Behold! Next month will be a month full of schemers’, Franz Kafka, resistance and Marilyn Monroe with the Glasgow Film Festival which unveiled it’s 2026 line up.
The 22nd edition of of the festival will take place between 25th February across 12 days until 8th March. Cinephiles being treated 126 films from 44 countries, with 16 World, European, and International premieres, 68 UK premieres and 18 Scottish premieres. Taking place under the legendary Glasgow Film Theatre roof as well as various venues around the city.
Last year’s Festival kicked off with the world premiere with John Maclean‘s Tornado. This years festival once again opens with another Scottish film in the shape of Felipe Bustos Sierra’s documentary Everybody to Kenmure Street. This is about one of Scotland’s most high-profile acts of civil resistance in recent memory, kicking things off on the 25th February with it’s UK Premiere.
The 2026 Glasgow Film Festival will close on 8th March is the UK premiere of James McAvoy’s directorial debut, California Schemin‘. This one based on the improbable true story of Scottish rap duo Silibil N’ Brains, a.k.a. Gavin Bain (Séamus McLean Ross) and Billy Boyd (Samuel Bottomley).
Some of the highlights to look forward to this year? After Promised Land Danish filmmaker Anders Thomas Jensen and Mads Mikkelsen reunite in absurdist comedy The Last Viking. Revolving around a released robber’s (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) attempts to recover his loot with Mikkelsen playing his brother! Alice Winocour‘s Couture starring Angelina Jolie is set to make it’s UK Premiere. All about the depiction of the world of Parisian high fashion from the perspectives of the working-class women involved. Peter Ohs Erupcja is co-screenwriten, co-produced, and stars Charli XCX. Follows two friends with an explosive relationship meet in Warsaw.
Prominent Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland returns to the festival with Franz and kaleidoscopic and playful biopic of Franz Kafka. Jan Kosama’s The Good Boy starring Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough will teach ‘family values’. After the success with Blackberry, Matt Johnson returns to Glasgow with Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie. Spin-off of his cult comedy series co-created with Jay McCarrol about a band attempting to book a gig at a legendary Toronto venue. Olivier Assayas’s political thriller The Wizard Of Kremlin about a young filmmaker who becomes a advisor to Vladimir Putin, starring Jude Law, Alicia Vikander, and Paul Dano. Mark Jenkin’s Rose of Nevada makes it’s Scottish premiere starring Festival favourite George McKay with Callum Turner. Gus Van Sant‘s stylish 1970s-set true-crime thriller Dead Man’s Wire starring Al Pacino, Bill Skarsgård, Colman Domingo and Kelly Lynch. Jim Jarmusch’s triptych of stories exploring familial relationships Father Mother Sister Brother.
Glasgow Film Festival’s longest-running award returns this year and will be given to an first or second-time director. Chosen by the most important people, the audience from 10 films that include Rebuilding starring Josh O’Connor and Amy Madigan. Absurdist satire Atropia starring Alia Shawkat and Callum Turner.
Sweden will take this year’s festival spotlight in the Country Focus strand, Take a Chance on Me: Swedish Cinema. Tarik Saleh’s political satire Eagles of the Republic follows an adored Egyptian actor who takes the lead in a government propaganda film. strange events unfold after the protagonist takes his mother into a care facility for dementia in horror The Home. There is also centaurs with Satirical sci-fi Egghead Republic.
2026 would have been Marilyn Monroe‘s 100th birthday. The festival will celebrate the life and work of the actress including The Asphalt Jungle, The Prince And The Showgirl, and Don’t Bother To Knock. Glasgow Film Festival‘s special events are legendary, and like every year will sell out fast. The 2026 events include classic horror Carrie celebrating 50 years and a chance to go to the prom again. Baz Luhrmann‘s Moulin Rouge gives you a chance to get out your diamonds or tailcoats.
From 5th until 7th March, FrightFest will take over the GFT for 21st time. It’s full scream ahead with three days of trauma, boasting eight new feature films and eight short films spanning nine countries across four continents. Opening with the world premiere of Jailbroken, the world premiere of twist-filled exorcism thriller Bury the Devil.
The 2026 Glasgow Film Festival also marks The GFT Head Programmer Paul Gallagher becoming the festivals chief promgrammer. Paul commented “It is an absolute honour and privilege to unveil my first Glasgow Film Festival programme for this 22nd edition of the festival. Across these 126 features are stories of vastly differing characters, settings and ideas, but one thing connects them: they are all the result of a personal vision, uniquely brought to the screen.
“I’m particularly pleased at the depth and variety of films in this programme that were made here in Scotland or by Scottish talent; it speaks so highly of the great filmmakers we have, and the increasing opportunities they are taking and creating for themselves. I can’t wait to showcase theirs and so many other brilliant filmmakers’ work to the greatest cinema audience in the world!”
Head over to Glasgow Film Festival official website for full details on the line-up. This year’s festival will take place between 25th February until 8th March.
Tickets for the full programme go on sale to GFT CineCard / CineCard+ holders at 10am on Friday 23rd January, and on general public sale at 10am on Monday 26th January.
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