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: SAFILM – San Antonio Film Festival. In 2016, the festival joined forces with the Historic Pearl to offer the very first SAFILM – San Antonio Children’s Film Festival at the Pearl Studio. 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've designed festival posters. The 2009 SAFILM poster created by Rigoberto Luna was selected as a finalist for the 39th annualAwards
2018 SAFILM Award Winners *Short Screenplay Winner: “Forever Waiting”, by: Gavin O'Herlihy *Feature Screenplay Winner: “John Horse”, by: Walt Alexander and James Riordan *Grand Prize: “Stella’s Last Weekend”, Director: Polly Draper *Best Performance in a Leading Role: "Valentina", Victoria Del Rosal *Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short: “Unlucky’s Luck”, Director: Felipe Holguin *Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short: “Do or Die”, Director: Dan Klores *Jury Prize for best Historical Feature Documentary: “Fail State”, Directors: Alexander Shebanow *Jury Prize Best Historical Short: “Towards the Sun”, Director: Monica Santis *Jury Prize for Best Animated Short: “Weekends”, Director: Trevor Jimenez *Jury Prize Best Narrative Feature: “The Darkest Days of Us”, Director: Astrid Rondero * Jury Prize Best College Filmmaker: “The Letter”, Director: Jazmin Aguilar *Jury Prize Best High School Filmmaker: “Catman: The Love Thief”, Director: Austin Coombs-Perez *Jury Prize Best San Antonio Filmmaker: “Tia Chuck”, Director: Angela Walley & Mark Walley *Jury Prize Best Actress in a Leading Role: “The Butterfly Tree”, Melissa George *Legacy Award: Actor and Director Jesse Borrego *Lifetime Achievement Award: Producer Fred Roos *Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: Colossal Youth, Director: Scott Leisk *Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: HERMANOS, Director: Laura Plancarte 2017 SAFILM Award Winners * Grand Prize: ''Silverfish'', Director: Matthew Thorton * Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short: ''It was Nice to Meet You'', Director: Kaicey Chae * Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short: ''Refugee'', Director: Joyce Chen & Emily Moore * Jury Prize for Best Animated Short: ''Journey'', Director: Radheya Jegatheva * Jury Prize for Best College Filmmaker: ''Mind Your Body'', Director: Silke C. Engler * Jury Prize for Best High School Filmmaker: ''Three Tales of a Coin,'' Director Nishok Nishok * Jury Prize for Best San Antonio Filmmaker: ''#prayfor,'' Director Dave Sims * Jury Prize for Best Historical/Feature Documentary: ''Daughters of the Curved Moon'', Director: Miranda Morton Yap & Sophie Dia Pegrum * Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature: ''I Am Still Here'', Director: Mischa Marcus * Best Short Screenplay: ''The Minutiae'', by Dean Friske * Best Feature Screenplay: ''The Clever Girl'', by David Carren * Lifetime Achievement Award: ''Harry J. Ufland'' 2016 SAFILM Award Winners * Grand Prize: ''Mile End'', Director: Graham Higgins * Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short: ''Morgue'', Director: Laurent Prim * Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short: ''Looking for Trouble'', Director: Caroline Cuny & Bryan Campbell * Jury Prize for Best Animated Short: ''One Day on Carver Street'', Director: Azure Allen * Jury Prize for Best College Filmmaker: ''Zaar'', Director: Ibrahim Nada * Jury Prize for Best High School Filmmaker: ''The 1% Crisis in the Great Lakes,'' Director Griffin Olis * Jury Prize for Best San Antonio Filmmaker: ''Birth of a Killer,'' Director Daniel Maldonado * Jury Prize for Best Historical/Feature Documentary: ''Until 20'', Director: Jamila Paksima & Geraldine Moriba * Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature: ''Second Impression'', Director: Wallace Weatherspoon * Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature: ''Brewed in the 210'', Director: Marco Ortega * Jury Prize for Best Performance: Kaveh Kavian in ''Zaar'' * Jury Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role: Fabienne Hollwege in ''Morgue'' * Best Short Screenplay: ''Before the Bomb'', by Tannaz Hazemi & James Grimaldi * Best Feature Screenplay: ''The Changer'', by J. Motos Gordon * Supporter of Cinema Arts Award: ''Guerrero CPA Principal- Mr. Ed Guerrero * Lifetime Achievement Award: ''Marcia Nasatir'' 2014 SAFILM Award Winners * Grand Prize: ''3:13'', Director: David Jaure * Jury Prize for Best Performance: Kathleen Chalfant, ''Isn't It Delicious'' * Jury Prize for Narrative Short: ''Fade'', Director: Parish Rahbar * Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short: ''Kings of BBQ Barbecue Kuwait'', Director: John Markus * Jury Prize for Best Animated Short: ''Driven'', Director: Michael Zachary Huber * Best San Antonio Filmmaker: ''Fields Afire'', Director: Will Underwood * Best College Filmmaker: ''113 Degrees'', Director: Sabrina Doyle * Best Independent Feature Film: ''The Wisdom to Know the Difference'', Director: Daniel Baldwin * Best High School Filmmaker: ''Creatures of the Hidden Realm'', Director: Alexia Salingaros * Best Feature Documentary: ''Jose Canseco: The Truth Hurts'', Director: Bill McAdams * Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature: ''Jose Canseco: The Truth Hurts'', Director: Bill McAdams * Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature: ''The Wisdom to Know the Difference'', Director: Daniel Baldwin 2012 SAFILM Award Winners * Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: ''Along Recovery,'' Director Justin Springer * Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: ''A Schizophrenic Love Story,'' Director Glenn Levy * Grand Prize: ''Portion,'' Director Gisberg Bermudez, Producers Juan Villarreal, Adrian Falcon * Jury Prize for Best Performance:Website
References
{{Reflist Film festivals in Texas Festivals in San Antonio