Welcome to SABIFF 2026 -- the 8th Annual
San Antonio Black Intl. Film Festival!
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SABIFF is the premier Black indie-international film festival in the Alamo City—where stories rise, voices are centered, and vision takes the screen. We exist to provide Creatives with a vital platform to ignite their imaginations and tell their truths through their own images, voices, and perspectives. Through films, workshops, interviews, networking, and cultural exchange, SABIFF cultivates powerful connections and transformative experiences for audiences in San Antonio and across the global digital landscape.
This year's theme, 'HISTORY upRISING!', affirms the necessity of learning, preserving, and telling our stories from our perspectives at a time when Black history—our heroes, heroines, and defining moments—is being challenged, restricted, and erased. The great Paul Robeson graces our poster because as an actor, activist, lawyer, athletic, orator, family man; he historically represents the fullness of Black excellence in defiant, unapologetic form. He embodied genius in his voice, courage in his convictions, and love for the African Diaspora as the animating force behind everything he did. The torch has been passed; history is watching... History Lives. Make our Ancestors proud. Make history/herstory! "HISTORY upRISING! stands as an act of resistance and care. Through the power of film, we rise to reclaim our histories with truth, depth, and integrity —rejecting distortion and whitewashing while honoring the fullness of Black life, culture, and legacy across the globe. " -Ada M. Babineaux, Founder, Director |
"UNTIL THE LION LEARNS HOW TO WRITE, EVERY STORY WILL GLORIFY THE HUNTER"
- African Proverb |
sabIFf 2026 films-in-competition
OFFICIAL announcement
Thank You to Every Filmmaker! We extend our sincere gratitude to every filmmaker who submitted to SABIFF 2026.
We know the tremendous dedication it takes to create a film, and we are honored that you entrusted us with your work.
With limited screening hours, we were unable to program many exceptional films. This reflects our capacity—not the quality of your storytelling. We extend heartfelt thanks to every filmmaker for sharing your creativity, passion, and voice with us.
We hope to welcome you back to SABIFF in the future. Congratulations to our Official Selections! (see below)
We know the tremendous dedication it takes to create a film, and we are honored that you entrusted us with your work.
With limited screening hours, we were unable to program many exceptional films. This reflects our capacity—not the quality of your storytelling. We extend heartfelt thanks to every filmmaker for sharing your creativity, passion, and voice with us.
We hope to welcome you back to SABIFF in the future. Congratulations to our Official Selections! (see below)
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Films-In-Competition Official selections were announced on July 12, and selected films and filmmaker information will soon be featured on our website and curated into 1.5 days of festival programming. We were thrilled to see such a diverse and inspiring range of films and can't wait to share them with our audience. Thank you to all the filmmakers who chose to submit to #SABIFF2026. We are truly honored. While we wish we could showcase every film submitted, our programming team made it through the difficult task of selecting this year's Official Films in Competition. |
97 Films Submitted. 16 Countries. Eight Years Strong. Making a film is no small feat. It takes vision, determination, collaboration, financing, perseverance—and a whole lot of faith. As the San Antonio Black International Film Festival celebrates its eighth year, SABIFF continues to grow as a leading destination for independent Black cinema in San Antonio, Texas. This year, we received 97 film submissions representing 16 countries across six competition categories—a powerful reminder that, even in challenging times, storytellers around the world continue to create films that inspire, challenge, entertain, preserve culture, and connect us through our shared humanity. |
The countdown is on for an unforgettable #SABIFF2026 as we celebrate a year of #HistoryUpRising!
Please join us for SABIFF 2026
October 2-4, 2026
October 2-4, 2026
INVEST IN SABIFF
In 2018 the seeds for SABIFF were planted by native San Antonio, filmmaker/founder, Ada M. Babineaux. The state of Black film inefficiency at festivals in the ‘Alamo City’ sparked a group of community members to join together to cultivate an annual Black Film festival, and affirm that Black Films Matter all around the world. If you enjoy seeing original narratives that reflect a vast Black culture, documentaries that expose you to historical events, new places, fascinating people, and interesting topics, and filmmakers, plus industry thought leaders that challenge you to think outside of your comfort zone, then please consider supporting our festival. We need YOU to be a consistent part of our audience. Your contributions are the water and the sun that will keep this platform growing with the curation of diverse films, impactful events, workshops and discussions that teach, inform, and expand your world view. Invest in SABIFF today. Let's fertilize, pollinate, and yes, grow SABIFF to a bountiful Black & Beautiful harvest in San Antonio, and beyond.
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