3:00am The Graveyard Shift directed by Armando Ramirez Cardenas, RGV Short Film, 22 minutes. While everyone else is asleep, the local store clerk deals with the town's night scum. Like roaches, they also come out to look for midnight snacks.
A Life in Technicolor directed by Alex Ramirez. Texas Short Film, 19 minutes. A Life in Technicolor is an enchanting journey through the movies.
Accidental Expat directed by Alan Barr. International Feature Film Mexico. 1h 36m. A bright young Latino DREAMer from Texas must battle the demons of a deportation to Mexico and starting a new life in a country he only knew as an infant.
Arrivederci Paris directed by Louis Salvatore Bellanti. International Short Film France, 20 minutes. One evening, in a luxurious building in the centre of Paris, an armed woman bursts into the apartment of Adriano Rizzo, an actor who exploits his status to abuse young actresses.
As Time Goes On, or (The Space Between Us) directed by Nicholas Ivan Tapia. Animated Film United States, 10 minutes. A love story between the Earth and the Moon.
Atone directed by Joseph Daniel Rodriguez. Animated Film United States, 3 minutes. A courier Droid marches through a dystopian wasteland on a quest for redemption.
BENNY: Our Musical Lineage directed by Dave Garcia. Documentary Short Film United States 17 minutes. Three generations, spanning 70 years, sharing their passion for music, family and purpose.
Bodies Will Tumble And Roll directed by Eli Vazquez. U.S. Short Film, 15 minutes. When a dysfunctional black and Latinx cheer squad are sent to the woods to settle their differences, they must learn to become a team to save their coach from serial killers.
Border Cowboys directed by Jose Francisco Sanchez. Documentary Feature Showcase Film United States, 46 minutes. Border Cowboys tells the stories of players and coaches as they strive to make it to the state championship game while they also confront off-the-field challenges and aspirations that will define the students' prospects after high school.
Breaking the Code directed by Michael Flanagan. Documentary Feature Film United States, 46 minutes. Born to rural Texas farmers in 1943, Vernon Fisher's childhood exposure to painting was only as "something you did to houses." By the 1980s, he was exhibiting alongside Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, establishing himself as one of the most important artists of the 20th century.
Bright Eyes directed by Carolina Rodriguez. Texas Young Filmmaker, 7 minutes. When faced with a terminal prognosis, Dallas can feel the time ticking away. He desperately needs what we all want...one more chance to get it right.
Chacal directed by Luis Treviño, JJ Melendez. Music Video United States, 3 minutes. A man is given the choice of taking a red pill, or blue pill. He opts for a third option, taking himself for a fantastic ride..
City Kids directed by Zac Zlatic. Documentary Feature Film United States, 1h 4m. What does it take to change someone's life? City Kids is the story of a couple who has dedicated the past 30 years to inner city kids from San Antonio, introducing them to the great outdoors, and changing the trajectory of hundreds of lives in the process.
Conquista directed by Joshua Moroles, Robert Espericueta. Documentary Short Film United States, 30 minutes. “Conquista” tells the incredible story of a daring artist who shook the art world to its core. In 2012, a man calling himself “Conquista’ walked into the Menil Collection Museum in Houston, Texas, and spray-painted over a rare 1929 Picasso painting worth a staggering $78 million.
Curtain Call directed by Christian Jacob Ramón. Texas Short Film, 15 minutes. In a competitive high school theatre program, a passed-over high school senior finds herself overshadowed by a precocious freshman. Mired in jealousy, she must come to terms with the fact that she isn’t as talented as she wants to be.
Dangerous Ones directed by Rankin Dean. Texas Feature Film, 1h 53m. A couple from New York City take a getaway trip to Texas, but unknowingly cross paths with the wrong kind of people.
Death's Dirty Work written by Joslyn Lopez. The Pitch: Texas Young Filmmaker. When the theft of Death’s scythe allows Adaliah, a stubborn patient advocate, to see the grim Reaper standing over her sister's hospital bed, she attacks the supernatural being and takes her sister's place in the underworld. But when Death forces Adaliah to become a reaper, will she be able to find Death’s missing scythe and save her sister, or will she restore balance to the world by returning the scythe to its rightful owner?
Duckies Of Desire directed by Danielle Pezzat. Texas Young Filmmaker, 1 minute. Pedro, the duck, has a romantic dinner date.
Easier Said Than Done directed by Jesus Martinez. Texas Young Filmmaker, 3 minutes. A girl contemplates reaching out to her father after dropping out of college.
El Mariachi directed by Robert Rodriguez. Feature Showcase Film, United States, 1h 21m. A traveling mariachi is mistaken for a murderous criminal and must hide from a gang bent on killing him. Starring Carolos Gallardo, STXIFF 2023 Guest.
Errors and Trials directed by Brook Pruitt. RGV Short Film, 13 minutes. Errors and Trials is a 13-minute experimental project shot on Kodak Super 8 mm film.
FLY directed by Joe Quesada. U.S. Short Film, 18 minutes. Seventeen-year-old Maria Carbonell loves to make up stories of extraordinary characters, astonishing adventures, and unimaginable worlds. Her latest may be her most fantastical… Her own.
Going Varsity in Mariachi directed by Alejandra Vasquez, Sam Osborn. Documentary Feature Showcase Film United States, 1h 4m. In world high school mariachi, musicians from South Texas reigns supreme. Under guidance of coach Abel Acuña, the captains of Edinburg North High School team must turn diverse inexperienced musicians into state champions.
Happen to Happen directed by Julie Joohee Jeon. International Short Film Republic of Korea, 30 minutes. Follow Noori's journey as she tries to return her friend Sena's cat, Tori, in this adventurous and heartwarming tale.
Haven directed by Maureen OConnell. International Short Film Ireland, 15 minutes. Carmel is a lonely sheep farmer in her 70's & a survivor of a Mothers and Baby's Home. She strikes up an unlikely friendship with Tanaka, a young girl living in Direct Provision (an asylum seeker refuge) who wants to learn how to be a farmer.
Hit Astray directed by Andrew Perez, Jared Palomares. RGV Short Film, 18 minutes. In the summer of 2008, Santi lived a carefree lifestyle with his hometown friends. Over their long friendship, Santi has become more infatuated with his best friend, Dylan. However, an unexpected tragedy changes the trajectory of their lives. Leaving Santi struggling with his sense of reality and self-acceptance.
I'm Everything, I'm Nothing directed by Angie Rocha. RGV Short Film, 6 minutes. A short film on reflection of self and generational connection through the lens of spirituality, decolonization, and the environment.
IN TOW directed by Sharon Arteaga. Texas Short Film, 21 minutes. A self-involved teen and her overworked single mom confront their differences as their mobile home is towed away - with them inside of it!
Jeremy Parsons - Tickin' directed by Nick Van Dyk. Music Video, 4 minutes. A music video from country/americana singer-songwriter.
Kristin Wants a Car directed by Alan Thornburg. U.S. Short Film, 24 minutes. A 16-year-old girl needs help getting her first car. (Filmed during the pandemic while everyone was in lockdown.)
La Cosecha directed by Samuel Diaz Fernández. Documentary Short Film United States, 13 minutes. Nolvia Castillo immigrated to the United States from a small village in Chiriqui, Guatemala, where she remembers eating fresh fruits and vegetables. In her new home of Austin, Texas, Nolvia finds her independence through learning how to drive and delivering produce to her neighbors as part of a food distribution program by local nonprofits.
Let's Kill Yolanda! written by Isabella Sanchez. The Pitch: Texas Young Filmmaker. Two off-beat Rio Grande Valley teens embark on a journey across Texas to avenge their beloved Tex-Mex idol.
Little Yellow Flower directed by Chien-Ping Lin. International Short Film Taiwan, 30 minutes. Photo Retoucher A-nan returns to the old house that saddens him.
Loki directed by Diego Alexander Gonzalez. International Short Film Mexico, 2 minutes. Loki is a dog who yearns to go outside but all the doors are closed. Despite his deep desire to escape, Loki can't find the way out.
Lux Aeterna written by Alfredo Zapata Rubio. The Pitch: Screenwriting. After four female astronomers discover an anomaly in outer space, it changes their private and public lives altogether.
Me, Myself, and My Shadow directed by Clement Leal. Texas Young Filmmaker, 3 minutes. Aidan gets lost in the forest looking to find himself. However, he has to fight his loneliness personified in his shadow.
Memento Mori directed by Ines Wallisch. Texas Young Filmmaker, 8 minutes. Doctor Arlo Stanley learns that he has a brain tumor and has only three months to live. To make up for all the time he missed, he embarks on wild adventures.
“Muero Por Tu Amor” directed by Baldemar Garcia. Music Video United States, 3 minutes. 1st Class cinema brings our beautiful Mexican culture to life in this cinematic adaptation of love and passion that exists in true love.
My Dear Aunt Sally directed by Tom Procida. Texas Short Film, 10 minutes. A grade-schooler with crippling anxiety, 8-year-old Luke reluctantly spends time with his free-spirited Aunt Sally.
NIMH (Official Music Video) directed by Dylan Hensley. Music Video United States, 5 minutes. The music video for Saint Naive's song NIMH off of their EP Sad Girl Summer. This music video features a forest, a little mouse and Saint Naive pondering the current state of affairs in the US.
One Second at a Time: Battling the Monster of Addiction directed by Tim Searfoss. Documentary Feature Film United States, 1h 28m. A powerful documentary about a father and the resilience of his daughter Christine Ortoll as she confronts mental illness, addiction, and the transformative power of support.
Operation Tin Man directed by Tania Romero. Documentary Short Film United States, 36 minutes. Operation Tin Man is a documentary short that follows Mario Ybarra, the son of fallen soldier from Weslaco, Texas who now suffers intergenerational trauma from losing his father in Vietnam.
Paperback Delusions directed by Jason Angco-Barrera. U.S. Short Film, 9 minutes. An overworked writer finds himself drifting in and out of his fictional world. Where does he find the line between reality and the noir crime thrillers he writes?
Phantom Pain directed by Joseph Balderas. RGV Short Film, 7 minutes. A haunting memory is triggered in what was supposed to be a joyful occasion. Do our ghosts ever die?
Poder-Rosas written by Hayley Muñoz. The Pitch: Screenwriting. This father-daughter story follows Coach Memo and Holly as they navigate playing on a toxic D1 travel soccer team run by white elites in a predominantly Hispanic South Texas border town.
Review written by Jonathan Zarantonello. The Pitch: Screenwriting. In a video message, a social media acolyte invites other women to have sex with her boyfriend, but only if they film their review after. A game of power dynamics intertwines the lives of several amused participants, then the videos leak and those lives are forever changed, destroyed, or ended.
Self Care directed by Isabella Sanchez. Texas Young Filmmaker, 2 minutes. A stressed-out woman takes some time for herself.
Shifting Gears directed by Hector Zertuche. Texas Short Film, 9 minutes. Jessie struggles to deal with the loss of her father as she reconnects with an old friend.
Short Term Solution directed by Jonathan Gonzales. Texas Short Film, 14 minutes. A suicidal young man is unintentionally saved by an amateur thief after trying to rob him.
Silver Screen Dreams directed by David Li. International Feature Film Canada, 1h 15m. An A-lister actress ruined; a silver screen dream shattered. A grievous experience revealing the darker side of the entertainment business. Can a modern miracle revive one person and an entire industry? [Silver Screen Dreams] - a story about pain, healing and forgiveness.
Slithering to State directed by Joslyn Lopez. Texas Young Filmmaker, 15 minutes. The 2023 Lady Diamondbacks Cheer team seniors hadn’t gotten a medal since their freshman year. This is their last chance to place before they graduate, but with over half the squad made up of new freshman recruits, will they be able to pull it off?
Strings directed by Rodrigo Moreno-Fernandez. RGV Short Film, 13 minutes. Penny has her share of demons, and she’s about to take on one more. Despite her inability to play, Penny has big dreams of becoming the world’s greatest axe player.
Suelta directed by, Xavier Sanchez Music Video, 4 minutes. Ezkiel moves out and tries to find himself. This reveals a bright path for Ezekiel to follow.
The Archway Man directed by Joseph Daniel Rodriguez. Animated Film United States, 3 minutes. A father and his daughter are on a Journey when they encounter a mysterious colossal being, from times long forgotten by humans, the Archway Man.
The Devil in Me written by Mario Alberto Zamarripa, Jose Guadalupe Zamarripa. The Pitch: Screenwriting. When kidnappings of little girls erupts in the city of Monterrey, a former cop goes on a rampage to hunt down the suspects who kidnapped her sister.
The Diary written by Ryan Ruiz-Lozano. The Pitch: Texas Young Filmmaker. A new teacher assigned a project which had the students make a diary about their life, but one student, in particular, is dealing with problems and being bullied. Throughout the videos they become worse and more disturbing, having the student opening up about what is happening. The teacher reviews the footage and becomes disturbed.
The Family Problem written by Carter Newton. The Pitch: Texas Young Filmmaker. A young girl is taken away from her longtime place of captivity, which she has come to know as home, by her older “sister” who dies soon after. She struggles with newfound information and the choice of which path she should follow to find the family she’s always wanted.
The illusion of abundance directed by Erika Gonzalez Ramirez, Matthieu Lietaert. Documentary Feature Film Belgium, 1h 1m. Despite a deeply unbalanced game, Maxima, Bertha and Carolina share a common goal: they are leading today's environmental fight against modern corporate conquistadors.
The Lambda Factor written by Dimple Patel Desai, Antony Guilianti. The Pitch: Screenwriting. Hospital staff and doctors are left to find the cure for a virus during a hurricane.
The Last Cast - The Story of Ryan Bagwell directed by Jesus Martinez. Texas Young Filmmaker, 7 minutes. Ryan Bagwell lived just miles from the epicenter of the biggest epidemic in recent history. After purchasing pills laced with fentanyl, Ryan's story, as told by his mother, leaves an urgent reminder of the action needed to prevent passings like his.
The Online Shop directed by Carsten Woike. International Short Film Germany, 12 minutes. Anne chats with the advisor of an online shop for skin care. But this shop doesn't sell skin care products, it provides help for victims of domestic violence.
The Vanishing directed by Isaiah I. Navarro. Texas Short Film, 15 minutes. A young man must unmask his demons to find his missing friend in the woods.
THE WEEK THAT WASN'T written by BRYAN HUYNH. The Pitch: Screenwriting. Everyone is searching for a meaning true of life. Ashley is getting over a life’s experience to fulfill her curiosity until she meets Lily, an autistic girl. Meanwhile, a young man Paul is going through a difficulty time. Elsewhere, Abby begins to know the truth from someone as her only exception. The characters' path cross in small journey through a circle of strangers.
"They Don't Make 'Em Like Willie Anymore" directed by Blacksmith Rose, Little Rose, K Foster Karen Foster, Big Rose. Music Video United States, 3 minutes. "They Don't Make 'Em Like Willie Anymore" is a video about heartfelt appreciation for the music of Texas singer-songwriter, Willie Nelson. It's about his music and how it has played an important part in our lives.
This is a life directed by Fima Emami. Animated Film Islamic Republic of Iran, 3 minutes. This is a life is a Drown- On - Film animation about the life.
Twisted Lies written by Nancy K Parten. The Pitch: Screenwriting. Twisted Lies is a haunting story of one woman's fight for her existence that floats across multiple genres: thriller, coming of age, and the struggle for survival.
Velocity Girl directed by Scott Leisk. Texas Feature Film, 1h 42m. After her mother is sent to jail, Chloe, a rebellious, troubled teen from the city, is forced to live with her estranged family in a small country town.
Visiting Friends directed by Glenn Garrabrant. U.S. Feature Film, 1h 13m. Zach, a rideshare driver and family man, picks up a woman named Angelina, who says she’s only visiting a friend. When Zach discovers that Angelina and her daughter are trapped in a terrible situation, he feels compelled to help.
Waiting For Sandoval directed by David Bennett Carren. Texas Feature Film, 1h 43m. DANIEL ORTIZ is a sleazy car salesman with a history of lost opportunity, heavy drinking and deep depression. Daniel visits the theatre at his old alma mater to see a play, Waiting for Sandoval.
Walkman directed by Spencer Kolssak. U.S. Short Film, 8 minutes. After unexpected loss, a young woman uses music to relive the beauty of her relationship with her husband.
Wannabe: All Washed Up directed by Richard Keith- Quintero. U.S. Feature Film, 1h 27m. It's like THE DISASTER ARTIST without the Artist. Steve is a British washed-up pop star who gets another chance of success, but his five minutes of fame comes at a price.
Ways to Say Goodbye directed by Hannah Marie Benavides. Texas Young Filmmaker, 7 minutes. As two sisters come to terms with the end of their family dog's life soon approaching, they discuss the death of their younger sister many years prior and how it all relates to living with grief, hope, and learning how to keep moving on.
WEATHERING IT written by Lynn Vincentnathan. The Pitch: Screenwriting. Two college students struggle to overcome family fights, then try to get married during the worst ever Texas freeze.
Welcoming Spring Means Accepting Winter written by Josue Ariel Josue Moreno. The Pitch: Texas Young Filmmaker. After falling deeply in love and becoming inseparable, Alex and Tony's relationship takes an unexpected turn when Tony suddenly disappears without a word.
Whatever It Takes directed by Pamela Oliver Muñoz. RGV Short Film, 13 minutes. A by-the-book young man with a severe nut allergy attempts white-collar crime to cough up cash for healthcare when he bumps into a Russian woman with schemes of her own, in this romantic musical with social justice at its core.
Where the Dead Go directed by Alberto G. Rodriguez, Executive Producer Carlos Gallardo. Showcase Feature Film United States, 1h 30m. Caleb Murdock is living the American Dream, one bloody nightmare at a time. Caleb Murdock lost his last fight, and everything he had betting on himself. He now sleeps, dreams, and kills to pay back his debts…. Or die trying.
Widow directed by Elias Hinojosa. RGV Short Film, 9 minutes. A grieving shut-in finds herself trapped between life and death.
Without You directed by Jeremy Abboud. Music Video Canada, 4 minutes. A celebrated artist awakens at a manor, to which he was invited by an eccentric aristocrat who is now trying to kill him. Using his wit, he attempts to make it out alive.
You Are Not Alone directed by Kelly Schaber. Documentary Short Film United States, 16 minutes. You Are Not Alone is a short documentary about a collaborative, mixed media art project started in 2019 by Samantha Schutz and Annica Lydenberg. Their project, You are Not Alone Murals, was created to connect and provide community and support for individuals living with mental health challenges and the people that love them.
¡Ya Basta! The Pharr Riot directed by Tati Martinez Alvarez, Amaya Martinez Alvarez. RGV Short Film, 7 minutes. Documentary about The Pharr Riot of Feb. 6, 1971, and how it led to a change in power dynamics in Pharr and the rest of the Valley.
You, Me, and the Moon directed by Teresa Charlene Durrwachter. Texas Young Filmmaker, 3 minutes. A woman recounts a love story from her youth.