AFI FEST runs October 21-25, 2026 at TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood. This year's program marks the festival's 40th edition, assembling 157 films from 50 countries. The lineup is 45% directed by women and 32% directed by BIPOC filmmakers.
Ten official submissions for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards screen at the festival, spanning Japan, South Korea, Germany, Austria, Singapore, Thailand, Palestine, Nepal, Chile, and Canada. The submissions arrive carrying major festival hardware. Lee Chang-dong's Possible Love, South Korea's submission, won the Venice Film Festival Silver Lion. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi's All of a Sudden, representing Japan, comes from a Cannes prize. Mike Leigh's Tender Loving Care won the San Sebastián Golden Shell.
From Berlin, İlker Çatak's Yellow Letters won the Berlinale Golden Bear. Markus Schleinzer's Rose, Austria's Oscar submission, took the Silver Bear.
Beyond the international feature race, the lineup includes new work from Werner Herzog (Bucking Fastard), Asghar Farhadi (Parallel Tales), Céline Sciamma (Tutti Frutti), Andrew Haigh (A Long Winter), and two new films from Hong Sang-soo. Phil Lord and Chris Miller serve as Guest Artistic Directors, presenting a selection of classic films.
The festival opens with the U.S. premiere of Wildwood, directed by Travis Knight for Laika, and closes with Being Heumann. AFI FEST Director Todd Hitchcock said: "Our 40th edition of AFI FEST celebrates the cinematic artistry of bold, inspiring filmmakers from around the world."