The world of visual arts is evolving, and media and film have emerged as powerful mediums of creative expression. The Identity Film Festival, an annual event at WAB that takes place on May 19 this year, showcases the artistic talents and storytelling abilities of WAB’s young visionaries.

In our latest WAB podcast episode, Patrik Izing, WAB’s Film Teacher, and Dylan Z., a Grade 11 student and filmmaker, share their thoughts on the festival and discuss the broader impacts of WAB’s film program.

"The film festival is a great way for students to get together, collaborate, to create something that they can all be proud of and that they can show everybody... a great way to express everybody's creativity," said Dylan.

The main goal of the Identity Film Festival is to provide students with a platform to showcase their filmmaking skills and creativity. By nurturing better storytellers, it aims to foster an environment where students can share their unique perspectives and create impactful narratives.

"The message... is for students to try and make human stories. So we are trying to encourage the students to be better storytellers... to express something that is true to you, that really touches you," said Patrik.

Dylan, who submitted three films to the festival, believes creative freedom and collaboration is crucial, and this is an aspect that WAB does very well. Students studying film at WAB are given complete agency to explore their own voice and style while collaborating with a team. The film department supports students by providing equipment, guidance, and a supportive environment to bring their visions to life.

The Identity Film Festival and WAB’s film program cultivate a community of passionate storytellers. The filmmaking opportunities and resources at WAB provide a stepping stone for aspiring filmmakers to pursue higher education and careers in the film industry.

“I'm very lucky that at such a young age, I've found my calling in life and I've found something that I believe I can really pursue and that's filmmaking. And I feel like WAB has really helped me to continue to explore this passion and to help me know more about filmmaking as a profession,” Dylan said.

Tune in to our full episode to learn more about The Identity Film Festival and filmmaking at WAB.

The Identity Film Festival and awards ceremony takes place from 6:00pm-8:00pm on the Middle School Plaza and is open to the WAB community. Come earlier to also enjoy some live jazz from our student bands and guest band BrazilEO. Pre-registration is required. Please fill out this form to attend, and head over to the WAB Weekly in the parent portal for the full schedule.