The third annual festival brought Inland Empire stories to the big screen in San Bernardino and celebrated filmmakers with free workshops and the Best of Fest Awards in Fontana.
Photo credit: Ashley Kamstra
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAN BERNARDINO, CA. | 11/3/2026 — From a comedy set in Moreno Valley to a documentary by a Fontana high school student, Inland Empire stories took center stage at the third annual Inland Film Festival. Produced by Arts Connection, the Arts Council of San Bernardino County, the 2026 festival featured 71 films, nearly 60 percent of them made by Inland Empire filmmakers. This year’s call for films also drew international submissions from as far away as Brazil and Korea. The festival wrapped October 24 in Fontana, where INFINITY! took home the Best of Fest award. Inland Film Festival
The celebration began September 4, when more than 80 filmmakers gathered at KVCR Public Media for the Nominee Reveal and Mixer. Christian De Leon Gonzalez set his short comedy You Got a Light? in familiar Moreno Valley locations. Fontana student filmmaker Adriana Garcia explored the pressures young athletes face in Pressure To Perform. Lizbeth Calleja and Mayra Cortez told a multigenerational story set in a Hemet mobile home community in Tú y Yo, and Colton animator Adriannah Quiroz drew on music and years-old storyboards for I Thought of This One in My Car. Inland Empire Community News coverage
On October 17, audiences had five theaters to explore at Regal San Bernardino, with a lineup spanning animation, documentaries, experimental films, music videos, narrative films, student productions and series pilots. The festival picked up in Fontana on October 23 with the free Storytellers Summit at Steelworkers’ Auditorium. A keynote, industry panel, and hands-on workshops gave students, emerging filmmakers, and working creatives time to sharpen their skills, swap ideas, and meet others making films in the Inland Empire. Arts Connection’s 2026 festival announcement
“Inland Empire filmmakers deserve the visibility, relationships, and investment required to build careers here,” said Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez, Executive Director of Arts Connection, ahead of the festival. Arts Connection’s 2026 festival announcement
2026 Best of Fest Awards
The awards ceremony brought audiences back to Steelworkers’ Auditorium on October 24 to celebrate 42 nominated films and honor nine winners. Best of Fest Awards Ceremony
Best of Fest — INFINITY!
Best Live Action Fiction — 킵롤 (KEEP ROLLING)
Best Documentary — Tu Voz: Latino Representation in Media
Best College Student Film — RUANG 29 (ROOM 29)
Best High School Student Film — Pressure To Perform
Best Music Video — Luna Negra by El Santo Golpe
Best Experimental Film — The Big Grate
Best Film Series/Pilot Episode — High Water
Best Animation — Creep
Arts Connection thanks the filmmakers who shared their work, the audiences who came out to see it, the volunteers, and the partners who helped bring the festival to San Bernardino and Fontana. The City of Fontana served as Program Partner for the Storytellers Summit and Best of Fest Awards Ceremony. Inland Empire Community News was the festival’s Media Sponsor, and KVCR Public Media partnered with Arts Connection on the kickoff events. Inland Film Festival
About the Inland Film Festival
The Inland Film Festival gives Inland Empire filmmakers a place to share their work with local audiences, develop practical skills and build professional relationships close to home. The program originated at the Garcia Center for the Arts through the Creative Corps grant and is produced by Arts Connection, the Arts Council of San Bernardino County. Festival website · @inlandfilmfest on Instagram
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Media contact
Arts Connection, the Arts Council of San Bernardino County
inlandfilmfestival@artsconnectionnetwork.org
