Santa Fe International Film Festival Artistic Director and Founding Member, Jacques Paisner

In this episode, guest host Genevieve Trainor speaks with Santa Fe International Film Festival Artistic Director and Founding Member Jacques Paisner about the festival and his thoughts for independent filmmakers on getting your work seen. The 18th annual Santa Fe International Film Festival runs October 14–19, 2026. Founded in 2009, the festival is now an Academy Award-qualifying festival for narrative, documentary and animated short films. The full 2026 schedule will be released in September. Jacques is the former director of programming at the Jean Cocteau Cinema and has served on the Mayor’s Santa Fe Film Commission. He now serves on the advisory board for the California American Indian Film Festival and is executive producer on the upcoming film HEATWAVES. He’s also president of the Santa Fe Film Institute, which supports independent filmmaking and New Mexico filmmakers through grants, fiscal sponsorship, mentorship and other year-round programs. To learn more and find festival and pass information, visit santafe.film.