Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Education Center is showcases short films on First Thursdays Art Walk

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.—“Crossing the Channel” follows  31-year-old Rachel Horn of Ventura on her big swim across the Santa Barbara Channel. 

Horn swims this 12.4 mile stretch from Anacapa Island to Oxnard with no wetsuit, breaks, or physical support in order to raise money for the Special Olympics in Santa Barbara County. 
 
“It's pretty inspiring, and that's part of the beauty of these films. I mean, we're getting to highlight these incredible people and the inspiring and wonderful things that they're doing,” said Santa Barbara International Film Festival Education Manager Claire Waterhouse.

This short film played at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival back in 2019, but the Film Festival is bringing it back to highlight local stories and to spark meaningful conversations. 
 
“Short feature documentary. Any of it is all very important because it gives us an opportunity to connect with other people here in town or across the seas in other countries. It's one of the most powerful empathy building tools that we have,” said Santa Barbara International Film Festival Managing Director Sean Pratt.

Festival workers say this short film is one of many highlighting the unique stories of Santa Barbara that would otherwise fly under the radar. 
 
“From one month to the other you're seeing you have no idea what to expect. You're seeing some small story that is private and like you can't just walk up and experience a family story or you're seeing footage of Lotus Land or you're seeing something about someone accomplishing an amazing athletic feat of swimming the channel,” said Pratt.
 
The Film Festival gave the show 3 screenings on Thursday, serving as a teaser of what's to come when the Film Festival officially begins next week.