Major Film Festivals in 2026
Mark your calendar: a fast, festival-by-festival cheat sheet for 2026. Dates may shift—always double-check the official site before booking. (Festival names below link to their official websites.)
The 2026 Calendar At a Glance
Below are the headline festivals (plus a few key industry cornerstones). If a date is still pending, it’s labeled TBA with a best-guess window (clearly marked).
| Festival | 2026 Dates | Where | What it’s known for |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sundance Film Festival
Confirmed
Official site →
|
Jan 22 – Feb 1, 2026 | Park City + Salt Lake City, Utah (plus online window) | Breakout indies, buzz premieres, discovery titles |
|
International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR)
Confirmed
Official site →
|
Jan 29 – Feb 8, 2026 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | Bold new voices, experimental cinema, Tiger Competition |
|
Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale)
Confirmed
Official site →
|
Feb 12 – 22, 2026 | Berlin, Germany | Prestige competition, major European industry market |
|
SXSW Film & TV (SXSW)
Confirmed
Official site →
|
Mar 12 – 18, 2026 | Austin, Texas | Pop-culture premieres, TV launches, high-energy discovery |
|
Tribeca Festival
Confirmed
Official site →
|
Jun 3 – 14, 2026 | New York City | NYC premieres, documentary + narrative mix, creator culture |
|
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF)
Confirmed
Official site →
|
Jul 3 – 11, 2026 | Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic | Major European “A-list” festival, strong competition slate |
|
Locarno Film Festival
Listed
Official site →
|
Aug 5 – 15, 2026 | Locarno, Switzerland | Piazza Grande screenings, auteur cinema, discovery |
|
Telluride Film Festival
Expected
Official site →
|
Expected: Sep 4 – 7, 2026 (Labor Day weekend) | Telluride, Colorado | Secretive lineup, awards-season launchpad, cinephile favorite |
|
Venice International Film Festival
Confirmed
Official site →
|
Sep 2 – 12, 2026 | Lido di Venezia, Italy | Top-tier premieres, awards-season momentum, prestige |
|
TIFF: The Market
Confirmed
Official site →
|
Sep 10 – 16, 2026 | Toronto, Canada | Industry marketplace (sales, deals, networking) |
|
San Sebastián International Film Festival (SSIFF)
Listed
Official site →
|
Sep 18 – 26, 2026 | San Sebastián, Spain | High-caliber competition, European prestige, coastal glamour |
|
BFI London Film Festival (LFF)
Confirmed
Official site →
|
Oct 7 – 18, 2026 | London, UK | Major fall festival, UK premieres, awards-season corridor |
Booking note: “Confirmed” = dates published by the festival/official org. “Listed” = dates posted by
an official cultural calendar or festival platform. “Expected” = date window inferred from a long-standing pattern (clearly labeled).