The most anticipated films coming to VIFF 2026 and what to know before you go

Film buffs and those curious to dip into the scene can officially catch hundreds of movie screenings this fall at the 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF).

This includes award-winning features and short films from across the globe, such as Crocodile dir. The Critics and Pietra Brettkelly (Nigeria/New Zealand), Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut, and 160 other feature-length films.

Of these, six will mark international premieres, 15 will premiere in North America, and 49 will premiere in Canada at VIFF’s 45th season.

“This year marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Vancouver International Film Festival,” shares Kyle Fostner, Executive Director of VIFF. “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 is a celebration of global cinema (with films from 76 countries around the world) as well as the incredible talent we have in Canada and B.C. In addition to film screenings, visitors can check out dozens of filmmaker Q&As, VIFF Talks with top industry creatives, and exclusive live performances.

Every year, a celebrated Canadian filmmaker is invited to curate four international features that influenced their own creative journey.

This year, Sophy Romvari is back as VIFF’s guest curator, the director of the wildly successful Blue Heron.

“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 for this year are Tribeca Viewpoints winner Crocodile by The Critics and Pietra Brettkelly, Hong Sangsoo’s latest film Nowhere to Lay My Eyes, Rose by Markus Schleinzer, which earned actress 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 dealing with disability, adoption, and shifting family dynamics.

Which are the most highly-anticipated films of 2026?

According to VIFF, this year’s Special Presentations lineup consists of several categories. There are international winners from Cannes like Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord and Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden, and a slew of highly-anticipated 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 premieres in Venice, Kore-eda Hirokazu’s Look Back and Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love are also amongst VIFF’s Special Presentations this year.

How much are movie tickets?

Ticket packs are your best bet if you plan on seeing a handful of films, giving you guaranteed, priority entry, and allowing you to skip the queue in the passholder lineup.

A six-pack is priced at $126, and a 10-pack is priced at $200. For students with a valid piece of student ID, those prices are $110 and $176, respectively.

If you’re looking for single film tickets, admission is priced at $22 per adult, $20 per senior (65+), and $19 for students and youth.

Festival passes are also available online for $495, giving you access to all of VIFF’s 2026 film screenings.

When do tickets go on sale?

While advance tickets can sell out depending on the movie, new tickets are often released closer to the screening date.

Regular admission tickets officially go on sale at noon on Thursday, Aug. 17.

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’ll be available for pickup at the VIFF Centre Box Office, which opens 30 minutes before the first screening of each day the festival runs.

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

When and where will the movies be screened?

In addition to the VIFF Centre (1181 Seymour St.), the festival will screen films between Thursday, Oct. 1 and Sunday, Oct. 11 at a whole host of theatres across the city. This includes 19+ only venues such as the 5th Avenue Theatre, The Rio, and the Park Theatre.

Here are all the venues where films will be screened this year:

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

Are there any accessibility features available?

Lobby passes allow you and a companion to access a seated waiting area inside the lobby prior to doors opening, if you are unable to stand in lineups. These are available at the following venues:

• Alliance Française
• Fifth Avenue Cinemas
• International Village
• Lindsay Family Stage at Granville Island
• Park Theatre
• SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts
• The Cinematheque
• The Rio
• Vancouver Playhouse
• VIFF Centre

Closed caption devices are available for a limited number of screenings, and fit into the cupholders.

Some films will feature open captions (similar to subtitles), which display dialogue and sound descriptions onscreen.

Those who need hearing aids can pick up a descriptive video headset at a limited number of screenings to adjust the volume of the video description audio as well as access a separate volume control for the film audio.

Finally, relaxed screening options are available for those who could benefit from a more laid-back movie-watching experience. This may include parents with small children, or those with sensory processing difficulties.

The reduced sound levels and fewer movie-goers make this a comfortable introductory VIFF experience if you’re unsure how well you or a loved one would fare at a typical screening.

Does VIFF do refunds?

In the event that you’ve booked the wrong date or time, VIFF can exchange your ticket free of charge to another screening with enough notice.

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

Any exchange/refund requests on films that have already been screened will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

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

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