Who can't use a little calming influence (and perhaps some inspiration) now and then when things get stressful? Allow these five student study abroad films to help you chill out, get lost (in a good way, of course), and maybe feel some study abroad vibes, and motivation, while you're watching. You'll not only be enchanted by the diverse cities of Granada, Madrid, Sydney, Tokyo, and Vienna, but impressed with what IES Abroad students and interns can do with a camera and a beautiful setting.
1. GRANADA | Lose Track of Time
Enjoy the calm, yet at the same time, lively pace of studying abroad in Granada, Spain, through the lens of IES Abroad Video Correspondent Soledad Tejada. Soledad shares "Something I’ve learned through experience is that it can be very easy to lose track of time while studying abroad. Sometimes days feel like weeks and other times weeks like days." Lose track of time experiencing Soledad's view of Granada.
"Losing Track of Time in Granada" by Soledad Tejada | Yale University | IES Abroad Granada
2. MADRID | Write an Ode to a City
In this film, Carol Lee creates a visual representation of a poem she wrote while studying abroad in Madrid. "The film remembers my time in Madrid by exploring past experiences and sentiments. The film is poetic in nature, reflecting not only my fondness for the city, but also the nature of memories themselves—fleeting, intimate, and impactful.”
"letter to madrid" by Carol Lee Diallo | Haverford College | IES Abroad Madrid
3. SYDNEY | Walk Along the Beach
We love this video put together by our Summer 2017 IES Internships Sydney student, Taryn King, which shows some of the sights and scenery that make up your daily life when you study abroad in Sydney. Taryn's internship happened to be located on Bondi Beach and she served as an IES Internships Photo Correspondent, so she had the perfect backdrop for shooting photos and film.
"Bondi to Bronte Walk" by Taryn King | Hope College | IES Internships Sydney
4. TOKYO | Come Alive
In 2019 Film Festival Finalist Siyu's words, this film is about "the friends I met, the staff at IES Abroad, the experience we had together, made my best three months in my whole life. I want to use this film to appreciate all the love that I have received from everyone in this program, and I will keep those moments that we had together forever."
"Come Alive" by Siyu Zhou | University of South Carolina | IES Abroad Tokyo
5. VIENNA | Build a Home
IES Abroad 2019 Film Festival Semi-Finalist Mohsin Waraich hopes that, through his camera lens, viewers will grasp how special studying abroad in Vienna is. From the numerous palaces and cathedrals, to museums and holiday markets, there is so much beauty to explore. At the end of the film, Mohsin shares a quote from Billy Joel - "When will you realize, Vienna waits for you"—and they're both right, Vienna is waiting for you!
"Vienna - To Build a Home" by Mohsin Waraich | Butler University | IES Abroad Vienna
Want more inspiring videos and student stories? Follow our Student Correspondents as they blog about their adventures, and watch student films from our Study Abroad Film Festival!
It’s true what they say: Sometimes you have to see it to believe it. Why just see it on your screen? Experience this inspiration in real life as you study abroad or intern with us.
