The San Antonio Film Festival (SAFILM) was founded in 1994 by Adam Rocha as a video festival. It was later renamed the San Antonio Underground Film Festival and then finally the San Antonio Film Festival. It is now the biggest film festival in South Texas.
The non-profit festival is held each summer at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. Its mission is to serve as an accessible and inclusive platform for artists in the category of cinema and provide cinematic culture to a diverse audience.
The 22nd annual SAFILM was held July 25–31, 2016. 145 films were screened, including a local premiere of Hell or High Water, starring Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, and San Antonio actor Gil Birmingham, who attended the screening.Hollywood takes note of San Antonio Film Festival The festival awarded its 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award to Marcia Nasatir, a San Antonio native and the first woman to become Vice-President of Production at a major motion picture studio (United Artists) in 1974.
History
After his sophomore year at San Antonio College, Adam Rocha was invited to screen his short film at the San Diego Latino Film Festival in California. The experience inspired him to organize his own film festival. In 1994, the first festival screened a dozen films and awarded low-rider bikes to the best picture.
That year, Fredrick Weiss, the founder of the Texas Music Coalition, encouraged Rocha to develop the festival into a more substantial event. Renamed “The San Antonio Underground Film Festival,” the small festival expanded over the next five years into an event that attracted wider participation, larger audiences, and greater news coverage.
The non-profit's mission statement still drives the organization: “to offer an accessible and inclusive platform for artists and to provide cinematic culture to a diverse audience,” while maintaining a sociable, community-centered atmosphere. For several years, the historic Instituto Cultural de México partnered with the festival to provide a venue.
In 2006, the organization adopted its current name.
In 2016, the festival joined forces with the Historic Pearl to offer the first SAFILM – San Antonio Children's Film Festival at the Pearl Studio.
In 2023, the festival returned for its 29th year, screening over 200 films in six days at three locations.
Throughout the year, SAFILM volunteers encourage students to appreciate the arts and become involved in filmmaking by visiting high schools to give guest lectures. The festival itself helps students begin film careers, highlights outstanding filmmakers with a variety of awards, exposes rising talent, and reminds the public of the value of art.
Since its inception, SAFILM has also showcased local visual artists. Artists Mig Kokinda, James Cobb, Robert Tatum and Rigoberto Luna are among those who have designed festival posters. The 2009 SAFILM poster created by Rigoberto Luna was selected as a finalist for the 39th annual Hollywood Reporter Key Art Awards for Theatrical Print - Festival Posters.2009 SAFILM Poster nominated for a Hollywood Reporter Key Art Award
Awards
2026 SAFILM Award winners
Best High School Filmmaker: Charlie McGeehan, "Murder Gum and Fly Fishing" San Antonio High School Filmmaker Award: Courtney King, "Heartstrings"
2025 SAFILM Award winners
MARCIA NASATIR AWARD - EXCELLENCE IN CINEMA: Elizabeth Avellán
TEXAS YANAGUANA AWARD: Shaquille O’Neal PATRON OF CINEMA ARTS:Officer Andy Adams RHYTHM REVOLUTION AWARD: Angel Miranda GRAND PRIZE: "First Friday", Director: Joshua Ojeda Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short: "Money Talks", Director: Tony Mucci Jury Prize for Best Female Performance: Tamsin Greig, "Legend Has It" Jury Prize for Best Actor: Logan Pepper, "Lovebug" Jury Prize for Best Historical Documentary: "First We Bombed New Mexico", Director: Lois Lipman Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short: "The Human Side Of Plastic: Babacar Thiaw",Directors: Andrew Lynch, Ben Ayers, Rush Sturges Jury Prize for Best Animated Short: "INKED", Director: Annamarie Alvarez Jury Prize for Best Music Video: "Precious", Director: Adrian Sutherland Best Narrative Feature: "Compatriots", Director: Spenser Cohen Best Emerging Filmmaker (Best College Film): "The Non-Biological Mexican", Director: Joseph Balderas Best Food Film: "Pieowa", Director: Beth M. Howard Best Screenplay: "A.I. Dad", Writer: Alex Avila Best Short Script: "Sacred Animals", Writers: Myles Brewer, Sofia Rubin Best Children’s Film: "BRIDGE - My Little Friends", Director: Kazuyuki Ishihara Best Series: "Wooden Spoons", Director: Tasneem Afridi Best Documentary Feature: "Ugly Little Monkeys", Directors: David E Valdez, Enrique Castillo Best San Antonio Filmmaker: Zach Goodwin, "Stitched" Best High School Filmmaker: Cynthia Cai, "Echoes of Silk and Tides: An Ethnic Introspection" San Antonio High School Filmmaker Award: Sawyer Beach, "I’m Home"
2024 SAFILM Award winners
GRAND PRIZE: "Los Frikis", Directors: Michael Schwartz, Tyler Nilson Actor in a leading role: Héctor Medina, "Los Frikis" Actress in a leading role: Selma Egrei, "Port-au-Prince" BEST DOCUMENTARY: "RHINO MAN", Directors: John Jurko II, Matt Lindenberg, Daniel Roberts BEST NARRATIVE SHORT: "The Masterpiece", Director: Àlex Lora BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT: "Fábrica de Arte Américas", Director: Cynthia Cazañas Garin BEST ANIMATED SHORT: "Ameka and Her Magical Crown", Director: Dr. Tamecca Rogers BEST CHILDREN’S FILM: "Color of Autumn", Director: Aimiende Negbenebor Sela BEST MUSIC VIDEO: "Déjà vu", Director: Jonathan Darius Bonner & Manuel Garcia BEST COLLEGE FILM: "American Body", Director: Juan Zuloaga Eslait BEST HIGH SCHOOL FILM: "On the Paths Awakened", Director: Axel Dahan BEST SAN ANTONIO FILM: "The Mummy Murders", Director: Colin Bressler BEST FEATURE SCREENPLAY: "Hospice", Writers: Paul Gonzales, Todd Biggerstaff BEST SHORT SCREENPLAY: "Wet Rot", Writer: Stuart Creque BEST FOOD FILM: "NAGAATTI", Director: Barento Taha
2023 SAFILM Award winners Jury Prize for Best Historical Documentary: "The Raaby Mystery", Director: Stian Indrevoll Grand Prize: Out There: "A National Parks Story", Director: Brendan Hall Best Narrative Feature: "The Great Distance Delivers Crane", Director: Lhapal Gyal Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short: "Python Huntress Directors Nicholas Orris", Matt Deblinger Jury Prize for Best Animated Short: "The Torrential Melody", Director: José Luis Saturno Jury Prize for Best Music Video: "Dirt Don’t Hurt", Director: Orlando Torres Best High School Filmmaker: "Well-Dying", Director: Junhyeok Kim Best Food Film: "Terroir to Table" Director: Rasmus Dinesen Best Screenplay: "Grynszpan/Thompson" Writer: Hal LaCroix Jury Prize for Best Performance: Jacki Von Preysing for "American Meltdown" Best Children’s Film: "The Squonk", Director: Mike Bonthe Best Series: "Puncher’s Chance", Directors: Garland Scott, Johnny Rey Diaz Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short: "The Last Dinner" Director: Marie-Ange Casalta Best Documentary Feature: "Immediate Family" Director: Danny Tedesco Jury Prize for Best Performance: Joshua Koopman for "Earlybird" Best Emerging Filmmaker: "Strings" Director: Rodrigo Moreno Fernandez Best San Antonio Filmmaker: "Black is Beautiful", Director: Marco Antonio Ortega San Antonio High School Filmmaker Award: "Memento Mori" Director: Ines Wallisch Best College Film: "The Student Film", Director: Brandon Herrera Best Short Script: "That’s So Gay" Writer: Dr. Tamecca Rogers Marcia Nasatir Award: Jennifer Petrini The Supporter of Cinema Arts Award: Roberto Soto
2022 SAFILM Award winners Lifetime Achievement Award: Editor Michael Jablow Best Short Script: "Runners", Writer Eric Coomes Best San Antonio Filmmaker: "Dream Carriers", Director: Esmeralda Hernandez Best Screenplay: "The Faerie Rings", By. Zina Brown Grand Prize: "The Pink Lagoon", Directors: Juan Are & Francisco Gallo Best Food Film: "Backstreet To The American Dream", Director: Patricia Nazario San Antonio High School Filmmaker Award: "GONE", Director: Kyle Ward Best Children's Film: "Duet", Director: Yadid Hirschtritt Licht Best Actress in a Leading Role:"The Pink Lagoon", Mόnica Are Victoria Best Emerging Filmmaker: "You're Now Beyond Hope, Arizona", Director: Nick Dugan Best High School Filmmaker: "Righteous Walk", Director: Harper Sharpe Best Documentary feature: "Deep in the Heart", Director: Ben Masters Jury Prize for Best Historical Documentary: "The Assassination & Mrs. Paine", Director: Max Good Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short: "805 Presents: A letter to Aptos", Director: Brendan Lutes Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: "Colineales", Directors: Jose Raul Correa, Fabian Correa, Patricia Corres & Isle De Hoyos Jury Prize for Best Performance: "The Last Deal" Anthony Molinari Jury Prize for Best Animated Short: "Final Deathtination", Director: Marika Tamura Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: "Backstreet To The American Dream", Director: Patricia Nazario Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short: "Divertimento", Director Keyvan Sheikhalishahi Jury Prize for Best Music Video: "Angel", Directors: Shannon Greer, Carl Quinn The Supporter of Cinema Arts Award: Scot Power
The 2021 Official Feature Selections include:
Celeb Feature: "The Subject", Director: Lanie Zipoy Jason Biggs (American Pie, Orange Is The New Black) character takes a dramatic turn as a successful white documentary filmmaker dealing with fallout from his last film, which caught the murder of a Black teenager on tape.
Award-Winning Doc: "My Father’s Brothers", Director: Shawn Kelley Award-winning documentary chronicling eight survivors of a horrific battle during the Vietnam War.
Q&A with three veterans after the screening: Bill, Woody Davis, and Bubber Fishburne Trailer: https://vimeo.com/421978193
Jury Prize: "Show Me What You Got!", Director: Svetlana Cvetko
Richly filmed in black and white on the cityscape of Los Angeles, three young millennials meet by chance, form a whole-hearted ménage à trois and subtly challenge social norms surrounding love, sex and questioning.
Local Filmmaker: "The Good Wolf", Director: Wilfred H. Shipley
Made on a micro-budget ($10k), this coming-of-age story stars Vic Trevino (Pee-wee's Playhouse, American Me) as James, a fugitive with an unknown past hiding in the woods, who meets Sam, a 12-year-old boy and his treehouse. Filmmakers in attendance.
Horror Flick: "Blinders", Director: Tyler Savage
A man's life turns into a living nightmare when he befriends an unstable rideshare driver who becomes obsessed with him. Filmmakers in attendance.
“We’re returning to our roots,” says SAFILM Founder and Executive Director Adam Rocha, who celebrated last year’s 26th annual festival virtually due to the pandemic. “It’s time to bring back the intimate screenings, safely, like we did in the old days, and celebrate our filmmakers who were cheated from showcasing their work to a REAL audience.”
2020 SAFILM-SAN ANTONIO FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS Grand Prize: Show Me What You Got, Director Svetlana Cvetko Jury Prize for Best Performance: The Subject, Director Lanie Zipoy Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short: The Shot, Director Adan Canto Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short: From Beacon to the Border, Director Andrea Garbarini Jury Prize for Best Historical Documentary: Beethoven in Beijing, Directors Jennifer Lin & Sharon Mullally Jury Prize for Best Animated Short: King of the House, Director Zige Zhang Jury Prize for Best Music Video: Home?, Director Helena Giersz Best College Filmmaker: The 11th Order, Director Joshua DeFour Best High School Filmmaker: Instinct, Director Yinuo Wei Best San Antonio Filmmaker: The Good Wolf, Director Wilfred Shipley Best Actress in a Leading Role: Eileen Weisinger, Woodford County Best Short Script: Replaceable Parts, Writer Vance Berk Best Screen Play: The Quicksilver Pleasure Club, Writer Matt Pacini Best Food Film: The Sense of Cocoa, Director Alberto Utrera