Inland Film Festival returns for third year to grow the Inland Empire film workforce and creative economy
Arts Connection's 2026 program brings 71 films to San Bernardino, plus free training, industry connections, and awards in Fontana.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — September 22, 2026 — Arts Connection, the Arts Council of San Bernardino County, will present the third annual Inland Film Festival this October, bringing a 71-film Screening Day to San Bernardino and a free Storytellers Summit and Best of Fest Awards Ceremony to Fontana. The Best of Fest Awards Ceremony will recognize nine winners from 42 nominated films.
What began as a way to give local filmmakers a visible regional platform has grown into a regional strategy for creative workforce and economic development. IFF connects filmmakers to practical training, professional networks, public audiences, and opportunities to build sustainable creative work close to home.
“Inland Empire filmmakers deserve the visibility, relationships, and investment required to build careers here,” said Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez, Executive Director of Arts Connection. “In its third year, the festival is creating the practical infrastructure behind a regional film economy by expanding industry access, exploring pathways into paid work, and building partnerships with leaders like the City of Fontana who recognize the value of investing in our region’s creative talent.”
The 2026 festival season is already underway. In partnership with KVCR Public Media, IFF launched its third year with Films in Conversation on August 28, bringing filmmakers and audiences together for screenings and facilitated discussion, followed by the Nominee Reveal & Festival Mixer on September 4, where this year’s nominees were announced and filmmakers gathered ahead of the October festival events.
Building The Infrastructure for a Regional Film Economy
In 2025, Arts Connection worked with more than 20 organizations, artists, and collectives to deliver more than eight hands-on sessions covering the filmmaking process from pre-production planning through post-production editing. The 2026 Storytellers Summit expands that work through an all day event focusing on an industry panel, and practice-based workshops for students, emerging filmmakers, and working creatives.
The program responds to priorities identified by local filmmakers, including technical training, equipment access, professional relationships, career guidance, and opportunities to build viable creative businesses in the Inland Empire. These skills also serve a wider market. Small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and public agencies increasingly rely on video and digital media to reach customers, communicate with residents, and tell their stories. A stronger local film workforce gives those institutions access to regional talent while keeping more creative work and economic activity close to home.
This approach aligns with the California Arts Council's Creative Economy Strategic Plan, which names workforce development as its first goal and calls for stronger regional infrastructure to support long-term creative-economy growth.
The scale of California’s creative economy underscores the importance of that investment. Arts and cultural production contributes approximately $288.9 billion, or 7.5 percent, to California’s economy and supports 821,183 arts and cultural jobs statewide, according to National Endowment for the Arts data cited by the California Arts Council.
Inland Empire Stories and a Growing International Program
Local filmmakers remain at the center of IFF as the festival expands its national and international reach. Of the 71 films scheduled for Screening Day, 41 are from the Inland Empire, representing nearly 58 percent of the program. An additional 16 films are from California, five are from across the United States, and nine are international selections. The program spans animation, documentary, experimental, live-action fiction, documentary, experimental, music videos,college and high school student films and film-series pilots.
The festival’s expansion into international programming introduces Inland Empire audiences and filmmakers to stories and creative perspectives from beyond the United States while placing locally produced work within a broader cultural context. This growing international dimension creates opportunities for cultural exchange through cinema, connecting regional audiences and filmmakers with a wider range of stories, perspectives, and cultural expressions. This approach reflects a broader role of the cultural and creative sectors identified in UNESCO’s Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity, which examines international cultural exchange and access to diverse cultural expressions as part of a healthy global creative ecosystem.
Three Events Supporting One Regional Strategy
Screening Day takes place Saturday, October 17, from noon to 8 p.m. at Regal San Bernardino, 450 N. E Street. Films will play across five theaters in curated blocks, including dedicated student programming and nominated-film screenings. Tickets for IFF Screening Day are available in advance.
The IFF Storytellers Summit follows Friday, October 23, at Steelworkers’ Auditorium, 8437 Sierra Avenue in Fontana. The Summit is free and open to the public and will feature a keynote speaker, a panel discussion with film industry professionals, and interactive, practice-based workshops connecting students and emerging filmmakers with working artists and professionals. The full schedule will be available on the Inland Film Festival webpage as the program is finalized.
The IFF Awards Ceremony will take place at Steelworkers’ Auditorium on Saturday, October 24, from 5 to 8 p.m. The ceremony is free and open to the public. Best of Fest winners will be announced across nine award categories, with winning films screened during the evening. The event will also bring together filmmakers, educators, community partners, and industry professionals.
“Fontana is proud to partner with Arts Connection to bring the Inland Film Festival’s Storyteller’s Summit and Awards Ceremony to our community, creating a space where creativity, storytelling, and connection can thrive. Together, we are helping shine a spotlight on the incredible talent of our filmmakers while inspiring the next generation of storytellers and strengthening the Inland Empire’s vibrant creative community,” said Mayor Acquanetta Warren.”
Across the three events, filmmakers can present their work, learn from working professionals, meet potential collaborators, and gain recognition that supports future opportunities. Together, the events strengthen the relationships and career pathways required for a durable film and media industry in the Inland Empire.
The festival is made possible through a growing network of regional partnerships. Arts Connection is the producer and program lead for the Inland Film Festival. The City of Fontana serves as Program Partner for the Storytellers Summit and Best of Fest Awards Ceremony, contributing venue and technical support. Inland Empire Community News serves as Media Sponsor. Earlier in the festival season, KVCR Public Media partnered with Arts Connection to host the 2026 kickoff events, Films in Conversation and the Nominee Reveal & Festival Mixer.
Festival information and program updates:
https://www.artsconnectionnetwork.org/inland-film-festival
About Arts Connection
Arts Connection, the Arts Council of San Bernardino County, strengthens the region through arts education, creative workforce development, public art, and cultural participation. Through the Inland Film Festival, the organization supports local storytellers, connects emerging talent with professional resources, and advances the Inland Empire’s film and media economy.
Media Contact
Crystal Sepúlveda | Director of Programs | Arts Connection
crystal@artsconnectionnetwork.org | (909) 381-1900
Festival inquiries: inlandfilmfestival@artsconnectionnetwork.org
