Once again, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) and SFFILM are opening doors for young artists to bring their music to the big screen, as part of the partnership between the two organizations, the Sound and Cinema Fellowship.

Starting this month, nine Technology and Applied Composition (TAC) students will spend the next year collaborating with SFFILM-supported directors to provide original scores, sound design, and sound mixes for films that will be presented during the annual 69th San Francisco International Film Festival in April 2026. 

SFCM students and SFFILM directors speak during the 68th SF International Film Festival premiere.

"Our collaboration with SFFILM is an incredible opportunity," said Matt Levine with SFCM's TAC program. "Our students gain professional experience by creating original music and sound design for independent films. This partnership provides a chance for our composers to work directly with filmmakers in our state-of-the-art studios, and it places their work in a major cultural spotlight as part of the 69th San Francisco International Film Festival."

"This is the best opportunity to immerse myself in the world of cinema," Thomas Stenzel, a junior in the TAC department, said. "This collaboration strongly connects us students at SFCM to the vibrant film community in the Bay Area." Stenzel will also serve as the official SFFILM intern for the year. "I hope to take away real-world experience that demystifies the art of professional film-making."

SFFILM is Northern California's premiere film organization, known for cultivating a vibrant film culture in the Bay Area since 1957. The organization has produced the longest-running film festival in the Americas, the San Francisco International Film Festival, as well as the Doc Stories documentary festival each fall and dozens of curated film programs annually. SFFILM has grown to a unique and central place within the film ecosystem, with youth education initiatives and a comprehensive artist development program that supports new generations of filmmakers through grants, fellowships, and residencies.

SFFILM Executive Director Anne Lai speaks at SFCM.

"Filmmaking is a team sport. This collaboration allows us to shine a spotlight on the process of music and sound design, focus on cross-discipline collaborations, and celebrate the cinematic form in a unique way," said SFFILM's Executive Director Anne Lai. "Our desire to provide access, resources, and expertise to ensure that independent voices in film can thrive through all stages—from development to being seen—is what drives our mission forward. We're delighted to head into another year in partnership with SFCM and their talented students." 

TAC students Rafe Axne and Theo Popov work on their film.

Masashi Niwano, the Director of SFFILM's Artist Development program, concurs. "The SFFILM Sound and Cinema Fellowship exemplifies our mission by uniting our SFFILM supported filmmakers with SFCM's Technology and Applied Composition (TAC) students to create original, independent work, and to have the rare opportunity to be showcased at the 69th San Francisco International Film Festival."

Over the school year, as part of their course curriculum, TAC students will become a given film's music and sound department, working with directors on four different short films. Directors and their films come from SFFILM's FilmHouse Residency program, which provides San Francisco Bay Area-based filmmakers with artistic guidance and support from established film industry professionals.

Florencia Manóvil speaks with TAC students in SFCM's Studio H.

For the students involved, they can't wait to get started. "SFFILM is such an exciting opportunity for us," Sasha Lazareva, another current TAC student, said."It allows us to get professional work experience in a controlled environment with a lot of great guidance. All of us in TAC are composers, but I think it's incredibly important to have a really good understanding of what it means to collaborate and to not only write good music, but effectively use our musical ability to serve a greater purpose and message."

At the conclusion of the program, the films will be presented, with directors and composers in attendance, in a showcase screening at SFCM as part of the 69th San Francisco International Film Festival in April 2026. 

Learn more about Technology and Applied Composition at SFCM.
Learn more about SFFILM.