Science Fair

A group of us saw this wonderful documentary at Sundance and absolutely fell in love with the film and the students and the teachers who were featured. The Sundance audiences laughed and cried and clapped and gave the film a standing ovation at the end. We have seen many amazing documentaries in our lives but Science Fair was one of the most uplifting and inspiring documentaries we've have ever seen. The Sundance audiences voted Science Fair as the "Festival Favorite" from all the great films shown at Sundance, and the Portland Film Festival recently gave the film the "Best Documentary" award. A big thank you and congratulations to the directors, producers, students, and everyone else who made this film possible. Don't miss this wonderful film if it comes to your town...you will fall in love with Science Fair also! Science Fair is a definite 10.

The reviewer said this was the worst film at Sundance and misunderstood why audience members would cry at this film must lack basic human emotion. A truly uplifting, passionate, and intelligently crafted narrative that expertly explores the Intel science fair and the diverse lives of some of the children involved. I highly recommend it!

Science Fair was warmly-received at Austin's SXSW Film Festival. It details the experience of six different high school students (or teams of students) competing in the 2017 Intel International Science and Engineering (ISEP) Fair in Los Angeles. The documentary is well-filmed, edited and highly entertaining. The directors did an excellent job of finding charismatic and charming young people who were doing great research projects. These are great students who are super achievers. (Unfortunately, they are far from the typical students being produced by the American educational system today.) Science Fair is fun and charming documentary that a ray of sunlight in dark times.

I admit I went to the sold out screening of this movie because it featured students at my daughter's high school in Louisville, one of which is the daughter of my friend. I am so happy I did. What a wonderful, well-made film and story. I found myself tearing up more than once, and laughing out loud many times, even clapping a couple of times - certainly not the expectation I went in with. It was truly an entertaining and enjoyable 90 minutes. Kudos to Cristina, Darren and Jeff for this gift. And students - you were awesome! Waiting for the sequel.

This documentary focuses on a variety of students from different schools and countries as they try to qualify for the international science fair, which is akin to the Oscars for young science boffins. This isn't lightweight stuff, these youngsters are involved in proper high-level science projects from micro cameras that can tell if a burger is fully cooked to cancer prevention, by way of new improved aeroplane designs and artificial intelligence systems. When you watch this, don't be alarmed if these kids make you feel inferior. When I was 14 I wasn't developing systems to interpret brain waves, I think I was probably playing Jet Set Willy 2.

This film works so very well for me because I found myself cheering on every single one of these young people. They all come from slightly different backgrounds and have different elements which make them likeable and fascinating. From the youngsters from a very poor Brazilian small town, to the little fella who created a calculator that generated Shakespearean insults (e.g. 'thou art an unwashed puckart'), to the New York teacher who has created a conveyor belt of scientific excellence in her school, to the young lass who unashamedly declares that she is a gift to the world (she actually is, by the way). There is a large selection of great characters making this one both inspiring but also somewhat moving. It makes you realise that the world is - at least partially - going to be in good hands in the future.