Lost River Film Fest

03/02/2026

Appreciate San Marcos Daily Record for this nice review of the festival, with some great synopses of several of the films!

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/article/32824,lost-river-film-festival-delivers-weekend-of-bold-independent-film

03/02/2026

Super grateful of our sponsors of this year's festival!

Enjoy this Lost River recap by our wonderful volunteers Sean Lee & Xavier Childress

02/20/2026

Grateful to University Star for this lovely trio of portraits of short films we played this month at Lost River: A VERY CROWDED ROOM, THE BURRITO & WHEN WE LOCK EYES!

From surviving a winter storm among friends to describing the complexities of love, three up-and-coming filmmakers had their films showcased at this year’s Lost River Film Festival. The films explored the intricacies of friendships and romantic relationships while using distinct visuals to strengt...

02/20/2026

Marking our calendars – Cine Las Americas is one of our favorite film fests, where we usually find a film or two to progam at Lost River!

🏆 We are proud to announce the winning poster design for the 28th Cine Las Americas International Film Festival, a piece that reflects the transformative power of film.

This year’s official artwork was created by Victoria Villasana, a Guadalajara, Mexico–born artist whose textile-based practice centers female empowerment and the resilience of the human spirit. Drawing on the rich history of textiles across cultures, her work reflects how fabric and thread have long been used to create belonging, build community, and pass down stories through generations.

“For this poster, I wanted to represent seeing through the eyes of Indigenous women, those whose power, courage and strength have not been recognized; to begin to hear their stories, to learn from them."

📽️ Save the Date
May 13–17, 2026
Austin, Texas, USA

We’re excited to kick off the season, with more announcements ahead, including the return of the International Film Festival (May 23) and special community gatherings this spring.

Learn more and stay connected by signing up for our newsletter or visiting our website at cinelasamericas.org.

02/18/2026

This is precisely why we screened EDDINGTON –– people power prevails over the $1.5-billion Maberry Data Center, slated for construction above our sacred springs!

BREAKING: Immense Pressure from Data Center Opponents Prompts San Marcos Council to Vote Down Maberry 5-2

After hours of citizen testimony and dais hand-wringing, most municipal leaders flip their previous position to join Councilwoman Amanda Rodríguez in pushing to protect local water…

Major triumph for the vibrant Data Center Action Coalition, upon months of steady and vital organizing, as well as Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra, whose loud advocacy the past week heaped pressure on city-official peers…

Maberry must now wait six months before trying to move their project forward, with Hays County Commissioners Court due on Tuesday to address the prospect of a countywide moratorium on permits for large industrial users of water.

02/09/2026

On behalf of Lost River staff, thanks for another wonderful festival to all who made it happen: filmmakers, sponsors, volunteers, advocates, core team & badge holders!

01/30/2026

Due to the overwhelming volume of sales, all tickets and badges are now only available for purchase at the Price Center box office during festival hours, Feb 5-8!

As noted on our website and on tickets, all seating will be first-come, first-served – starting with Deluxe Badges, followed by other badges, followed by day passes.

Due to seating limitations, only the first 120 attendees will be admitted, so fest-goers are encouraged to arrive early.

01/27/2026

Thanks to San Marcos Daily Record for the coverage!

"Opening night always consists of a film shot in the San Marcos area; this year, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, Leadbelly kicks off the festival: a stunning biopic of blues icon Huddie Ledbetter, whose prowess for soulful, original music famously won him his freedom from chain gang imprisonment. The film was shot in the mid-1970s around San Marcos, Fentress and Uhland.

Friday’s programming includes international narratives hailing from France, Canada, India, Italy and Africa; domestic short films; a documentary bloc; an LGBTQ-themed bloc; as well as the Texas Monthly produced truecrime documentary A Night in West Texas. That film chronicles a false murder charge faced by a gay Apache man following the killing of a local priest in the 1980s. As Hays County contemplates adoption of a Conviction Integrity Unit, national expert Patricia Cummings – who led that type of office for the Philadelphia D.A. – will provide Q&A after the film about systemic efforts to fix false criminal convictions.

Saturday kicks off with Steal This Story Please: a new documentary on Democracy Now, the independent news program that plays weekly on KZSM, San Marcos’ community radio. A special screening of Eddington that afternoon will dovetail with a forum on the threat of data centers, hosted by regional advocates, and that evening filmmaker Mabel Valdiviezo will accompany her documentary Prodigal Daughter, which follows her fleeing from Peru to the U.S. as a punk-rock video artist during the Fujimori dictatorship.

Sunday is dedicated to new Texas cinema, boasting 48 films recently produced in the Lone Star State, with nearly every bloc featuring Q&A with directors afterward. The festival takes place both at Price Center and the film school at Texas State University, largely composed of diverse medleys of short films, including the Best of the Fest bloc with Lost River organizers’ favorites from 2026 submissions at 12:30 p.m., and the Scary Texas bloc, featuring a host of horror flicks, at 2:30 p.m. The fest culminates with a 7:15 p.m. screening of The Inquisitor, the new biography of trailblazing stateswoman Barbara Jordan."

San Marcos Record - Sharing news, features and sports with the San Marcos community since 1912.

01/26/2026

Coming to our film fest?
Might we recommend the lovely accommodations at Melrose River Club where the coupon code "LOSTRIVER" will knock 20% off of your lodging costs!?

Melrose River Club is a boutique hotel on the San Marcos River with luxe cabins, a resort pool, river access & 5-star service just 30 minutes from Austin, TX.

01/24/2026

01/24/2026

Frigid days like these make ya wanna cozy up in the Price Center, watching a slew of new indie cinema: TheLostRiverFilmFest.org (San Marcos: Feb 5-8!)