Led by alumnus Diego Ratto, the new initiative pairs student composers with filmmakers for a festival premiere.
The inaugural cohort of the SBIFF Composer Mentorship Program gathers for a workshop at UCSB. The program pairs student composers with filmmakers to score original short films. Photo: Courtesy of Diego Ratto.
For the first time in its history, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) has launched a dedicated 10-10-10 Composer Mentorship Program, and students from the University of California, Santa Barbara are taking center stage.
Of the 10 fellows selected for the inaugural cohort, eight are current students from the university’s Department of Music and the College of Creative Studies. The program was spearheaded by Diego Ratto (Ph.D. ’24), a doctoral alumnus and award-winning composer who, together with SBIFF Director Roger Durling, saw a critical gap in the local arts ecosystem.
“There is currently no film scoring program at any Santa Barbara college or university, which is surprising given how important film is to this city,” said Ratto, who also serves as the lab’s mentor. “I wanted to create a bridge between the academic music world and the film industry.”
Program Director Diego Ratto (second from left) with student fellows from the Department of Music and College of Creative Studies. Photo: Courtesy of Diego Ratto.
The composer cohort operates under the umbrella of the festival’s long-running 10-10-10 program, which has championed student filmmakers and screenwriters for 23 years. This year, under the leadership of Education Director Claire Waterhouse, a UCSB alumna, the festival expanded the program to include original music. Each composer has been paired with a student filmmaker to create an original score for a short film. The collaboration mirrors professional industry workflows, challenging students to translate a director's vision into a musical narrative.
The cohort features a diverse group of emerging talent, including Matthew Dudley, Elijah Geduldig, Kai Jenkin and Luca LaMarca. They are joined by fellow student composers Sum Yee Lee, Angus Malcomson, Benjamin Maman and Jade Telles.
The program culminates on Feb. 14, 2026, the final day of the festival, when the completed films—featuring the students' original scores—will premiere at the Arlington Theatre.
For Diego Ratto, this initiative is just the beginning.
“It is a pilot program, but we expect it to grow,” he said. “Seeing our composition students get this kind of practical industry exposure is a major step forward for the Santa Barbara arts community.”