The nation’s original and longest running Latino film festival returns this summer with the 44th annual edition of CineFestival San Antonio. Presented by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, San Antonio’s annual celebration of independent Latinx and indigenous cinema will take place July 12 to 16, 2023.

The program at CineFestival San Antonio focuses on Chicano, Latinx and Native American cinema, with an emphasis in Texas related films and regional work. CineFestival San Antonio traditionally hosts screenings, Q&A sessions and panels at the historic Guadalupe Theater. Workshops, receptions, and after parties are held at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center campus and other community partner venues. Free community events include Family Day presenting a family friendly screening, a Youth Program showcasing work made by San Antonio student filmmakers, and a matinee Senior Cinema screening for the area’s elderly film lovers.

Depending on public health guidelines issued for the dates of the festival, some components of the event may be held in virtual format.

Since 2017, CineFestival San Antonio has developed a strong focus on local and regional filmmaking, prioritizing films that are closely related to Texas and San Antonio, supporting regional filmmakers who are based in neighboring states, and also including works made by Latinx and indigenous filmmakers working in the US and Puerto Rico. Limited to screening time capacity, the festival also includes international work made by filmmakers from Latin America and Spain with an emphasis on Mexican films.

For over four decades, CineFestival San Antonio has hosted many of the industry’s pioneering U.S. Latino and Mexican films, actors, and directors. Highlights from past editions include appearances by Marcela Arteaga, Gina Rodriguez, Guillermo del Toro, Edward James Olmos, Benjamin Bratt, Jesse Borrego, Esai Morales, Aurora Guerrero, Raúl Castillo, Luis Valdez, Lalo Alcaraz, Cruz Angeles, Hector Galan, Adán Medrano, and some of the fresh voices in Latino film including Fernando Frias de la Parra, Cristina Ibarra, Alex Rivera, Chelsea Rendon, Steve Acevedo, Gian Cassini, Marcella Ochoa, and Iliana Sosa among many others.

Awards & Prizes

A special panel of industry professionals and scholars will serve as members of the jury to choose the winners of CineFestival's Premio Mesquite Awards in the following categories:

Best Texas Short Film
Best Feature Film
Special Jury Awards

Rules & Terms

CineFestival San Antonio has developed a strong focus on local and regional filmmaking, prioritizing films that are closely related to Texas and San Antonio, supporting regional filmmakers who are based in neighboring states, and also including works made by Latinx and indigenous filmmakers working in the US and Puerto Rico. Limited to screening time capacity, the festival also includes international work made by filmmakers from Latin America and Spain with an emphasis on Mexican films.


The Festival accepts film entries as follows:

Feature and short films made in San Antonio: Open to works made by or about Chicano, Latinx or Native American filmmakers based in San Antonio, Texas. Films with thematic or production connections to San Antonio are encouraged to apply.

Feature and short films made in Texas: Open to works made by or about Chicano, Latinx or Native American filmmakers based in the State of Texas. Films in which the director, principal producer, writer or main acting talent are native to the state of Texas and are Chicano, Latinx or Native American are eligible for this section. Films thematically related to Texas’ Chicano, Latinx and Native American heritage are also eligible for this section. Short Films selected in this category are eligible to compete for the Mesquite Award for Best Short Film.

Feature and short films made in the United States: This section is open to works made by or about Chicano, Latinx or Native American filmmakers based in the United States and its territories. Films with thematic or production connections to Texas are encouraged to apply.

International Showcase: Open to films from Latin America and Spain with an emphasis in Mexican films, especially if related to border and immigration issues.

Youth Films: Open to films made by artists 18 years of age or younger. Priority is given to films produced in San Antonio and Texas. Limited to screen time capacity, the festival may be able to accept youth films made in the United States, Latin America, and Spain.

Entries will be pre-screened for eligibility by a selection committee and not all entries will be programmed. Films must be submitted with English subtitles if dialogue is in a language other than English. Films must have been completed after January 2021. The festival accepts student films as well as works in progress provided that the filmmakers guarantee the completion of the films by June 2023.

CineFestival programmers are responsible for all programming decisions. The decisions of the programmers are final.
23 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Katrina Brook Flores

    CineFestival is a phenomenal festival! Having my first film, Assaman, accepted truly made me feel like I was part of a Chicanx legacy in filmmaking. This festival is Iconic and the entire team did a great job from pre festival communication to during the festival. The offerings during the festival were amazing from events to workshops and gatherings. Thank you CineFestival!

    November 2022
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  • Laura Herring

    CineFestival was a great festival experience. They featured quality films done by national and regional talent. We experienced excellent communication from the festival and they had an excellent industry panel. Definitely would love to go again!

    October 2022
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  • Joseph Santa Cruz

    Had a blast at CineFestival! It's a great atmosphere and watched some really creative and compelling films. I highly recommend this festival.

    September 2022
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  • Luis Alberto Suarez

    Fantastic experience! thank you very much!

    August 2022
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  • luis rodriguez

    The festival is well known, and I am very happy with the official selection of my film, An Awesome Action Movie. It was a well received film and I got to meet with many filmmakers who also enjoyed the film. Thanks to everyone at the CineFestival who made the festival such a success.

    July 2022
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