Arizona 12 News

Phoenix Film Festival features documentary made entirely by 8th grader

April 1, 2022
By Andrew Onodera

PHOENIX — This year's Phoenix Film Festival will feature a documentary made entirely by a 14-year-old.

Steven Hoffen's film, "Growing Peace in the Middle East," tells the story of Jewish and Arab women in Israel united through hydroponic farming. Steven was inspired to tell the story after visiting Sindyanna of Galilee, a farm in Israel.

The 8th grader started this project at the beginning of the pandemic. Thanks to remote interviews, he could complete the film entirely from his home in New York. Once finished, he began applying to various film festivals and was accepted into more than 70 of them worldwide.

Hoffen hopes his film can show a different side of a region long defined by conflict.

"You see an organization like Sindyanna, who's bringing these Jewish and Arab women together, and so that's kind of proof that conflict can end," he said.

In addition to the film, Hoffen started a nonprofit to assist refugees and end world hunger. The organization, Growing Peace Inc., is currently working with farms and food banks to implement hydroponic farming to create sustainable, self-sufficient food sources for those in need.  

"Growing Peace in the Middle East" will be screened at the Phoenix Film Festival on April 1, 3, and 8 as part of the "Documentary Shorts A" category. 

For showtimes and tickets, visit https://www.phoenixfilmfestival.com.