Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Two talented student filmmakers from the Guthrie Center, Joaquin Veintimilla and Xavier Alexander, are celebrating a milestone achievement: their film WRITER'S BLOCK was selected for the prestigious All American High School Film Festival in New York City.

Competing in multiple categories at the Teen Indie Awards, they traveled to NYC to join an impressive lineup of young filmmakers from around the globe. The All American High School Film Festival is a premier destination for emerging filmmakers, offering a vital platform to showcase their work and connect with scholarship opportunities and industry leaders.

Xavier, a junior at Stratford High School, and Joaquin, a senior at the Academy of Choice, have dedicated three and two years, respectively, to honing their filmmaking skills. Both are passionate about pursuing careers in film after graduation, and attending this festival marks just the first of many achievements in their artistic journeys.

Guided by Guthrie instructor Horacio Rodriguez, the students embraced the spirit of collaboration central to the district's T-2-4 vision for Every Child. This commitment was evident throughout their experience.

Reflecting on their collaboration, Joaquin said, “When Xavier and I first met, we didn’t get along very well. We had a lot of conflicts since our creative voices were so different—I leaned more into comedy while he leaned more into drama. However, our mutual love for filmmaking allowed us to put our differences aside and find common ground. Now, I can proudly say he is one of my closest friends and someone I truly admire as both an artist and a person.”

Rodriguez expressed pride in the students’ accomplishments. “This project was a crucial part of their coursework. Our goal was to nurture not just technical skills but also creative expression and traits students need to be successful in the real industry," said Rodriguez. "Knowing how hard they worked and pushed themselves, and seeing their work recognized at such a high level, is incredibly rewarding and showcases the impact of our program beyond the classroom.”

Xavier added, “The making of this short movie reminded me to create without worry and with complete freedom. I didn’t have time to overthink my writing, and that was for the better. It allowed me to pull from my own experiences rather than inventing something. I feel more fulfilled about the script because it was real; it just came out of me.”

As they reflect on their time in New York, Joaquin and Xavier are grateful for the memories they created—from the bright lights of Times Square to the serene beauty of Central Park and the iconic Rockefeller Center.

“I didn’t even know Joaquin before this movie,” Xavier remarked. “And when we first met, we didn’t really like each other. But as time passed, I realized that all artists work differently and have different stories to tell. It takes multiple people to make a movie, so don’t push people away just because you disagree.”

Congratulations to Joaquin, Xavier, and Horacio Rodriguez on this incredible achievement! We eagerly anticipate their next steps in the world of filmmaking.

• Learn more about Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming in SBISD.
• Learn more about SBISD's 2022 Bond Program that will replace the current Guthrie Center facility.