The American Film Institute (AFI) announced the complete lineup for AFI FEST 2026 presented by Canva, taking place at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood from October 21–25.
The U.S. premiere of LAIKA Studios’ WILDWOOD will open the 40th AFI FEST on Wednesday, October 21, and Apple Original Films’ BEING HEUMANN will close the festival on Sunday, October 25.
The festival presents 157 films, including five Red Carpet Premieres, 12 Special Screenings, 13 Luminaries selections, 18 Discovery titles, 16 World Cinema selections, 17 documentaries, three After Dark films, four Guest Artistic Director presentations, 45 films in the Short Film Competition, and 24 films in the AFI Conservatory Showcase presented by AMC Global Media.
The AFI FEST lineup represents 50 countries and includes 10 films submitted for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards: 9 TEMPLES TO HEAVEN (Thailand), ALL OF A SUDDEN (Japan), CITIZEN OSAMA (Palestine), ELEPHANTS IN THE FOG (Nepal), EVERYTIME (Germany), THE MELTDOWN (Chile), NINA ROZA (Canada), POSSIBLE LOVE (South Korea), ROSE (Austria) and WE ARE ALL STRANGERS (Singapore).
Highlights include Lee Chang-dong’s Venice Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize winner POSSIBLE LOVE; Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Cannes prize-winning ALL OF A SUDDEN, starring Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto; Werner Herzog’s highly anticipated BUCKING FASTARD, starring Kate Mara and Rooney Mara; Andrew Haigh’s A LONG WINTER, starring Fred Hechinger, Kit Connor, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Caitríona Balfe; Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert’s THE IDIOT(S), starring Johnny Flynn and Aimee Lou Wood; and Mike Leigh’s San Sebastián Golden Shell winner TENDER LOVING CARE.
The lineup also features the North American premieres of Asghar Farhadi’s PARALLEL TALES, starring Isabelle Huppert, Vincent Cassel and Virginie Efira, and Céline Sciamma’s TUTTI FRUTTI, which premiered earlier this year at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
Additional highlights include several award-winning films: İlker Çatak’s Berlinale Golden Bear winner YELLOW LETTERS; Markus Schleinzer’s ROSE, starring Sandra Hüller, winner of the Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance; Sandra Wollner’s EVERYTIME, winner of Cannes’ Un Certain Regard top prize; Marine Atlan’s Cannes Critics’ Week Grand Prize winner LA GRADIVA; Louis Clichy’s IRON BOY, winner of the Cannes Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize; Stephanie Ahn’s BEDFORD PARK, winner of the Sundance U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Debut Feature; and Lance Hammer’s QUEEN AT SEA, starring Juliette Binoche alongside Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Marshall, who shared the Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance.
The lineup also features new films from acclaimed filmmakers Ali Asgari (A BIT OF LIGHT), Clio Barnard (I SEE BUILDINGS FALL LIKE LIGHTNING), Anna Biller (THE FACE OF HORROR), Anthony Chen (WE ARE ALL STRANGERS), Quentin Dupieux (FULL PHIL), Fernando Eimbcke (FLIES), Radu Jude (DIARY OF A CHAMBERMAID), Barbara Kopple (UNION TOWN), Marie Kreutzer (GENTLE MONSTER), Hong Sang-soo (THE DAY SHE RETURNS and NOWHERE TO LAY MY EYES) and Rodrigo Sorogoyen (THE BELOVED).
The documentary selections include Pegah Ahangarani’s REHEARSALS FOR A REVOLUTION, winner of the Cannes L’Œil d’Or Prize; Joss Crowley’s Toronto-premiered PRETENDERS; Ahmed Hassouna’s Venice-debuted CITIZEN OSAMA; Rachel Mason’s MY BROTHER’S KILLER; Ayden Mayeri’s SXSW Grand Jury Award winner SUMMER 2000: THE X-CETRA STORY; and Sundance award winners ONE IN A MILLION, directed by Jack MacInnes and Itab Azzam; NUISANCE BEAR, by Jack Weisman and Gabriela Osio Vanden; and SOUL PATROL, by J.M. Harper.
