47th CineFestival San Antonio

The nation’s original and longest running Latino film festival returns this summer with the 47th 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 9 to 12, 2026.

CineFestival exhibits Chicanx, Latinx, and International Latin American cinema with a focus on regional and local filmmaking, creating annual opportunities to survey the body of work produced by artists based in Texas and beyond, and fostering industry, business, and artistic opportunities among an average of 100 registered filmmakers in attendance every year.

Beyond its role as an exhibition platform for San Antonio, Texas, US, and international artists, CineFestival’s programs are part a rich cultural heritage through contemporary and repertoire Latinx film, serving as a living community experience archive that audiences of all backgrounds and ages can enjoy.

CineFestival’s programs and events create a shared community space that encourages authentic cultural representation and strengthens artistic bonds between audiences and creators alike, supporting the evolution of storytelling within and beyond film.

Today, as entertainment is more accessible than ever from within our homes, CineFestival exists as both a relic and an exciting destination—bringing people together for a collective viewing experience, connecting artists, culture, and the communities that surround, celebrate, and legitimize their work.

CineFestival San Antonio traditionally hosts screenings, Q&A sessions, panels, workshops, receptions, and after parties. Featured programs include the Mesquite Award nominees for Best Texas Short Film, Texas and San Antonio showcases, and a selection of US Latinx and international feature and short films. Master classes and panels are designed for established filmmakers to share artistic insight and industry knowledge with attending filmmakers.

As an extension to our San Antonio film community, more than 50% of CineFestival events are free and open to the public. These free, community-centered events include Family Day, a Youth Film showcase including work made by artists 18 years old or younger, matinee screenings, and Senior Cinema for the San Antonio area’s elderly film lovers.

Originally founded as the Chicano Film Festival by Adán Medrano in 1976, this film festival was the first of its kind in the United States, providing a space for films that otherwise would be ignored by mainstream exhibition chains. In 1980, the event was renamed San Antonio CineFestival, and one year later it became part of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center with an expanded mission to showcase the most significant Latino, Chicano, Indigenous, and Latin American films in San Antonio.

Since 2017, CineFestival has prioritized the exhibition and support of local and regional films, becoming a destination for both audiences and artists who recognize the festival as one of the premiere events to showcase Latino films made in Texas, surrounding states, and of course, San Antonio.

For over four decades, CineFestival San Antonio has hosted dozens of independent filmmakers and 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, Iliana Sosa, Severo Perez, Robie Flores, Leonor Maldonado, Tatiana Graullera, Anayansi Prado, and Isabel Castro, among many others.

Eligibility:

‣ Only films made by Latinx, Chicanx, or Native American filmmakers will be considered.
‣ To be considered for this year’s program, films must be completed in January 2025 or later.
‣ To be eligible for the Mesquite Awards, films should be made in Texas.

The festival programmers reserve the right to final selection and program positioning of all submitted films.