There are few cities with local film cultures that feel as alive as what’s happening in Seattle right now. A long-time haven for indie auteurs, scrappy productions, and cinephiles of all stripes, the bustling artistic hub in Washington has slowly become not just an inlet for mainstream Hollywood success stories — but also an essential source for the sort of edgier fringe projects that make the movies feel revolutionary.

That punk-rock energy will surge through the city once more this spring when the Seattle International Film Festival returns for its 52nd edition. Running from May 7 to 17, at various venues across the city, SIFF 2026 will showcase 203 films from 71 countries and regions. The newly announced lineup includes 71 narrative features, 34 documentaries, and 98 shorts. Most films currently lack U.S. distribution, reinforcing the fest’s role as a launchpad for filmmakers who might otherwise struggle to break through.

“The films at this year’s Festival represent a wide array of voices, regions, storytelling, and style,” artistic director Beth Barrett said in a release. “In our increasingly divided world, film is a medium that can close some of those gaps, and help us understand the universality of humanity.” 

SIFF festival programming manager Megan Leonard continued, “This year’s lineup will cinelate the mind, body and soul — even while at times providing an escape, these 203 films don’t shy away from diving headfirst into the issues of today. We salute the bravery and fortitude of all the filmmakers who poured into their creations in such a complex artistic landscape.” 

The festival will open with “I Love Boosters,” the latest from Boots Riley, whose follow-up to 2018’s “Sorry to Bother You” comes stacked with star power including Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, and LaKeith Stanfield. The filmmaker will be in attendance at the Paramount Theater. 

Closing night will shift gears with “The Invite” from director/star Olivia Wilde. It’s a relationship drama written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, also starring Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton. Wilde will present the film and a live Q&A at SIFF Cinema downtown. 

The rest of the lineup leans heavy into the eclectic. Highlights include “Powwow People,” a locally shot documentary from Sky Hopinka that will receive the Seattle Film Critics Society’s John Hartl Pacific Northwest Spotlight Award — and “Obsession,” a wish-fullfillment horror entry from Curry Barker. John Carney also returns with the music-driven crowd-pleaser “Power Ballad,” and Kenji Tanigaki will deliver a high-octane martial arts showcase in “The Furious.” Genre fans can further look forward to a reimagined presentation of “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” and SIFF’s ever-mysterious Secret Fest returns with its NDA-guarded screenings.

SIFF’s continued confidence in local audiences who will seek out the unfamiliar only bolsters Seattle’s growing reputation as a destination ready to help shape the future of cinema.

Read on for the full 2026 lineup, with all synopses and competition details provided by the festival.

Opening Night Film & Party

I Love Boosters

Thursday, May 7 – The Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St
Doors Open to Public: 6:00 pm (Paramount Theatre)
SIFF Welcome & Screening: 7:00 pm (Paramount Theatre)
After-Party: Following the Film (Cannonball Arts)
Opening Night Film & Party Tickets: $55.00 | $75.00 Non-Members
Film Only Tickets: $40.00 | $35.00 Non-Members

I Love Boosters follows a crew of professional shoplifters taking aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. It’s like community service! Boots Riley’s sophomore film stars Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza Gonzalez, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter, Don Cheadle & Demi Moore. Riley’s feature debut Sorry to Bother You was featured as the Centerpiece film at the 2018 Seattle International Film Festival. 

(d: Boots Riley c: Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza Gonzalez, LaKeith Stanfield, Don Cheadle, Demi Moore, USA 2026, 115 min)

Closing Night Film 

The Invite

Saturday, May 17, 7:00 pm – SIFF Cinema Downtown
Audience Q&A with Director and Star Olivia Wilde to follow screening
Closing Night Film Tickets: $35.00 Members | $40.00 Non-Members

In The Invite, Joe and Angela’s marriage is on thin ice. When they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places. Have they reignited the spark or lit the match that burns it all down?

Fresh off its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and newly acquired by A24, The Invite has already generated strong buzz, with early reviews calling it “a wildly funny, deeply human look at modern relationships.” Also starring Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton, the film follows two very different couples whose lives collide during an unexpected night together. Director Olivia Wilde is scheduled to appear in person to present this San Francisco-set story, which was written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack.

(d: Olivia Wilde c: Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton, USA 2026, 107 min)

Competitions

Our competitions come in two forms. The juried competitions are made up of films selected by our Festival programmers and represent the best in their category from all over the world. A carefully selected jury of industry professionals then determines the winners. These include the Official Competition, Documentary Competition, New American Cinema Competition, Dan Ireland Prize, New Directors Competition, Ibero-American Competition. The other form of competition is the Golden Space Needle Awards, which are selected by SIFF audiences using our online platform. Categories include Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Performance, Best Short Film, and the Lena Sharpe Award for Persistence of Vision. The winners will be announced on Sunday, May 17 at the Golden Space Needle Awards Ceremony.

Golden Space Needle Awards

Since 2013, the Golden Space Needle Award design has been created by artist Piper O’Neill, Principal & Creative Director of Idlewild Union. The award is given in six categories (Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Performance, Best Short Film, and the Lena Sharpe Award for Persistence of Vision) as voted by festival audiences. The jury and audience winners will be announced on May 17 at the Golden Space Needle Awards Reception. 

Official Competition

With work spanning the world, the six films in the Official Competition illustrate some of the finest filmmaking this year. These films represent some of the Festival’s best, and should be at the top of your movie-watching lists. Juried by a team of international industry members, the winner of the Official Competition will be announced at the Golden Space Needle Awards and receive a cash prize of $5,000.

2026 Entries:

Burn, d: Makoto Nagahisa (Japan 2026)
The Friend’s House is Here, d: Hossein Keshavarz, Maryam Ataei (Iran/USA 2026)
Lady, d: Samuel Abrahams (United Kingdom 2025)
Mārama, d: Taratoa Stappard (Māori) (New Zealand 2025)
Silent Friend, d: Ildikó Enyedi (Germany/Hungary 2025)
Sundays, d: Alauda Ruiz de Azúa (Spain 2025)

Documentary Competition

There are stories to be told all throughout our living world, providing documentarians endless source material for compelling projects. Music, dance, art, politics, sports, social injustices, and nature itself all offer new perspectives and challenge our preconceived notions. These films broaden our horizons and invigorate our understanding of the planet, including the people and creatures with whom we share it. The winner will be announced at the Golden Space Needle Awards and receive a cash prize of $5,000.

2026 Entries:

American Doctor, d: Poh Si Teng (USA/Palestine/Malaysia/Qatar 2026)
Birds of War, d: Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak (United Kingdom/Syria/Lebanon 2026)
Bucks Harbor, d: Peter Muller (USA 2026)
Kikuyu Land, d: Andrew H. Brown (Huron-Wyandot), Bea Wangondu (Kikuyu) (Kenya/USA 2026)
Nuisance Bear, d: Gabriela Osio Vanden, Jack Weisman (USA/Canada/United Kingdom 2026)
The Seoul Guardians, d: Jong-woo Kim, Shin-Wan Kim, Chul-Young Cho (South Korea 2026)
To Hold a Mountain, d: Biljana Tutorov, Petar Glomazić (Serbia/France/Montenegro/Slovenia 2026)
Yo (Love is a Rebellious Bird), d: Anna Fitch, Banker White (USA 2026)

New American Cinema Competition

When we begin our programming selection process in the fall, the team looks in awe at the sheer volume of films by independent American filmmakers, a category that fields the largest number of submissions by far. We can only select a fraction to take to the finals, but the heavy competition leads to a truly remarkable collective output of U.S. independents. Each of these films may not currently have a distributor, but they have a champion on the programming team. Our mission is to herald the diversity of the American experience through voices sorely underrepresented in American cinema. The winner will be announced at the Golden Space Needle Awards and receive a cash prize of $5,000.

2026 Entries:

April X, d: Michel K. Parandi (USA/Romania 2025)
Crystal Cross, d: Richie James Follin (Cherokee) (USA 2025)
Edie Arnold is a Loser, d: Megan Rico, Kade Atwood (USA 2026)
Hot Water, d: Ramzi Bashour (USA 2026)
Lucky Lu, d: Lloyd Lee Choi (USA/Canada 2025)
Valentina, d: Tatti Ribeiro (USA 2025)

Dan Ireland Prize

In 2026, SIFF will present the inaugural Dan Ireland Prize to a promising new U.S. director, to be given alongside the New American Cinema Jury award. This support is provided by Harry Gregson-Williams, and originated as part of the Louisiana International Film Festival to honor SIFF Founder and LIFF Artistic Director, accomplished filmmaker and mentor, Dan Ireland. The winner of the Dan Ireland Prize will receive a cash prize of $3,000.

New Directors Competition

Be at the cutting edge of world cinema and take a little risk in your viewing. This year, seven new international voices have been selected for SIFF’s New Directors Competition. To qualify, the films must be dramatic features, a director’s debut or second feature, and without U.S. distribution at the time of SIFF selection. The films are chosen for their original scripts, innovative cinematography, and unique insights into people, places, and story. The New Directors jury comprises film industry professionals and journalists who will choose the winning filmmaker during the Festival’s final weekend. The winner will be announced at the Golden Space Needle Awards and receive a cash prize of $5,000.

2026 Entries:

Becoming Human, d: Polen Ly (Cambodia 2025)
Cotton Queen, d: Suzannah Mirghani (Germany/France/Palestine/Egypt/Qatar/Saudi Arabia/Sudan 2025)
Happy Birthday, d: Sarah Goher (Egypt 2025)
Hijra, d: Shahad Ameen (Saudi Arabia/Iraq/Egypt/United Kingdom 2025)
Shape of Momo, d: Tribeny Rai (India/South Korea 2025)
Three of a Kind, d: Charlotte Brodthagen (Denmark 2026)
Trial of Hein, d: Kai Stänicke (Germany 2026)

Ibero-American Competition

The Ibero-American Competition selects 8 outstanding films from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal to highlight the increasing power, creativity, and influence of storytelling in the region. To be eligible, films must be without U.S. distribution at the time of their selection. A jury made up of film industry professionals and journalists will be responsible for selecting the winning film. The winner will be announced at the Golden Space Needle Awards and receive a cash prize of $5,000.

2026 Entries:

Balandrau, Where the Fierce Wind Blew, d: Fernando Trullols (Spain 2026)
The Condor Daughter, d: Alvaro Olmos Torrico (Quechua) (Bolivia 2025)
Fifteen, d: Jack Zagha, Yossy Zagha (Mexico/Argentina 2026)
The Garden We Dreamed, d: Joaquín del Paso (Mexico 2026)
It Would Be Night in Caracas, d: Mariana Rondón, Marité Ugás (Mexico/Venezuela 2025)
Iván & Hadoum, d: Ian de la Rosa (Spain/Germany/Belgium 2026)
Jaripeo, d: Efraín Mojica, Rebecca Zweig (Mexico/USA/France 2026)
The Red Hangar, d: Juan Pablo Sallato (Chile/Argentina/Italy 2026)

Short Films Competition

Limited in length but never in creativity, short films have their very own energy, far removed from the financial constraints of a feature film and often the rules of cinema itself. Whether they embody the start of an idea or the crystallization of one, shorts are one of the most consistently intriguing cinematic forms, a fascinating world unto themselves. Each year, SIFF is proud to present a collection of short films we believe best represent the form’s limitless imaginative possibilities. While these films may be onscreen for mere moments, they make lasting impressions. Every short film in the Seattle International Film Festival is eligible for both the Golden Space Needle Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize. Our Shorts Competition jurors will choose winners in the Live-Action, Animation, and Documentary categories. Each Grand Jury Prize winner will receive $2,500; winners may also qualify to enter their respective Short Film category of the Academy Awards® for the concurrent season without the theatrical run.

Programs

New American Cinema

Going to the movies has long been a favorite American pastime, and these filmmakers are determined to keep it that way. Each of these films represents a unique voice, and together they reflect the diversity of the American experience.

April X
Chili Finger
Drunken Noodles
Edie Arnold is a Loser
Hot Water
If I Go Will They Miss Me
I Want Your Sex
Late Fame
Lucky Lu
See You When I See You
Valentina

World Cinema

These stories showcase bold voices, fresh perspectives, and unforgettable storytelling from today’s international filmmakers.

African Pictures

Bringing the best filmmaking happening in and about Africa today to American audiences. Don’t miss this opportunity to delight in these innovative and inspiring works spanning diverse regions and cultures.

Black Burns Fast
Cotton Queen
Happy Birthday
Kikuyu Land
Promised Sky

Asian Crossroads

Discover the most exciting films to come from Earth’s largest continent with our Asian Crossroads program. Selected films represent a diverse collection of genres from across the regions and cultures of Central, East, and South Asia.

Another World
Becoming Human
Burn
Deadline
En Route To
Renoir
Roid
The Seoul Guardians
Shape of Momo
Sons of the Neon Night

Australia

A distinctive Australian selection showcasing contemporary storytelling through a queer neo-noir lens.

Body Blow

Canada

Explore the richness of Canada’s cinematic landscape through tension and diaspora perspectives within Toronto’s communities. 

100 Sunset

Ibero-American Cinema

Ibero-American Cinema is nurtured by diversity, unique histories, and a rich tradition of storytelling. Allow the powerful documentaries and works of fiction in this program to ignite your emotions and expand your imagination.

Balandrau, Where the

Fierce Wind Blew

The Condor Daughter

The Garden We Dreamed

It Would Be Night in Caracas

Iván & Hadoum

Jaripeo

Maspalomas

The Red Hangar

Strange River

Sundays

Europe

A cross-continental program bringing together films that span genres and eras, from historical reckonings to unexpected and unconventional turns. These films capture the variety of filmmaking across Europe today.

Amrum

Case 137

Franz

Hen

Lady

Murder in the Building

Primavera

Silent Friend

Tell Everyone

Three Goodbyes

Three of a Kind

Trial of Hein

Middle East

The Middle East is rooted in history, identity, and a rapidly changing cultural landscape. Experience evocative films that bring urgent and deeply personal stories from around the region.

The Friend’s House is Here

Hijra

Hold Onto Me

Salvation

Alternate Cinema

Forward-thinking, pattern-disrupting independent films for viewers with a passion for experimentation. Our Alternate Cinema program promises to open your mind with unconventional cinematography and fresh narratives.

EIGHT BRIDGES

Archival Films

Are you a history buff? A lover of pre-CGI practical effects or Old Hollywood glamor’s stacked lashes and Marcel waves? Well, we’ve got a stellar lineup of stunningly restored films from decades past that will transport you back to the time when films were actually shot on film and trailers were still at the end of the movie.

Prisoners of the Earth

Queen Kelly

Documentary Films

From intimate portraits to thrilling reconstructions of historical events and everything in between.

American Doctor

The Ascent

Barbara Forever

Beat the Lotto

Birds of War

Boorman and the Devil

Bucks Harbor

Cuba & Alaska

Ghost in the Machine

Hanging by a Wire

Love Chaos Kin

Maintenance Artist

Nuisance Bear

Rising Through the Fray

Soul Patrol

To Hold a Mountain

When A Witness Recants

Yo (Love is a Rebellious Bird)

Culinary Cinema

Culinary Cinema serves up films that explore food in all its intensity and artistry. Awaken your senses with a flavorful lineup where food takes center stage. 

The Big Cheese

One of Our Own: A Tribute to Joan Roca

Face the Music

Regular exposure to music and film is essential to maintaining your personal equilibrium. That’s why we created Face the Music, a scientifically proven regimen of music-centered movies for your peak audio-visual health.

The Best Summer
Broken English

cINeDIGENOUS

SIFF acknowledges that we are on Indigenous land, the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. This program amplifies Indigenous filmmakers worldwide, sharing vital voices for our planet and its people.

Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild]
Crystal Cross
Mārama
Meadowlarks
Powwow People
Reservation Redemption

Northwest Connections

Washingtonians have a distinct culture, and the films in this program highlight all that makes us unique. Grab your raincoat—skip the umbrella—and head on over to SIFF for these movies filmed or set in the PNW.

Again Again
Assets & Liabilities
The Life We Leave
Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero
RADIOHEART: The Drive and Times of DJ Kevin Cole
Under a Million Stars

WTF: Wild, Terrifying, Fantastic!

All aboard this ultimate WTF cruise to the strangest, most disconcerting, and silliest parts of this spooky, slimy planet we call Earth—and maybe even beyond.

Camp
Fifteen
The Furious
Gaua
Obsession
The Restoration at Grayson Manor

Films4Families

Family-friendly films for kids, their chaperones, and anyone with a sense of childlike wonder. Enjoy the bright colors, quirky sound effects, and sweet narratives of these fabulous children’s features and shorts from around the world.

Cookie Queens
Songbirds’ Secret