Date: November 20-22, 2025
Submission Deadline: October 4, 2025
Notification Date: October 18, 2025
Location: Carver Community Cultural Center, San Antonio, Texas
🎞️
Submission
Categories
Short Film
Extended Short Film
Animated Film
Documentary
Student Film
Music Video
Poetry Multimedia
🎬
Top Level
Awards
Best Short Film
Best Animated Film
Best Documentary
Best Student Film
🎭
Performance
Awards
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
✍️
Creative
Awards
Best Director
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Sound Design
❤️
Special Recognition
Honorable Mention
Puro Award (Local Submissions)
Step back in time and celebrate the golden age of cinema! Join us for 50’s Night at The Sacred Underground Film Festival. Guests who arrive dressed in 1950s attire will receive 50% off their admission for the evening. Break out the leather jackets, poodle skirts, and vintage flair—and be part of a night that honors the spirit and style of a classic era.
RUN TIME: 12:02
DIRECTED BY: MARC ANTHONY MORALES
RUN TIME: 11:46
DIRECTED BY: TAYLOR JAMES JOHNSON
RUN TIME: 15:50
DIRECTED BY: CLIFF CRULL
RUN TIME: 18:38
DIRECTED BY: CARLOS EVARISTO FLORES & NICOLAS J. LEWIS
RUN TIME: 3:12
DIRECTED BY: ISAAC RODRIGUEZ
RUN TIME: 12:20
DIRECTED BY: CECILIO MARTINEZ & STEFANY SANCHEZ
We are a homegrown, grassroots film festival dedicated to showcasing local talent and supporting charitable causes.
The Sacred Underground is more than a name—it's a community. That includes you. That includes all of us, working together in the spirit of creativity and connection.
We call ourselves Sacred because something deep within drives us to create. Through that shared calling, we come together to celebrate the act of artistic expression.
We are proudly Underground—not hidden, but rooted. Every meaningful movement begins from the ground up. This is our moment to shine, a collective unveiling of the voices and visions shaping our cultural landscape.
We honor the storytellers—writers, filmmakers, actors, and behind-the-scenes innovators—who represent a rich and diverse creative ecosystem. Our programming spans genres, including action, comedy, documentary, music video, stream of consciousness, suspense, and horror.
Based in the creative heart of Texas, from the (210) to the (512), we invite you to join us in this celebration of independent art and community spirit.
Welcome to The Sacred Underground
Where creativity grows.
Where voices rise.
Where we rise—together.
Festival Director
John Lambert is a multifaceted creative—writer, actor, speaker, improv performer, and teacher—driven by the belief that leadership and innovation come from collaboration across disciplines. John serves as the President and Founder of The Sacred Underground Film Festival.
Technical Director
Jorge Robledo Jr. is a San Antonio-based writer, director, photographer, filmmaker, and audiovisual expert. He currently serves as Media/Audiovisual Technical Director for The Sacred Underground Film Festival, ensuring top-tier production quality for all film presentations.
Treasurer
Amy Hamilton, a former U.S. Air Force C-130 Loadmaster, is an Audit Manager specializing in non-profits and uniform guidance audits. With degrees in Accounting and Finance, she brings her expertise and community passion to her role as Treasurer of the Sacred Underground Film Festival.
Secretary
Ashley Hamilton is a writer, actor, and marketing expert. She brings a lifelong appreciation of the arts and a drive to make the world a better place to her role as Secretary for the Sacred Underground Film Festival.
The Sacred Underground Film Festival was born from love, loss, and the healing power of cinema. What began as Short Shorts Film Festival in 2009 emerged from a deeply personal place—as a way to cope with the profound challenge of a loved one's terminal illness and to create something meaningful for our community.
From 2009 to 2013, Short Shorts Film Festival brought independent cinema to San Antonio audiences across several beloved venues. Starting at the Overtime Theater in October 2009, we grew steadily through multiple events at the Overtime Theater, 13th Floor Studios, and finally the Josephine Theater. Throughout this journey, our festival maintained a mission close to our hearts: raising funds for families of cancer patients at the Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC).
The festival represented more than just film screenings—it was a gathering place for community, creativity, and compassion during some of life's most challenging moments. After our founder's wife passed away on May 9th, 2012, we held one final Short Shorts event in February 2013 before taking time to grieve and reflect.
After a decade of reflection, we reemerged in 2023 as the Sacred Underground Film Festival. Our new name honors both the sacred nature of storytelling and the underground spirit of independent cinema that has always driven our mission.
Now calling the Carver Theater home, we continue to celebrate the transformative power of film while carrying forward the compassionate spirit that first inspired our festival. Our 2025 season launched in January and continues through November, bringing together filmmakers, audiences, and community members in spaces where stories can be shared, heard, and honored.
Sacred Underground Film Festival remains committed to showcasing independent cinema while fostering community connection and supporting meaningful causes. We believe in the power of film to heal, inspire, and bring people together—especially during life's most profound moments.
Join us as we continue this sacred work of storytelling and community building.
Stay updated with the latest news and event announcements.