Our Story

In 2018 a Senior at Saint Mary’s College of California had an idea. Kasey James (‘19), an Art Practice major, saw a lack of opportunities for Bay Area student filmmakers to showcase their films and to make connections with other emerging filmmakers outside their schools. So she decided to create a film festival for those Bay Area students as her Senior thesis Capstone project. It was a huge success! After her departure, Professor Laura Miller saw the potential to continue the Bay Area Student Shorts festival, and created a student-run initiative where film-interested students from across Saint Mary’s College could professionally run the festival for years to come.

Now in its fifth year, the Bay Area Student Shorts Film Festival is put on by students for students. We are dedicated to provide a unique venue for Bay Area college students to showcase their work, and to make connections with other student filmmakers.