MISSION & OBJECTIVE THE SAN ANTONIO FILM FESTIVAL MISSION & OBJECTIVE
The SAFILM-San Antonio Film Festival is a nonprofit 501(c)3 that serves as an accessible and inclusive platform for film artists, providing cinematic culture to a diverse audience. SAFILM showcases films from across the globe while nurturing, fostering, and developing filmmakers of all ages.
Highlighting the 2023 SAFILM - San Antonio Film Festival was the Texas Premiere of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe directed by Aitch Alberto - in attendance - who addressed the audience in a heartfelt Q&A session, moderated by Ernie Zuniga. Based on the book by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, the film is set in 1987 El Paso, Texas, and tells the tale of two teenage Mexican-American loners, as they explore their friendship and the difficult road to self-discovery - starring Max Pelayao, and Reese Gonzales, alongside Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives) and native San Antonian, Kevin Alejandro (Lucifer, Fire Country). Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe opens nationwide on September 8th by Blue Fox Entertainment.
Academy Award Winning Editor: Paul Hirsch (Star Wars, Mission Impossible, Carrie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Footloose, Planes Trains & Automobiles) and author of A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away, joined SAFILM to discuss the power of film editing, while SAFILM Programming Director and Award-Winning Filmmaker Cedric Thomas Smith hosted from Script to Screen: Screenwriters Table Read to support writers and the stories we tell on film.
SAFILM is proud to be partnered with the City of San Antonio’s World Heritage Office, and UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy with the Food Film Festival programming films that celebrate the culinary arts. In 2017, the City of San Antonio was designated as a Creative City of Gastronomy by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), becoming the 2nd city in the United States to receive this designation. In 2019 SAFILM partnered with the World Heritage Office which manages the designation in the creation of its Food Film Festival event. We rekindled that partnership in 2022, and 2023 showcasing several local chefs and their food for audiences that reflected the cuisines, themes, and edible elements from films in the Food Film Festival category. This activation fulfills a promise the City of San Antonio made in its successful bid to be designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy and is also sanctioned as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy event.
Call for Entries for the 2024 SAFILM-San Antonio Film Festival is NOW open for the 30th Anniversary celebration. For more info: www.safilm.com.
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.
ABOUT THE SAN ANTONIO FILM FESTIVAL
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 in 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, and 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.
SAFILM-San Antonio Film Festival is already accepting film submissions for all categories of the 2024 San Antonio Film Festival. Save money by submitting early through filmfreeway.com, where you can find the actual entry fees for each deadline:
August 7, 2023 Opening Date - call for entry
October 6, 2023 (Early Bird) $25 Entry Fee
December 8, 2023 (Regular) $35 Entry Fee
March 15, 2024 (Late Deadline) $75 Entry Fee
April 26, 2024 (Extended Late Deadline) $90 Entry Fee, Call Ends
May 1–July 1, 2024 Film’s Curated
July 6, 2024 Filmmakers Notified
Be part of the 2024 SAFILM-San Antonio Film Festival and take advantage of one of the most accessible and inclusive platforms for cinema artists in the seventh-largest city in the U.S.
Get your work of art noticed by high-profile media and showcased to diverse audiences and industry pros from around the world and network with today’s best artists and the next generation of cinema pros. For more information, visit www.SAFILM.com.
INSIDE INFO FOR OUR READERS: SAFILM-San Antonio Film Festival is a volunteer-powered nonprofit and cannot offer waivers for entry fees.
Those who attend and filmmakers who get the chance to screen their films at SAFILM enjoy SOLD OUT SCREENINGS, SPONSORED AFTER-PARTIES, and STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT because the San Antonio Film Festival is still grassroots -- but recognized as the place to find the newest talent.
Remember the San Antonio Film Festival is an affordable film festival - SAFILM works with the top local hotels for special rates for our guests so that attendees can take advantage of DISCOUNTED FESTIVAL HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS within walking distance of our busiest venues.
THE 30th SAN ANTONIO FILM FESTIVAL RUNS July 31-Aug 4, 2024.
Join us in San Antonio this AUGUST for the most memorable summer with 2024 SAFILM!
SCREENPLAY/TELEPLAY COMPETITION
TWO CATEGORIES:
1) FEATURE screenplays must be between 65 and 145 pages in length. No exceptions.
2) SHORT screenplays must be between 1 and 49 pages in length. ..No exceptions.
There is no limit to the number of different screenplays you may submit.
Please note:
All entries must be uploaded in PDF format. Substitutions of corrected pages or (gasp!) new drafts of the entry screenplay will not be accepted under any circumstances. Screenplay titles cannot be changed once submitted.
Eligibility
Submitted scripts must be original screenplays and the sole property of the applicant(s). All ages are eligible. All entries must be in English. Screenplays that have previously won any contest, competition, grant, lab, fellowship, mentorship, reading, or award of any kind, are not eligible. Screenplays submitted under a pen name will be immediately disqualified. If a submitted screenplay becomes optioned, produced, or purchased between the time of submission and the end of the judging period, that screenplay will no longer be eligible. SAFILM- San Antonio Film Festival Screenplay/Teleplay Competition judges and readers are not eligible to enter.
The San Antonio Film Festival will give 19 FILM awards this year.
1. Grand Prize
2. Jury Prize for Best Performance
3. Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short
4. Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short
5. Jury Prize for best Historical Documentary
6. Jury Prize for Best Animated Short
7. Jury Prize for Best MUSIC VIDEO
8. Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
9. Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature
10. Best College Filmmaker
11. Best High School Filmmaker
12. Best San Antonio Filmmaker
13. Best San Antonio High School Filmmaker
14. Best Actress in a Leading Role
15. Best Children’s Film
16. Best Food Film
17. Best Short Script
18. Best Screenplay
19. Lifetime Achievement Award
SCREENPLAY/TELEPLAY COMPETITION - 2 Awards
Each applicant will receive an e-mail notifying them of the writing competition results.
SCRIPT Competition Results Announcement Schedule:
Semi-Finalists will be announced the weekend of July 6, 2024.
The FEATURE screenplay Winner & The SHORT screenplay Winner will be announced at the SAFILM-San Antonio Film Festival Awards ceremony (August 4, 2024).