Water,' 'Paranoia,' and 'Cocaine' (the song, not the drug), those were the four riffs or five riffs I knew and I played them until my toes bled."
That’s right, his toes, because Goffeney was born without arms but proves in this short documentary that he's managing perfectly fine without them, including driving a car with his feet.
He's just one of the amazing discoveries you can find at America’s Finest Film Fest.
The festival returns Aug. 6 for its third year at Irwin Jacobs Hall (boasting a 4K screen) on the Qualcomm corporate campus.
Its first year was at the University of San Diego and attendance has grown from 350 that inaugural year to 1,000 last year. The film program plays twice with food and beverages available before, after and in between screenings.
