The 2026 Telluride Film Festival Lineup

The Telluride Film Festival has announced its official program selections for its 53rd edition this morning.

Each year, Telluride serves as an unofficial kick-off to awards season (along with the overlapping Venice Film Festival) as 47 Best Picture nominees have screened at the festival over the last 17 years, with eleven going on to win Best Picture. Despite the high cost, the difficult travel, and the short duration of the festival (Not to mention not knowing the lineup until now, a day before the festival actually begins), the festival always manages to be one of the most memorable of the year and constantly gives us new surprises and narratives for awards season. With a collection of a few world premieres, Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and Sundance titles, this year’s lineup is mightily impressive. The Telluride Film Festival will run from September 4th – September 7th.

The 53rd Telluride Film Festival, dedicated to Dean Tavoularis, will screen more than sixty feature films, short films and revival programs representing countries from around the world, alongside Tributes, Guest Director selections, Conversations, Panels, Student Programs and Festivities. This year’s Festival runs Friday, September 4 through Monday, September 7, 2026.

Here is this year’s lineup:

The 53rd Telluride Film Festival is proud to present the following new feature films and long-formworks to play in its main program, the SHOW:

• A LONG WINTER (d. Andrew Haigh, U.K., 2026)

• ACT 3 (d. Christine Molloy, Joe Lawlor, Ireland/U.K., 2026)

• ALPHA GANG (d. David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, U.S., 2026)

• AVEDON (d. Ron Howard, U.S., 2026)

• BUCKING FASTARD (d. Werner Herzog, Ireland/U.S., 2026)

• BURGUNDY (d. Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw, France, 2026)

• CARL SAGAN: WE ARE MADE OF STAR STUFF (d. Nanette Burstein, U.S., 2026)

• CLUB KID (d. Jordan Firstman, U.S., 2026)

• THE DEBUT (d. Jesse Eisenberg, U.S., 2026)

• THE DISCIPLE (d. Joanna Natasegara, U.K./U.S./Morocco, 2026)

• ELSINORE (d. Simon Stone, U.K., 2026)

• EVEREST: THE OTHER SIDE (d. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, U.S./China/Nepal, 2026)

• FATHERLAND (d. Paweł Pawlikowski, Poland/France/Germany/Italy, 2026)

• FJORD (d. Cristian Mungiu, Romania/France/Norway/Sweden/Denmark, 2026)

• GENTLE MONSTER (d. Marie Kreutzer, Austria/Germany/France, 2026)

• THE IDIOT(S) (d. Małgorzata Szumowska, Michał Englert, Poland/Germany, 2026)

• INK (d. Danny Boyle, U.K./U.S./France, 2026)

• LA BOLA NEGRA (d. Javier Ambrossi, Javier Calvo, Spain/France, 2026)

• THE LIBERATION (d. Guy Nattiv, U.S., 2026)

• MAKING MARIE ANTOINETTE (d. Eleanor Coppola, Italy/U.S., 2026)

• THE MAN I LOVE (d. Ira Sachs, U.S., 2026)

• MINOTAUR (d. Andrey Zvyagintsev, France/Germany/Latvia, 2026)

• MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART II – EXILE (d. Julia Loktev, U.S., 2026)

• ONCE UPON A TIME IN HARLEM (d. David Greaves, Liani Greaves, U.S., 2026)

• THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK (d. Noah Segan, U.S., 2026)

• PETE TOWNSHEND: BEHIND BLUE EYES (d. Frank Marshall, Nigel Sinclair, U.S./U.K., 2026)

• REHEARSALS FOR A REVOLUTION (d. Pegah Ahangarani, Czech Republic/Spain, 2026)

• ROSE (d. Markus Schleinzer, Austria/Germany, 2026)

• THE ROW (d. Bryan Fogel, U.S./Australia/Ireland, 2026)

• THE STORY OF DOCUMENTARY FILM (d. Mark Cousins, Scotland/U.K., 2026)

• SUMO: SPIRIT WEIGHS NOTHING (d. Erik Shirai, U.S./Japan/U.K./Denmark, 2026)

• TENDER LOVING CARE (d. Mike Leigh, U.K., 2026)

• TENZING (d. Jennifer Peedom, U.S./Australia, 2026)

• THE UNKNOWN (d. Arthur Harari, France/Italy, 2026)

• WILD HORSE NINE (d. Martin McDonagh, Chile/U.S., 2026)

Also playing in the main program are two newly restored features: BEGOTTEN (d. E. Elias Merhige, U.S., 1989/2026)  and BEAU GESTE (d. Herbert Brenon, U.S., 1926), with live musical accompaniment by Donald Sosin; short films: A SONG FOR THE SNOW LION (d. Pawo Choyning Dorji, Bhutan/U.S., 2026), A DANCE THROUGH TIME (d. Sarah Gavron, U.K., 2026), MAYBE TOMORROW (d. Wafa Mustafa, Waad Al-Kateab, U.K., 2026), SAWYER AVENUE, SUNDAY AFTERNOON (d. Bill Morrison, U.S., 2026), LOVE, RENDERED (d. Liz Garbus, U.S., 2026), THE REVOLUTION AGAINST DEATH (d. Joshua Oppenheimer, Denmark/Sweden, 2026), and Ben Proudfoot’s THE BUFFALO MIRACLE (U.S., 2026) and WITT V. AIR FORCE (U.S., 2026).

The 53rd Telluride Film Festival will honor three extraordinary artists whose work has made a significant contribution to the art of cinema. The 2026 Silver Medallions will be presented to acclaimed British writer-director Andrew Haigh, with A LONG WINTER; internationally celebrated German actor Sandra Hüller, with ROSE; and iconic actor, producer and director John Malkovich, with WILD HORSE NINE. Each Tribute program will include a compilation of clips, an on-stage interview and a screening of the recipient’s new work.

Telluride Film Festival is also pleased to welcome acclaimed actor, writer and director Rebecca Hall as this year’s Guest Director. A cherished Festival tradition, the Guest Director program invites a distinguished artist to curate a special selection of films, offering audiences a fresh lens through which to explore cinema history. Her curated program is presented in partnership with Turner Classic Movies, the Festival’s proud sponsor of the Guest Director section this year. Hall will present the following selections:

• AKENFIELD (d. Peter Hall, U.K., 1974)

• MARGARET (d. Kenneth Lonergan, U.S., 2011)

• PORTRAIT OF JASON (d. Shirley Clarke, U.S., 1967)

• THE SERVANT (d. Joseph Losey, U.K., 1963)

• SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK (d. Charlie Kaufman, U.S., 2008)

• WHAT’S UP, DOC? (d. Peter Bogdanovich, U.S., 1972)

“This is what we look forward to all year—the chance to bring people together in Telluride and discover films, filmmakers and ideas that we may not have encountered otherwise,” said Festival Director Julie Huntsinger. “There are films in this year’s program that I know audiences will be talking about long after they leave the theater, and there are others that may completely surprise them. That sense of discovery is at the heart of the Festival, and we’re grateful to those who make the pilgrimage. We’re thrilled to welcome our Tribute artists, Guest Director Rebecca Hall, and so many extraordinary filmmakers and guests, but what makes the weekend special is the very simple act of sitting down together, turning off the lights and seeing what happens on the screen. We can’t wait to share this year’s Festival with everyone who makes the trip to Telluride.”

Telluride Film Festival’s Filmmakers of Tomorrow program, sponsored by Google, celebrates emerging voices in cinema through Student Prints, now in its 33rd year, curated by Gregory Nava, and Calling Cards, curated by Barry Jenkins. This year, the Festival also presents Great Expectations, a special program of three exceptional short films curated and introduced by Jenkins.

Telluride Film Festival’s Education Programs, sponsored  by WBD Access, present students with the opportunity to experience film as an art form and expand their worldviews through screenings and discussions with filmmakers and Festival guests, including: Student Symposium – a weekend-long immersion in cinema for 50 graduate and undergraduate students, with additional support from Golden Globe Foundation; City Lights Project – connecting 18 high school students and six teachers with Festival films and special guests, underwritten by the Artemis Rising Foundation; and FilmLAB – in partnership with the American Film Institute, providing exceptional AFI Fellows with opportunities to learn from world-class filmmakers in a masterclass setting.

Backlot, Telluride’s intimate screening room featuring behind-the-scenes movies and portraits of artists, musicians and filmmakers, will present the following programs, all free and open to the public:

• THE GOLDEN AGE (d. Bérenger Thouin, France/Italy, 2026), preceded by THE STARS WATCH FROM LONG AGO (d. Stacey Steers, U.S., 2026)

• HOUSE OF CRITICISM (d. Alison Chernick, U.S., 2026)

• THE ILLUSION OF AN EVERLASTING SUMMER (d. Alessandra Sanguinetti, Argentina/U.S., 2026)

• INTO THE BREACH (d. Freddie Fox, U.K., 2026)

• MAVERICK: THE EPIC ADVENTURES OF DAVID LEAN (d. Barnaby Thompson, U.K., 2026), preceded by TO ESCAPE (d. David C. Roberts, U.S., 2026)

• THE NATURAL STATE (d. Matthew Dougherty, U.S., 2026)

• ONE MORE TIME (d. Cindy Kleine and André Gregory, U.S., 2026)

• ZERO INTENTION OF LIVING QUIETLY (d. Edward Lovelace, U.K., 2026)

Telluride Film Festival’s Talking Heads programs allow attendees to go behind the scenes with the Festival’s special guests. Noon Seminars, sponsored by Apple Original Films, bring Festival guests together to discuss cinema, art and life. Conversations, sponsored by Indian Paintbrush, offer audiences an opportunity to engage in in-depth dialogue with Festival guests. Acting!, a special panel this year, sponsored by Turner Classic Movies, will also be presented during the Festival.

Special Screenings and Festivities include:

• 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (d. Stanley Kubrick, U.K./U.S., 1968)

• ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (d. Julie Taymor, U.S./U.K., 2007)

• THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (d. David Lean, U.K./U.S., 1957)

• CHRISTINE (d. Antonio Campos, U.S., 2016)

• MARIE ANTOINETTE (d. Sofia Coppola, U.S., 2006)

• MOONLIGHT (d. Barry Jenkins, U.S., 2016), celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Telluride premiere

• TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (d. Jane Schoenbrun, U.S./Canada, 2026)

• Filmmaking and Technology With Empathy: AI For Societal Benefit, sponsored by Google

• The Humanity Dilemma, a multi-media presentation

• Marfa Stance Studio: A Groundbreaking Collaboration, including a Roundtable discussion with Women Directors

• Roger Corman at 100 panel followed by THE INTRUDER (U.S., 1962)

• Step Inside The F-Stop, an immersive cinematic traveling Airstream experience celebrating Focus Features films

• WILDWOOD: Inside The Frame, a beautiful exhibition celebrating the handmade artistry behind LAIKA’s upcoming release including a live discussion with its creators

TFF is honored to feature some of the world’s most renowned consumer and entertainment brands and to engage a vibrant philanthropic community of passionate and committed donors. Together, they play an essential  role in the life of the Festival and underscore TFF’s commitment to quality, adventure, and distinction in the art of cinema. With great excitement TFF welcomes to the SHOW new major partners, Apple Original Films, LAIKA, Marfa Stance, and Volvo Cars as Festival Automotive Partner. We are deeply appreciative of our many continuing partnerships including Barco, with all screenings at the Palm and Werner Herzog Theaters presented in stunning Laser by Barco projection, CRITERION sponsoring the Masons Hall Cinema, Mandarin Oriental as Worldwide Hospitality Partner, MUBI at the Sheridan Opera House, National Geographic Documentary Films at the Chuck Jones’ Cinema plus sponsoring the Opening Night Feed, Panavision as Festival Camera, WBD Access, and we remain proud to enjoy Meyer Sound’s exceptional audio experience at the Galaxy, a venue sponsored by Amazon MGM Studios, and at the Werner Herzog Theater, sponsored by Netflix, this year featuring an all-new, state-of-the-art Meyer Sound ASTRYA-140 loudspeaker system with Dolby Atmos immersive sound.

“We are profoundly grateful for the extraordinary partnerships and remarkable individuals who participate in our shared endeavor and are thrilled to welcome new collaborators who bring fresh inspiration and possibility into the Telluride Film Festival family,” says Huntsinger. “As we launch the 53rd edition, the generosity of our corporate, institutional, and philanthropic supporters continues to guide our way forward. With major construction underway on our permanent home in the historic Nugget Building, our vision is quickly becoming a reality – and our capital campaign has reached a critical final stretch.”

The Nugget Project marks an exciting new chapter for the Telluride Film Festival, creating a lasting home where cinema, creativity and community will thrive year-round. Rooted in the historic Nugget Building, this landmark initiative will bring filmmakers, audiences, students, and neighbors together to discover, learn, create, and experience the magic of movies on the big screen. The new center will feature dedicated artist residency spaces, expanded educational programming, community events, and a state-of-the-art Atmos Nugget Theater- ensuring that a love of cinema continues to inspire generations to come. This vision is being brought to life through the extraordinary support of longtime partners Dolby and Meyer Sound, along with the generosity of Harkness Screens and Salter.