The 46th annual CineFestival San Antonio, held from July 9-13, 2025, brought the best of Latino, Chicano, and Indigenous cinema to the city, celebrating the rich cultural diversity of the Latino community through film. The festival, hosted by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, is the longest-running Latino film festival in the U.S. and provides a platform for showcasing the stories and experiences of Latinx communities.
This year’s edition of the festival featured over a dozen films spanning various genres, including documentaries, short films, and feature-length narratives. Each film sought to capture the nuances of Latino and Indigenous experiences, with themes ranging from identity and immigration to family, love, and community resilience. CineFestival has built a reputation for offering a diverse and inclusive lineup that represents the complexities of Latino culture across generations.
Highlights of the 2025 Festival
The festival’s screenings included a wide array of films, such as Carnalismo, a documentary that explored the influence of a Durango biker family on their local community. Another standout was Hola Frida, an animated reimagining of Frida Kahlo’s childhood, which creatively brought the iconic artist’s early years to life. Mad Bills to Pay captured the essence of summer in the Bronx, telling a heartfelt story about a young boy’s tumultuous coming-of-age experience.
Other notable films included Prodigal Daughter, a powerful narrative about an artist who confronts her immigrant past, and Selena y Los Dinos, which paid tribute to the legendary Selena Quintanilla. Spring of the Vanishing explored a mother’s search for her missing son, while The Ladder brought an engaging sci-fi twist to questions of identity and existence.
The festival also featured Take It Away, which celebrated Tejano TV icon Johnny Canales, and Uvalde Mom, a documentary that follows a mother’s heroic efforts during the tragic 2022 Uvalde school shooting. The Place in Between captivated audiences with its dark comedic take on familial reconciliation, and Valentina o la Serenidad told a mystical tale set within an Indigenous community in Oaxaca, Mexico.
The Cultural Importance of CineFestival
CineFestival San Antonio serves as an essential cultural event, not just for San Antonio but for the broader Latino community. By providing a space for emerging filmmakers to showcase their work, the festival allows underrepresented voices to be heard, fostering a deeper understanding of the diverse lived experiences within Latino and Indigenous communities. The films presented at the festival spark important conversations about representation, cultural identity, and the role of storytelling in shaping community narratives.
Attendees had the opportunity to engage directly with filmmakers and actors, adding another layer of depth to the festival experience. The event’s rich programming not only serves to entertain but also educates, bridging the gap between cultures and fostering greater appreciation for the stories that define the Latino and Indigenous populations in the United States.
Looking Ahead
With each passing year, CineFestival continues to grow in importance, attracting filmmakers, audiences, and cultural influencers from across the country. By highlighting both emerging and established voices, the festival underscores the significance of Latino and Indigenous cinema in shaping America’s cultural landscape. As the festival enters its next chapter, it remains committed to promoting cultural dialogue and offering a platform for the diverse voices that deserve recognition.