The 2026 Phoenix Film Festival
Rise Of The PHOENIX
For ten days in April, The Phoenix Film Festival descended upon the Arizona valley showcasing a brilliant selection of stories from across the world and shining a light on the local independent film industry. Taking full advantage of the prestigious Harkins Cine Capri theater, Arizona continues to push forward as a growing production hub for film, television, and media across the entertainment spectrum and is quickly establishing itself as a viable alternative to Hollywood, especially as film production in California continues to slide at an alarming rate.
To see so many filmmakers, creatives, and artists support independent film in Arizona gives hope for the future of cinematic storytelling in the south-west and beyond; a symbolic cinematic phoenix rising from the growing ashes of a scorched media landscape. With that said, here are some of the best films, filmmakers, and creatives who showcased their tremendous talent, artistry, and storytelling during the Phoenix Film Festival of 2026.
BEST SHORT FILM
Them That’s Not
Them That’s Not [2025]
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Mekhai Lee
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Sade Ndya
Them That’s Not showcases tremendous writing and storytelling talent from the film’s Director Mekhai Lee, paired with the immersive, tactile, and textural visuals of Sade Ndya who served as the Director of Photography. Together, this film is undeniable, telling the story of a young woman, Drea, who reconnects with her estranged father during the repass of her mother’s funeral. Bolstered by strong performances, most notably from actress Angel Theory and actor Biko Eisen-Martin, Them That’s Not touched on important themes of familial love, loss, and how the pursuit of one’s dreams can inspire and breathe life into those who may need it most. Through an inclusive lens, Them That’s Not is a testament to seeing, feeling, and HEARING one another no matter how far apart we once seemed.
For more information on the film Them That’s Not CLICK HERE.
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM
STREET SMART: LESSONS FROM A TV ICON
Sonia Manzano in Street Smart: Lessons From a TV Icon
Street Smart: Lessons From A TV Icon honors the incredible 44-year career of Sonia Manzano, a staple of public broadcasting education, cultural heritage, and Afro-Latina representation on television. Embodying the character of Maria on Sesame Street for over four decades, Monzano became the most recognizable face of public television and grew up in real-time with younger audiences. From the dramatization of her Sesame Street wedding to the real life appearance of her daughter on the show, Street Smart highlights Manzanos’ ascension as a youth through New York’s performing arts community, the fearless embrace of her Puerto-Rican heritage, and the way she served as a beacon of learning, wisdom, and inspiration for the generations of young kids who still love and adore her to this day.
For more information on the Street Smart: Lessons From a TV Icon documentary CLICK HERE.
This 4-week hands-on writer camp introduces young film creatives to the foundational tenets of screenwriting for film, television, and web.
Introduction to Black Film History
Developing The Writer’s Voice
Feature Writing
Writing the Television Pilot
Shorts, Youtube, and Writing For The Web
Youth ages 13-17
ESA ACCEPTED
COMMUNITY FEATURE SPOTLIGHT
Alex & MOR: A Love Odyssey
Alex & MOR: A Love Odyssey [2026]
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Tim Glover
A vast sci-fi epic shot over the course of five years, Alex & MOR: A Love Odyssey is an exploration of love through space, time, and different dimensions. An expansive offering, Alex & MOR is directed by visionary filmmaker Tim Glover, who uses love as the inter-dimensional key needed to bridge the gap between two distant acquaintances — the “odyssey” of true love rendered universally. Strong visuals captivate audiences with wide panoramic vistas of exotic desert canyons, oceanic realms that seem almost too surreal for grasping, and snippets of vivid film imagery [shot on actual film] that lend the striking tableaus a sense of weight and texture — a welcome reprieve from modern visual obsessions that center resolution and fidelity over immersive, tactile renderings. Two strong performances by Allie L. Harris and Thomas D. Brown II further cement the film as a highlight of the festival.
For more information on the Alex & MOR: A Love Odyssey film CLICK HERE.
CULTURAL SHORT FILM Spotlight
OWNERSHIP
Ownership [2024]
DIRECTED BY: Yvonne Huff Lee
WRITTEN BY: Peppur Chambers
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Daphne Qin Wu
Masterfully directed by Yvonne Huff Lee and written by scribe Peppur Chambers, Ownership tells the story of a family haunted by the secrets of its past while exploring the legacy and injustices of slavery — serving as a sharp critique and metaphor aimed at America’s unwillingness to take responsibility for its role in the slave trade. Lee, who also stars as the main protagonist of the film, shows considerable acting talent in addition to her technical and visionary prowess behind the camera. The film’s visuals led by cinematographer Daphne Qin Wu are beautifully rendered, an expertly realized vision that is complemented by a deep palette of colors, textures, and compositions — giving the more serious nature of the narrative equal weight and gravitas.
For more information on the Ownership film CLICK HERE.
SOUTHWEST EXPERIMENTATION
Southwest Sangria
Southwest Sangria [2026]
DIRECTED BY: JOSEPH STEELY
Southwest Sangria is an experimental short film shot locally by Arizona film director Joseph Steely that bends traditional narratives and visual concepts into a unique pastiche of cinematic dreamscapes and fantasy. Sangria uses moments of comedy intertwined with dramatic visual motifs, framing devices, and boundary pushing storytelling techniques to create a fresh perspective on the short film format. Historically, it’s films like Sangria that have often catalyzed new film movements, eras, or even saved film industry in the past through experimentation and rule breaking ingenuities — a welcome path that Southwest Sangria dares to follow.
For more information of the Southwest Sangria film CLICK HERE.
THE PHOENIX WILL RETURN
This years Phoenix Film Festival was an astounding success that showcased the talent, artistry, and ingenuity of independent filmmakers both locally and from around the globe. As the film community in Arizona grows in scope and influence, local artists are ready to take advantage of the incentives for production of Arizona based films and television. As the sun sets on this years film festival we look forward to the return of the Phoenix Film Festival next year in 2027 and beyond.
HEY! DID YOU KNOW?…
My short screenplay Melancholy won FIRST PLACE at this years [2026] Phoenix Film Festival Short Screenplay Competition! You can SHOW LOVE by following my journey on Instagram or by checking out my growing list of film education and production workshops that serve young Black filmmakers and artists of color locally in Arizona and beyond through Project Xivion.
Thank you for your support!
SJ ALEXANDER