SacFilmChallenge is "The Film Festival to Geek and Nerd Out!"
Films and music videos that express the best of things Drama, Comedy, Geeky, Nerdy, Anime, Cosplay, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Comics, and Sports will screen at a 3-Day Hybrid Event.
The Festival will open with a Live Q&A featuring the filmmakers on Friday, October 2, 2026, and screenings of our first blocks of films.
Multiple screenings will happen Saturday, October 3rd, both Virtual and In-Person at the West Sacramento Community Center.
The film festival concludes with the Virtual Awards Ceremony on Sunday, October 4th.
VENUES
Film Screenings:
Online on the Airmeet platform and Select In-Person Screenings on Saturday at the West Sacramento Community Center - 1075 West Capitol Avenue West Sacramento, CA 95691
Film Mixer & Night Market:
New Helvetia Brewing Company - 1730 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95818
2026 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE: Subject to Change.
Friday, 10/2
5:00 PM PDT - Festival Open + Filmmaker Panel Online
6:00 PM PDT - Film Mixer & Night Market @ New Helvitia Brewing Company -Free Event!
7:00 PM PDT - Block 2: Multiple Short Films: Online
No Name Pond (Philip Kumsar)
While My Heart Beats Furiously (Luiz Villasboas Maudonnet, Iuri Salles)
In captivity of a finger+2 (Zahra Shafiei dehaghani)
Kismet (Haoran Wang)
Mayfly (Ihan Jin)
Last Day (Raíssa B. Kaspar)
The Ballad Of Ace (Jedric Villar)
Saturday, 10/3
9:00 AM PDT - Block 3: Multiple Short Films: Online
Windward (Luna Barreiro, Renn Smith, Flynn Rossington, Alex Powell)
Al Battar (Julien LANZI, Lilou PLANCHAIS, Tom WANG)
Bakunawa (Maya Lauren Sullivan)
Decision Fatigue (Justin Meckes)
This Sandwich Is Good, I Don’t Want To Die (Addis HALGAND, Martin LA CASTA, Eloïse LASSEIGNE, Satya RAPIN, Laetitia TOUPANCE)
Creating a Legacy (Erin Kaplan)
10:00 AM PDT - Block 4: Multiple Short Films: Online
The Barbarian (Gabriel Isaac Lakey)
The Kick (Mengshi Hu)
Vivianna (Lukas Leu)
The Perks of Being an Oak Tree (Will Gadsden)
The Sound of Baseball (Christopher Petersen)
ALWAYS (Peyton Carson)
11:30 AM PDT - Block 5: Feature: We Want the Virus (Paul Santoli) Online
DOORS to the West Sacramento Community Center Open @ 2:15 PM.
02:30 PM PDT - Block 6: Multiple Short Films: Online and In-Person
On The Road (Lindsey Policar)
Frankenism (Robert Ajay)
Skate City (Jaqueline Navarro)
They Laugh They Love (Alice Covello, Sean Kilcoyne)
Sleep Stalker (Niven Wilson)
The Unrehearsed (Alec Douglas)
CONTACT (Luke Blackburn, Steven Ramos)
04:00 PM PDT - Guest Speaker In-Person Event
Cricket Sloat – A seasoned Camera & Electrical Department/Instructor, Cricket is celebrated for her work on major Marvel films like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Avengers: Infinity War, and Captain America: Civil War.
05:30 PM PDT - Block 7: Multiple Short Films: In-Person Only
Songs and Secrets (Sherri Z. Heller)
Eggnog (Heather Hillstrom)
Burns Like A Shot (Chandonae Baskin)
Back To Omaha (Scott West)
DatingMania (Tony Pacheco)
Texas Strange (Justin Eugene Evans)
Pizza Guys vs Vampires (Dominic Russo, Daniel Cotroneo, Mat Raney)
7:00 PM PDT - Filmmaker Panel with Q&A: In-Person
7:45 PM PDT - Networking & Wrap Up: In-Person
9:00 PM PDT - Block 7A: Online Streaming of Films in Block 7
Songs and Secrets (Sherri Z. Heller)
Eggnog (Heather Hillstrom)
Burns Like A Shot (Chandonae Baskin)
DatingMania (Tony Pacheco)
Texas Strange (Justin Eugene Evans)
Pizza Guys vs Vampires (Dominic Russo, Daniel Cotroneo, Mat Raney)
Sunday, 10/4
9:00 AM PDT - Block 8: Feature: TRI FOR HOPE- From Hell to Paradise (James Dagg) Online
11:00 AM PDT - Block 9: Multiple Short Films: Online
Full Fat (Louisa Connolly-Burnham)
VORACIOUS (Marie CLEACH, Mathis BOURGUET, Emma-Rose CHARLOT, Jade PERIGAULT, Stefana Antonia PINTILIE, Vassili TUROSTOWSKI)
Mamie (Pedro Tamames)
Iridescence (Adrien Lhoste)
Echoes of Darkness (Gary Scullion)
01:00 PM PDT - Award Announcements + Festival Close Online
Voting will open Friday, 10/2. Only Registered Attendee Votes Count.
