The 37th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) announced that the Festival’s Opening Night film will be “Calle Malaga” directed by Maryam Touzani on Friday, January 2nd, and will close with “Glenrothan” directed by Brian Cox on Sunday, January 11th.
The Festival will screen 168 films from 72 countries and territories, including 53 premieres (3 World, 6 International, 10 North American, 12 U.S., and 22 California) from January 2nd–12th, 2026. The lineup includes 44 International Feature Film Oscar Submissions, along with a plethora of returning and brand-new programs. The festival has also added the historic Plaza Theatre as one of its venues.
OPENING AND CLOSING SCREENINGS
The festival will open on Friday, January 2nd, with the film “Calle Malaga,” where actress Carmen Maura shines as an aging woman in Tangier, fighting to keep her home—and her sense of self—in director Maryam Touzani’s poignant Spanish-language debut. In attendance will be director Maryam Touzani. Opening Night will take place at multiple venues.
The festival will close on Sunday, January 11th, with the film “Glenrothan,” with its director and star, Brian Cox, in attendance. The Closing Night screening will take place at the Richards Center for the Arts at Palm Springs High School. Making his directorial debut, legendary actor Brian Cox stars alongside Alan Cumming as two estranged brothers reunited in their idyllic Scottish hometown, bound by the traditions of their family’s whiskey distillery.
Key programs with guests expected to attend include “King Hamlet” with actor Oscar Isaac and director Elvira Lind; “Kim Novak’s Vertigo” with actress Kim Novak and director Alexandre O. Philippe; “The Housemaid” with director Paul Feig; “She Dances” with actress Audrey Zahn, actor Steve Zahn, director Rick Gomez, and actress Mackenzie Ziegler; “Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story” with songwriter Carol Connors; “All That’s Left of You” with director, writer and star Cherien Dabis; “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” with director Gore Verbinski; “It Would Be Night in Caracas” with actor Edgar Ramirez; “Steal This Story, Please!” with subject and journalist Amy Goodman; “Palestine 36” with director Annemarie Jacir; “The Last Viking” with director and writer Anders Thomas Jensen; and more.
Highlights for this year include the launch of Gateway Films, a new series celebrating the titles that sparked a lifelong love of cinema, curated by actress Diane Kruger, critic Leonard Maltin, director Paul Feig, programmer Therese Hayes, and late actor Udo Kier.
Additional programming includes:
- A German Country Spotlight showcasing A Land Within, Amrum, Bad Painter, Islands, Miroirs No. 3, Silent Friend, Stars, The Last Spy, and What Marielle Knows
- Family Day with Arco, KPOP Demon Hunters, and Zootopia 2 presented at the Mary Pickford alongside a lively revue of local vendors and family-friendly fun
- An After Dark slate featuring Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, Mārama, The Book of Sijjin and Illiyyin, and The Plague
- A Local Spotlight with Italian Wannabe and Ramona and the Ballad of Juan Diego
- A new edition of Close-Ups in collaboration with Dave Karger
“Our 2026 lineup is a celebration of the stories that move us, challenge us, and remind us why we love movies,” said Lili Rodriguez, Artistic Director of the Palm Springs International Film Society.
“From family fun to bold new voices, from international masters to exciting first-time filmmakers, this year’s selections reflect the range of energy of world cinema today. At Palm Springs, the joy comes not just from the films but from the conversations and shared moments that bring people together year after year. We can’t wait for audiences to feel that spark that only cinema brings.”
AWARDS BUZZ – BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM SUBMISSIONS
This section is selected by Festival programmers as the strongest entries in this year’s Academy Awards race and will screen 44 official submissions from the Best International Feature Film category.
A special jury of international film critics will review these films to present the FIPRESCI Award for Best International Feature Film of the Year, as well as Best Actor, Best Actress, Best First Feature Film, and Best Screenplay in this category.
On Wednesday, January 7th, The Hollywood Reporter will also host an in-depth panel discussion with some of the directors who have made the Best International Feature Film shortlist.
- 100 Liters of Gold (Finland), dir. Teemu Nikki
- 2000 Meters to Andriivka (Ukraine), dir. Mstyslav Chernov
- A Poet (Colombia), dir. Simón Mesa Soto
- A Sad Beautiful World (Lebanon), dir. Cyril Aris
- A Useful Ghost (Thailand), dir. Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
- All That’s Left of You (Jordan), dir. Cherien Dabis
- Belén (Argentina), dir. Dolores Fonzi
- Beloved Tropic (Panama), dir. Ana Endara
- Eagles of the Republic (Sweden), dir. Tarik Saleh
- Familia (Italy), dir. Francesco Costabile
- Father (Slovakia), dir. Tereza Nvotová
- Franz (Poland), dir. Agnieszka Holland
- Happy Birthday (Egypt), dir. Sarah Goher
- Hijra (Saudi Arabia), dir. Shahad Ameen (North American Premiere)
- Homebound (India), dir. Neeraj Ghaywan
- It Was Just an Accident (France), dir. Jafar Panahi
- Kokuhô (Japan), dir. Sang-il Lee
- Late Shift (Switzerland), dir. Petra Volpe
- Left Handed Girl (Taiwan), dir. Shih-Ching Tsou
- Little Trouble Girls (Slovenia), dir. Urška Djukić
- Magellan (Philippines), dir. Lav Diaz
- Mr. Nobody Against Putin (Denmark), dirs. David Borenstein & Pavel Talankin
- My Father’s Shadow (United Kingdom), dir. Akinola Davies
- No Other Choice (South Korea), dir. Park Chan-wook
- Orphan (Hungary), dir. László Nemes
- Palestine 36 (Palestine), dir. Annemarie Jacir
- Reedland (Netherlands), dir. Sven Bresser
- Sirât (Spain), dir. Oliver Laxe
- Sound of Falling (Germany), dir. Mascha Schilinski
- The Last Dance (Hong Kong), dir. Chan Mou Yin Anselm
- The Love That Remains (Iceland), dir. Hlynur Pálmason
- The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo (Chile), dir. Diego Cespedes
- The President’s Cake (Iraq), dir. Hasan Hadi
- The Sea (Israel), dir. Shai Carmeli-Pollak
- The Secret Agent (Brazil), dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho
- The Tale of Silyan (North Macedonia), dir. Tamara Kotevska
- The Things You Kill (Canada), dir. Alireza Khatami
- The Tower of Strength (Montenegro), dir. Nikola Vukčević
- The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia), dir. Kaouther Ben Hania
- Traffic (Romania), dir. Teodora Ana Mihai (California Premiere)
- Under the Flags, The Sun (Paraguay), dir. Juanjo Pereira
- Young Mothers (Belgium), dirs. Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne
TALKING PICTURES
The Talking Pictures program includes in-depth discussions with directors, writers, and actors from the year’s top titles. The following films have been selected for this year’s program, with guests attending are:
- King Hamlet (USA), dir. Elvira Lind (California Premiere)—Expected to attend are actor Oscar Isaac and director Elvira Lind
- The Housemaid (USA), dir. Paul Feig—Expected to attend is director Paul Feig
- The Librarians (USA), dir. Kim A. Snyder
Additional titles featuring discussions with Film Award honorees will be announced at a later date.
AFTER DARK
The Festival’s late-night corner serves up sharp, strange, and pulse-pounding genre films.
- Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die (USA), dir. Gore Verbinski
- Mārama (New Zealand), dir. Taratoa Stappard
- The Book of Sijjin and Illiyyin (Indonesia), dir. Hadrah Daeng Ratu (California Premiere)
- The Plague (Romania), dir. Charlie Polinger
AMERICAN INDIES
Independent films from rising American filmmakers.
- Burt (USA), dir. Joe Burke
- Fantasy Life (USA), dir. Matthew Shear
- Honeyjoon (USA), dir. Lilian T. Mehrel
- Idiotka (USA), dir. Nastasya Popov
- She Dances (USA), dir. Rick Gomez
- Tow (USA), dir. Stephanie Laing
CLOSE-UPS
Documentaries spotlighting the lives and creative worlds of filmmakers, celebrating the craft, the legends, and the stories behind the camera.
- Boorman and the Devil (USA), dir. David Kittredge
- Coroner to the Stars (USA), dirs. Ben Hethcoat & Keita Ideno
- It’s Dorothy! (USA), dir. Jeffrey McHale
- Kim Novak’s Vertigo (USA), dir. Alexandre O. Philippe (U.S. Premiere)
- The Eyes of Ghana (USA), dir. Ben Proudfoot
- Third Act (USA), dir. Tadashi Nakamura
GATEWAY FILMS
A new series celebrating the titles that sparked a lifelong love of cinema, curated by actress Diane Kruger, critic Leonard Maltin, director Paul Feig, programmer Therese Hayes, and actor Udo Kier.
- Fire (India), dir. Deepa Mehta—Selected by programmer Therese Hayes
- In the Mood for Love (Hong Kong), dir. Wong Kar-Wai—Selected by actress Diane Kruger
- Medea (Denmark), dir. Lars Von Trier—Selected by actor Udo Kier
- Films curated by Leonard Maltin and Paul Feig to be noted at a later date.
GERMAN FOCUS
Stories from German filmmakers.
- A Land Within, dir. Michael Kofler (North American Premiere)
- Amrum, dir. Fatih Akin
- Bad Painter, dir. Albert Oehlen
- Islands, dir. Jan-Ole Gerster (California Premiere)
- Miroirs No. 3, dir. Christian Petzold
- Silent Friend, dir. Ildikó Enyedi
- Stars, dir. Konrad Wolf
- The Last Spy, dir. Katharina Otto-Bernstein (California Premiere)
- What Marielle Knows, dir. Frédéric Hambalek (California Premiere)
LOCAL SPOTLIGHT
Highlighting films from the Coachella Valley.
- Italian Wannabe (USA), dir. Steve Dabal (World Premiere)
- Ramona and the Ballad of Juan Diego (USA), dir. Jason Sklaver (World Premiere)
MODERN MASTERS
New films, classic auteurs.
- A Magnificent Life (France), dir. Sylvain Chomet
- Below the Clouds (Italy), dir. Gianfranco Rosi
- Cover-Up (USA), dir. Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus
- Dreams (Mexico), dir. Michel Franco
- Hen (Greece), dir. György Pálfi (U.S. Premiere)
- Orwell: 2+2=5 (USA), dir. Raoul Peck
- The Captive (Spain), dir. Alejandro Amenábar (U.S. Premiere)
- The Last Viking (Denmark), dir. Anders Thomas Jensen (California Premiere)
- The Soundman (Netherlands), dir. Frank Van Passel (North American Premiere)
- Two Prosecutors (France), dir. Sergei Loznitsa
- Yes (France), dir. Nadav Lapid
NEW VOICES NEW VISIONS
Unique viewpoints from first- and second-time directors.
- Broken Voices (Czech Republic), dir. Ondřej Provazník
- Deaf (Spain), dir. Eva Libertad (California Premiere)
- God Will Not Help (Croatia), dir. Hana Jušić (California Premiere)
- Lucky Lu (Canada), dir. Lloyd Lee Choi
- Mad Bills to Pay (USA), dir. Joel Alfonso Vargas
- On the Sea (United Kingdom), dir. Helen Walsh (North American Premiere)
- Silent Rebellion (Switzerland), dir. Marie-Elsa Sgualdo
- The Nature of Invisible Things (Brazil), dir. Rafaela Camelo
- The Negotiator (Italy), dir. Alessandro Tonda (North American Premiere)
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
- Dead Man’s Wire (USA), dir. Gus Van Sant
- Hamlet (United Kingdom), dir. Aneil Karia (California Premiere)
- I Swear (United Kingdom), dir. Kirk Jones (U.S. Premiere)
- Vertigo (USA), dir. Alfred Hitchcock
TRUE STORIES
Non-fiction filmmaking at its most urgent and illuminating.
- Adaptation to Darkness (Israel), dir. Shay Fogelman (International Premiere)
- ASCO: Without Permission (USA), dir. Travis Gutiérrez Senger
- Ask E. Jean (USA), dir. Ivy Meeropol
- Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story (USA), dir. Alex Rotaru (World Premiere)
- La Salsa Vive (Colombia), dir. Juan Carvajal
- Modern Whore (Canada), dir. Nicole Bazuin (International Premiere)
- Natchez (USA), dir. Suzannah Herbert
- Raoul Wallenberg: Missing In Action (USA), dir. Brad Rothschild, Brian Mait (North American Premiere)
- Remaining Native (USA), dir. Paige Bethmann
- Runa Simi (Peru), dir. Augusto Zegarra (California Premiere)
- Speak. (USA), dir. Jennifer Tiexiera, Guy Mossman
- Steal This Story, Please! (USA), dirs. Tia Lessin & Carl Deal
- Sweet Störy (United Kingdom), dirs. Sarah Justine Kerruish & Matt Maude
- The Gas Station Attendant (USA), dir. Karla Murthy
- The Golden Spurtle (United Kingdom), dir. Constantine Costi
- Trade Secret (Australia), dir. Abraham Joffe
- Whistle (Australia), dir. Christopher Nelius (California Premiere)
- Yanuni (Austria), dir. Richard Ladkani
QUEER CINEMA TODAY & THE GAYLA
Poignant, heartfelt, and insightful stories from the LGBTQ community.
- 3670 (South Korea), dir. Joonho Park
- Dope Queens (USA), dir. Grafton Doyle (California Premiere)
- Drunken Noodles (USA), dir. Lucio Castro
- Jimpa (Australia), dir. Sophie Hyde
- Manok (South Korea), dir. Lee Yu-jin
- Maspalomas (Spain), dirs. Jose Mari Goenaga & Aitor Arregi (U.S. Premiere)—Featured as the Gayla Spotlight
- State of Firsts (USA), dir. Chase Joynt
- The Little Sister (France), dir. Hafsia Herzi
- We Are Pat (USA), dir. Ro Haber—Featured as the Gayla Spotlight
WORLD CINEMA NOW
Travel the world without leaving your seat.
- A Private Life (France), dir. Rebecca Zlotowski
- Battle of Oslo (Norway), dir. Daniel Fahre (International Premiere)
- Beginnings (Denmark), dir. Jeanette Nordahl (California Premiere)
- Colours of Time (France), dir. Cédric Klapisch
- Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don’t (Italy), dir. Gianni Di Gregorio (California Premiere)
- Frontier (Spain), dir. Judith Colell (California Premiere)
- Fuze (United Kingdom), dir. David Mackenzie (U.S. Premiere)
- Gustaakh Ishq (India), dir. Vibhu Puri
- H Is for Hawk (United Kingdom), dir. Philippa Lowthorpe
- Hello Betty (Switzerland), dir. Pierre Monnard (International Premiere)
- It Would Be Night in Caracas (Mexico), dirs. Mariana Rondón & Marité Ugás (California Premiere)
- Ky Nam Inn (Vietnam), dir. Leon Le
- Lovely Day (Canada), dir. Philippe Falardeau (U.S. Premiere)
- Made in EU (Bulgaria), dir. Stephan Komandarev (California Premiere)
- Meadowlarks (Canada), dir. Tasha Hubbard (International Premiere)
- Mr. Burton (UK), dir. Marc Evans (U.S. Premiere)
- No Comment (Norway), dir. Petter Næss (North American Premiere)
- Once Upon My Mother (France), dir. Ken Scott
- Primavera (Italy), dir. Damiano Michieletto (California Premiere)
- Project Y (South Korea), dir. Lee Hwan
- Promised Sky (France), dir. Erige Sehiri
- Renoir (Japan), dir. Chie Hayakawa
- Saipan (Ireland), dirs. Lisa Barros D’Sa, Glenn Leyburn (U.S. Premiere)
- Spices and Lies (France), dir. Amine Adjina (North American Premiere)
- Spit (Australia), dir. Jonathan Teplitzky (International Premiere)
- Sundays (Spain), dir. Alauda Ruiz de Azúa (North American Premiere)
- The Altar Boys (Poland), dir. Piotr Domalewski (North American Premiere)
- The Blue Trail (Brazil), dir. Gabriel Mascaro
- The Choral (UK), dir. Nicholas Hytner
- The Condor Daughter (Bolivia), dir. Álvaro Olmos Torrico (California Premiere)
- The Party’s Over (France), dir. Antony Cordier
- The Richest Woman in the World (France), dir. Thierry Klifa
- The Sun Rises on Us All (China), dir. Cai Shangjun (U.S. Premiere)
- To the Victory! (Ukraine), dir. Valentyn Vasyanovych (U.S. Premiere)
- Two Pianos (France), dir. Arnaud Desplechin (U.S. Premiere)
- Youngblood (Canada), dir. Hubert Davis (U.S. Premiere)
FAMILY DAY
Presented by Acrisure on Sunday, January 11th, Family Day includes an array of activities and local food trucks at the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater from 12pm to 4pm.
The Mary Pickford Theater will screen the following free movies with entry available on a first-come, first-served basis, including:
- Arco (France), dir. Ugo Bienvenu
- KPOP Demon Hunters (USA), dirs. Chris Appelhans & Maggie Kang
- Zootopia 2 (USA), dirs. Jared Bush & Byron Howard
Supporting sponsors of Family Day include 3M Studios, EōS Fitness, and Arco.
Juried awards for films in competition will be announced Sunday, January 11th for seven categories, including the FIPRESCI Prize for films in the International Feature Film Oscar Submissions program; New Voices New Visions Award for unique viewpoints from first and second-time directors; Best Documentary Award for compelling non-fiction filmmaking; Ibero-American Award for the best film from Latin America, Spain or Portugal; Desert Views (Local Jury) Award for a film that promotes understanding and acceptance between people; and the Young Cineastes Award for a film chosen by our Youth Jury.
The complete lineup will be available online on December 2nd at psfilmfest.org. Passes are currently on sale. The Festival’s box office can also be reached at (760) 778-8979.
About the Palm Springs International Film Society
The Palm Springs International Film Society is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization whose mission is to cultivate and promote the art and science of film through education and cross-cultural awareness. The Film Society produces the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) and Film Awards every January and Palm Springs ShortFest in June.
In addition to curating the best in international cinema, PSIFF’s Film Awards has come to be known as the first stop on the campaign trail for the Academy Awards, and our Oscar-qualifying ShortFest is the largest short film festival and market in North America.
Our festivals, year-round member screenings, and educational programs manifest our organization’s mission by nurturing and encouraging new filmmaking talent, honoring the great masters of world cinema, and expanding audience horizons.
The City of Palm Springs is the title sponsor of both festivals. The Film Awards are presented by Kering and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight.
What do you think of this news for the Palm Springs International Film Festival? Will you be attending this year? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our X account.
