click to enlarge Mike Fisher

The San Antonio Film Festival celebrates its 22nd year July 25-31.

Things have been going pretty well for the San Antonio Film Festival over the last two decades – increased submissions, more international representation, strong local partnerships – but festival director and founder Adam Rocha isn’t about to stand pat.



Instead, the festival, which runs July 25-31 at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts and the historic Pearl Stables, will feature a handful of new components for its 22nd edition.



“It’s time to expand and give this city some more panache and sizzle,” Rocha told the Current during an interview last week. “The festival is getting bigger and we want to try out some different things.”



Along with screenings of films from around the world and a series of panel discussions, the festival will include a four-day mini film festival for children featuring a collection of animated shorts. The children’s film festival portion of SAFF takes place July 27-30.



“Filmmakers have kids, so they’re always asking, ‘What screenings can I take my kids to?’ Rocha said. “We’re giving people what they want.”





click to enlarge Force Majeure

The Places You'll Go directed by Jesse Salazar III.





Also new on the agenda: a screenwriting contest that Rocha

hopes will unearth the next Lawrence Kasdan.





“We’ve wanted this to be a part of the festival for a while,”

Rocha said. “As we saw the festival expand, a screenwriting contest made sense.

I really think it’s going to catch on.”





According to Rocha, close to 1,000 films were submitted to

the festival. Countries representing accepted films this year include France,

Spain, Croatia and Norway, just to name a few.





“We’ve become a legitimate player on the world-cinema

stage,” Rocha said. “We’re a launching pad for not only San Antonio filmmakers,

but international filmmakers, too.”







When it comes to San Antonio filmmakers, Rocha said a record

29 were chosen to screen their movies. One of them,

, is a short documentary by local filmmaker

Jesse Salazar III. In the film, Salazar points his camera at his own son during

a road trip across the U.S. and explores his unique perspective on life during their

journey.





“Sometimes

it’s difficult to slow down and remember what it’s like to have an innocent and

sincere outlook on life and appreciate the newness of the world around us, so I

wanted to capture that,” Salazar said. “The fact that my film was

acknowledged by my hometown means a lot to me.”





click to enlarge Fancy Film Post Services

Industry trailblazer Marcia Nasatir in A Classy Broad.





Another San Antonio native getting recognition at the

festival for her work in the industry is Marcia Nasatir, who will receive the

SAFF’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Nasatir, 90, is the subject of the

documentary

, which

will screen during the festival. In 1974, she became the first woman to serve

as vice president of production at a Hollywood studio. During her time in Los

Angeles, she helped develop a number of major projects, including

,

and

.





“She is so legitimately San Antonio, it’s insane,” Rocha

said. “She is so down-to-earth. Even with all this success in her life, she is

authentic. I mean, who do you know that has hung out with Jack Nicholson? She’s

a living legend.”





click to enlarge Marco Ortega

Brewed in the 210 directed by Marco Ortega.

Two documentaries will open the 2016 SAFF Monday night at the Pearl Stables.

The short doc

highlights San Antonio-area brewers who have contributed to the growth of the

handcrafted beer industry in Texas. In the feature doc

, audiences are given a rare glimpse at the

challenges people face working in film and TV.

click to enlarge Blowback Productions

Former San Antonio Spurs player Lloyd Daniels in The Legend of Swee' Pea.

The documentary tells the story of the turbulent career of Lloyd “Swee’ Pea

aniels, a talented, young basketball player from New York City who never reaches

his full potential. Daniels played two seasons for the San Antonio Spurs in the early

90s.

click to enlarge Marguery Films

Smile Again, Jenny Lee directed by Carlo Caldana.

After a mysterious accident ends her career, an all-star tennis player seeks

out her estranged father in hopes of getting some financial support and returning

to the sports she loves.

click to enlarge Oscilloscope Laboratories

Penelope Cruz stars as Magda in Ma Ma.

Oscar winner Penelope Cruz (

) stars as Magda, a schoolteacher who is diagnosed with breast

cancer around the same time she meets a man facing his own personal tragedy.

click to enlarge Vintage Club

Strange Places directed by Aaron Markwick.

Inspired by a true story, the drama follows the lives of a couple whose relationship

is dependent on their shared drug addiction.

” D