Valle de Guadalupe Film Festival

3º KURRAK FILM AWARDS™ CEREMONY

Auka!

The Valle de Guadalupe Film Festival is in the heart of the ancestral lands of the Kumeyaay people in Baja California – a land of authenticity, of integrity, and of the senses.

The event emanates from over sixteen years of celebrating the singular voices of our people, in film and community, and exists to carry this spirit further.

An IMDb qualifier since 2023, the Festival de Cine del Valle de Guadalupe A.C. is a Kumeyaay women-led and filmmakers-with-disability-led cinematographic arts and cultural non-profit organization.

We curate films written and directed by auteur-filmmakers working in fiction and in documentary to explore and share people’s personal stories, emotional experiences, social milieu, and artistic visions.

Our mission is to discover, showcase, and promote independent, local, and native filmmakers with our community and youth, while celebrating the land of Guadalupe for her cultural traditions and resilience.

We welcome productions from all around the world. We are not a tourist enterprise. We are a community cultural event firmly opposed to bullying, abuse, and authoritarianism, and committed to giving voice to the voiceless.

The Kurrak Film Awards™ Ceremony will take place on the Kumeyaay New Year 2026.

SELECTION & DEADLINE
The deadline for the 3rd Edition’s submissions is on Friday August 28th, 2026.

The selection centers on the filmmakers’ cinematic genuine and singular expressions.

Our panel of Jurors are:
• Emmy-award winning directors (Sebastian Díaz Aguirre, Julia Gorbach),
• Directors Guild of America directors (Pete Chatmon DGA, Antonio Scarlata DGA),
• Mexican Society of Cinematography cinematographer (Alejandro Mejía AMC),
• British Academy Film Awards voting members (Petra Korner BAFTA, Rodrigo Reyes BAFTA),
• Industry professional filmmakers (Eva Aridjis, Antonio Coello, J. Xavier Velasco),
• Award-winning documentarians (Armando Croda, Idil Ibrahim),
• Festival programmers (Adriana Trujillo, Alessio Giorgetti),
• Audio engineer pro (Nikola Chapelle),
• Grammy artist (Pepe Mogt),
• Animal Politico and ViX distribution platform (Adrian Saravia),
• and High-profile sustainability officer (Karl Pettersen).

Our jurors are looking for character driven emotional experiences, movies that are the authentic expression of the individuals coming from all walks of life, and unique cinematographic language. We are not interested in movies that copy the soulless industry’s narratives. We also welcome filmmakers with disability to share their perspectives.

For the film projects selected we will feature their trailers on our platform and on our YouTube page for viewers to watch. A number of those films selected in the official competition will be screened at Cine Kurrak year round.

"A local festival by filmmakers dedicated to the authentic voices of auteur cinema"

MANIFESTO AUKA
1. Celebrate Auteur Filmmaking:
Honor the unique visions of filmmakers

2. Amplify Singular Voices:
Provide a platform for authentic narratives

⁠3. Cultural Heritage:
Rooted in norteño traditions of the Kumeyaay people in Baja California

⁠4. Sanctuary for Expression:
Create a safe haven for open dialogue

⁠5. Depth Over Distraction:
Prioritize meaningful engagement over fleeting content

⁠6. Combat Brain Rot:
Resist superficiality of social media and promote thoughtful viewing

⁠7. Champion Slow Entertainment:
Invite audiences to experience films that are soul-nourishing

⁠8. Inspire Future Filmmakers:
Make filmmaking careers accessible to all and break down barriers of elitism

⁠9. Local Focus, Global Welcome:
Serve primarily the local public while embracing an international audience

10. Emotional Experience:
Ensure every film evokes genuine emotions, sparking reflection