Telluride Film Festival Unveils 2026 Lineup

As per tradition, one day ahead of the Telluride Film Festival kicking off, they have unveiled their official lineup, including films by Andrew Haigh, Mike Leigh, Werner Herzog, Jordan Firstman, Jesse Eisenberg, Paweł Pawlikowski, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Danny Boyle, Sofia Coppola, Ira Sachs, Julia Loktev, Arthur Harari, Martin McDonagh, Cristian Mungiu, and more.

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.

See the lineup below.

• 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. Sofia 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,” they note. “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.”

They add, “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.”

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