Watsonville Film Festival

10/29/2026

BUILDING THE FUTURE OF THE CREATIVE ECONOMY IN THE 831! 🌱🎬

The Watsonville Film Festival was proud to participate in the first-ever Creative Economy Summit in the Monterey Bay region, joining fellow creatives, community leaders, and organizations to discuss the future of our local creative industries.

At WFF, our vision goes beyond bringing films and audiences together. We’re committed to helping develop sustainable career pathways for filmmakers and artists, growing the film industry right here in the 831, and advocating for the infrastructure, resources, and investment needed for creatives to build lasting professional careers in our region.

We believe the Central Coast has the talent and stories to support a thriving creative economy. By working together, investing in local talent, and creating more opportunities for artists to learn, work, and grow, we can build an ecosystem where creativity and careers can flourish.

We live in one of the most beautiful, cinematic regions in the world. Let’s invest in our local talent, tell our stories, and create more opportunities for productions to call the Central Coast home! 🌊🎥💚

10/29/2026

Rest in Power Dolores Huerta ❤️✊🏽✨ WFF was honored to host the Central Coast premiere of the powerful documentary DOLORES in 2017.

Our stories matter. Today more than ever.

I remember Dolores telling me she wanted her headstone to simply read: Dolores Huerta: Community Organizer. In that essential self-description, she took a profound pride in teaching people how to organize themselves and create change. She believed organizing was a superpower meant to be shared with the world.

Just before we started making the film, Dolores had recently been removed from nation’s social studies curriculum and was not yet recognized as the co-founder of the United Farm Workers. The film helped change that, and her story is now part of the official U.S. historical narrative. As a storyteller and community activist, that means more to me than any of the film's awards or accolades. It’s a reminder that stories have the power not only to inspire and change lives, but to shape policy and even how we understand our own history. At a time when democracy is in a backslide, it’s more important than ever that we preserve the voices and experiences too often left out of the historical record, and make room for a fuller recognition of who we are.

As Dolores once said so powerfully, “No matter what they do, they will never stop us from telling our stories.”

While her loss weighs heavily on us all, I believe she would want us to turn our grief into action — to organize, mobilize, and carry her work forward. It was a privilege and an honor to help share her story with the world, and I take comfort in knowing that her work and her legacy will live on.

Rest in peace, Dolores.

Peter Bratt,
Director, DOLORES

10/29/2026

BUILDING THE FUTURE OF THE CREATIVE ECONOMY IN THE 831! 🌱🎬

The Watsonville Film Festival was proud to participate in the first-ever Creative Economy Summit in the Monterey Bay region, joining fellow creatives, community leaders, and organizations to discuss the future of our local creative industries.

At WFF, our vision goes beyond bringing films and audiences together. We’re committed to helping develop sustainable career pathways for filmmakers and artists, growing the film industry right here in the 831, and advocating for the infrastructure, resources, and investment needed for creatives to build lasting professional careers in our region.

We believe the Central Coast has the talent and stories to support a thriving creative economy. By working together, investing in local talent, and creating more opportunities for artists to learn, work, and grow, we can build an ecosystem where creativity and careers can flourish.

We live in one of the most beautiful, cinematic regions in the world. Let’s invest in our local talent, tell our stories, and create more opportunities for productions to call the Central Coast home! 🌊🎥💚

10/29/2026

Our stories matter. Our voices matter. And so does our vote. 🗳️🇺🇸✨

We’ve spent years amplifying underrepresented voices on the big screen. Now it’s your turn to be heard! Grab a friend and show up, because our community is strongest when every voice is counted.

Swipe for 5 simple steps to make your vote count: register, find your polling place, research your candidates, make your list, and cast your ballot. ¡Tu voto es tu voz!

🔗 For more information, visit votescount.santacruzcountyca.gov

In honor of our civil rights icon Dolores Huerta. ¡Si Se Puede! 🩷✊🏽✨

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10/28/2026

Standing ovation for Dolores Huerta nine years ago and today! ❤️✨✊🏽

Monterey Bay Premiere of the documentary film DOLORES, directed by Peter Bratt.

10/25/2026

Gracias a Lookout Santa Cruz por publicar este artículo en español!

Eugenia Rentería Consuelo Alba Inspira Studios Martín Vargas Vega Jacob Martinez

Cine+Mas SF / San Francisco Latino Film Festival

En "Las Mismas Manos," codirigido por Consuelo Alba-Speyer, el oriundo de Watsonville Martín Vargas-Vega pasa de recoger fresas junto a sus padres, trabajadores agrícolas, a trabajar como ingeniero…

10/23/2026

Congratulations to co-directors Eugenia Rentería, Brenda Avila and Consuelo Alba on the West Coast premiere of Las Mismas Manos at Cine+Mas SF / San Francisco Latino Film Festival!

This film was produced in Watsonville by Inspira Studios 💜🎬✨

10/20/2026

LOCATION SCOUTING WORKSHOP 🎬🗺️🔍

Ever wondered how filmmakers find the perfect spot to film? 👀 Come find out!

Join us to learn how to identify a filming location, negotiate while staying on budget, and why sustainable practices matter. 🌿

Your guide is Alan Vasquez, a Marina, CA-based Location Manager and Producer whose work spans AMC, Prime Video’s All the Old Knives, HBO’s Big Little Lies, Rolls-Royce, Apple, Calvin Klein, Range Rover, Porsche, American Eagle, and more. Real-world experience, right here in your own backyard! 🎥

🗓️ Saturday, November 14th
 ⏰ 11am-2pm
 📍 WFF HQ, 25 E Beach St., Watsonville, CA
 🥪 Light lunch provided
 🎟️ Tickets at $20 RSVP

Filmmakers of all levels are welcome! Spots are limited, so grab a friend and RSVP now! 🙌🏽

10/16/2026

OUR CENTRAL COAST COMMUNITY IS ON THE BIG SCREEN! 🎥🐋🤿

, the new film from Imagine Entertainment and 20th Century Studios, brought together a Hollywood production team and local filmmakers, creating opportunities for Central Coast talent to work on a major production.

🎬 Ivan Ramirez | Production Assistant
🎬 AJ Casas | Production Assistant
🎬 Christian Almanza | Production Assistant
🎬 Dominic Morales | Production Assistant
🎬 Julia Ruiz | Production Assistant
🎬 Nathanial Eramaa | Production Assistant
🎥 Erik Martinez Gonzalez | Background Talent
🎥 LiliArlen Gomez | Background Talent
🎥 Oscar Arizmedez | Background Talent

Following the death of his father (Josh Brolin), Jay Gardiner (Austin Abrams) goes diving off the central Coast of California in search of his remains, but is swallowed by a massive s***m whale. While trapped inside its belly with only one hour of oxygen left, Jay comes to realize that the hard-earned lessons his father imparted may be the key to his escape.

When productions film in our state, our local crews and talent get the opportunity to build their careers right here at home. Keeping productions in California means keeping those opportunities in our communities.

We’re proud to celebrate the Central Coast talent behind Whalefall and the continued growth of our local film community. 💚

Experience Whalefall on the big screen! Exclusively in theaters now.