A handful of City College students received the opportunity of a lifetime through one of their courses; as a class requirement they attended the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

The Film Studies program at City College offers opportunities for students to immerse themselves in approximately two weeks of film viewing, writing and learning at Film Festivals throughout the world.

The courses offered at City College are all three-unit courses and each course takes place at a different film festival location.

Some courses require additional fees, depending on the location. Those courses can be found on the City College Film Festival Home Page.

Film Studies 108A, or FS108A, was a film festival course offered this semester at City College. The course is taught by Professor Nico Maestu. Students enrolled are assigned to attend the The Santa Barbara Film Festival which took place in downtown Santa Barbara from February 1 through February 11.

Celebrities such as Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and Denzel Washington also attended the 32nd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

During this two week course, students are required to attend the festival and journal their experience. Students learn through hands-on-experience or just experiencing an actor/actress deliver an acceptance speech. They are also required to post their journals on the Student Film Review Page for points.

Phillip Gholson a theater arts, acting and directing major, was enrolled in professor Maestu’s FS108A course.

“My prior acting teachers told me that it would be a great way to network with people and to get exposure in my field,” Gholson said.

Gholson attended only one weekend of the festival, but was able to catch a glimpse of celebrities.

“My favorite part from the festival was probably seeing Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling honored for La La Land,” Gholson said. “I also like the fact that we don’t see the professor [Professor Maestu] often. We spend most times going to events or watching different films.”