Attend the San Antonio Black International Film Festival

San Antonio's rich Black Heritage is celebrated throughout the year in dozens of local events highlighting the Black experience. One of the most anticipated is the San Antonio Black International Film Festival, held the first weekend of October.

During this weekend-long event, you’ll be able to experience Black stories through film, as well as workshops, happy hours, and a filmmakers' brunch. Let’s dive into the weekend itinerary!

Tell Me More About the San Antonio Black International Film Festival

WHEN: Friday, October 4 through Sunday, October 6, 2024

WHERE: Festival goers can attend events in venue spaces throughout San Antonio’s Eastside, including the Carver Community Cultural Center, Carver Library, Lockwood-Dignowity Park, Aiden Hotel, Tank’s Pizza, and Tony G’s Soul Food Restaurant

The San Antonio Black International Film Festival, or SABIFF, celebrates the voices, perspectives, and diverse images of historically underrepresented Black people throughout the global diaspora.

The three-day festival includes film screenings from Black filmmakers, panel discussions, networking events, and parties. SABIFF's mission is to advocate for and support filmmakers of African descent and showcase the work of Black creatives.

This year’s event theme is reFocus, reCharge, reFresh, highlighting wellness through the lens of health, history, and healing.

THE EVENT LINEUP

This year’s San Antonio Film Festival features three days of themed events, including Black Friday, Soul Saturday, and Sunday Glory.

Black Friday Events

Black Friday starts the weekend festivities with a student field trip day, including screenings and workshops for young learners.

Adults can start their SABIFF experience in the evening with a kick-off creative happy hour, a screening and panel discussion of The Green Book: A Guide to Freedom by Yoruba Richen, and a late-night speakeasy party. 

Soul Saturday Events

Soul Saturday is the main film screening day, featuring film blocks running on two screens at the Carver Community Cultural Center and Little Carver Civic Theater.

The Film Screenings

Black Indie Film Showcases will start at 9:00 AM and conclude at 6:30 PM, showcasing narrative features, documentaries, shorts, music videos, student films, and more.

Cinema Under the Stars will begin at 7:00 PM in Lockwood-Dignowity Park with the feature film premiere of The Beautiful Struggle, a romantic comedy by Texas filmmaker Rock White.

The star-lit evening will also include food trucks, live DJs, local artisan vendors, and health and wellness booths themed to this year’s event. Bring your lawn chairs and picnic blankets and cozy up for this much-anticipated screening!

Sunday Glory Events

Sunday Glory is the concluding day of the festival, known for its iconic filmmaker's brunch. “Get your grits on” at Tony G’s with live entertainment, awards, giveaways, and delicious eats.

You can view the full schedule of events on the SABIFF website.

How to Attend

Attendees have flexible options to get what they want from this year’s festival. All tickets can be purchased on the SABIFF ticket page.

• All-access passes cost $50 to $150 and grant access to all screenings, networking events, workshops, and panels.
• One-day passes range from $30 to $60 and give you 24 hours of access to screenings, panels, and events on the day of your choosing.
• One-movie passes range from $5 to $10, allowing you to watch one block of movie screenings in person or on demand.
• A la carte event tickets are available for those interested in specific networking events, discussion panels, or the famed Sunday Brunch.

Out-of-town guests have room block options at the Aiden Hotel in Historic St. Paul’s Square.

Learn more about SABIFF weekend, events, movies, and ticketing at sabiff.tv.