St. John’s Community Health Presents Compton’s Hub City International Film Festival 2026

By Johnny Quest • 1 day ago • Events, Film Festivals

COMPTON, CA — The 3rd Annual Compton’s Hub City International Film Festival (CHCIFF) brought more than 500 attendees to Compton for three days of independent film, youth filmmaking, education, entertainment, music and community programming from September 25–27, 2026. Presented by St. John’s Community Health, the festival highlighted the organization’s commitment to supporting the Compton community while creating opportunities for filmmakers, students, artists and audiences to come together through the power of storytelling.

St. John’s Community Health played a significant role in helping make this year’s festival a reality. As the festival’s Title Sponsor, St. John’s supported a program that connected film and entertainment with broader conversations surrounding health, education, community and opportunity. The organization’s involvement was particularly meaningful through the presentation of The Cut, a documentary examining the human impact of healthcare policy and Medicaid cuts, which was followed by a Q&A. The film’s subject matter complemented St. John’s Community Health’s mission and provided festival audiences with an opportunity to engage with issues directly connected to the communities the organization serves.

The 2026 festival was presented under the theme “Ladies Touch: Women in Entertainment,” highlighting women and diverse voices throughout the entertainment industry while also creating a platform for emerging filmmakers from Compton, across the United States and internationally.

Three Days of Film and Community

The festival opened Friday, September 25, with a red-carpet celebration and a screening of the 1976 classic Car Wash in recognition of the film’s 50th anniversary. Friday’s programming continued with additional film presentations before the evening moved to Odyssey 21 for the festival’s After Party.

One of the major highlights of the 2026 festival was the presentation of two world premieres: the JJ Fad documentary and Howard Scott: Straight Into Compton.

The JJ Fad documentary screened Saturday at Compton College as part of the festival’s programming celebrating the history and influence of Compton’s hip-hop culture. The documentary offered audiences an opportunity to experience the story of one of the city’s pioneering hip-hop groups on the big screen.

Saturday also featured the World Premiere of Howard Scott: Straight Into Compton, directed by Compton native Howard Scott Jr. The documentary added another personal perspective on Compton and its history while placing a local filmmaker and his story at the center of the festival.

Saturday’s programming also placed a strong emphasis on the next generation of storytellers. The festival presented films created by students from Compton Unified School District as well as youth filmmakers from throughout the country and internationally.

The day included workshops such as Landi Maduro’s The Filmmaker’s Revenue Blueprint, designed to help filmmakers understand ways to turn their creative work into sustainable revenue, and Adan Clark Thompson ’s Actors Bootcamp, providing practical information for performers navigating the entertainment industry.

Additional Saturday programming included The Cut, youth filmmaker programs, A Mysterious Murder, The Bill Patterson Story, Radical, and other short films, documentaries and special presentations.

Sunday Brings Special Screenings, Panels and Awards

Sunday, September 27, brought the festival to its conclusion with another full day of programming at Compton College.

The day featured workshops, the CHOPS series, an AI Filmmaking panel, U.S. short-film programs, a Music Supervision panel (featuring Alonzo Williams & Kannon “Caviar” Cross) and a special presentation from actress and producer Desreta Jackson.

One of Sunday’s special screenings was Robert Guillaume: Transcending Stereotypes, which was followed by a Q&A featuring the film’s producers, Kevin Guillaume, son of Robert Guillaume, and Executive Producer Pamela Reed Jackson. The presentation gave festival audiences an opportunity to learn more about the legacy of the celebrated actor and the making of the documentary.

The festival concluded with its Awards Ceremony, recognizing filmmakers across youth, documentary, feature film, television, music video, international and women’s perspective categories.

2026 CHCIFF Award Winners

CUSD YFP Awards

Outstanding YFP Smartphone Short
DELUSION — Joselyn Rosa
Compton High School

Outstanding YFP Horror Short
BROKEN YOUTH — Josiah Torres
Dominguez High School

Outstanding YFP Documentary
COMPTON ROOTS — Saira Morales
Dominguez High School

Outstanding YFP Short Short
THE PARK — Kevin Jesus Uriarte Cazares
Compton High School

Outstanding YFP Animation/Narration
A SIMPLE BEGINNING — Miah Solorzano
Dominguez High School

Outstanding YFP Awards

Outstanding YFP Documentary
US & THEM — India Anne Mitchell
Petaluma High School, California

Outstanding YFP Short Doc
EATON — Hana Marie Kim
Pasadena, California

Outstanding YFP Writing
PATIENT ZERO — Kids In The Spotlight
Gardena High School

Outstanding YFP YA Feature
ROSE TINTED NOSTALGIA — Kids In The Spotlight

Outstanding YFP International Animation
THE WANDERING BALLOON — Leo Fajardo
Pampilhosa-Mealhada, Portugal

Outstanding YFP YA Animation
BLOODLINE — Mia Lang and Nia Chantana
Cal State Long Beach, California

International Documentary Short
PAANI — Akshita Vashisht
West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, New Jersey

International Women’s YA Short
ROJO — Paula Sofia Amaya
Universidad Peruana Ciencia

Outstanding Compton Documentary
HOWARD SCOTT: STRAIGHT INTO COMPTON
Directed by Howard Scott Jr.

Outstanding Documentary
THE SIGHT UNSEEN
Directed by Shawn Antoine II

Outstanding TV Series
CHOPS — Hakim A. Khalfani
Episodes I & II

Outstanding Feature Film
RADICAL — Isaiah Francis

Outstanding Music Video
BOOKWORM — Zantino Bustes

Outstanding Historical Documentary
THE BILL PATTERSON STORY
Directed by Anthony Severo

Outstanding Women’s Perspective Short
REVERBERATE — Jewel Hargrove
Directed by Jim Morrison IV

International Documentary Short
PAANI — AV

Women’s Perspective Comedic Short
MEET B.O.B. — Tracy Crews

Women’s Perspective Short
HYSTERICUS — Jessica Richmond

Women’s Perspective Short
SHENITA’S REMORSE
Directed by Ebony Perry

Outstanding Political Music Video
BULOSANI ON AMERICAN DEMOCRACY 3
Directed by Andrez Luz

Audience Award
A Mysterious Murder
Directed By Keyvon Pierre Adams

Recognizing Those Who Helped Make CHCIFF Possible

Beyond the films and awards, CHCIFF 2026 also recognized individuals whose contributions helped support the festival and its continued growth.

Appreciation of Continued Services to Our Organization
Chef Ewanda Jackson
Ladies Touch, Inc.

Appreciation of Technical Support and Consultation
David “VELO” Stewart
TRILLVISION

Appreciation to Our New Sponsor
St. John’s Community Health
Jim Mangia, President & CEO

The recognition of St. John’s Community Health reflects the important role the organization played in supporting the festival. Through its sponsorship, St. John’s helped CHCIFF bring together film, education, health, entertainment and community programming while providing a platform for stories connected to the experiences of communities throughout the region.

A Festival Powered by People

The success of CHCIFF 2026 was also the result of the people working behind the scenes and on stage throughout the weekend.

Ayanna Henderson served as the festival host, guiding audiences through the three-day celebration and helping connect the various programs, speakers and presentations.

Festival Director ML Davis, Ewanda Jackson, and Norman Miller were part of the festival team that worked throughout the event to bring the program together and create an experience for filmmakers, students, industry professionals and community members.

Their work, along with the contributions of sponsors, partners, volunteers, filmmakers, speakers and attendees, helped bring the third annual festival to life.