The seventh annual edition of the binational Oculto Film Fest returns to El Paso’s Philanthropy Theatre (in the Plaza Theatre Performing Arts Centre) on October 24-25.
It features two days of feature and short films from around the world, including director Juan Albarracin’s 2025 Spanish film festival favorite El Instinto and Arturo and Ray Ambriz’s Soy Frankelda, Mexico’s first stop-motion animated film.
Oculto also will feature a panel discussion with some of El Paso’s top filmmakers, including Lucky McKee (May, The Woman, Poker Face), Dakota Thomas (Crawford) and Genaro Limon, and a stop-motion animation discussion by Mexican filmmakers Cecilia Andalón and Rafael Ruiz, whose short film Dolores was recently up for Mexico’s Ariel Award for animated short film.
The program also includes short films made by local filmmakers through Oculto’s 48-hour film challenge, sponsored by the Star Central Studios Learning Center, which is this weekend. Prize-winning films from the competition will be shown during Oculto.
This is the third year that Oculto, an affiliate of the El Paso Community Foundation, will be held in El Paso. It originated in Juárez, where it returns November 1-2.
Tickets for the El Paso screenings are $5 for each event, $15 for a two-day pass, on sale at the Plaza Theatre Box Office and Ticketmaster.com.
Here’s the schedule for the El Paso portion of the festival:
Friday, October 24
• 5:30-6 pm — Red Carpet Opening Ceremony, Plaza Theatre entrance. Free
• 6-7:30 pm — 48 Hour short films block, Philanthropy Theatre. $5.
• 8-9:30 pm — El Instinto (Spain), Philanthropy Theatre. $5.
• 10 pm-12 am — Dinner at Mesa St. Grill (entry with screening ticket)
Saturday, October 25
• 3-5 pm — Soy Frankelda, Philanthropy Theatre. $5.
• 5-6 pm — Filmmaker Panel Discussion with Lucky McKee, Genaro Limon, Dakota Thomas, Christopher Velasquez, Nahomi Gomez, and Alfredo Castruita, Philanthropy Theatre. $5.
• 6-7:30 pm — Short Film Block (Bloody Glamping, The Last Word, Simcha, Il Colore dela Notte, Virgin Killer, The Nightmare Catchers), Philanthropy Theatre. $5.
• 7:30-9 pm — Q&A with Mexican animated filmmakers Cecilia Andalón and Rafael Ruiz, Philanthropy Theatre. $5.
• 9 pm-12 am — Closing ceremony, Alcantar Sky Garden (entry with screening ticket).
Information: ocultofilmfest.com.