From Student to Screen

The SFSU Film Finals is an annual event held to showcase the diverse talent at our School of Cinema, The festival is planned and curated by SFSU students with faculty advisory. This festival allows Cinema students to display their work over the past year on the big screen. With over 50 years of rich history, Film Finals would make a great addition to any student resumé.

We accept films of all genres and formats. Submissions are free.

This event will be held at the McKenna Theater on the San Francisco State University campus on May 14th. Doors open at 5:30 pm, and the event starts at 6:00 pm.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at: filmfinals2026@gmail.com and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Awards & Prizes

Awards & Prizes: TBD

Awarded Categories:

Best Film
Best Director
Best Cinematography
Audience Choice

Rules & Terms

Must be an SFSU School of Cinema student -- Undergraduate or Graduate

The film must have been worked on for/in an SFSU Cinema class or independent study during the Fall 2025- Spring 2026 Academic Calendar (Summer 2025 included!)

Maximum runtime: 20 minutes (Highly encouraged to submit shorter than 10 minutes)

All of the film's property rights MUST be your own.

Rough cuts are acceptable for submission. HOWEVER, if it is selected, a final cut must be submitted before 9am on May 5th. PLEASE email us at filmfinals2026@gmail.com if you are resubmitting a new cut.

All genres and film styles/formats are welcome!

There is NO submission fee!