47th CineFestival San Antonio Begins Thursday, July 9
The 47th edition of CineFestival San Antonio, the nation’s original and longest running Latinx film festival, returns July 9-12, 2026, exhibiting Chicanx, Latinx, and international Latin American cinema, with a strong focus on regional and local filmmakers.
In these uncertain times, this year’s CineFestival represents a return to some of its roots, presenting films that reflect the rich Latinx and Chicanx cultural and musical traditions of the U.S. Among the films featured is a large selection of short films made in San Antonio and the Lone Star State, the U.S. and Latin America.
They represent the creativity, talent and fiercely independent voices of Latinx and Chicanx artists who continue to tell stories that matter to them and CineFestival audiences, many times at the fringes of the mainstream industry.
The festival will take place at the Carver Community Cultural Center (226 N Hackberry St.), opening July 9 at 6:30 p.m. with the San Antonio premiere of MEXICANAMERICAN, a beautiful and poignant documentary directed by newcomer Eddie Sanchez, who expertly weaves present-day interviews and the VHS home movies his family once sent across the border, exploring how and why his parents migrated to the U.S. from Mexico, revealing a personal mosaic of one family’s struggle to reconcile two cultures between two generations.
Sunday Closing night at 6 p.m. will feature the premiere of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award winner American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, directed by Texas native David Alvarado. The documentary traces the career of pioneering playwright, teatrista, screenwriter and director Luis Valdez, who pushed Chicano storytelling against political resistance and industry skepticism, from performing in the fields with his Teatro Campesino to writing and directing some of the most iconic Latinx films ever made, such as Zoot Suit and La Bamba, proving that Chicanos aren’t marginal to America — they are America.
Other feature films in the program include Let the City Speak (Akira Boch, 2026), following the journey of Grammy Award-winning Chicano rock band Quetzal, emerging from East Los Angeles’ vibrant music and art scene in the mid 90’s to a lengthy career of powerful music making and deep grassroots activism. Los Tejanos: A 500-Year History (Joseph C. Stillman, 2025) traces the rich legacy of Tejano communities from Spanish colonial settlements to the present, highlighting their cultural, economic, and political contributions in South Texas.
Soul Searchin’ (Jesus Cruz, 2025) dives into the passionate world of rare soul record collectors who devote their lives to finding, preserving, and sharing Black and Chicano soul music. Who’s the Real Spanish Fly? (Blake Miranda, 2026) is an immersive journey into the heart of Latin Freestyle and Hip Hop culture in Texas, featuring the legendary Lil Young of Swishahouse Records.
The Mesquite Award nominees present some of the best short films produced by artists working in Texas in the past two years, including five documentaries and 13 short films that also include eight made in San Antonio.
Vistas de San Antonio presents a wide selection of short films including student and independent work, featuring an unprecedented 22 short films and the feature film Back on Road, directed by David Johnathan Pequeno.
The large number of short films made in San Antonio represent a filmmaking scene currently brewing in the city. Preceded by a long tradition of local independent filmmaking, this local burgeoning scene is currently growing thanks to fiercely independent artists and others seeking to break through the mainstream industry. They are supported by successful film programs from local universities, high schools and non-profit media programs, City of San Antonio Artist Grants and the San Antonio Film Commission. They are also encouraged by a community that makes possible the production of dozens of Latinx films every year.
“This creative ecosystem represents a new generation of filmmakers connecting with already established ones, who are willing to challenge industry norms and tell local stories that matter to them and CineFestival audiences,” said CineFestival Program Director Eugenio del Bosque.
This year’s program also includes a Texas Showcase featuring short films made across the Lone Star State, a small selection of shorts made in the U.S by Latinx and Chicanx artists, and the return of the international short films, all of which represent a vast cultural and artistic reference from which audiences and local filmmakers can learn and grow.
A complete schedule and ticketing information can be found here.
Feature photo: David Johnathan Pequeno’s Back on Road. All photos and art courtesy of CineFestival.
