Southern Arizona Film Positives

The Southern Arizona Film Positives program seeks to educate and uplift the local film community in Southern Arizona, fostering the culture of inclusivity and positive representation currently lacking. We aim to produce five 1-5 minute micro-short films, each exploring essential themes of inclusivity, alongside complementary short documentary guides that will be accessible to filmmakers of all scales.
The core themes that each "Southern Arizona Film Positives" film will address are as follows:
- Gender equality in film production and casting,
- Positive representation of the lgbtq+ community.
- Environmentally positive productions and on screen eco-friendliness.
- Indigenous, Latine, and POC pride in film as artistic expression.
- Filmmakers with disabilities breaking stigmas.
Each film will be written and/or directed by a member of the community they are representing in their film and will be involved and interviewed in the accompanying documentary guide. We will offer mentorship, equipment, production services and up to $3,000 for production. Once finished, the films and accompanying guides will be publicly showcased at the Nogales International Film Festival and be made available to film instructors, festivals, and community programs, further emphasizing the significance of positive filmmaking. Our goal is to cultivate a supportive and thriving community of filmmakers in Southern Arizona, where we uplift each other and strive for more positive, kind, and inclusive filmmaking practices.
Through "Film Positives," we will provide concrete examples and guidance, empowering fellow filmmakers to create more representative art. By featuring filmmakers from diverse backgrounds, we will demonstrate that inclusive productions can be achieved without major overhauls, inspiring others to follow suit.