FAQ 27th Virtual San Diego Latino Film Festival

Is the 2020 edition of the San Diego Latino Film Festival cancelled? 

The 27th annual San Diego Latino Film Festival that was set to take place between March 12th-22nd, 2020 was postponed on its opening day in response to the public health orders by the state of California due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, our festival was postponed to an undetermined future date. We have now decided to hold SDLFF in a virtual capacity on September 17th-27th, 2020.

Why hold SDLFF virtually? 

Certain factors played into our decision to pursue a virtual route for our festival but the most significant, responsible, and compelling one was the health of our supporters, filmmakers, special guests, and staff. San Diego County has seen a surge in positive test results and community outbreaks. It would also be negligent to fail to acknowledge that the Latino community has been hit the hardest by this pandemic in San Diego– as of mid-August, Latinos in San Diego account for 62% of the positive test results in the county. The disproportionate effect this virus has had on our community is alarming– and we do not want to contribute in any way to further transmissions of this virus. The well being of our community members is our top priority.

If I already bought a pass or tickets to the festival will it be honored? 

YES! If you had previously purchased a pass or tickets to a screening in March, your purchase will be honored for the virtual film festival. If you have purchased passes or tickets, you will receive an email from us on how to redeem them for the virtual festival. 

Will you be playing the same films you were planning to in March 2020? 

We will have the majority of films from the original line-up available. Unfortunately, a select number of titles are unavailable for a number of reasons including distribution deals, theatrical agreements, or are now available on SVOD.

What if I purchased tickets to a film that is no longer available for the virtual edition of the festival? 

If you purchased tickets to a film that is not available for the virtual edition of the festival we’ll provide you with a credit to watch one of the other films at this year’s festival. With over 130 films in our line-up from Latinos all over the world there is a lot of content to choose from!

Can I watch films at any time or are they scheduled? 

All films are scheduled. You have a three-hour window to rent the film and start it. Once you start the film you have 24 hours to finish watching it. It is advisable that you BEGIN the film at the scheduled start time so you can join us for any after screening Live Q&A’s which will begin after the film’s credits roll. For example, if a 90 minute film begins at 7:00PM, and there is a Q&A after the film, the discussion will begin around 8:30PM. If you start late, don’t worry. The Q&A will be available to you after you finish the film.

Can I watch any of the films outside of the San Diego Region? 

All films are available to the entire California region. Others include the USA. A select number of films will also be available to Baja California audiences. Check film pages to see which region the film is available in.

Will there be Q&A’s?

YES! One of the things that make film festivals so special are the fact audiences can interact with filmmakers immediately after experiencing their work. We will be having Q&A’s for multiple screenings all depending on availability.

Can I rewind or start a feature film or shorts program after I press play? 

Yes. As long as you watch before 24 hours after the initial purchase time.

How do I purchase a pass to the virtual film festival? 

If you would like to purchase a pass to the film festival, head to the virtual festival by visitinghttps://sdlff2020.eventive.org/passes/buy. Purchase your pass by selecting the pass and then enter your email address to create an account. You will then be prompted to enter your credit card information to complete the purchase of your pass.

How do I purchase an individual ticket to a film? 

If you would like to purchase a ticket to an individual film, head to the virtual festival by visitinghttps://sdlff2020.eventive.org/schedule Here you can browse through all of the available films. Purchase your ticket by selecting UNLOCK and then enter your email address to create an account. You will then be prompted to enter your credit card information to complete the purchase of your ticket.

Are films rated? 

Most films are unrated since they haven’t gone through the MPAA rating system in place in the US. We would recommend you pay special attention to film descriptions; some films delve into challenging content and the description will help you make a decision for your household. Our films tackle difficult subjects that may be triggering to some viewers.

Can I watch live events from an Apple TV app? 

Live events are not available to watch through the Apple TV App. In order to participate in the Q&A during a live event, you will need to watch from a computer to use the chat feature within the player. You can also watch live events from a tablet or smartphone; however, these devices will have limited functionality in the chat. YOU CAN WATCH FESTIVAL CONTENT FROM YOUR SMART TV. Scroll down to read directions. 

Is there a way to create a festival watch list? 

You can create a watchlist using the MY CONTENT LIBRARY feature in the virtual festival. Add content to your library by unlocking the films that you would like to watch within the player.

MANAGING YOUR PASS

1. Login to your Eventive account here: https://sdlff2020.eventive.org/welcome
2. View your passes by clicking the pass icon in the upper right corner.
3. If you see DETAILS NEEDED in red next to your pass, click EDIT DETAILS to fill in information that might be missing.
4. Once you have updated your pass information, you are ready for the virtual festival. Click WATCH FESTIVAL to access the virtual festival.

DIFFERENT WAYS TO WATCH

There are different ways to watch your films from your computer to your TV.

Here’s how to watch a film in our virtual platform through a browser:

1. Head to the virtual festival by visiting: https://sdlff2020.eventive.org/welcome
2. Sign in to your Eventive account from the menu in the upper right hand corner.
3. Click on the Catalog to see our full program.
4. Click on the film you want to watch.
5. Unlock film with your festival pass or choose to pay for one film for $12.
6. The film will load and begin playing once you click play.