The Vancouver International Film Festival returns this fall for its 45th edition, bringing more than 250 films and an expanded lineup of live performances, industry programs, and special events to the city.
Expected to attract 110,000 attendees, VIFF 2026 will showcase 162 feature films, 91 shorts, and two episodic series representing 76 countries. The lineup includes 12 world premieres, 15 North American premieres, and 49 Canadian premieres.
The festival will open with Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut, an offbeat comedy starring Julianne Moore as a meek performer who lands a role in a community musical alongside Paul Giamatti.
Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine will close the festival. Set shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup, the film stars John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as CIA agents dispatched to Easter Island, with Steve Buscemi appearing as their bureau chief.
Several British Columbia productions are featured prominently, including the world premieres of Vancouver filmmaker Joella Cabalu’s First Comes Love: Nakabingwit and David Ehrenreich’s Relax, Open Your Eyes. Métis/Dene filmmaker Marie Clements will present How We Stand and the first three episodes of her forthcoming Knowledge Network series, Reclaim My Skin.
VIFF’s expanded live program will also include An Evening with Mark Mothersbaugh. The DEVO frontman and prolific film composer will perform selections from his career with a 16-piece ensemble, potentially drawing from films such as The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore, Thor: Ragnarok, and The LEGO Movie.
“This year marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Vancouver International Film Festival,” said executive director Kyle Fostner. “It’s an ecosystem of creativity, curiosity, and humanist art that is gaining VIFF a reputation internationally as a place for talent discovery and innovation.”
Single tickets are $22 for regular screenings and special presentations, with six- and 10-ticket packs also available. Tickets and the complete festival program are available at viff.org.
