The Hamptons

The Hamptons’ International Film Festival (HIFF), presented by Artemis Rising Foundation, today announced its Closing Night selection, Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s WICKER, sponsored by Withum, screening Monday, October 12. Starring Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Elizabeth Debicki and Peter Dinklage, the film follows an ostracized fisherwoman (Colman) who commissions a husband from the local basketmaker (Dinklage). When her wicker husband (Skarsgård) proves more spectacular than she ever imagined, his soulful spirit and unique prowess awaken something within her, unleashing a wave of jealousy, fascination and upheaval that threatens the very fabric of village life.

This year’s Centerpiece screenings include the US Premiere of Tim Blake Nelson’s THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF WILSON SHEDD will screen Saturday, October 3, (Sponsored by Sotheby’s International Realty) starring Amanda Seyfried and Scoot McNairy, and Noah Segan’s THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK will screen on Saturday, October 10, (sponsored by IL Buco) starring John Turturro, Steve Buscemi, Giancarlo Esposito, Will Price and Tatiana Maslany.

The festival will host their Conversation With.. series, sponsored by Medallion Financial. This will include:
Amanda Seyfried who stars in THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF WILSON SHEDD will be joining the festival for a conversation at East Hampton Middle School on Sunday, October 4. Based on actual events, when a teacher in an abusive marriage takes a job leading creative writing classes at a maximum security prison, she begins to fall for a charismatic inmate. The consequences call into question not only the nature of punishment and retribution, but the very limits of our humanity. John Turturro who stars in THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK will join the festival on Sunday, October 11, for a special conversation at Guild Hall. Turturro gives one of the year’s most exceptional performances as Harry, an old-school hustler and classic native New Yorker who moves through life greasing palms, relying solely on his wits and connections. As times change, his daily pickpocket take of cash and wristwatches is replaced with credit cards and cell phones—and on one unfortunate night, cryptocurrency and a handgun—setting off a cat-and-mouse fight for survival.
Jesse Eisenberg will attend the festival in conversation Saturday, October 10, at Guild Hall. Eisenberg wrote and directed THE DEBUT which will screen on Friday, October 9. The film stars Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, Halle Bailey, and Jesse Eisenberg. Eisenberg (A REAL PAIN, HIFF 2024) returns with a playful love letter to the vibrant, larger-than-life world of community theater. When Mona Friedman (Moore) is cast in a bit part at her local theater, she transforms from a shy, unassuming housewife into a zealous method actor willing to do anything to protect the artistic integrity of her marginal role—even if it means waging war against the show’s domineering director (Giamatti).

Ron Howard will attend the festival for a conversation on Saturday, October 10, at Guild Hall. Howard’s film AVEDON, will have its East Coast Premiere at HIFF. In AVEDON, Howard traces the life and legacy of an artist who used photography to reinvent the world around him. From world leaders to pop culture icons and international supermodels, Richard Avedon’s influence is the blueprint for our image-driven world. His photographs didn’t just reflect culture; they shaped it. Drawing on unprecedented access to his personal archives—including never-before-seen stills, intimate behind-the-lens footage and new interviews with his closest collaborators—AVEDON explores how his singular eye both reflected and reshaped the visual language of the 20th century, and why even the most iconic image is only half the story.

“Each year, HIFF aims to bring audiences not just the best films from around the world, but the opportunity to hear from the artists that create them. This year’s slate reflects the variety of viewpoints and interests that contemporary filmmakers have highlighted in each of their unique projects. We are thrilled that our ‘Conversations With’ series—featuring Amanda Seyfried, Jesse Eisenberg, John Turturro, and Ron Howard—once again gives our audiences a rare, intimate window into the work, creative process, and experiences behind some of this year’s most exciting films.” said Chief Creative Officer David Nugent.

Additional Spotlight Films include Tony Gilroy’s BEHEMOTH!, starring Pedro Pascal, Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor and Will Arnett; the East Coast Premiere of Siân Heder’s BEING HEUMANN, starring Ruth Madeley, Madeline Delp, Mark Ruffalo, and Dylan O’Brien; Josh Alexander’s SARA BAREILLES: GOOD GRIEF, featuring Sara Bareilles; the East Coast Premiere of Simon Stone’s ELSINORE, starring Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman; the East Coast Premiere of Beth de Araújo’s JOSEPHINE, starring Mason Reeves, Channing Tatum, and Gemma Chan; the International Premiere of Vic Sarin’s THE LIGHTKEEPER, starring Dominic Cooper, Sarah Gadon, Aidan Quinn, Sarah Bolger; the East Coast Premiere of Guy Nattiv’s THE LIBERATION, starring Carrie Coon, Lily James, Bella Ramsey, Odessa Young, Tracy Letts; the East Coast Premiere of Rachel Morrison’s LOVE OF YOUR LIFE, starring Margaret Qualley, Aaron Pierre, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Basso, and Catherine Keener; James Gray’s PAPER TIGER, starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, and Miles Teller; the North American Premiere of Lance Hammer’s QUEEN AT SEA, starring Juliette Binoche, Tom Courtenay, Anna Calder-Marshall, Florence Hunt; the East Coast Premiere of Jennifer Peedom’s TENZING, starring Genden Phuntsok, Tom Hiddleston, Willem Dafoe, Caitríona Balfe, Tenzin Dalha and Thinley Lhamo; the US Premiere of Trudie Styler’s UP AGAINST IT, starring Antonio Banderas, Eva Birthistle, and Forest Whitaker; and the East Coast Premiere of Martin McDonagh’s WILD HORSE NINE, starring John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits and Parker Posey.

“This year’s HIFF lineup is a true reflection of the breadth and vitality of contemporary cinema that we strive to celebrate and champion,” said Executive Director Bob Feinberg. “We’re especially proud to present the North American premiere of MOUSE, a film that has its roots in our 2020 Screenwriters Lab—there’s nothing more rewarding than watching a project we championed early come full circle. Audiences can also look forward to our Directing Award and Anatomy of a Scene conversation with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, a special appearance and program from Sara Bareilles, and a screening honoring Bob Balaban that celebrates his extraordinary career. What makes HIFF especially meaningful is the opportunity to experience these films and conversations alongside the artists who created them, and we look forward to another year of discovery, conversation, and celebration in the Hamptons. Cinema creates community, and this festival is proof of that every year.”

This year’s World Cinema Narratives lineup includes Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s ALL OF A SUDDEN, starring Virginie Efira, Tao Okamoto, & Kyozo Nagatsuka; Pedro Almodóvar’s BITTER CHRISTMAS starring Bárbara Lennie & Leonardo Sbaraglia; Lindsay Calleran’s CAITY, starring Chiara Aurelia, Morgan Spector & Zach Cherry; Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri’s CLARISSA, starring Sophie Okonedo, David Oyelowo, & Ayo Edebiri; the New York Premiere of Lukas Dhont’s COWARD, starring Emmanuel Macchia & Valentin Campagne; Valeska Grisebach’s THE DREAMED ADVENTURE, starring Yana Radeva & Syuleyman Letifov; Sandra Wollner’s EVERYTIME, starring Birgit Minichmayr & Tristan Lopez; Paweł Pawlikowski’s FATHERLAND, starring Hanns Zischler & Sandra Hüller; Cristian Mungiu’s FJORD, starring Sebastian Stan & Renate Reinsve; the East Coast Premiere of Marie Kreutzer’s GENTLE MONSTER, starring Léa Seydoux & Catherine Deneuve; the US Premiere of Clio Barnard’s I SEE BUILDINGS FALL LIKE LIGHTNING, starring Anthony Boyle & Joe Cole; Rob Burnett’s IN MEMORIAM starring Marc Maron, Talia Ryder, Sharon Stone, and Lily Gladstone; Louis Clichy’s IRON BOY, starring Gary Clichy & Rod Paradot; Marine Atlan’s LA GRADIVA, starring Antonia Buresi & Colas Quignard; Andrew Haigh’s A LONG WINTER, starring Fred Hechinger, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Caitríona Balfe, & Kit Connor; Ellie Sachs’ LUCY SCHULMAN, starring Ellie Sachs & Thomas Mann; Emmanuel Marre’s A MAN OF HIS TIME, starring Swann Arlaud & Sandrine Blancke; Andrey Zvyagintsev’s MINOTAUR, starring Dmitriy Mazurov & Iris Lebedeva; the North American Premiere of Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson’s MOUSE, starring Sophie Okonedo & Katherine Mallen Kupferer; Lee Chang-dong’s POSSIBLE LOVE, starring Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung, & Cho Yeo-jeong; Mike Leigh’s TENDER LOVING CARE, starring Kate O’Flynn & Alice Bailey Johnson; the New York Premiere of Ilker Çatak’s YELLOW LETTERS, starring Özgü Namal & Tansu Biçer; and the US Premiere of Dallan Shovlin’s YOU’LL NEVER BELIEVE WHO’S DEAD, starring Ardal O’Hanlon & Michelle Fairley.

In addition to previously announced films, the World Cinema Documentary section of the festival includes Greg Kohs’ THE A-WORD: THE FUTURE OF AGING, Pete Mueller’s BUCKS HARBOR, the East Coast Premiere of Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw’s BURGUNDY, the New York Premiere of Nanette Burstein’s CARL SAGAN: WE ARE MADE OF STAR STUFF, the New York Premiere of Michał Marczak’s CLOSURE, Alison Chernick’s HOUSE OF CRITICISM, Quinn Whitney Wilson and Viridiana Lieberman’s JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT, the New York Premiere of Barnaby Thompson’s MAVERICK: THE EPIC ADVENTURES OF DAVID LEAN, the New York Premiere of Alex Gibney’s MUSK, the US Premiere of Silje Evensmo Jacobsen’s THE MYSTERY PACKAGE, Sam Green’s THE OLDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD, the East Coast Premiere of Frank Marshall and Nigel Sinclair’s PETE TOWNSHEND: BEHIND BLUE EYES, Phillip Byron’s SPIN WARS, and the World Premiere of Chris Smith’s WILDER.

The Competition Documentary section includes the New York Premiere of Carolina Gonzalez Valencia’s HOW TO CLEAN A HOUSE IN 10 EASY STEPS, the US Premiere of Pepa Lubojacki’s IF PIGEONS TURNED TO GOLD, William Greaves and David Greaves’ ONCE UPON A TIME IN HARLEM, the US Premiere of Anette Ostrø’s THE GOLDEN SWAN, and the New York Premiere of Lexie Bean and Logan Rozos’ WHAT WILL I BECOME?, and Competition Narrative section includes the US Premiere of Mads Mengel’s THE GUEST, starring Trine Dyrholm, Simon Bennebjerg, Josephine Park, Peter Gantzler, Petrine Agger, Mette Klakstein, Kristine Kujath Thorp; the New York Premiere of Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo’s LA BOLA NEGRA, starring Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos Gonzalez, Milo Quifes, Lola Duenas, Penelope Cruz, Glenn Close; the US Premiere of Manuela Martelli’s THE MELTDOWN, starring Maya O’Rourke, Saskia Rosendahl, Maia Rae Domagala; and Markus Schleinzer’s ROSE, starring Sandra Hüller, Caro Braun, Marissa Growaldt, Robert Gwisdek, and Godehard Giese.

The Compassion, Justice and Animals section includes Mye Hoang’s 25 CATS FROM QATAR, Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Weisman’s NUISANCE BEAR, and Penny Lane’s WILD INSIDE.

Sponsored by Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, with Support from the Suffolk County Film Commission, additional titles included in this year’s Views from Long Island section includes the North American Premiere of Lindsey Ryan’s CAPSIZED, featuring Rhys Ifans, Lily Rabe, Sarah Catherine Hook, Griffin Gluck, Eli Goss, Joan Stein, Ada Bland, as well as the previously announced World Premiere of Jake Silbermann’s BARBIZON, featuring Erica Pappas, Jake Silbermann, Michael DeGrandpre, McKenna Parsons, and the World Premiere of Eric Weber and Nick Weber’s NOT DEAD YET, featuring Richard Kind, Paul Raci, Polly Draper, Tovah Feldshuh, Toby Huss, Seth Herzog, Ed German, Bill Smitrovich.

Sponsored by Twomey Latham, the Films of Conflict and Resolution section of the festival includes the US Premiere of Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo’s BEN’IMANA, Maiken Baird’s EDWARD SAID: BETWEEN WORLDS, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor’s NAZA, the New York Premiere of Pegah Ahangarani’s REHEARSALS FOR A REVOLUTION, and the New York Premiere of Jeremy Workman’s SCHOOL FOR DEFECTORS.

Sponsored by Luminara Napa Valley, the Air, Land and Sea section includes the World Premiere of Rick Cutter’s THE GRID UNPLUGGED, and the World Premiere of Josh Thompson’s KINGDOM FUNGI.

In addition, the festival has announced the jury members for the 2026 festival. The Narrative Jury will include Tribeca Festival Director and Senior Vice President of Programming Cara Cusumano, Tony Award-nominated playwright, screenwriter, and actor Jeremy O. Harris, and The Hollywood Reporter’s Chief Film Critic David Rooney; and Cinema Tropical Co-Founding Executive Director Carlos A. Gutiérrez, director and producer Mark Obenhaus, and DC/DOX co-founder and Festival Director Sky Sitney make up this year’s Documentary Jury.

HIFF also announced 12 programs of short films this year, which include Narrative Competition; Documentary Competition; New York Women In Film & Television: Filmmakers Calling The Shots; University Showcase; Spark! Shorts For All Ages; Unexpected Revelations; Family Affairs; Time After Time; Feeding the World; Views from Long Island; Air, Land, and Sea; and Conflict and Resolution, as well as one short film playing before a feature.

The 2026 HIFF Competition Film Awards will offer a robust selection of new prizes, including cash prizes for each winner alongside in-kind goods and services. New for 2026, Documentary + will award the five documentary short films selected for competition guaranteed distribution, a dedicated showcase on the platform, and full promotional support across their streaming network, socials, and newsletter. The Best Documentary Short winner will receive “Hero Banner” placement (value of $50k/month) on all Documentary+ platforms for 30 days. TCS will award one equipment package of camera equipment and lenses equivalent to $60,000 to the Best Narrative Feature winner, and one equipment package of camera equipment and lenses equivalent to $20,000 to the Best Documentary Feature winner. Motion Picture Exchange will award color correction and sound mix services valued at $5,000 for each feature competition winner. Greenslate will award $5,000 in payroll services to the Best Documentary Feature winner. Hamptons Locations will award $5,000 in location services to the Best Narrative Feature winner. On Location Education will award $2,500 in on-set teaching services to the Best Narrative Feature winner.

The 34th annual Hamptons International Film Festival will run October 2-12, 2026, with screenings and events taking place across the Hamptons. HIFF thanks this year’s festival sponsors: Presenting Sponsor Artemis Rising Foundation; Premier Sponsor Audi (official vehicle); Lead sponsor Flyte (official air travel partner); Signature Sponsors Luminara Napa Valley, Medallion financial, Once Upon A Time Productions, and Hamptons Magazine; Premium Contributing Sponsors Netflix, Shadowbox Studios, Assemble Media, Lismore Road, Almatcha, UBS, Twomey Latham, Sotheby’s International realty, Withum, IL Buco, Fox Rothschild, and Hampton Jitney; Official Media Partners WNBC, The Express News Group, The Atlantic, Long Island Broadcasting (WEHM, WBAZ & WBEA), Dan’s Papers, Now Voyager, and The Gotham/Filmmaker Magazine; Contributing Sponsors Discover Long Island, The Hedges Inn, The Maidstone, Faraway Sag Harbor, Regal Cinemas, Southampton Playhouse, Wolffer Estate, Silvercup Studios, Dos Hombres Tequila, Second Sip Gin, 91 East​, Guild Hall, Moby’s, Lion’s Nook, Nick & Toni’s, NYWIFT, Primo Aperitivo, Serafina, Stony Brook Southampton hospital, The White Room Gallery​, and Sho Sugi Ban House. Foundation supporters include New York State Council on the Arts and Suffolk County. For more information: hamptonsfilmfest.org

OPENING NIGHT FILM
Sponsored by Audi

I PLAY ROCKY
East Coast Premiere
dir. Peter Farrelly, (USA), 2026
The film is an electrifying true story about an unknown actor with an unshakable belief that he wasn’t just meant to write Rocky —he was meant to be Rocky Balboa. Told “no” at every turn, Sylvester Stallone (Anthony Ippolito) bets everything on himself, holding the line on playing the lead against seemingly impossible odds. The result is the ultimate underdog story behind the ultimate underdog movie. An Amazon MGM Studios release.

CLOSING NIGHT
Sponsored by withum

WICKER
East Coast Premiere
dir. Eleanor Wilson, Alex Huston Fischer (Hungary), 2026
Tired of her solitary existence in her medieval English village, an ostracized fisherwoman (Academy Award® winner Olivia Colman) commissions a husband to be made by the local basketmaker (Emmy Award® winner Peter Dinklage). When her wicker husband (Emmy Award winner Alexander Skarsgård) proves more spectacular than she ever imagined, his soulful spirit and unique prowess awaken something inside her, setting off a wave of jealousy, fascination, and upheaval that threatens the very fabric of village life.

An audacious comedic fable about sex, marriage, and the absurdities of social convention, WICKER electrified Sundance this year with its off-the-wall, raunchy charm and the playful performances from its well-known leads. Writer-directors Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer weave a wholly original love story elevated by clever, salacious dialogue and highly entertaining performances. A Black Bear release.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

EVEREST: THE OTHER SIDE
New York Premiere
dir. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin (USA/China/Nepal), 2026
Elite ski mountaineers Jim Morrison and Hilaree Nelson are driven by an unprecedented shared dream: to climb up and ski down the direct North Face of Everest, known as the most dangerous and difficult route on the mountain. Bound by their unconditional love and a mutual desire to pursue the impossible, Morrison and Nelson stake everything on this daunting challenge. Intrepid Academy Award®-winning filmmaking duo Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (FREE SOLO, THE RESCUE) capture in breathtaking IMAX this epic story of romance, resilience, and ambition of monumental heights. A National Geographic release. This is the first public screening of EVEREST: THE OTHER SIDE in IMAX in the USA.

BEST IN SHOW
Sponsored by UBS
dir. Christopher Guest (USA), 2000
Join us for a special screening in celebration of HIFF 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Bob Balaban and his iconic career defined by bringing joy and humanity to the big screen. Christopher Guest’s seminal laugh-out-loud classic BEST IN SHOW follows a troupe of wonderfully kooky characters as they prepare their prized canine companions for the esteemed Mayflower Dog Show. The film features an ensemble cast equipped with the highest caliber of comedic improvisation, including Jennifer Coolidge, Parker Posey, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, and more, as well as Bob Balaban in his unforgettable turn as dog show funder Theodore W. Millbank III. Bob Balaban will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award before the screening.

Anatomy of a Scene: PROJECT HAIL MARY
Sponsored by UBS
Academy Award®-winning writer/directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller (SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE) transported audiences to space and beyond with their blockbuster smash hit PROJECT HAIL MARY, starring Ryan Gosling in their adaptation of Andy Weir’s best-selling novel. The talented duo will be presented with this year’s Achievement in Directing Award at this special presentation on Saturday, October 3, at Sag Harbor Cinema, where audiences will have a rare opportunity to peer into their unique creative process. Explore scenes from the groundbreaking film and learn what it took to bring beloved characters Ryland and Rocky to glorious life on the big screen.

SPOTLIGHT FILMS
Sponsored by AUDI

BEHEMOTH!
dir. Tony Gilroy (USA), 2026
A gifted cellist, Alex Serian (Pedro Pascal), returns home to Los Angeles after 20 years on the road. Music, which has been the constant, all-consuming river of his life, begins to carry Alex on an adventure that will change him forever. A Searchlight Pictures release.

BEING HEUMANN
East Coast Premiere
dir. Siân Heder (USA), 2026
They wouldn’t take Judy Heumann’s phone calls, so she took their building. In 1977, a young disabled woman (Ruth Madeley) and a scrappy coalition of outsiders decide they’ve had enough. What begins as one impulsive act becomes the longest occupation of a federal building in American history, as hundreds spontaneously seize government offices and refuse to leave until the bureaucrat in their way (Mark Ruffalo) takes action. Bringing rebellion in all its forms to the hallowed halls, a movement’s accidental leaders struggle to find their path forward where none has ever been paved for them. Directed by Academy Award winner Siân Heder (“CODA”) and based on true events, “Being Heumann” is the revolutionary, irreverent and deeply human story of the least likely people trying to pull off the impossible and change the lives of millions. An Apple release.

BUNKER
U.S. Premiere
dir. Florian Zeller (France/Spain), 2026
When an architect accepts a morally ambiguous project — building a survivalist bunker for a tech billionaire — his wife begins to question their marriage after 17 years together. Bunker is a dramatic thriller that examines the emotional and moral challenges faced by a couple as the anxieties of an increasingly uncertain world begin to reshape their marriage, exploring the fears, doubts, and ethical dilemmas that define our time. A Sony Pictures Classics release.

CLUB KID
dir. Jordan Firstman (USA), 2026
A hard-partying New York City club promoter (Jordan Firstman) sees his whirlwind lifestyle upended by the arrival of the 10-year-old son he never knew he had. An A24 release.

THE DEBUT
dir. Jesse Eisenberg (USA), 2026
When Mona Friedman is cast in a bit part at a small community theater, she transforms from a shy, unassuming housewife into a zealous method actor willing to do anything to protect the artistic integrity of her marginal role—even if it means waging war against the show’s domineering director. An A24 release.

ELSINORE
East Coast Premiere
dir. Simon Stone (UK/USA), 2026
The deeply emotional and inspirational true story of Ian Charleson, a gifted actor whose greatest challenge becomes his greatest triumph. Facing his own mortality with unflinching honesty, wit, and grace, Charleson delivers a courageous performance that becomes a source of healing and inspiration for those around him. A Focus Features release.

JOSEPHINE
East Coast Premiere
dir. Beth de Araújo (USA), 2026
On an early morning in Golden Gate Park, 8-year-old Josephine (newcomer Mason Reeves) accidentally witnesses a brutal crime. In the aftermath, she begins to act out in search of a way to regain control of her safety, while her parents (Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan) struggle to help her find resolution. With unblinking insight, writer-director Beth de Araújo examines the collision of childhood with the disillusioning realities of sexual violence and injustice. Winner of both the Sundance US Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award, JOSEPHINE delivers a nuanced portrait of both parenthood and childhood, grounded by stirring performances from Tatum and Chan. A Sumerian Pictures release.

THE LIBERATION
East Coast Premiere
dir. Guy Nattiv (USA), 2026
In 1980s New Jersey, Rita (Carrie Coon), a Jewish suburban mother haunted by the weight of her past, encounters magnetic young spiritual leader Ricki (Lily James) and leaves her husband (Tracy Letts) to follow her to an all-female commune. When her daughters (Bella Ramsey and Odessa Young) arrive unexpectedly to bring her home, Rita is forced to choose between the family she left behind and the life she believes can save her. Inspired by real events, THE LIBERATION is at once a gripping psychological thriller and a moving exploration of the reverberations of trauma within family. A Bleecker Street release.

THE LIGHTKEEPER
International Premiere
dir. Vic Sarin (Canada/Ireland), 2026
In a career-best performance, Dominic Cooper (AN EDUCATION, THE HISTORY BOYS) stars as Seamus, a lighthouse keeper in 1920s Ireland who is tethered to a mournful past that he cannot bear to leave behind. Gradually, his despondency begins to crack when three lives intersect with his own: a mysterious American widow, a hard-headed priest, and Seamus’ dedicated housekeeper. Buoyed by a trifecta of performances from Sarah Gadon, Aidan Quinn, and Sarah Bolger, THE LIGHTKEEPER is a deeply felt portrayal of grief and the transformative power of community set against the lush, sweeping landscapes of Ireland’s Atlantic coast.

LOVE OF YOUR LIFE
East Coast Premiere
dir. Rachel Morrison (USA), 2026
Directed by Rachel Morrison (The Fire Inside), LOVE OF YOUR LIFE follows Maya (Margaret Qualley), whose chance encounter with Charlie (Gabriel Basso) sets in motion a sweeping romance and a future beyond anything she had imagined. When that future is suddenly upended, Maya is sent hurtling toward an unexpected new life—one that will force her to reckon with who she is, what she wants, and how to love again. An Amazon MGM release.

THE MAN I LOVE
dir. Ira Sachs (USA), 2026
Late 1980s, New York. Jimmy George (Rami Malek), a charismatic Downtown performer, rebels against his own mortality by throwing himself into a new role, a reckless affair, and the embrace of his creative community.

MISTY GREEN
dir. Chris Rock (USA), 2026
Years after her Hollywood breakthrough, a talented actress (Rosalind Eleazar) whose career has stalled fights for her second act. An A24 release.

PAPER TIGER
dir. James Gray (USA), 2026
In James Gray’s deeply felt and intense drama, two brothers become entangled in a scheme that turns out to be too good to be true. As they try to navigate their way through the dangerous world of the Russian mafia, family bonds begin to fray with life-altering consequences. A NEON release.

QUEEN AT SEA
North American Premiere
dir. Lance Hammer (UK/USA), 2026
A woman and her stepfather face increasingly difficult choices while caring for her mother with dementia. Academy Award winner Juliette Binoche (The Taste of Things), Academy Award nominee Tom Courtenay (45 Years), Anna Calder-Marshall (Wuthering Heights), and Florence Hunt (Bridgerton) star in this unflinching drama, which won the Silver Bear Jury Prize at the 2026 Berlinale. A Greenwich Entertainment release.

SARA BAREILLES: GOOD GRIEF
dir. Josh Alexander (USA), 2026
For the first time in seven years, beloved Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, known for international pop anthems like Love Song and Brave, as well as the smash Broadway hit Waitress, returns to the studio alongside close friends to record an album born of profound personal loss. This cinematic portrait observes these intimate corners of Sara’s grief, creative process, and personal life, capturing the raw experience of turning one’s pain into art. GOOD GRIEF beautifully illustrates how hope carries an artist forward and how the power of sharing what is broken ultimately brings us closer to healing. Featuring an extended post-screening discussion with Sara Bareilles.

A TALENT FOR MURDER
East Coast Premiere
dir. Anton Corbijn (UK/ Italy), 2026
The film follows a mysterious young man from a New York publisher (Ehrenreich) who is sent to Switzerland to persuade the renowned writer Patricia Highsmith (Mirren) to write one final installment of the Ripley anthology. A Bleecker Street release.

TENZING
East Coast Premiere
dir. Jennifer Peedom (Australia/ USA) 2026
Based on true events, TENZING chronicles the little-known story of Tenzing Norgay (Genden Phuntsok), a gifted Himalayan climber who, alongside New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary (Tom Hiddleston), became the first to summit Mount Everest. Encouraged by his wife Dawa (Thinley Lhamo), Tenzing finds an ally in expedition secretary Jill Henderson (Caitríona Balfe). Together, they persuade Colonel John Hunt (Willem Dafoe) that Tenzing belongs on the British climbing team, rather than merely serving it. Where Western climbers see “Everest” as something to be conquered, Tenzing reveres “Chomolungma” as the sacred mother goddess. What follows is an ascent defined as much by the tensions between backgrounds, classes and competing ambitions as by the perils of the mountain itself. But high above the world, empire, rank and aspiration fall away, leaving two outsiders bound by mutual respect and trust — and for Tenzing, the fulfillment of both a lifelong dream and a spiritual calling. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Jennifer Peedom, TENZING is a story of greatness that refuses to be diminished — and the love that makes it possible. An Apple release.

UP AGAINST IT
US Premiere
dir. Trudie Styler (UK), 2026
Academy Award® nominee Antonio Banderas (PAIN AND GLORY) and Eva Birthistle (Bad Sisters) star as co-parenting divorcees who suddenly find their teenage daughter’s future hanging in the balance. Faced with a radical proposition, the pair must reunite for the most unexpected mission of all: having another baby. As egos clash, old wounds resurface, and awkward intimacy gives way to unexpected vulnerability, their desperate plan begins to reignite feelings they thought were long buried. Heartfelt and witty, Trudie Styler’s UP AGAINST IT is a delightful maelstrom of unlikely alliances, second chances, and the messy miracle of modern love.

WILD HORSE NINE
East Coast Premiere
dir. Martin McDonagh (USA/Chile), 2026
Shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup, CIA agents Chris (two-time Academy Award® nominee John Malkovich) and Lee (Academy Award winner Sam Rockwell) are dispatched from Santiago to Easter Island by their bureau chief MJ (Golden Globe Award® winner Steve Buscemi). Amongst the island’s iconic statues, the longtime partners wrestle with their dark pasts and present conspiracies, threatening to send everyone’s trip to this remote paradise sideways. Academy Award winner Martin McDonagh (THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, HIFF 2022) reflects on friendship, regret, and legacy through his signature dark humor, stunning scenic locations, and outstanding performances from an all-star cast. A Searchlight Pictures release.

WORLD CINEMA NARRATIVE FILMS
Sponsored by FLYTE

ALL OF A SUDDEN
dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi (France/Japan/Germany/Belgium), 2026
In the latest from Academy Award® winner Ryusuke Hamaguchi (DRIVE MY CAR, HIFF 2021), the director of a care facility for the elderly (Virginie Efira, A PRIVATE LIFE) strives to introduce an innovative care philosophy based on respecting residents’ dignity. After a chance encounter with a visionary Japanese theater director (Tao Okamoto), the two women form a deep, supportive friendship, joining forces in a shared struggle to make the impossible possible. Winner of the Cannes Best Actress Prize for its tour-de-force performances, ALL OF A SUDDEN is a profound, introspective, and ultimately liberating meditation on the struggle to navigate life’s chaos and brilliance. Japan’s entry in the Academy Awards® race for Best International Feature Film. A NEON release.

BITTER CHRISTMAS
dir. Pedro Almodóvar (Spain), 2026
The latest from Spanish master filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, BITTER CHRISTMAS tells two alternating stories: in 2004, advertising director Elsa navigates trouble with her friends and her boyfriend Bonifacio, while in 2026 filmmaker Raúl writes a script that we soon discover is the story of Elsa. As both Elsa and Raúl resort to autofiction to solve creative blocks and personal issues, the echoes between author and subject begin to reverberate. With his signature flair for color and style, Almodóvar interrogates the close relationship between inspiration and life, expanding the limits of stories within stories. A Sony Pictures Classics release.

CAITY
dir. Lindsay Calleran (USA), 2026
In autumnal upstate New York, 16-year-old Caity (Chiara Aurelia) idolizes her newly sober father Paul (Morgan Spector, The Gilded Age) as they co-operate their family business: a locally beloved haunted house. As she discovers his sobriety is more fragile than she understood, Caity must reckon with her father’s struggle, her own relationship with substances, and her emerging feelings for a new employee (Jordan Hull). Writer-director Lindsay Calleran’s debut feature wields heartfelt relationships, a keen eye for editing, and a sublimely spooky setting to explore the resilience of a family’s love for each other.

CLARISSA
dir. Arie Esiri, Chuko Esiri (Nigeria/USA), 2026
Across a single day in Lagos, Clarissa (Academy Award® nominee Sophie Okonedo, HOTEL RWANDA) prepares to host a high society party as memories of now-distant friends and loves from her complicated youth begin to consume her. Separately, Septimus (Fortune Nwafor), a young soldier, is haunted by his own memories of the horrors he has witnessed and endured. With a supporting cast including Ayo Edebiri (The Bear) and David Oyelowo (SELMA), directors Arie and Chuko Esiri boldly adapt Virginia Woolf’s renowned Mrs. Dalloway to traverse past and present, across the bourgeois class and those too easily forgotten by society, weaving a delicate portrait of contemporary Nigeria. A NEON release.

COWARD
New York Premiere
dir. Lukas Dhont (Belgium/France/Netherlands), 2026
Academy Award® nominee Lukas Dhont (CLOSE, HIFF 2022) sets his latest film on the Belgian front of the First World War. Newly arrived soldier Pierre (Emmanuel Macchia) eagerly seeks to prove himself, until he meets the flamboyant Francis (Valentin Campagne), who decides to lift the spirits of his comrades by putting together a theatre show. While the violence continues, both men seek ways to escape the suffering around them, even if only for a moment. Winner of the Cannes Best Actor Award for Macchia and Campagne’s stirring chemistry, COWARD is a moving reminder that even amidst the brutality of war, desire and self-discovery can blossom. Belgium’s entry in the Academy Awards® race for Best International Feature Film. A MUBI release.

THE DREAMED ADVENTURE
dir. Valeska Grisebach (Germany/France/Bulgaria/Austria), 2026
Winner of the Cannes Jury Prize, THE DREAMED ADVENTURE follows Veska (Yana Radeva, in her first acting role), an archaeologist excavating a site near a small town on the Bulgarian border. When she crosses paths with old acquaintance Said (Syuleyman Letifov), Veska is pulled back into the shady world of their shared past, soon embarking on an exploration of the criminal ties that lurk beneath the surface. Through textured visuals capturing a seemingly innocent border town, writer-director Valeksa Grisebach delivers a gripping slow burn dissection of a dangerous underworld. A Janus Films release.

EVERYTIME
dir. Sandra Wollner (Germany/Austria), 2026
Winner of the Cannes Un Certain Regard Prize, EVERYTIME is a singular, dreamlike exploration of the desire to seek what has been lost. When a tragedy brings a mother, her daughter, and a teenage boy together, the unlikely trio take a trip to the Canary Islands to live out a family holiday that never took place. As they contend with blame and forgiveness under the glow of the setting sun, past and present quietly start to overlap. With enrapturing, surreal cinematography of the seaside landscape, writer-director Sandra Wollner imbues the grieving process with a mesmerizing sense of mystery. Germany’s entry in the Academy Awards® race for Best International Feature Film. A 1-2 Special release.

FATHERLAND
dir. Paweł Pawlikowski (Poland/Germany/Italy/France), 2026
In 1949, after sixteen years of exile in the U.S., Nobel Prize-winning writer Thomas Mann (Hanns Zischler) embarks on a road trip across post-war Germany with his observant daughter, Erika (Sandra Hüller, ANATOMY OF A FALL). As they traverse a U.S.-dominated Frankfurt and Soviet-controlled Weimar, Mann is confronted by the ruins of a divided homeland and his fragmented family. Eight years after his Academy Award® nomination for Best Director (COLD WAR), Paweł Pawlikowski returns with an exceptionally profound, incisive, and visually haunting portrayal of Cold War-era Germany, continuing his exploration of identity, family, love, and guilt amid this uncertain period of Europe’s history. A MUBI release.

FJORD
dir. Cristian Mungiu (Romania/France/Norway/Sweden/Denmark), 2026
Winner of the Cannes Palme d’Or, FJORD follows a Norwegian woman (Academy Award® nominee Renate Reinsve) and her devout Romanian husband (Academy Award nominee Sebastian Stan) who relocate to a remote, close-knit coastal town with their five children. When simmering unease around their rigid beliefs leads to allegations of abuse, the family is forced to confront a system of judgment that blurs the line between concern and prejudice. Romanian auteur Cristian Mungiu (R.M.N., HIFF 2022) returns with this gripping, insightful, and thought-provoking snapshot of clashing cultures rooted in his signature observant and empathetic gaze. A NEON release.

GENTLE MONSTER
East Coast Premiere
dir. Marie Kreutzer (Austria/Germany/France), 2026
Writer-director Marie Kreutzer (CORSAGE, HIFF 2022) tells the story of concert pianist Lucy (Léa Seydoux), who has just relocated her family to a country house hoping to ease her husband Philip’s (Laurence Rupp) severe burnout. Before they have a chance to set up their new home, an early morning police visit tears their life apart. Trapped between the man she loves and the fear of what he may have done, Lucy must face the situation alone as her world unravels. Facing disturbing truths with an unflinching gaze, GENTLE MONSTER asks what we do when someone we love turns out to be someone we never really knew. A Netflix release.

I SEE BUILDINGS FALL LIKE LIGHTNING
US Premiere
dir. Clio Barnard (UK), 2026
Five friends. Five lives. Countless hopes. Growing up in public housing in Birmingham, England, childhood friends Patrick, Shiv, Rian, Oli, and Conor played together, skipped school, and dreamt of the lives they would have one day. But as they hit thirty, harsh reality bites, and the futures they once hoped for seem more out of reach than ever. Supported by an unforgettable ensemble cast including Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders) and Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters), HIFF alum Clio Barnard (THE SELFISH GIANT, 2013) returns with this stirring portrait of a collective striving for a better life, and the friendships needed to endure along the way.

IN MEMORIAM
dir. Rob Burnett (USA), 2026
IN MEMORIAM follows the journey of Langston Stanfield (Marc Maron), a self-absorbed actor who, after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, becomes obsessed with securing a spot in the Academy Awards® “In Memoriam” montage. In his ensuing quest, Langston tries to find meaning and redemption at the very end of a misspent life, particularly through his therapist (Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone), two of his ex-wives (Judy Greer, Sharon Stone), and a daughter he has never met (Talia Ryder). Director Rob Burnett explores ego, humility, and legacy with plenty of humor and heart.

IRON BOY
dir. Louis Clichy (France/Belgium), 2026
In rural France, 11-year-old Christophe struggles to live up to his rigid father’s expectations as the family farm faces modernization. When the young boy begins losing his sense of balance, a doctor prescribes an iron corset to keep him upright. Torn between independence and mending ties with his distant father, Christophe is forced to reinvent his life away from the land, discovering a newfound passion for music and making an adventurous new friend. With stunning, hand-painted animation of the French countryside, director Louis Clichy breathes life into a moving coming-of-age story about finding equilibrium in the face of physical and emotional adversity. A Sony Pictures Classics release.

LA GRADIVA
dir. Marine Atlan (France), 2026
Winner of the Cannes Critics’ Week Grand Prize, LA GRADIVA follows a class of French high school students who travel to Pompeii to discover ruins and bodies petrified by Vesuvius. In a rare moment when the force of youth meets a world frozen in time, the adolescents’ desires start to surface with unexpected intensity, and they hurtle toward an irreversible fracture. With vivid, textural cinematography and sharply observed dialogue, Marine Atlan evokes the alluring heat of the Italian landscape in her feature debut, while brilliantly excavating complex social hierarchies and covert romantic entanglements. A 1-2 Special release.

A LONG WINTER
dir. Andrew Haigh (Canada/ UK), 2026
In 1951, high in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Mike’s (Fred Hechinger, THELMA) world is thrown into uncertainty when his mother (Caitríona Balfe, Outlander) vanishes into the wilderness. Alongside his complicated father (Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear), and with their small mountain community rallying together against the unforgiving winter, Mike embarks on a search that leads him toward an unexpected journey of self-discovery. HIFF alum Andrew Haigh (ALL OF US STRANGERS, 2023) delivers a deeply moving adaptation of Colm Tóibín’s (BROOKLYN) short story of the same name that exquisitely captures the need for belonging and the quiet strength required to carry on. A MUBI release.

LUCY SCHULMAN
dir. Ellie Sachs (USA), 2026
In her feature debut, writer, director, and star Ellie Sachs delivers a big-hearted coming-of-age story about the hardest relationship any of us will ever fix—the one with ourselves. After a crushing breakup with her longtime partner, Lucy moves back in with her eccentric single dad (David Cross, Arrested Development) and begins the hard work of rebuilding her life through a series of bad dates and a dead-end job. Equal parts funny, charming, and sincere, LUCY SCHULMAN holds up a mirror to the experience of searching for identity in someone else’s eyes, proudly wearing its heart on its sleeve.

A MAN OF HIS TIME
dir. Emmanuel Marre (France), 2026
September 1940. As the Vichy regime establishes authoritarian rule, Henri Marre (an excellent Swann Arlaud, ANATOMY OF A FALL) arrives in the South of France alone, broke, and carrying copies of his self-published manifesto, determined to secure a prominent place in the new administration. He serves the machinery of the new order to further his status, doing whatever is required to remain useful—even as his own ruin approaches. Winner of the Cannes Best Screenplay Award, writer-director Emmanuel Marre interrogates a dark chapter in his own family history to uncover the insidious cost of complicity under fascism. A 1-2 Special release.

MINOTAUR
dir. Andrey Zvyagintsev (France/Germany/Latvia), 2026
Two-time Academy Award® nominee Andrey Zvyagintsev (LOVELESS, HIFF 2017) re-interprets Claude Chabrol’s classic THE UNFAITHFUL WIFE within the world of the ultra-elite in contemporary Russia. Gleb (Dmitriy Mazurov), a successful company director, finds himself under siege from mounting corporate pressures, a struggling marriage to his wife Galina (Iris Lebedeva), and an increasingly unstable world. As the collapse of his carefully ordered life becomes imminent, the situation accelerates toward violence. Winner of the Cannes Grand Prix, MINOTAUR masterfully wields unrelenting suspense and magnetic performances to critique the silent brutality of authoritarianism. A MUBI release.

MOUSE
North American Premiere
dir. Kelly O’Sullivan, Alex Thompson (USA), 2026
Longtime best friends Minnie (brilliant breakout Katherine Mallen Kupferer) and Callie (Chloe Coleman) head into their senior year with Minnie comfortably living in the protective shadow of her charismatic and much-admired counterpart. When their friendship is suddenly upended, Minnie struggles to define her own identity and forms a complicated relationship with Callie’s poised, attentive mother (Academy Award® nominee Sophie Okonedo, HOTEL RWANDA). With a tenderly crafted screenplay supported by the 2020 HamptonsFilm Screenwriters Lab, directors Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson (SAINT FRANCES, GHOSTLIGHT) premiered MOUSE at the Berlinale to critical acclaim for its honest, grounded, and heart-wrenching portrayal of a young woman’s search for self amidst profound loss. An IFC Entertainment release.

POSSIBLE LOVE
dir. Lee Chang-dong (South Korea), 2026
Acclaimed South Korean director Lee Chang-dong (BURNING, HIFF 2018) returns after an eight-year hiatus with POSSIBLE LOVE, in which an affluent documentary filmmaker (Cho Yeo-jeong, PARASITE) finds her latest subject in Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon), whose husband was laid off from his factory job after a violent labor strike. As the two women and their husbands form an uneasy friendship, bonds intertwine and worlds collide under the camera’s gaze, causing fractures in their daily existence. With his signature nuance, Lee captures shifting emotions, subtle conflicts, and contrasting life experiences with meditative care. South Korea’s entry in the Academy Awards® race for Best International Feature Film. A Netflix release.

TENDER LOVING CARE
dir. Mike Leigh (USA), 2026
Academy Award® nominee Mike Leigh (HARD TRUTHS, HIFF 2024) returns with his final feature film, continuing his insightful exploration of the contemporary world. Reuniting with longtime collaborators including Kate O’Flynn (Emmy Award® nominee, Widow’s Bay), Marion Bailey (MR. TURNER), and Paul Jesson (ALL OR NOTHING), Leigh tells the story of two social workers navigating an uncaring modern world in order to look after their clients and each other. With his distinctive cinematic voice, Leigh once again explores the imperfect warmth of the human experience with plenty of humor and heart. A Bleecker Street release.

YELLOW LETTERS
New York Premiere
dir. Ilker Çatak (Germany/ France/ Turkey), 2026
Academy Award® nominee Ilker Çatak (THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE, HIFF 2023) returns with the story of actress Derya (Özgü Namal) and playwright Aziz (Tansu Biçer), an outspoken and celebrated artist couple living and working in Turkey who become targets of the right-wing government. As increasingly oppressive measures strip them of their livelihoods, the couple struggles to balance their ideals with life’s necessities, pushing their marriage to a breaking point. Winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlinale, YELLOW LETTERS is a sharp, gripping examination of the personal stakes of artistic expression in the face of authoritarianism.

YOU’LL NEVER BELIEVE WHO’S DEAD
US Premiere
dir. Dallan Shovlin (Northern Ireland/UK/Ireland), 2026
John Cosgrove Sr’s sudden retirement announcement from the Gardai at the Christmas dinner table sends shockwaves through his family. But the subject is swiftly changed by the statement “you’ll never believe who’s dead.” What follows is a macabre tale about a pair of thieves who robbed a local family whilst they attended a loved one’s funeral. Dorian, the youngest Cosgrove and an uninspired writer, theorises that they could do a much better job. The family eagerly offer up their ideas about the perfect heist. The suggestion of robbing Charlie Bann, a bachelor farmer, is quickly shut down by John. But following dinner, the family toys with the benefits of the whole idea – and when wild card Aunt Rosaleen begins to move the scheme into action, the family have no choice but to de-escalate. Through a series of miscommunication, competing egos and bad decisions, they end up following through with their plan, but John has left out some crucial information about Charlie’s past, putting the entire family in grave danger. As the Cosgroves attempt to pull off the perfect crime, their family name may be the only thing standing between them and disaster. You’ll Never Believe Who’s Dead is a cynical Christmas comedy film about an Irish family whose petty rivalries and capacity for self-deception lead them into a situation well beyond their capabilities. It’s a story about how our capacity for change, the possibility of making different decisions and mistakes in our lives can still lead us to the same consequences.”

WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY
Sponsored by Artemis Rising foundation

AVEDON
East Coast Premiere
dir. Ron Howard (USA), 2026
Academy Award®-winning director Ron Howard traces the life and legacy of an artist who used photography to reinvent the world around him. From world leaders to pop culture icons and international supermodels, Richard Avedon’s influence is the blueprint for our image-driven world. His photographs didn’t just reflect culture, they shaped it. Drawing on unprecedented access to his personal archives—never-before-seen stills, intimate behind-the-lens footage, and new interviews with his closest collaborators—AVEDON explores how his singular eye both reflected and reshaped the visual language of the 20th century, and why even the most iconic image is only half the story. A Netflix release.

THE A-WORD: THE FUTURE OF AGING
dir. Greg Kohs (USA), 2026
As a pioneering biotech startup CEO attempting to achieve the first FDA-approved drug that extends healthy human lifespans, Celine Halioua bets on the belief that aging is not an inevitability, but a “tunable” system that can be optimized, using dogs as her first case study. Meanwhile, 87-year-old widower George Betke and his senior rescue dog face the challenges of aging together in their active senior community in Maine. Interweaving this emotional journey with interviews from world-leading longevity scientists and bioethicists, THE A-WORD: THE FUTURE OF AGING provides provocative scientific insights and questions whether the true goal of longevity science is to add years to life, or life to years.

BLEEDING HEARTS
East Coast Premiere
dir. Andrew Morgan (USA), 2026
A music-driven love story about real-life couple Zella Day and Jesse Woods, the musicians behind the emerging band Chaparelle. Following their first year together, the film captures the joy and uncertainty of chasing a shared dream while navigating pressures that could spark their breakup—or their breakthrough.

BUCKS HARBOR
dir. Peter Muller (USA), 2026
In Downeast Maine, a small fishing community sits on a stretch of rugged coastline chiseled between the forest and the ocean. Here, boys are shaped into men by harsh winters, the bounty and brutality of the sea, and the rigid codes of their fathers. In his debut feature, director Peter Muller explores the inner lives of these fishermen, young and old, through immersive footage and intimate interviews. With remarkable insight and empathy, BUCKS HARBOR captures a community where a man’s worth is defined by the strength of his back, while also uncovering a deeper emotional complexity beneath the surface.

BURGUNDY
East Coast Premiere
dir. Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw (USA), 2026
In the renowned French region of Burgundy, celebrated wines are just one part of the area’s rich historic tapestry. An aspiring sommelière, a young vineyard worker, an esteemed restaurant waiter, and a crop of tough critics are among those who play a vital role in the winemaking process as captured by this spirited, meticulous portrayal of craftsmanship and heritage. Award-winning documentarians Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw (THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS, HIFF 2020) turn their signature curious lens toward the world’s most famous wine region, where a new generation—shaped by tradition and a youthful sense of wonder—seeks to establish its place within Burgundy’s aristocratic culture.

CARL SAGAN: WE ARE MADE OF STAR STUFF
New York Premiere
dir. Nanette Burstein (USA), 2026
Journey through the cosmos with astronomer, author and television star Carl Sagan, whose groundbreaking work transformed our understanding of human existence. From Academy Award® nominated director Nanette Burstein and producer Seth MacFarlane, this intimate portrait offers unprecedented access to Sagan’s extensive personal archive as the film explores his cosmic love story with partner Ann Druyan and his evolution as a father, husband, and scientist. CARL SAGAN: WE ARE MADE OF STAR STUFF is a beautiful exploration of his journey spearheading the Voyager Golden Record, defending science, and probing the eternal question: is anybody else out there? A National Geographic release.

CLOSURE
New York Premiere
dir. Michał Marczak (Poland), 2026
In Warsaw’s Vistula River, Daniel embarks on an incessant search for his missing teenage son, inhabiting the uncertain space between the dread of a fatal leap and the hope that he is still alive. An all-consuming, sublimely shot journey into the depths of grief and loss, CLOSURE vividly follows David’s obsessive quest as he helps other families find their missing loved ones. In his first film in ten years, award-winning documentarian Michał Marczak’s compassionate, determined lens embraces the mystery genre to capture a thrilling yet meditative portrayal of a singular man who refuses to give up. A 1-2 Special release.

THE DRUG IN OUR POCKET
World Premiere
dir. Anne Sundberg (USA), 2026
THE DRUG IN OUR POCKET examines how smartphones, designed to connect us, have radically reshaped childhood, adolescence, and mental health. Through intimate conversations with young people, parents, and leading experts, the film reveals a generation that is thoughtful, articulate, and increasingly aware of how digital environments shape their attention, emotions, and sense of self. An Obscured Releasing release.

HOUSE OF CRITICISM
dir. Alison Chernick (USA), 2026
Legendary art critics Roberta Smith and Jerry Saltz are two defining voices of the contemporary art world– who also happen to be married. With unprecedented access, HIFF alum Alison Chernick (ITZHAK, 2017) follows Smith and Saltz as they navigate the blurred line between personal and professional: shaping cultural discourse by day, and returning home to a relationship built on humor, routine, and deep mutual respect. Set against the ever-shifting landscape of New York City, HOUSE OF CRITICISM shines as both an intimate love story and a sharply observed meditation on taste, relevance, and the power of saying what you really think in today’s world.
The film will be preceded by a screening of a short film:
CINDY SHERMAN: PICTURE THIS
dir. Sophie Chahinian (USA), 2025
New York Premiere
In this intimate portrait, iconic and legendary artist Cindy Sherman reveals her childhood preoccupation with family photos, the reasons behind her love of photography, and the challenges she has overcome in her career.

JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT
dir. Quinn Whitney Wilson, Viridiana Lieberman (USA), 2026
As one of history’s most celebrated artists, Jean-Michel Basquiat left an indelible mark in the art world and beyond. From major art museum exhibits to murals and fashion trends, Basquiat’s audacious legacy continues to be shaped and preserved by the public—but what about the person behind the mythical persona? Nearly four decades after his untimely death, Basquiat’s sisters Lisane and Jeanine embark on a disarmingly intimate journey into his life. Drawing on personal archives, never-before-seen works, and many voices of those who knew him best, this luminous documentary allows Jean-Michel to finally guide his own story. A Netflix release.

MAVERICK: THE EPIC ADVENTURES OF DAVID LEAN
New York Premiere
dir. Barnaby Thompson (UK), 2026
As one of cinema’s all-time greatest directors, David Lean redefined what movies could be. Behind the visionary lens of classic films like LAWRENCE OF ARABIA and DOCTOR ZHIVAGO was a man whose relentless ambition earned him a reputation as an obsessive maverick. This in-depth portrayal of the seven-time Academy Award® nominee reveals the often messy and painful reality of a historic luminary. Narrated by Cate Blanchett, and with Kenneth Branagh as the voice of Lean, MAVERICK features interviews from contemporary directors including Wes Anderson, Nia DaCosta, Alfonso Cuarón, Celine Song, and Denis Villeneuve, all of whom revitalize the memory of a groundbreaking filmmaker.

MUSK
New York Premiere
dir. Alex Gibney (USA), 2026
Academy Award® winner Alex Gibney (TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE, HIFF 2007) returns with an incisive look behind the legend of Elon Musk, the world’s most heralded “inventor-entrepreneur.” Wielding thorough investigative research, revelatory interviews with close personal and professional figures, and a massive collection of archival footage, news and podcast appearances, and online posts, Gibney synthesizes the sprawling evolution of the world’s richest man, and his actions across technology, business, and politics, in order to understand his enormous influence on the world in which we all live. A Bleecker Street release.

THE MYSTERY PACKAGE
US Premiere
dir. Silje Evensmo Jacobsen (Norway), 2026
Every Christmas for the last 20 years, a Norwegian family receives an anonymous package with the same mysterious note. No sender has been identified despite investigations, media interest, and wild speculation… until now. Armed with a tape recorder, notebooks, and detective gear, 9-year-old Edle and 6-year-old Brage investigate longtime friends, neighbors, and even their own family members in hopes of discovering the sender. Their playful search takes a turn as they uncover deeper family memories. The latest from HIFF alum (and the detectives’ mother) Silje Evensmo Jacobsen (A NEW KIND OF WILDERNESS), THE MYSTERY PACKAGE is a delightful, heartwarming story embracing life’s many surprises.

THE OLDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD
dir. Sam Green (USA), 2026
THE OLDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD is a decade-long odyssey chronicling successive holders of the title of oldest person alive. As the title inevitably passes from one supercentenarian to the next, Academy Award® nominee Sam Green (32 SOUNDS) traverses the globe to meet each new record holder, his personal fascination with what the title means becoming entangled with events and milestones in his own life. What begins as a portrait of longevity becomes a poignant meditation on the passage of time, the randomness of fate, and the joy and profound human experience of being alive.

PETE TOWNSHEND: BEHIND BLUE EYES
East Coast Premiere
dir. Frank Marshall, Nigel Sinclair (UK/USA), 2026
Pete Townshend reinvented what rock music could be, turning THE WHO into one of the era’s biggest and most boundary-pushing bands. But at the height of that success, Townshend hit a breaking point that nearly destroyed his band and himself. Out of that crisis came Lifehouse, an ambitious, deeply personal project that pushed him to the edge and sent him on a journey of self-discovery that would quietly reshape rock history. BEHIND BLUE EYES reveals a hidden chapter of rock history, where one man’s personal crisis became a catalyst for modern music itself.

SPIN WARS
dir. Philip Byron (USA), 2026
In 2006, SoulCycle launched out of a small indoor cycling studio on the Upper West side of Manhattan. Initially founded in wellness and spirituality, the company quickly exploded into a cultural phenomenon driven by exclusivity, toxicity, and a cutthroat rivalry with Flywheel and Peloton. With insider access to the high-stakes battle, SPIN WARS features revelatory perspectives on the competitors’ infamous Hamptons locations alongside accounts from spinning devotees including Heather McMahan, Mary Beth Barone, and Katie Couric. Director Philip Byron kinetically unravels the social media–fueled spinning boom and exposes the cult-like following, culture of bullying, and relentless growth-at-all-costs mindset that redefined boutique fitness.

WILDER
World Premiere
dir. Chris Smith (USA), 2026
Told almost exclusively through his own voice and iconic on-screen performances, WILDER is an intimate portrait of beloved comedic actor Gene Wilder, star of WILLY WONKA, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, THE PRODUCERS, BLAZING SADDLES, and more. Directed by Chris Smith (SR., AMERICAN MOVIE), the documentary examines Wilder’s journey from neurotic outsider to unlikely leading man, exploring the fine line between an artist’s personal struggles and creative genius. Drawing from rare archival footage and insights from his nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman, the film examines the intangible brilliance that helped make Gene one of the most beloved and influential actors of the 20th century.

NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Sponsored by Lismore Road

THE GUEST
North American Premiere
dir. Mads Mengel, (Denmark), 2026
On the eve of his infant son’s naming ceremony, a new father’s carefully built life begins to unravel when his estranged mother (Trine Dyrholm, QUEEN OF HEARTS) arrives uninvited. What begins as a celebration quietly unravels into a confrontation with the past filled with missteps, unresolved wounds, and moments of surprising warmth. Dyrholm gives a magnetic, career-best performance in this sharply observed debut feature from Mads Mengel. Winner of the Karlovy Vary Special Jury Prize, THE GUEST explores the roles we inherit, the people we try to become, and the impossibility of ever fully escaping where we come from.

LA BOLA NEGRA
New York Premiere
dir. Javier Ambrossi, Javier Calvo (Spain/France), 2026
Cannes Best Director winners Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi craft a transformative epic following three generations of men across pivotal moments in Spanish history, bound by pain, desire, and love. Carlos (Milo Quifes) longs to belong in a fractured 1930s Spain. Sebastián (Guitarricadelafuente) finds connection across enemy lines under the violent Franco regime. Today, Alberto (Carlos González) uncovers a long-buried family secret that finally gives voice to truths the past tried to erase. Picking up the fragments of Federico García Lorca’s unfinished play of the same name, LA BOLA NEGRA embraces lush, sweeping visuals to breathe life into forgotten queer histories obscured by time. A Netflix release.

MAMAN BIBI COCO
World Premiere
dir. Célia Millat, Bastien Garcia (France), 2026
Célia, a mother in her thirties, cares for her son full time. Since her father’s recent death, she has been carrying on as if everything were fine. But her daily life is suffocating her: a son who takes up all the space, breastfeeding she can’t bring herself to stop, a marriage running out of breath, and a move she is shouldering almost alone. Meeting Jérémy, the father of a child the same age, unsettles this fragile balance. Together they rediscover their shared passion for music, and sensations they thought were gone. Their attraction becomes a catalyst: her son is growing up, her marriage is fading, and Célia no longer wants to live her life on mute. Maman Bibi Coco is the intimate portrait of a woman at a turning point. A film about the vertigo of motherhood, the return of desire, and how hard it is to reinvent yourself once you become a parent.

THE MELTDOWN
US Premiere
dir. Manuela Martelli (Chile/USA/Spain/Mexico), 2026
In 1992 post-dictatorship Chile, 9-year-old Inés (Maya O’Rourke) spends a long winter at her grandparents’ remote mountain hotel. She strikes up a friendship with 15-year-old German skier Hanna (Maia Domagala), fascinated by the attention Hanna receives from the men around her. When Hanna vanishes without a trace, the ensuing search for her threatens to expose deeper hidden truths within Inés’ own family. Against the striking frigid landscape of the Chilean Andes, writer-director Manuela Martelli elegantly crafts a taut and beguiling thriller that speaks to the consequences of thawing secrecy in the wake of oppression. Chile’s entry in the Academy Awards® race for Best International Feature Film. A Kino Lorber release.

ROSE
dir. Markus Schleinzer (Austria/Germany), 2026
Amidst 17th-century Germany’s turbulent Thirty Years’ War, a mysterious, quiet man (Academy Award® nominee Sandra Hüller), disfigured by a facial scar, declares himself the heir of a long-abandoned farmstead in a secluded Protestant village. What follows is a true and twisted quest for acceptance from a suspicious community as he defies his birth as a woman and seeks to live as a man. Hüller masterfully disappears into the role, for which she won the Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance. With stunning monochromatic cinematography, Austrian director Mark Schleinzer delivers a nail-biting, delicately constructed portrayal of the resilience it takes to live as your authentic self. Austria’s entry in the Academy Awards® race for Best International Feature Film. A MUBI release.

COMPETITION DOCUMENTARY
Sponsored by Lismore Road

HOW TO CLEAN A HOUSE IN 10 EASY STEPS
New York Premiere
dir. Carolina Gonzalez Valencia (USA), 2026
Decades after domestic worker Beatriz first migrated from Colombia to the U.S., she and her daughter—filmmaker Carolina Gonzalez Valencia—find themselves facing an impending deportation. Together, they create for Beatriz a fictional character of a best-selling writer who tells her story of migration, family separation, and the realities of finding work in America. Told in 10 idiosyncratic chapters, the pair weave their own personal stories into the narrative to build a bridge from heartbreak to healing. HOW TO CLEAN A HOUSE IN TEN EASY STEPS is a fantastical docu-fiction that honors the realities of labor and the love that guides us.

IF PIGEONS TURNED TO GOLD
US Premiere
dir. Pepa Lubojacki (Czechia/Slovakia), 2026
This winner of the Berlinale Best Documentary Award is a raw and vibrantly original debut feature, in which director Pepa Lubojacki investigates their own family history to understand why their beloved older brother and cousins live unhoused and struggle with substance abuse. Formally inventive and surprisingly playful, Lubojacki’s diaristic footage enters into dialogue with stylized memories, animated childhood photographs, and interstitial graphics to shape a collective voice that negotiates with the past to understand the present. IF PIGEONS TURNED TO GOLD cuts to the deeply personal core of addiction and intergenerational trauma, asking what respect truly demands: to save, or to let go. Czechia’s entry in the Academy Awards® race for Best International Feature Film.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HARLEM
dir. William Greaves, David Greaves (USA), 2026
A decade after his death, genre-defying filmmaker William Greaves has one last trick up his sleeve: a trove of 16mm footage of a 1972 party he engineered with the living luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance. This extraordinary group—reunited after fifty years—reminisced, critiqued, argued, laughed and drank while wrestling with their place in a rapidly shifting cultural landscape. Newly restored and now directed by Greaves’ son David, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HARLEM is one of the year’s most critically acclaimed documentaries, offering a window into the heart of the critical mass of energy that defined 20th Century culture and its continued legacy. A NEON release.

THE GOLDEN SWAN
US Premiere
dir. Anette Ostrø (Norway/Denmark/Netherlands/Sweden), 2026
In 1995, when Norwegian artist Hans Christian Ostrø travels to India in search of meaning and artistic growth, he is abducted and killed in Kashmir by the militant group al-Faran. Thirty years after his tragic death, his sister, director Anette Ostrø, reconstructs her brother’s last weeks in captivity from letters and poems that he secretly wrote to her during that time. Found on his body after his execution, these powerful texts become foundational in bridging the past and present. THE GOLDEN SWAN strikingly captures a unique moment in global politics through deeply personal reflections on forgiveness, fear, and courage.

WHAT WILL I BECOME?
New York Premiere
dir. Lexie Bean, Logan Rozos (USA), 2026
In their intimate feature debut, filmmakers Lexie Bean and Logan Rozos blend their experience of being young trans men in America with a global look at the growing suicide rate among trans teens. Through the stories of two trans teens who are no longer with us, they explore grief, identity, mental health, and the struggles that come with affirming trans boyhood. Winner of the Amnesty International Film Award at the Berlinale, WHAT WILL I BECOME? examines the vulnerabilities of the transmasculine community while ultimately celebrating the joys and triumphs of being LGBTQIA2S+.

COMPASSION, JUSTICE & ANIMAL RIGHTS
Sponsored by Artemis Rising Foundation

25 CATS FROM QATAR
dir. Mye Hoang (USA), 2026
Qatar’s street cat population equals its entire human population, and both are growing fast. With disease rampant and local adoption rare, expats are left burdened with caring for the struggling felines. When an American flight attendant and cat café owner learns of the crisis, she coordinates with a network of multinational underground animal rescuers in Doha to transport 25 lucky cats to Milwaukee, where her cat café provides a safe pipeline for adoption. 25 CATS FROM QATAR examines animal welfare within a ticking-clock rescue mission, offering both an urgent wake-up call and a heartwarming story of overcoming international barriers for a common goal.

NUISANCE BEAR
dir. Gabriela Osio Vanden, Jack Weisman (USA/Canada/UK), 2026
Winner of the Sundance U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize, NUISANCE BEAR follows a single polar bear forced to navigate a man-made world of tourists, wildlife officers, and hunters as its ancient migration collides with modern life. When this sacred predator is branded a “nuisance” by its human neighbors, a new question arises: who truly belongs in this shared landscape? Directors Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Weisman seek answers through patiently observed and remarkably intimate footage of their furry subject, harnessing the power of the camera to build empathy across species and to interrogate the hierarchy that privileges human convenience over our natural environment. A MUBI release.

WILD INSIDE
dir. Penny Lane (USA), 2026
On February 2, 2023, a legend was born on the streets of New York City. Flaco, a male Eurasian eagle owl, escaped from his cage at the Central Park Zoo after a life in captivity, sparking the fascination of bird enthusiasts, zoologists, and everyday people alike. Acclaimed documentarian Penny Lane (LISTENING TO KENNY G) returns to HIFF with not only the story of one extraordinary feathered creature, but of a city united by his presence. From the Academy Award®-nominated producers of FIRE OF LOVE, WILD INSIDE is a hoot of a tale of perseverance against all odds. A Sandbox Films release.

VIEWS FROM LONG ISLAND FILMS
Sponsored by Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, With Support from the Suffolk County Film Commission

BARBIZON
World Premiere
dir. Jake Silbermann (USA), 2026
A stalled sculptor (Erica Pappas), on the verge of giving up art to study law with her on-again boyfriend, escapes to the Hamptons and takes a job teaching chess to wealthy families.

CAPSIZED
North American Premiere
dir. Lindsey Ryan (USA), 2026
When a financial crisis strips the O’Briens of their Long Island home, the family’s erratic patriarch Ray (Rhys Ifans) launches one last grand plan: a nautical escape and a high-stakes fishing tournament to win it all back. In the close quarters of the boat, the family’s fragile equilibrium—long organized around Ray’s volatility—begins to crack. With heartfelt performances from Lily Rabe (American Horror Story) and Sarah Catherine Hook (The White Lotus), director Lindsey Ryan’s charming and honest debut feature deftly captures the tested bonds of a flawed family against the sun-splashed backdrop of the seaside landscape.

NOT DEAD YET
World Premiere
dir. Eric Weber, Nick Weber (USA), 2026
Ousted from his agency by a youth-obsessed culture, a veteran ad man (Richard Kind) teams up with a rebellious Hamptons senior breakfast club to launch a bold new venture—proving it’s never too late to rewrite your story and start a second act.

FILMS OF CONFLICT & RESOLUTION
Sponsored by Twomey Latham

BEN’IMANA
US Premiere
dir. Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo (Rwanda/Gabon/France/Norway), 2026
Winner of the Cannes Camera d’Or for her powerful debut feature, writer-director Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo sets her story in 2012 Rwanda, in the years following the genocide against the Tutsi. As community-led trials for justice and reconciliation continue across the country, Vénéranda, a survivor, leads dialogue between victims and the families of perpetrators, helping others rebuild their lives and look towards the future. When she learns of her daughter’s unexpected pregnancy, she is forced to confront the limits of her own convictions. BEN’IMANA incisively traces the complicated path towards healing in the aftermath of atrocity, asking how to find forgiveness in the unforgivable. An Alexander release.

EDWARD SAID: BETWEEN WORLDS
dir. Maiken Baird (USA), 2026
Twenty years after his death, renowned Palestinian-American scholar, intellectual, and activist Edward Said is given voice through sweeping archival footage and recordings to recount the untold history of Palestine. In the first documentary made with full access to the Said family and estate, director Maiken Baird (VENUS AND SERENA, HIFF 2012) traces his political awakening, personal struggles, and lifelong reckoning with exile across seven decades. Equal parts spellbinding and urgent, EDWARD SAID: BETWEEN WORLDS unearths never-before-seen family archives, home movies, television appearances, lectures, and rare materials from Columbia University, to ask who has the right to tell their own story.

NAZA
dir. Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor (USA), 2026
Shot at night on the rooftops of Tel Aviv, NAZA reveals in detail the systems behind Israel’s calculated mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Produced in partnership with The Guardian and executive produced by Academy Award® winner and HIFF alum Jonathan Glazer (THE ZONE OF INTEREST, 2024), this revelatory documentary diligently unmasks the strategy behind the operations of Israeli intelligence officers over the past three years. Directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the Academy Award-winning producing team behind NO OTHER LAND, NAZA is an urgent investigation into one of the most pressing issues of our time.

REHEARSALS FOR A REVOLUTION
New York Premiere
dir. Pegah Ahangarani (Czechia/Spain), 2026
Winner of the Best Documentary prize in Cannes, filmmaker and actress Pegah Ahangarani draws from personal archives, home videos, street protest footage, newspapers, sketches, and recorded voices to interweave her own life story with Iran’s struggle for freedom. Through five chapters following relatives and mentors who each provide distinct expressions of resistance, she seeks to understand more than 40 years of Iran’s recent history—from the 1978 Revolution through the war that began in 2026. Ahangarani reassembles personal and collective memory to shape the portrait of a country marked by political repression and in constant hope for revolution. A Sony Pictures Classics release.

SCHOOL FOR DEFECTORS
New York Premiere
dir. Jeremy Workman (South Korea), 2026
Executive Producer Daniel Dae Kim and HIFF alum Jeremy Workman (LILY TOPPLES THE WORLD, SECRET MALL APARTMENT) bring this film following 20 students over the course of one year at the tiny Jangdaehyun School in South Korea. Amongst the daily victories and struggles of adolescence lies the shadow of a shared history: all of the children are defectors from North Korea. With unprecedented access to a community never seen on film, SCHOOL FOR DEFECTORS gives voice to this group of resilient young people, illuminating not just what they’ve endured, but who they are about to become. What emerges is a resoundingly optimistic and deeply human story of hope, youth, and possibility.

AIR, LAND & SEA
Sponsored by Luminara Napa Valley

KINGDOM FUNGI
World Premiere
dir. Josh Thompson (UK), 2026
Set across diverse and changing habitats from England to Chile to Bhutan, KINGDOM FUNGI delves into the extraordinary world of fungi, the ecological processes unfolding beneath our feet, global environmental policy, and the personal stories that drive each character’s devotion. First-time director Josh Thompson follows four dedicated amateur and professional field mycologists whose work is driven by a shared mission to document, educate and protect these remarkable organisms. With exquisite, highly detailed cinematography, KINGDOM FUNGI reveals the impact of the largely under-researched mushroom network that shapes life on Earth in ways we are only just beginning to understand.

THE GRID UNPLUGGED
World Premiere
dir. Rick Cutter (USA/UK/Israel), 2026
Executive produced by Ed Begley Jr., this timely documentary from filmmaker Rick Cutter investigates what happens when the grid that powers everything starts to fail and AI data centers put additional strain on power grids worldwide. Using California’s devastating wildfires as a gateway to a larger global story, Cutter speaks with leading energy experts, innovators, and policymakers about the urgent challenge of modernizing the infrastructure that powers our lives. THE GRID UNPLUGGED balances alarming risks with promising solutions, in the hopes that humanity can build a more resilient and sustainable energy future faster than we are destroying it.

SHORTS PROGRAM: 2026 NARRATIVE SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Sponsored by Lismore Road

FAUX BIJOUX
dir. Jessy Moussallem (France/Lebanon), 2025
East Coast Premiere
Mireille promises Johnny the big screen, dragging him to an audition whose rules only she truly knows.

LA SELVA
dir. Sofia Camargo (USA), 2026
World Premiere
After the deportation of her husband, Maria and her two daughters struggle to rebuild their lives in California. When a stray black dog follows them home, the family’s silence begins to crack.

OLD BIRD
dir. Nolam Plaas (USA), 2025
World Premiere
When a mother finds her 9-year-old son sleepwalking on the Spillway Road, she takes him home. As she attempts to keep him there, the reason he needs to leave becomes more apparent.

PLEASE
dir. Anna Mantzaris (Sweden/France/Czechia/Norway/Finland), 2026
US Premiere
In a world that preaches self-control, PLEASE offers a darkly comedic take on neediness, intimacy and romance.

“VATERLAND” OR A BULE NAMED YANTO
dir. Berthold Wahjudi (Germany/Indonesia), 2026
East Coast Premiere
When German-Indonesian Yanto visits his younger sister in Yogyakarta, he expects a simple reunion—until he realizes she belongs more effortlessly than he ever has.

SHORTS PROGRAM: 2026 DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Sponsored by Lismore Road

THE GRANDFATHER PUZZLE
dir. Ora DeKornfeld (USA), 2025
New York Premiere
When Ora’s grandfather fled Hungary, he left behind a castle, a baronial title, and a life he never talked about. She travels there to understand why, and instead finds that the life he left behind has been waiting for her.

LAND OF COLD
dir. Hervé Demers (Canada), 2025
New York Premiere
Immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa have chosen to start their lives over in Northern Canada. Here they reflect on the challenges and splendors of a season they’ve never yet experienced: winter.

NOTHING HAPPENS AFTER YOUR ABSENCE
dir. Ibrahim Omar (Sudan), 2026
US Premiere
Ibrahim goes back to the village he once left, hoping to screen films. But as he wrestles with custom and bureaucracy, war ignites across Sudan, turning his search for a screen into a battle to stay alive.

STILL STANDING
dir. Victor Tadashi Suarez, Livia Albeck-Ripka (USA), 2026
After the Los Angeles wildfires, thousands of homes were left standing, yet contaminated with toxic ash. Many insurance companies falsely claim these homes are habitable and residents are forced to make an impossible choice: Should they risk their health to return home?

WATER COOLER
dir. Emma V.F. (USA), 2026
New York Premiere
The Trump administration has turned immigration courts into deportation traps. As ICE agents wait to arrest their targets outside of courtrooms, their banal conversations clash with the severity of their actions.

SHORTS PROGRAM: 2026 NYWIFT: FILMMAKERS CALLING THE SHOTS
Sponsored by NYWIFT

AN AMERICAN EDUCATION
dir. Thai Bonapart (USA), 2026
New York Premiere
Thai Bonapart explores a surprising chapter of her historically black high school’s history, a story that challenges and twists the conventional narrative on busing, race, integration, and the South.

BEING HERE
dir. Katie Colwell (USA), 2024
Before leaving for Brooklyn, Valerie must navigate one last boat day with her sister.

BOOBS
dir. Nicola Leddy (Ireland), 2025
A daring artist tackles shame and societal expectations in her mission to paint 100 nude portraits of breasts from the female gaze, redefining beauty and empowering Irish women to reclaim their bodies.

EGGS
dir. Akanksha Cruczynski (USA), 2026
New York Premiere
Single at 43, Lily decides to pursue IVF on her own, taking her on a wild journey across New York City to deliver her frozen eggs to a fertility clinic. Based on a true story.

ONCE IN A BODY
dir. María Cristina Pérez González (Colombia/USA), 2025
New York Premiere
When a strange entity inhabits the body of a woman, she is able to confront it by exploring her adolescent history with her sister.

VACATION
dir. Christina Khazen (Lebanon), 2025
East Coast Premiere
As their parents avoid paying school tuition during a messy divorce, two sisters confront the gap between the parents they imagined and the parents they actually have.

SHORTS PROGRAM: 2026 UNIVERSITY SHORT FILMS SHOWCASE
Sponsored by Almamatcha

GENDER STUDIES
dir. Jamie Kiernan O’Brien (USA), 2026
When a trans college student learns the girl she idolizes is sleeping with their teaching assistant, she takes drastic steps to emulate her.

LASER-GATO
dir. Lucas Acher (Brazil/USA/UK), 2026
North American Premiere
After a laser pointer prank goes horribly wrong, a socially anxious teenager spends one chaotic night roaming São Paulo to save his crush’s critically injured cat.

MEMORIES OF A WINDOW
dir. Mehraneh Salimian, Amin Pakparvar (USA/Iran), 2026
New York Premiere
After crackdowns on street protests in Iran, a group of civilians turn to a new form of resistance: filming the unrest from behind their windows, creating an alternative archive that challenges the state’s official record.

NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL
dir. Jiaying Lin (USA), 2026
New York Premiere
To reunite with her long-distance partner in Toronto, a young Chinese woman boards a cross-border bus with a forged travel document.

RAGE
dir. Fran Moreno Blanco, Santi Pujol Amat (Spain), 2025
New York Premiere
Longing and guilt overwhelm Eric when he runs away from the juvenile center to visit his mother. Bursting into a birthday party, he finds a family life that has continued without him.

SHORTS PROGRAM: SPARK! SHORTS FOR ALL AGES
Sponsored by Almamatcha

BATS & BUGS
dir. Lena von Döhren (Switzerland), 2025
When a lantern lights up on a country road in the jungle, a group of insects go crazy. This comes in handy for the hungry bats in a cave nearby.

BLOOKY: THE BOOK WHO WANTED TO READ
dir. Pablo Diaz De Leon Hicks (USA/Mexico/Canada), 2026
East Coast Premiere
In search of where he belongs, a brand-new little book gets lost in a grand library, only to realize that the most meaningful place to be isn’t always where you fit in best.

EENY, MEENY, MINY, MOE!
dir. Andrea Szelesová (Czechia/Slovakia), 2026
Yios, a lonely mythical boy whose head shines like the sun, struggles to make friends in the clouds. After he falls down to Earth, everything changes…

FOUR SQUARE
dir. Eli Staub (USA), 2025
East Coast Premiere
When an act of betrayal on the playground turns two best friends against each other, they must settle things the only way they know how: on the high-stakes four square court.

A GAME OF CHANCE
dir. Gordon LePage (USA), 2026
New York Premiere
A young mouse, lonely for a friend, takes up a board game with the wind.

SABA
dir. Liron Topaz (USA/UK), 2026
New York Premiere
In a surreal world where gravity flows upward, a young boy embarks on a poetic journey.

SHORTS PROGRAM: UNEXPECTED REVELATIONS
Sponsored by Almamatcha

CALLBACK
dir. Matthew Puccini (USA), 2025
Max arrives home from work to find that his boyfriend Will has booked a callback for a major role. Jealousy leads the couple to hire their teenage neighbor to judge them in an acting competition.

THE CRANBERRY EFFECT
dir. Mathery (Erika Zorzi and Matteo Sangalli) (Italy), 2025
International Premiere
At a bloody massacre in a diner, sharp detective Jenna should be hunting a killer. Instead, she is hopelessly consumed by a rival’s roasted chicken recipe.

GENERAL ADMISSION
dir. Kaily Morgan Smith (USA), 2026
Determined to move on from her cheating, narcissistic ex, a woman shows up to a support group desperate for a fresh start. Her search for healing takes an unexpected turn.

GRIEF ROOM
dir. Sindha Agha (UK), 2026
East Coast Premiere
Three estranged sisters reunite at their sharp-tongued mother’s deathbed to say goodbye. Using experimental tech to interpret their mother’s thoughts, the youngest becomes convinced they must uncover an urgent, final message.

WE WERE HERE
dir. Pranav Bhasin (India), 2025
New York Premiere
In a crumbling Indian town, three retired men protest machines replacing human jobs by pretending to be household appliances.

WELCOME TO PARIS
dir. Al Karr (USA/France), 2024
When Evie’s foot modeling gig doesn’t go as planned, an unlikely friend comes to her rescue.

SHORTS PROGRAM: FAMILY AFFAIRS
Sponsored by Almamatcha

DUA JI
dir. YuHan Tsai (Taiwan/USA), 2026
[East Coast Premiere]
In rural Taiwan, during her mother’s funeral, an eldest daughter grapples with grief, resentment, and the quiet burden of tradition.

LION ROCK
dir. Prisca Bouchet, Nick Mayow (New Zealand), 2025
[East Coast Premiere]
On a beach road, a teenage boy and his mother hit something with their car. She insists it was nothing, but as the night unfolds the boy begins to doubt her story.

LIVING WITH A VISIONARY
dir. Stephen P. Neary (USA), 2026
After 50 years of marriage, John must care for his wife while learning to live alongside her vivid hallucinations.

SANDY FANNIES
dir. Ingrid Runde Saxegaard (Norway), 2026
Sixteen-year-old Aurora spends a day with her mother on a beach. Conversations about sex and love blur the line between being parent and child and being friends.

SEE YOU, SOON
dir. Jay Pendarvis Jr. (USA), 2026
New York Premiere
Amari meets his brother Dominique in a quiet, late-night diner. What begins as a casual exchange gradually deepens, as their conversation reveals layers of tension, love, and unspoken history.

SHORTS PROGRAM: TIME AFTER TIME
Sponsored by Almamatcha

THE BOYS AND THE BEES
dir. Arielle Knight (USA), 2025
On an idyllic farm in rural Georgia, beekeeping parents tenderly share their knowledge of life, love, and nature with their young sons.

COUTURE TO THE MAX
dir. Dori Berinstein (USA), 2025
At just 9 years old, fashion prodigy Max Alexander embodies a spirit of hope, creativity and innovation, fearlessly challenging entrenched norms and fusing his boundless imagination with an unwavering commitment to sustainability.

MON TAXI
dir. Meriem Sakrouhi (USA/Morocco), 2026
For years, calling her father was a daily ritual for Moroccan filmmaker Meriem Sakrouhi. After he passes, her urge to stay connected remains. She decides to call him.

THE REVOLUTION AGAINST DEATH
dir. Joshua Lincoln Oppenheimer (USA), 2026
At a faded rococo resort, a thousand seekers declare a revolution against aging and death, confronting capitalism, denial, and the terror of being unseen while chasing communion and love in the shadow of mortality.

SHORTS PROGRAM: FEEDING THE WORLD
Sponsored by Almamatcha

ONE LAST ORDER
dir. Lauren DeFilippo, Sam Soko (USA), 2026
After 37 years at a Florida drive-thru, Sighle expects a quiet farewell. Instead, when the owner announces every dollar earned that day goes straight to Sighle, the town turns her final shift into an unforgettable send-off.

TOP OF THE WORLD
dir. Julie Cohen, Betsy West (USA), 2026
Windows on the World, the legendary restaurant that once sat atop the World Trade Center, is shown through the eyes of the remarkable community of culinary innovators and immigrants who created it.

THE VOLUNTEER
dir. Owen Dubeck (USA), 2026
East Coast Premiere
After a near-death experience, a community hero committed to feeding others reckons with his self-sacrificing behaviors.

SHORTS PROGRAM: 2026 VIEWS FROM LONG ISLAND SHORTS
Sponsored by Stonybrook Southampton Hospital

B-CAMERA FOOTAGE FROM THE DOCUMENTARY “PIPING PLOVERS: A COASTAL MIGRATION ”
dir. Jack Wasserstein, Andrew Penn (USA), 2026
World Premiere
On a beach in Amagansett, an ornithologist narrates a documentary about the endangered piping plover as chaos erupts in the background.

BOUNTY UNCHARTED: EMPIRE OF THE ATLANTIC
dir. Michael A. Cuomo, Jeff Ragovin (USA), 2025
World Premiere
Filmed entirely from the air, BOUNTY UNCHARTED uses drone cinematography to reveal the ocean as it is seldom seen: vast, kinetic, and intricately connected.

A FRAGILE PARADISE
dir. Eliza Mitnick (USA), 2025
New York Premiere
A portrait of Fire Island as rising seas and shifting shorelines threaten its unique ecosystem and close-knit community.

LAND OF PLENTY
dir. Leslye Davis (USA), 2025
World Premiere
Rooted in family, community, and a time-honored way of life, this is a story about the heritage and history of Round Swamp Farm.

PENTIMENTO
dir. Hunter Gause (USA), 2025
World Premiere
On an errand to the Hamptons, an artist’s assistant makes an embarrassing mistake that forces him to face his creative stagnation.

SHORTS PROGRAM: 2026 AIR LAND AND SEA SHORTS
Sponsored by Luminara Napa Valley

THE CORAL RESCUERS
dir. Jason Spingarn-Koff (USA), 2026
It’s all hands on deck to rescue Florida’s last remaining corals, as a community of scientists and reef guardians unites against climate change and ongoing destruction.

PLANT LIFE
dir. Brett Marty, Josh Izenberg (USA), 2025
East Coast Premiere
Having revolutionized plant biology once already, Dr. Joanne Chory and her team are re-engineering crops to draw down CO₂ at planetary scale—a scientific race against time that may determine both her legacy and our future.

SOME KIND OF REFUGE
dir. Alexandra Kern (USA), 2025
Dwellers of the lush and peaceful banks of the Mississippi River live outside the constraints of modern society. Their survival and slowly disappearing way of life depends on resourcefulness and a deep respect for nature.

A SONG FOR THE SNOW LION
dir. Pawo Choyning Dorji (Bhutan/USA), 2026
East Coast Premiere
In Bhutan’s high Himalayas, filmmaker Pawo Choyning Dorji follows world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma to Lunana, where an ancient snow-lion folktale meets a changing climate.

SHORTS PROGRAM: 2026 CONFLICT AND RESOLUTION SHORTS
Sponsored by Twomey Latham

MAYBE TOMORROW
dir. Waad Al-Kateab, Wafa Mustafa (UK/Syria/Germany), 2025
East Coast Premiere
In Syria, a country where around 177,057 people remain missing, a personal search becomes a collective story of memory, resistance, justice, and love that refuses to fade.

ROOM OF THE ABSOLUTE
dir. Natalie Shirinian, Elizabeth Baudouin (USA), 2026
New York Premiere
Amid three years of relentless destruction to her homeland, Ukrainian painter Alla Hurenko offers a new diaristic perspective on daily life under war, where her canvas becomes a powerful act of resistance.

THE SECOND LIFE OF FREDDIE NOLE
dir. Dana Nachman (USA), 2026
When Freddie Nole drives to meet a man walking out of prison, he’s not just offering a ride, he’s offering hope, dignity, and a path to permanent freedom.

HamptonsFilm, home of The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF), based in the Hamptons on the Eastern End of Long Island, was founded in 1992 to celebrate the art of film and to introduce a unique and varied spectrum of international films and filmmakers to our audiences. A non-profit organization with year-round screenings of global narrative and documentary films, an annual Screenwriters Lab, a summer documentary showcase, and extensive educational initiatives, HamptonsFilm offers programs that enlighten, educate, and provide invaluable exposure for filmmakers, while also providing the East End of Long Island with an educational and cultural experience that enriches the lives of its citizens and contributes to the local economy. HIFF, celebrating its 33rd year in 2025, is an annual premiere film event in New York State, and an intimate showcase of some of the year’s best offerings in contemporary cinema from around the world. Awarding prizes to filmmakers in cash and goods and services of over $130,000, each year, with over $5 million awarded in competition funds and services over the decades, our program continues to play an important role during awards season. For eleven consecutive years from 2010 through 2020, the Festival screened the eventual Best Picture winner at the Oscars, making HIFF the only Festival in the world with such a distinction.

You can keep up with updates by following us on twitter @hamptonsmedia and bookmarking our People & Parties pages for full write-ups and videos and interviews…or even use the rss feed on this blog! You can find handy links to both The Hamptons International Film Festival plus lodging and/or dining from Westhampton to Montauk on “The Hamptons”.com