FilAm Creative Film Festival 2026 at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex

FilAm Creative Film Festival’s fourth edition is Friday through Sunday, October 2–4, 2026, at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex, 5151 State University Drive, on the Cal State LA campus. FilAm Creative, a 501(c)(3) that has worked Filipino American entertainment careers since 2010, puts the festival at the center of its year. Tickets and day passes sell on Eventbrite. Sales are final. Parking on campus is paid.

A filmmaker-only day is listed for Thursday, October 1. Public screenings and panels start Friday. The Eventbrite header span of 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. is a weekend envelope, not a promise that every hour is a screening. Buy the block or day pass you can actually sit through.

Friday’s card is the clearest place to start. Block A, Becoming, runs 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with shorts including Alpha, Bravo, Charlie by Matthew Richards, Hugs & Kisses by Alexandra “Lexie” Orr, Bridging Our Stories by Rafael Bitanga, Dyahe Piece by Coco Tolentino, and Manongs by Colin Gong Galeste. A 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. panel, Creativity and Responsibilities in Filipino American Storytelling, is moderated by Amanda L. Andrei, with Ara Chawdhury, Roger Q. Mason, Leo Partible, and Reuben Domingo. Block B, Center Stage, follows from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m.

The Friday feature is the U.S. premiere of Treasure of the Rice Terraces, a documentary by Kent Donguines, Khryz Donguines, and Nicolle Rufino that follows Kalinga tattoo culture through Apo Whang-Od and her apprentices after a Vancouver International Film Festival run. Saturday brings Mabuhay, directed by Arjonel Villaflor, plus more shorts blocks and an industry panel with Chris Quintos Cathcart, Walter Bolholst, Tim Cruz, and Andrea Chung. Sunday closes on a FAC community block. An awards night gala, presented with Give Hope Studios, is part of the weekend. The gala venue was still listed as TBD on the FAQ when we checked.

Festival Director Charles Jon Gray frames the lineup as diaspora cinema with room to breathe. Angel Quinsay is COO and gala producer. The 32nd Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture already happened September 12 at Point Fermin Park in San Pedro. That outdoor day is over. October is the indoor film half.

San Gabriel Dumpling & Beer Fest is the same Friday night in the Mission District. Do not try a late Luckman block and a 6 p.m. dumpling gate. Pick the room. Artesia’s street fair is Saturday on Pioneer. SDAFF is the longer San Diego AAPI film week in November if you want a second festival after this.

Cal State LA sits above the 10 at Eastern. The campus is a hill. Budget time for the lot. The Luckman is a single campus house, not a multiplex. Arrive early even with a pass. Entry is first come, first served for seating.

Our take: if you only have one day, take Friday for the Whang-Od documentary, the panel, and one shorts block. If you want the industry room, Saturday is the denser pass. Buy before you walk up.

When: October 2–4, 2026 (filmmaker day Oct 1; see Eventbrite for day blocks)
Where: Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Cal State LA, 5151 State University Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90032