By Michael Howard
December 9, 2025
Year-end round-ups are a fun way to reflect on what’s been happening in our community, look ahead on for what’s to come, and get a sense of where we’re at in the grand scheme of things. So, we took a look back at 2025 happenings in the film industry as well as the local scene and selected the top 10 that had the biggest impact.
What we found was, overall, 2025 was a banner year for the San Diego indie film community. Events inside and outside of our region had an impact on San Diego’s filmmaking outlook, potential, and growth. And while what’s to come is anyone’s guess, the trend is clearly tracking upward.
Here’s the list, rated from least to most impacted:
10. Closing of Landmark Theaters Hillcrest Cinemas
Unfortunately, not everything that made the list was positive. Landmark Theater’s HIllcrest Cinemas was an icon in San Diego’s indie film scene, and losing it was felt. Announced in December 2024 for a January 2025 closing, the year didn’t appear to be moving in the right direction for the San Diego indie film scene at the time. Fortunately, Media Arts Center operates Digital Gym Cinema in San Diego’s East Village, and for all intents and purposes, has picked up the baton, carrying indie films in its theater where Hillcrest Cinemas left off.
9. California Center for the Arts, Escondido Announcing inaugural Hidden City Film Festival
Announced in March 2025 on Instagram, the impact of the California Center for the Arts, Escondido launching their own film festival was not the fact another organization was getting into the film festival game. It was who was getting involved. Renowned for their dedication to the preservation and advancement of the arts, the impact was the influence, prestige and finances of this organization getting behind indie film.
8. Announcement of Attack of the Killer Tomatoes fifth franchise movie, Organic Intelligence
This home-town cult classic franchise produced another installment of its series, and once again, kept the filming and production right here in San Diego. The impact to the community, besides employing local talent and crew, was the message that our region has the resources and infrastructure to support upper, low-budget films. See item seven.
7. Release of One Battle After Another starring Leonardo DiCaprio
See item six where an upper, low-budget film sent the message San Diego can support major productions, enter Warner Bros One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCAprio and Sean Penn among others. A full-fledged major Hollywood production amplifies the same message, while reports were the project dropped $3.4M in San Diego alone in production costs and overall spending in the region.
6. California Governor Gavin Newsom Signing New Film Tax Incentives Into Law
In July 2025, Newsom signed a bill doubling the state’s Film and Television Tax Credit program, from $330M to $750M. While there was no direct impact to San Diego, several aspects of the bill have potential impacts, specifically the incentives for filming in coastal areas and “out-of-zone” filming. This potential may have spawned item number four.
5. Price Drop in Professional Grade Cameras Red Komodo 6K and Blackmagic Pyxis 6K
Technological breakthroughs continue to lower the barrier to entry for indie filmmakers, but these two price drops of professional grade cameras were significant. Each price drop brought the cameras under the $3,000 mark while providing broadcast and film quality output necessary for the professional industry.
4. California Film Commission’s Leah Medrano attending 2025 San Diego Film Awards
While there was no media mention of California Film Commissioner Leah Medrano’s attending this event, she did, and addressed the gathering during the ceremony to pledge her support for the region’s efforts in attracting and retaining film productions. Her attendance alone had an impact, acting as an acknowledgement of the potential our region has for filmmaking, while her pledge confirmed it.
3. Launch of the San Diego County Film Initiative
A coalition of local entertainment, film and labor organizations launched the San Diego County Film Initiative in July of 2025, geared toward creating a centralized organization and incentive plan for filming in San Diego. The impact of this initiative, once and if adopted and implemented, will make it the number one spot in future lists. Until then, it remains high on this year’s list for its potential and collaboration it has produced.
2. Re-launch of Filmmakers Network (FilmNet) San Diego
After a hiatus forced by the pandemic, in March 2025, Karl Weiss re-launched this grass-roots gathering of local filmmakers. With a program of panels, special guests, and workshops, monthly attendance continues to be overwhelmingly strong, even inching toward building maximum capacity ratings, depending on that month’s subject matter. The impact is the collaboration and cohesive vibe the local indie film community has created, resulting in action. See list item number 3.
1. Aaron David Roberts Announcing CVEC, Hollywood Studio 2.0 in Chula Vista
Aaron David Roberts unveiled his plan to build the infrastructure necessary to attract Hollywood sized projects to San Diego with his vision of the Chula Vista Entertainment Complex in December of 2024. The announcement in December was significant in itself, but the impact to the community stemmed from the meetups scheduled beginning in January of 2025 where he took his vision on the road. He organized meetups in South County, Central, then North County, meeting with creatives and filmmakers, asking what they needed, and laying out a vision of how it could work. Those meetings were what stirred the community into action potentially responsible for list items number two, three and nine. For that reason, and the potential impact when and if his project unfolds as he hopes, has earned it the number one event impacting the San Diego indie film community in 2025.
