Film Institutes of America announced Tuesday that it is opening its second film school in the United States in Greenville.

The Carolina Film Institute will be the sister school of the Seattle Film Institute, which was founded in 1994.

A release from the Film Institutes of America said that Greenville was selected after a nationwide search.

The release said, "Greenville was selected for three main reasons. As a regional center, Greenville is within easy striking distance of an impressive list of cities including Atlanta, Memphis, Tenn., Raleigh-Durham, N.C., Charleston, S.C., and Jacksonville, Fla. Greenville is also at the geographic center of states that have incredible incentive programs for filmmakers."

It said, "Finally, Greenville was chosen as the location for Carolina Film Institute because of its cosmopolitan atmosphere and its livability. It’s a true destination for students from both the region, across the United States or around the world."

The institute opens a 40-week total immersion filmmaking program. It will also offer part-time classes in film production, screenwriting, documentary, and digital video production as well as a summer teen filmmaking program.

Classes at the Carolina Film Institute begin Sept. 8.

The institute will hold an open house on Saturday, Aug. 2 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Carolina Film Institute is located at 518 Hunts Bridge Road in Greenville.

For directions or to request a brochure and more information on the program, please call 864-331-9220 or go to www.carolinafilminstitute.com.