Trip idea: April’s San Luis Obispo International Film Festival

Photo credit: San Luis Obispo International Film Festival / Namu Williams.

Trip idea: April’s San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. That’s right, the festival is set to run from April 23 through April 28, 2026, and will be an inspiring opportunity to watch creative films, meet filmmakers and enjoy the beauty of San Luis Obispo.

“We're really excited to introduce our new Episodic program to the festival. Over the last 10 years, the way we tell stories has changed, and we believe that in addition to traditional film formats, episodics have a place in our festival too. Adding this category creates a new opportunity for indie storytellers to showcase their work,” said San Luis Obispo International Film Festival Executive Director Skye McLennan. “We are also adding an award for ‘Best Genre/Horror.’ We have been testing the appetite for this category with our Red Eye Cinema programming over the last five years, and each year the demand for and the quality of the films has increased. We believe this is a trailblazing space in independent film - we want to encourage it and bring new works to our audiences."

A release notes that submissions are open in all categories like short films, doc shorts, narrative features, and more!

By CB.