Filmmakers Dash Out the Door as 26 Teams Join Record Inland 48 Hour Film Fest Kickoff
2 min read
Photos by Manny Sandoval: A participant holds up a card revealing their chosen genre during the 48 Hour Inland Film Fest kickoff.
The clock started ticking Friday, Oct. 3, at 7 PM as the 48 Hour Inland Film Fest kicked off at KVCR Public Media studios in San Bernardino, drawing one of its largest turnouts yet with 26 filmmaking teams. About 80 participants crowded the studio, eager to receive this year’s required story elements before sprinting into production.
This year’s prompts were revealed to cheers and a few gasps of anticipation:
Character: Victor or Victoria Dane, a scientist.
Line: “I’m not lying, I’m just rehearsing a better truth.”
Prop: Chopsticks.
Festival producer Kevin Lyons described the scene as a rush of adrenaline and creativity. “High energy and lots of anticipation — some team leaders are nervous, they’re antsy, and some have done it multiple times,” he said. “Some people even run out the door as soon as they receive the elements.”
That was no exaggeration. Moments after the prompts were announced, one participant literally bolted out of the KVCR studio to meet their team and begin filming.
Now in its most competitive year yet, the Inland Empire’s 48 Hour Film Fest gives filmmakers just two days to write, shoot, and edit a 4- to 7-minute short film. The deadline for submissions was 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 5 — exactly 48 hours after kickoff.
Lyons noted that seasoned teams have the process down to a science. “Some send one or two representatives to the kickoff while others are already on location, ready to start scriptwriting as soon as the elements are texted over,” he explained.
The completed films will premiere on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 6 PM, at Harkins Theaters Mountain Grove 16 in Redlands, followed by a “Best Of” screening on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, at 7 PM. Tickets went on sale Monday, Oct. 7.
“It’s our first year hosting the screenings at Harkins in Redlands, and we’re excited for a good time,” Lyons said.
The competition spans an array of genres — from Action, Comedy, and Drama to niche categories like Climate Film, Food Film, Silent Film, and Time Travel Movie — showcasing the range and innovation of the Inland Empire’s creative talent. All screenings are open to the public.
As filmmakers dashed out the KVCR doors, scripts forming in their heads and cameras waiting in cars, one thing was clear — the Inland Empire’s film community thrives under pressure. And fittingly for October, Lyons said his favorite horror director is John Carpenter, whose classics include Halloween, The Thing, and The Fog.
