The 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival, the 45th event in the history of the Vancouver International Film Festival, will be held from October 1 to 11, 2026.Alex Hudson, "Vancouver International Film Festival Details 2026 Lineup". Exclaim!, August 26, 2026.
The festival will open with Jesse Eisenberg's film The Debut, and will close with Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine.Dana Gee, "Vancouver International Film Festival 2026 to open with Oscar buzz film". Vancouver Sun, August 26, 2026.
The full program was announced on August 26.Kristi Alexandra, "VIFF 2026 Lineup Revealed, With True Stories in the Spotlight". Vancouver Magazine, August 26, 2026.
Awards Winners of the juried awards are expected to be announced during the festival, with winners of the audience-voted awards announced at the festival's conclusion.
Films
Galas and special presentations English title Original title Director(s) Production country All of a Sudden 急に具合が悪くなる / Soudain Ryûsuke Hamaguchi France, Japan, Germany, Belgium Behemoth! Tony Gilroy United States The Beloved El ser querido Rodrigo Sorogoyen Spain, France Bitter Christmas Amarga Navidad Pedro Almodóvar Spain La bola negra Javier Calvo, Javier Ambrossi Spain, France Club Kid Jordan Firstman United States Coward Lukas Dhont Belgium The Debut Jesse Eisenberg United States Fatherland Paweł Pawlikowski Poland, France, Italy, Germany Fjord Cristian Mungiu Romania, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark I Play Rocky Peter Farrelly United States A Long Winter Andrew Haigh United States, Canada, United Kingdom Look Back ルックバック Hirokazu Kore-eda Japan Minotaur Минотавр Andrey Zvyagintsev France, Germany, Latvia The Only Living Pickpocket in New York Noah Segan United States Paper Tiger James Gray United States, Brazil, Italy Possible Love 가능한 사랑 Lee Chang-dong South Korea Rose Markus Schleinzer Austria, Germany Tender Loving Care Mike Leigh United Kingdom Whatcha Want Mina Shum Canada Wild Horse Nine Martin McDonagh United Kingdom, United States, Chile Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother Bassam Tariq United States
Showcase English title Original title Director(s) Production country All the Lovers in the Night すべて真夜中の恋人たち Yukiko Sode Japan A Bit of Light Kami nour Ali Asgari Iran, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Turkey Ceremony Banchi Hanuse Canada Clarissa Arie Esiri, Chuko Esiri Nigeria, United States, Egypt Dao Alain Gomis France, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal The Diary of a Chambermaid Le journal d'une femme de chambre Radu Jude France, Romania The Dreamed Adventure Das Geträumte Abenteuer Valeska Grisebach Germany, France, Bulgaria, Austria The Flight Soran Mardookhi Canada Gentle Monster Marie Kreutzer Austria The Guest Mads Mengel Denmark The History of Concrete John Wilson United States How We Stand Marie Clements Canada I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning Clio Barnard United Kingdom, France, United States Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney Mesdames et Messieurs, Brian Mulroney Matthew Rankin Canada Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story Adrian Buitenhuis Canada Mouse Kelly O'Sullivan, Alex Thompson United States Nagi Notes ナギダイアリー Kōji Fukada Japan, France, Singapore, Philippines Nowhere to Lay My Eyes Nunduldega eomne Hong Sangsoo South Korea Queen at Sea Lance Hammer United Kingdom, United States Reclaim My Skin (Episode 1–3) Marie Clements Canada Run Terry Run Sean Menard Canada School for Defectors Jeremy Workman South Korea, United States The Story of Documentary Film: "The 2000’s: Chapter 12–13 Mark Cousins United Kingdom, United States The Story of Documentary Film: "The 2010’s and 2020’s: Chapter 14–16" Mark Cousins United Kingdom, United States Tangles Leah Nelson Canada, United States Yellow Letters Gelbe Briefe İlker Çatak Germany, Turkey, France Yugo Goes to America Filip Grujić, Aleksa Borković Serbia, Croatia
Panorama English title Original title Director(s) Production country 17 Kosara Mitić North Macedonia, Slovenia, Serbia 9 Temples to Heaven 9 วัด สู่สวรรค์ Sompot Chidgasornpongse Thailand, Singpore, France, Norway, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Qatar Afterpiece Keane T.K. Wong Hong Kong Árru Elle Sofe Sara Norway, Sweden, Finland Congo Boy Rafiki Fariala Central African Republic, France, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Italy The Difficult Bride Rubaiyat Hossain France, Bangladesh, Germany, Norway, Portugal Elephants in the Fog तिनीहरू Abinash Bikram Shah Nepal, France, Germany, Brazil, Norway Everytime Sandra Wollner Austria, Germany Fireflies in the Dark Yogesh Lohan India Flesh and Fuel Du Fioul dans les artères Pierre Le Gall France, Poland Flies Moscas Fernando Eimbcke Mexico Frank & Louis Petra Volpe Switzerland, United Kingdom Fruit Gathering သစ်သီးခူး Aung Phyoe Myanmar, Czech Republic, France A Girl Unknown Zou Jing China, France La Gradiva Marine Atlan France, Italy Heysel 85 Teodora Ana Mihai Belgium, Netherlands, Germany Idda Irene Dionisio Italy In Alaska Jaap van Heusden, Vinnie Karetak Netherlands, Canada Iron Boy Le Corset Louis Clichy France, Belgium Lali Sarmad Khoosat Pakistan Light Pillar 寒夜灯柱 Xu Zao China Linka Linka Kangdrun China The Loneliest Man in Town Wiener Blues Tizza Covi, Rainer Frimmel Austria Nina Roza Geneviève Dulude-De Celles Canada, Italy, Bulgaria, Belgium No Good Men Shahrbanoo Sadat Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, Afghanistan Nobody's Violence Violence du corps à l'autre Denis Côté Canada Paris Paris Isabelle Tollenaere Belgium The Quiet Applause Byun Sung-bin South Korea Roid রইদ Mejbaur Rahman Sumon Bangladesh Shame and Money Visar Morina Germany, Kosovo, Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia, Belgium Sweet Milk Lake Harvey Zielinski Australia Take Me Home Liz Sargent United States We Are All Strangers 我们不是陌生人 Anthony Chen Singapore What Remains Artakalan Yeşim Ustaoğlu Turkey, Luxembourg, France, Bulgaria Where the River Begins Donde comenzia el rio Juan Andrés Arango Canada, Colombia, Norway Yasha Naghi Nemati Iran, Germany
Vanguard English title Original title Director(s) Production country Ana, En Passant Fernanda Salgado Brazil, Portugal Forest High Manon Coubia Belgium, France Hear the Yellow Banu Sıvacı Turkey Hearing Bảo Lê Vietnam, Singapore, Norway, France, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan I Plant My Hand in the Garden Boris Hadžija, Hoda Taheri Germany, Serbia, United States Lady Olive Nwosu United Kingdom, Nigeria Lust Ralitza Petrova Bulgaria, Denmark, Sweden That Shadow Fading Samuel Urbina Peru
Northern Lights English title Original title Director(s) Production country Ba's Book Ashley Duong Canada The Bryce Lee Story Arnold Lim Canada Clubfoot Nathan Donovan Canada First Comes Love: Nakabingwit Joella Cabalu Canada The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony Habiba Nosheen Canada In the Heart of the South Nyla Innuksuk Canada Lifeline Ilhan Abdullahi Canada Pocket Mirror Adrian Murray Canada Relax, Open Your Eyes David Ehrenreich Canada A Safe Distance Gloria Mercer Canada Send the Rain Hayley Gray, Kaayla Whachell Canada Seventeen Justin Ducharme Canada Smudge the Blades Cody Lightning Canada Still Night, Burning House Carol Nguyen Canada Strong Son Ian Bawa Canada Turtle Island Rap Alexandra Lazarowich Canada
Insights English title Original title Director(s) Production country Birds of War Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak United Kingdom, Syrian Arab Republic, Lebanon Closure Michał Marczak Poland, France Concrete Land Asmahan Bkerta Jordan, Palestine A Distant Call Andrea Suwito France, Indonesia, United Kingdom A Fire There Un feu au loin Marlene Edoyan Canada Gabin Maxence Voiseux France, Germany, Switzerland Heat Jacqueline Zünd Switzerland Kikuyu Land Andrew H. Brown, Bea Wangondu Kenya, United States Nitassinan Joséphine Bacon, Kim O'Bomsawin Canada Nuisance Bear Jack Weisman, Gabriela Osio Vanden Canada, United States Once Upon a Time in Harlem William Greaves, David Greaves United States A Place of Absence Marialuisa Ernst United States, Bolivia, Mexico Revolutionaries Never Die Mohanad Yaqubi Palestine, Belgium, Qatar Whispers in May Dongnan Chen Hong Kong, Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden Who Moves America Yael Bridge United States The Wind's Thirst Alejandro Valbuena Canada, Colombia
Spectrum English title Original title Director(s) Production country Ancestor/Great-Grandparent/Great-Grandchild Aanikoobijigan Adam Khalil, Zack Khalil United States, Denmark Afterlives Kevin B. Lee Germany, France, Belgium Crocodile The Critics, Pietra Brettkelly Nigeria, New Zealand Daughters of the Forest Otilia Portillo Padua Mexico An Incomplete Calendar Sanaz Sohrabi Canada, Iran, Turkey, Venezuela Into the Jaws of the Ogre Mahsa Karampour France Jaripeo Efraín Mojica, Rebecca Zweig Mexico, United States, Framce Last Movies Stanley Schtinter United Kingdom Let Them Be Seen Nolitha Refilwe Mkulisi South Africa, Germany Yo (Love Is a Rebellious Bird) Anna Fitch, Banker White United States
Portraits English title Original title Director(s) Production country Agridulce (Bittersweet) Frank Pavich United States, Dominican Republic Farruquito: A Flamenco Dynasty Santi Aguado, Reuben Atlas Spain, United States Fugs Film! Chuck Smith United States James McNeill Whistler David Bickerstaff United Kingdom Nous, l'orchestre de Paris Philippe Béziat France Our Mr. Matsura Beth Harrington United States Radioheart: The Drive and Times of DJ Kevin Cole Peter Hilgendorf, Andrew Franks United States Rebecca Horn – the Secret Life of Things Claudia Müller Germany Tenor: My Name Is Pati Rebecca Tansley New Zealand Wolf Christian Cargill United Kingdom
Leading Lights Guest curator: Sophy Romvari.
English title Original title Director(s) Production country Close-Up Klūzāp, nemā-ye nazdīk Abbas Kiarostami Iran The Tree of Life Terrence Malick United States Vengeance Is Mine Michael Roemer United States
Focus on New German Cinema: Extreme Tension
English title Original title Director(s) Production country The Ballad from Wednesday to Thursday Die Ballade von Mittwoch auf Donnerstag Christoph Otto Germany Dear Future Self Erzähl Mir Dein Morgen Ella Cieslinski, Nina Wesemann Germany I Understand Your Displeasure Ich verstehe Ihren Unmut Kilian Armando Friedrich Germany Prosecution Staatsschutz Faraz Shariat Germany Sometimes, I Imagine Them All at a Party Was an Empfindsamkeit bleibt Daniela Magnani Hüller Germany Trial of Hein Der Heimatlose Kai Stänicke Germany
Altered States English title Original title Director(s) Production country Death Has No Master La muerte no tiene dueño Jorge Thielen Armand Venezuela, Canada, Italy, Luxembourg Family Fears Another Night of Terror Familia teme enfrentar una nueva noche de terror Cristian Ponce Argentina Freaks Part II Zach Lipovsky, Adam Stein Canada Gasmask Harry Cepka Canada, United States Jim Queen Jim Queen à la recherche de la Chloroqueer Nicolas Athane, Marco Nguyen France Midnight Momo Tenzin Yeshi United States The Peril at Pincer Point Noah Stratton-Twine, Jake Kuhn United Kingdom Soul Catcher Haboolm Ksinaalgat Amanda Strong, Pamela Post Canada Species Marion Le Corroller France, Belgium Twin Snakes Lev Kalman, Whitney Horn United States Ugly Cry Emily Robinson United States Wicker Alex Huston Fischer, Eleanor Wilson United States
Short Forum