2021 SAFILM - San Antonio Film Festival

Since 1994 SAFILM attracts film lovers, and our audiences include the press, filmmakers, industry leaders, and die-hard fans. The San Antonio Film Festival sets up an amazing, creative innovative environment for just a few days every year where opportunities for one-on-one networking abound, connections are forged and filmmakers have a slew of unique opportunities to share ideas and advance their careers. As an accessible and inclusive platform for cinema artists, the San Antonio Film Festival also brings together scores of new and original films from across the country and around the world to delight, elevate and edify cinema lovers as well.

As a platform for filmmakers to express the full diversity of their cinematic voices, SAFILM provides aspiring and veteran filmmakers the opportunity to present their work in a competitive, energizing environment.

Every year, we also highlight independent films and filmmakers from around the world that help generate an even more inviting atmosphere for cultural exchange and continued creativity. We nurture, foster, and develop filmmakers of all ages. Filmmakers of all ages from every corner of the globe participate every year.

SAFILM-San Antonio Film Festival brings independent films and film industry professionals to San Antonio from across the nation and around the world, nurturing filmmakers of all ages and increasing appreciation of the arts through cinema for local audiences and guests to San Antonio. They work hard to capture the creative spark and sizzle of the Alamo City with screenings in downtown at the Tobin Center and spectacular after-parties in the heart of downtown San Antonio to offer a variety of experiences that showcase all the unique cultural offerings our city offers.

The film festival accepts films from artists at every level – and provides arenas for student competitions at high school and college levels to work from seasoned industry pros. Both aspiring and veteran filmmakers get to present their work in a friendly, competitive, and energizing environment.

A special feature of this film festival is the emphasis on education and mentoring. Free workshops to educate new filmmakers about how to succeed in the business, about acting, writing, directing, and marketing indies, and practical information about legal issues and how to get funding are a huge part of SAFILM every year – and SAFILM finds qualified industry pros to share their wisdom. Festival panels cover past success stories, with script to screen advice. Because the staff is comprised of filmmakers themselves, SAFILM understands the importance of educating about all aspects of filmmaking.

Celebrities who believe in independent film abound at this Film Festival – offering unparalleled networking opportunities for all attendees. Numerous film industry professional producers, directors, writers, actors attended.

SAFILM including 2019 Honorees: Cheech Marin (Cheech & Chong), Cybill Shepherd (Taxi Driver, Moonlighting), Jackie Earle Haley (Bad News Bears, Little Children) and Kevin Alejandro (Lucifer, True Blood), plus Alex Wolff (Hereditary), C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders), Lisa Niemi Swayze, Disney Animator Davy Liu, Producer Marion Rosenberg (The Deer Hunter, Revolutionary Road) and Editor Anne Goursaud (Bram Stoker’s Dracula), just to name a few.