This weekend at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Our Words Collide was honored with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Stand Up award by a unanimous vote.  This award is presented annually to a film that "exemplifies the impact storytelling can have in fostering mutual understanding and respect"

The student poets, filmmakers, and Get Lit's creator Diane Luby Lane participated in a Q&A led by the ADL's Regional Director Dan Miesel after the screenings. Dan Miesel stated about the film, “We look for films that offer windows into the experiences of others. In this case, the experiences generously shared by this diverse group of youth are not just relatable, they are inspiring. ADL is proud to stand up with these young people and the filmmakers who have so skillfully amplified their wisdom and resilience.”

Here's the link to the ADL's full press release!

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Mahil Senathirajah of Edhat Santa Barbara also wrote a glowing review of Our Words Collide, discussing the movie as well as the award and Q&A. A short excerpt from the article:

"Our Words Collide won the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Stand Up award as the unanimous choice of the jury.  It is a passionate and compassionate film that follows five Los Angeles students in their last year of high school, all of whom are participants in the Get Lit poetry program.  Shot during the pandemic, the students are courageously self-revealing, sharing their thoughts and feelings as they struggle and sometimes triumph at this unusual point in history.  While poetry isn’t everyone’s thing, it was compelling and vivid and used well during the film."

Read the full review here!