Local, amateur filmmakers share space with established directors at the Pinnacles Film Festival.

The inaugural Pinnacles Film Festival in King City offers a chance for local, independent filmmakers to showcase their work. The concept has resonated; there are 37 films in the lineup, presented in three theaters over a single day, Oct. 10.

“Part of our original idea was to create a space so more people would have an opportunity to show their work,” explains Jude Yriarte. “We wanted to create a space where they can tell their stories. We wanted to mix that with professional films as well.”

Yriarte serves as executive director of Sol Treasures Arts and Cultural Center. She organized the festival along with Jacquie Atchison, executive director of Arts County for Monterey County. The pair pulled the inaugural event together in less than a year.

Many of the films selected are short projects by students from Hartnell College and CSU Monterey Bay, ranging from five to 12 minutes. Two high school freshmen who attended a four-week course sponsored by Sol Treasures and Arts4MC – Addae Cortes and Adriel Lopez – also have a film in the schedule.

Alongside their works are screenings of some selections from the Sundance Film Festival, including Omaha and The Long Valley, the latter an adaptation of John Steinbeck’s story directed by Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck.

Yriarte says the motivation behind bringing together amateur and professional filmmakers is to give those just starting out an opportunity to be in association with colleagues experienced with the process – from raising funds to casting and marketing.

“It’s so important to filmmakers to have their films seen,” she adds.

One short film, written and directed by 25-year-old Seaside resident Marco Navarro, has already been screened at the 2026 New York Latino Film Festival. Little One follows a character named Alexa, the youngest daughter in a family who owns a Mexican supermarket. The story takes place at closing time as a zombie apocalypse begins to rage outside. Her brother has become infected and is starting to turn.

Yet the film is not straightforward horror. Throughout, Navarro reflects on the theme of growing up in a Latino family in Seaside.

Navarro was inspired by movies from an early age. When he was younger, he would buy bootlegged films outside of La Morenita Tortilleria & Meat Market on Fremont Boulevard in Seaside from someone who his dad referred to simply as “the guy.” That served as an inspiration for the location of Little One, which was shot at La Chiquita Market and El Milagro, also on Fremont.

That tight-knit community dynamic is something that Navarro wanted to explore using the horror genre. Through a cast of five characters, he weaves family, connection and sacrifice through the plot.

“I loved [the idea] because it was a very genuine and authentic look at what it means to be Mexican-American,” says Anthony Alyassi, producer of Little One. Alyassi, who is based in Los Angeles and works at Fox Entertainment Studios, adds that Hispanics make up a large driving force in Hollywood, yet their representation remains low.

“Now more than ever, horror is having a moment,” Alyassi says, referring to recent feature length movies like Backrooms and Obsession, which are more psychologically-driven than classic horror films. “It isn’t just conventional horror. It’s exploring really deep and complex themes related to identity.”

For Navarro, that also means featuring his hometown. “I feel like I’m taking a piece of home with me to the festival,” he says.

Some pieces are drawn not from filmmaker’s lives, but other worlds. Independent filmmaker Nick Kitchens adapted a short story by Roald Dahl titled The Man From The South. Kitchens’ narrative portrays an ensemble of local actors, with Monterey resident Maddox Haberdasher as the Machiavellian titular character.

Kitchens took his time finding players for the roles, including Samantha Barnett, whose performance strikes authority through subtle body acting.

The performance is complemented by a suspenseful score by Seaside-based musical duo SEA.LVL. The Man From The South marks the first narrative film by Kitchens in over a decade.

The Pinnacles lineup also includes documentaries, such as Condor Canyon from the Ventana Wildlife Society, as well as animated pieces and dramas. The Nightcap is a film written and directed by Scotty Cornfield, a retired detective and regular contributor to the Weekly’s annual 101-word short story contest – an indication that he is adept at shorter productions.

With almost 40 films and a range of ideas and experience, Yriarte says, “There’s something for everybody.”

THE PINNACLES FILM FESTIVAL takes place 10am-6pm Saturday, Oct. 10. King City Cinemas, 200 Broadway St., King City. $25/all-access pass; $10/student; $30/family pass (two adults, two youth); $20/after-party. (831) 386-1381, soltreasures.com/thepinnaclesfilmfestival.