ABOUT

The San Joaquin Film Society, Inc. (SJFS) is a cinema arts organization located in Stockton, in the heart of California's vast Central Valley. The Film Society is home to the annual San Joaquin International Film Festival (SJIFF) and year-round World Cinema Series. The Film Society celebrates cinema arts, multi-cultural appreciation, and global outreach through year-round productions of festivals and educational programs.

Since the 2008 inauguration of SJIFF and the 2009 founding of the Film Society, over 150 screenings, featuring 300+ feature, documentary and short films from master directors, auteurs and emerging filmmakers of 40+ countries have been presented at venues across the San Joaquin Valley.

• View the list of films and events since 2008.

ABOUT SOPHOAN SORN

Sophoan Sorn began the creation of the San Joaquin International Film Festival in 2007. SJIFF inaugurated on June 4, 2008 at the historic Bob Hope Theatre in downtown Stockton. His collaborative spirit, innovative leadership and steadfast advocacy began an unprecedented and growing film culture for the area. He founded the year-round San Joaquin Film Society in 2009, curating unique programs as the San Joaquin Children's Film Festival, Cinema Italia and French Cinema Days; while building strong collaborations with many institutions across the area, such as University of the Pacific, San Joaquin Delta College, The Haggin Museum and Modesto's State Theatre. He is currently the third-year Director of San Francisco's Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, America's largest focus program of recent films from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Presented by the Germany's official cultural center, the Goethe-Institut San Francisco, Berlin & Beyond has been held annually since 1996 at the legendary Castro Theatre. He is based in San Francisco, California, and annually attends the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival in Germany.

OUR BEGINNINGS

In December 2006, Sophoan Sorn began the creation of the the 1st San Joaquin International Film Festival (SJIFF). The cinematic endeavor inaugurated June 4 to 8, 2008 with a noteworthy selection of films from 14 nations - and was championed by civic and community leaders, the media, the local arts community and curious filmmakers from around the world. Charter festival team members were Arlene Galindo, Jessica Hernandez and Shane Williamson.

With an endeavor to carry on SJIFF as an annual tradition, to help raise the cultural and global profile of San Joaquin, and to foster the arts through a diverse year-round program - the San Joaquin Film Society was founded in 2009. The new Film Society blossomed with the growth of the 2nd San Joaquin International Film Festival, and the addition of the World Cinema Series: the San Joaquin Children's Film Festival, Cinema Italia, Jewish Cinema Day, French Cinema Day, Latino Cinema Day and the CalDocFest. In 2010 and 2011, the organization expanded the third and fourth SJIFF to the State Theatre in Modesto, a city 45 miles south of Stockton, in the Southern San Joaquin Valley. The 5th Anniversary San Joaquin International Film Festival will be held January 12-15, 2012 in Stockton.

California's Central Valley stretches over 400 miles (600km) with the Sacramento Valley in the north and the San Joaquin Valley in the south. Rich in agriculture, it is known as the "fruit basket of the world." The city of Stockton sits in the heart and the center of the Central Valley. In Stockton alone, there are over 75 different ethnic groups represented. Each day, the Central Valley is growing - economically, culturally, and artistically. The San Joaquin Film Society collaborates with organizations, businesses, and people locally and internationally.

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FESTIVAL TEAM 2012

Executive Office

Sophoan Sorn
Founder and Director
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Board of Directors

Shane Williamson
Chairman

Gene Acevedo
Vice Chair

Cole Akins
Secretary
Program Coordinator

Joel Reyna, Jr.
Treasurer of the Board

Arlene Galindo
Sergeant at Arms

Special to the 2012 Festival Committee

Emily Ballus
Phyllis Franklin
Jory Kusy
Salvador Mayoral

Lead Volunteers

Oscar Alarcon
Arturo Carrasco-Becerra
Rebecca Guzman
Mitchell Martinez
Kathy Ordanza

HONORARY

David Schmidt
Former Chairman, 2010-2011