The Department of Media and Communication at Sam Houston State University invites you to join us for the 2026 Heatwave Media and Film Festival. 2026 celebrates the 10th anniversary of the festival with a week full of screenings, guest speakers. masterclasses, and awards!

Festival Overview

April 27

Opening Event | LSC Orange Ballroom | 7:30 PM

• Doors Open at 7:00 PM

April 28 

Screenings & Guest Speakers | Belvin Creative Community

• 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM | Enrique Vasquez - Broadcast
• 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM | Michael Flores - PR & Advertising
• 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM | Narrative Film Screenings
• 3:30 - 5:00 PM | Belvin Block Screenings

• 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Display of other media finalists in DRCB 212
• 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Evening Media Trivia Games in Belvin-Buchanan Hall

April 29 

Screenings & Guest Speakers | Dan Rather Communications Building 125

• 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM | Ashley Seering - Former SHSU film faculty, Beyond Texas finalist. (Includes film screening and Q&A of A Lovely Uncontrollable Thing)
• 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM | Diamond Dickson - Journalism/Meterology

• 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM | 2025 Vance and Karen Howard Film Production Award Screenings and Q&A
• 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Independent Filmmaker Screenings and Q & A
   

April 30

Faculty Masterclass & Screenings | Dan Rather Communications Building 125

• 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM | Non-narrative finalist screeings
• 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM | Heatwave Narrative Film finalist screeings 

• High School Day | Time & Locations Vary

Award Ceremony

• April 30 | 7:00 PM | LSC Orange Ballroom

Submissions are NOW CLOSED. Visit the event website for the full festival schedule. 

For more information, contact the Department of Mass Communication at 936.294.1341 or filmfestival@shsu.edu.

For a full calendar of College of Arts & Media events, visit shsu.edu/camevents.