So far SFist has been covering the San Francisco International Film Festival as a spectator, but SFist Paolo has graciously agreed to offer his perspective as a festival participant. His short, "Elements" appears as part of the Youth Vocies and Visions program of shorts, which had its first screening on Saturday and will be shown again at the Kaubki at 12 PM this Thursday.

Read the words of a real, live San Francisco International Film Festival filmmaker after the jump!