NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Film festivals are a way to present a collection of films or shorts, often from local, independent, or student filmmakers. New Mexico boasts a number of film festivals, some focused on specific groups of filmmakers or genres, in Albuquerque, Farmington, Las Cruces, Los Alamos, Madrid, Santa Fe, Silver City, Taos, Truth or Consequences, and Tucumcari.
Have a short film worth sharing, but don’t know where to start? Want to see movies and shorts made here in New Mexico by local filmmakers? Here is a list of active film festivals across the Land of Enchantment.
Albuquerque
Albuquerque has the largest number of film festivals in the state, showcasing independent films, student projects, horror shorts, and more. The most prominent festival in Duke City is the Albuquerque Film & Music Experience, held annually in the heart of Route 66 during the last week of September.
- ABQ Indie Film Festival
- Albuquerque Film Festival
- Albuquerque Film & Music Experience
- Albuquerque Underground Film Fest
- Cherry Reel Film Festival
- Dark Red Film Festival
- Dive-In Movies Film Fiesta
- Experiments in Cinema
- Film Prize Junior NM Festival
- Instituto Cervantes: ¡Cine Magnífico! Latino Film Festival
- Mindfield Film Festival
- New Mexico Asian American Film Festival
- Way OUT West Film Fest
Farmington
The upcoming Four Corners Film Festival will be held September 12 and 13 at the Totah Theater in downtown Farmington and will feature screenings including “Hell or High Water” and “The Arrangement.”
- Four Corners Film Festival
Las Cruces
The Feminist Border Arts Film Festival is held at New Mexico State University in June, and the Las Cruces International Film Festival is the largest film festival in the country run by a university. NMSU’s Creative Media Institute hosts various screenings, workshops, and panels at the latter, also known as “The Sundance of the Southwest.”
- Feminist Border Arts Film Festival
- Las Cruces International Film Festival
Los Alamos
The Oppenheimer Festival is more than just a film festival, offering tours and walkthroughs of historic sites and filming locations alongside film screenings. The festival is now in its third year.
- Oppenheimer Festival
Madrid
The Madrid Film Festival was established in 2018 with the goal of promoting local filmmaking by presenting the top short films made in New Mexico annually. Particular care is paid to promoting minority and amateur filmmakers, specifically in the Madrid area. The festival never requires a submission fee and presents plenty of prizes.
- Madrid Film Festival
Santa Fe
Santa Fe is host to many different festivals, but the most prominent one, and the largest in New Mexico, is the Santa Fe International Film Festival. This festival is Academy Award qualifying in the documentary short, narrative short, and animated short categories. More than 145,700 people have attended SFiFF, which has shown a wide variety of films throughout the years, including major Academy Award winners, top international productions, and lesser-known independent gems.
- Banff Mountain Film Festival
- Indigenous Ways Film Festival
- Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival
- Santa Fe Film Festival
- Santa Fe International Film Festival
- Santa Fe Jewish Film Festival
Silver City
The Silver City Community Film Festival celebrates the uniqueness of the Southwest Borderlands region in a small-scale but impactful event that showcases the region’s gifted filmmakers and offers chances for beneficial partnerships. Encouraging the spirit of the wild frontier, the festival accepts submissions in all genres and forms of filmmaking.
- Silver City Community Film Festival
Taos
As part of the inaugural Taos Film Festival, dozens of films that speak to the tenacious heart of the community will be screened over four days. The festival aims to elevate the voices of independent filmmakers from New Mexico and beyond with discussions, Q&A sessions, and creative workshops in addition to screenings.
- Taos Film Festival
Truth or Consequences
Truth or Consequences has a history tied to the entertainment industry, taking its name from a radio show in 1950. To celebrate the name change, T or C hosts a Fiesta annually with a parade, rodeo, live music, and other events, like the Film Fiesta. All screenings during this film festival at the El Cortez Theater are free.
- Film Fiesta
Tucumcari
Originally known as the Tucumcari Rawhide Days Film Festival, the Tucumcari Film Festival has grown into a destination for storytellers from all over the world. The festival has evolved over the years from celebrating classic southwestern frontier town filmmaking to showcasing professional and amateur films from local, national, and international filmmakers pursuing the path to the big screen…