For Matisse Kinney, a ninth-grader at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, creating her acrylic painting, “Reaching In,” was a visual expression of what it feels like to go through depression and the hope that can pull someone out of darkness.

When her work won this year’s FOCUS on Impact student art competition, it became more than a personal milestone; it exemplified how the San Diego International Film Festival is empowering young people to engage meaningfully with the world’s most pressing issues such as mental health.

The FOCUS on Impact educational program combines a curated film library with a student art showcase to help San Diego County students develop compassion while exploring societal challenges.

“Film is really one of the few mediums that allows you to wal

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