‘Mike’s Field Trip to the Movies’ brings another large group of students to the Arlington Theatre

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The second part of a two-phased event for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival brought 1000 students back to the Arlington Theatre.

It's called "Mike's Field Trip to the Movies," in honor of the late local filmmaker Mike DeGruy.

Normally it is a one day event. This year it was split into two days.

Last week, the first group came to the event to see The Mitchell's vs. The Machines. The second group saw Encanto.

Miguelito Elementary School 5th grade teacher Alisyn Blanton said, "getting to see that movie with so many other children,  it is a cinematic experience that they don't get anywhere else."

The students were from throughout Santa Barbara County based in, on what is their first field trip in two years for some. It included a talk and a question and answer session with filmmaker, Jared Bush from the movie Encanto.

Aspiring film makers and writers said this trip made a difference.

Jacob Gonzalez a 5th grader at Monroe school said, "It was really fun. I like how they did the music and they asked questions about the movie and they made  this  chance for us  even though we are in a  pandemic and we have to wear masks."

Lucca DiGiulio from Monroe school said he enjoyed hearing from Bush. "Oh Yes he was very nice and he  gave a lot of information that I had no idea."

It was a recurring review.

Miguelito student Jonathan Encke said, "I like that the directors came out after  that was cool and I like hearing all the questions."

As a teacher, Blanton said she quizzed the students ahead of time about the main character Louisa. "They go into  in to the song and time stamp it  and tell me the exact second and moment in the song where they know how she feels about herself."

From these types of field trips might be the next film maker or actor.

Gonzalez said, "I kind of want to be a director maybe.  or probably a director or a drawer."

Miguelito student Leah Grossi said "I would like to be like a voice actor or something."

For more information go to : SBIFF.org