Film Festivals & Awards 2026

The 70th BFI London Film Festival takes place across London from October 7 to 18, with gala premieres at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall and screenings, competitions, talks, and special presentations across BFI Southbank, BFI IMAX, and selected West End cinemas. The 2026 programme features 251 titles from 88 countries, including 33 world premieres, with international filmmakers and actors attending throughout the festival.

The festival begins with the European premiere of Elsinore, directed by Simon Stone, at the Opening Night Gala on October 7. The cast includes Andrew Scott, Olivia Colman, Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, Luke Thompson, Joe Locke, and Juliet Stevenson, with cast attendance expected. The Closing Night Gala on October 18 features the UK premiere of The Debut, directed by Jesse Eisenberg, with Eisenberg and members of the cast expected to attend.

Other gala titles include Danny Boyle’s Ink, Taika Waititi’s Klara and the Sun, James Gray’s Paper Tiger, Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love, Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine, Susanna White’s Prima Facie, and the international premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial.

The 23rd Monte-Carlo Film Festival de la Comédie brings international comedy cinema to the Principality for four days of screenings, premieres, filmmaker conversations, and industry events. Created and chaired by Ezio Greggio, the festival welcomes actors, directors, and international entertainment figures to the Grimaldi Forum.

The program concludes on November 14 with the Awards Gala, featuring the presentation of the festival prizes and career honors alongside invited guests from cinema, music, and entertainment. Film screenings throughout the festival are free, subject to availability.

Dates TBC. The Red Sea International Film Festival returns to Historic Jeddah for its sixth edition, bringing Saudi, Arab, African, Asian, and international cinema together through premieres, competition films, gala screenings, conversations, and industry events. The full 2027 programme will be announced later.

The Dubai International Film Festival returns in December 2027 after a ten-year absence, reviving one of the region’s most prominent cinema events. The 15th edition will spotlight films and filmmakers from across the Middle East while reconnecting Arab cinema with international audiences, industry professionals, producers, and distributors.

First launched in 2004, the festival became known for combining major international premieres with a strong Arab cinema program. Previous editions welcomed names including Tom Cruise, George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Shah Rukh Khan, Morgan Freeman, and Omar Sharif, while also supporting filmmakers from the UAE and wider region.

The full 2027 program, venues, screenings, red carpet events, and guest lineup are yet to be announced.