Santa Fe Reporter

In the Can: Just-ended Santa Fe International Film Fest was seriously impressive

View Website

Oh, it’s been a minute since SFR had the space and inclination to run content based in the movie world, but now that we’re a week or so removed from the 18th Annual Santa Fe International Film Festival, I must admit I’m feeling pretty sporty about the whole we-love-film-here thing just now. 

Even as SFIFF Executive Director Liesette Bailey will likely tell you she’s sick of hearing from me, I find myself a little more in awe of the fest each year, and this last one was a doozy, so I had to call her. I mean, culled from more than 7,000 submissions, this iteration of the festival brought all kinds of big-name flicks into local theaters alongside indies, shorts, docs, fest circuit darlings, local works, award ceremonies and more. And though Bailey says they don’t quite have all the attendance data and metrics and stuff compiled just yet, a roughly 10% jump in attendance over the 2025 fest is no joke. Still, nobody’s getting too big for their britches.

By Alex De Vore