VIFF 2026: the most anticipated films and what to know before you go

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Film lovers and curious newcomers alike can catch hundreds of screenings this fall at the 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF).

The lineup includes award-winning features and shorts from around the world, from Crocodile by The Critics and Pietra Brettkelly (Nigeria/New Zealand) to Jesse Eisenberg's The Debut, plus 160 other feature-length films.

Of these, six are international premieres, 15 are North American premieres, and 49 are Canadian premieres in VIFF's 45th season.

'This year marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Vancouver International Film Festival,' says VIFF executive director Kyle Fostner. 'With our Institute for the Moving Image launched, our largest program of live performances ever offered, and an exciting slate of the best contemporary cinema, VIFF is quickly becoming the archetype of the modern film festival.'

What to expect at this year's Vancouver International Film Festival

What is VIFF?

VIFF celebrates global cinema, with films from 76 countries, alongside the incredible talent across Canada and B.C. Beyond screenings, visitors can enjoy dozens of filmmaker Q&As, VIFF Talks with top industry creatives and exclusive live performances.

Each year, a celebrated Canadian filmmaker is invited to curate four international features that shaped their own creative path.

This year, Sophy Romvari — director of the hit Blue Heron — returns as VIFF's guest curator.

'Sophy is a singular talent with an innate understanding of cinema's complexities and possibilities. We can't wait to have her back in Vancouver to present her curated selection of films by Jacques Doillon, Abbas Kiarostami, Terrence Malick, and Michael Roemer.'

The first five official selections this year are Tribeca Viewpoints winner Crocodile by The Critics and Pietra Brettkelly; Hong Sangsoo's latest, Nowhere to Lay My Eyes; Rose by Markus Schleinzer, which earned Sandra Hüller the Silver Bear for Best Lead Performance at the Berlinale; The Story of Documentary Film: The 2000s by Mark Cousins; and Liz Sargent's Take Me Home, a drama about disability, adoption and shifting family dynamics.

Which are the most highly-anticipated films of 2026?

According to VIFF, this year's Special Presentations lineup spans several categories, including Cannes winners like Cristian Mungiu's Fjord and Ryusuke Hamaguchi's All of a Sudden, plus a slew of eagerly awaited Canadian premieres:

Behemoth! by Tony Gilroy
Wicker by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson
Dao by Alain Gomis
A Bit of Light by Ali Asgari
Mouse by Kelly O'Sullivan and Alex Thompson
Queen at Sea by Lance Hammer
I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning by Clio Barnard
Rose by Markus Schleinzer
Nowhere to Lay My Eyes by Hong Sangsoo

Fresh off their Venice premieres, Kore-eda Hirokazu's Look Back and Lee Chang-dong's Possible Love are also among this year's Special Presentations.

How much are movie tickets?

If you plan to catch several films, ticket packs are your best bet — they guarantee priority entry and let you skip the queue in the passholder line.

A six-pack costs $126 and a 10-pack costs $200; students with valid ID pay $110 and $176 respectively.

For single tickets, admission is $22 per adult, $20 per senior (65+) and $19 for students and youth.

Festival passes are also available online for $495, granting access to all VIFF 2026 screenings.

When do tickets go on sale?

Advance tickets can sell out depending on the film, but new tickets are often released closer to each screening date.

Regular admission tickets go on sale at noon on Thursday, Aug. 27.

Where do I pick up my festival pass?

Festival passes must be picked up at the VIFF Centre between Sept. 24 and Oct. 7, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. After Oct. 7, they can be picked up at the VIFF Centre Box Office, which opens 30 minutes before the first screening each day.

Note that all passes are final sale after Oct. 2.

When and where will the movies be screened?

Alongside the VIFF Centre (1181 Seymour St.), the festival runs Thursday, Oct. 1 through Sunday, Oct. 11 across theatres citywide, including 19+ venues like the 5th Avenue Theatre, The Rio and the Park Theatre.

Here are all the screening venues this year:

Alliance Française (lobby passes available)
Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
Fifth Avenue Cinemas
International Village
Lindsay Family Stage at Granville Island
Park Theatre
SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts
The Cinémathèque
The Pearl
The Rio
Vancouver Playhouse
VIFF Centre

Are there any accessibility features available?

Lobby passes let you and a companion use a seated waiting area inside the lobby before doors open, if you can't stand in line. They're available at these venues:

Alliance Française

Closed caption devices that fit in the cupholders are available for a limited number of screenings.

Some films feature open captions, which display dialogue and sound descriptions on screen.

Hearing aid users can pick up a descriptive video headset at select screenings to adjust the video description volume and control the film audio separately.

Finally, relaxed screenings are offered for those who'd benefit from a more laid-back experience, including parents with young children or people with sensory processing difficulties.

With reduced sound levels and fewer moviegoers, it's a comfortable way to try VIFF for the first time if you're unsure how you or a loved one would handle a typical screening.

Does VIFF do refunds?

If you've booked the wrong date or time, VIFF can exchange your ticket for another screening free of charge with enough notice.

If your plans change and you need to cancel entirely, VIFF provides full refunds.

Exchange or refund requests for films that have already screened are handled on a case-by-case basis.

Vancouver International Film Festival 2026

When: Oct. 1 to 11, 2026
Time: Showtimes vary
Where: VIFF Centre (1181 Seymour St.) and theatres across Vancouver
Cost: Tickets on sale at noon on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026