AFI FEST 2026 sets a 157-film programme for its 40th edition

The Hollywood festival’s October slate spans 50 countries, with 45 short-film competition entries and tickets going on sale October 3.

AFI FEST has announced the full programme for its 40th edition, listing 157 films from 50 countries for five days in Hollywood, October 21–25. The festival’s September 29 announcement breaks the selection into red-carpet premieres, special screenings, documentary and world-cinema sections, three After Dark titles, and

a 45-film short competition. It also includes 18 Discovery selections and a 24-film AFI Conservatory Showcase. Among the films highlighted by AFI are Stephanie Ahn’s Bedford Park , which won Sundance’s U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Debut Feature, and the documentaries Nuisance Bear and Soul Patrol , both

described in the announcement as Sundance award winners. The wider selection combines new work from established international directors with competition films and emerging filmmakers. Passes are available now, while individual tickets are scheduled to go on sale October 3. The organizer says 45% of official selections

are directed by women and 32% by BIPOC filmmakers. The 2026 programme, ticket details and the full film guide are available through the American Film Institute’s announcement. Headline image: American Film Institute / AFI FEST. Official or creator promotional artwork.

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