President Barack Obama will host the second annual White House Student Film Festival Friday and announced he has issued a new “Call to Arts,” which he will say is being answered, the White House announced.
The American Film Institute and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, meanwhile, announced that they have answered the president’s nationwide call for mentors to guide aspiring storytellers pursuing careers in film.
The two organizations said they would work with the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency tasked with leading Obama’s United We Serve program, toward a goal of 1 million mentor hours over the next three years.
“The American Film Institute was founded in the White House Rose Garden with a mission to educate the next generation of storytellers,” said AFI President & CEO Bob Gazzale. “Our pledge today is in furtherance of the apprenticeship tradition that has provided the foundation for the art form since its inception and which will continue to strengthen our community by planting the seeds for its professional future.”
The White House said the film festival showcases the visions of 15 students on the theme, “The Impact of Giving Back.”
—City News Service