BCN Film Fest 2026

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Fusing art-house projects and film with a focus on quality, the BCN Film Fest aims to appeal to a film-loving and culture-driven public, coinciding with the widely-celebrated Día de Sant Jordi. The festival offers a selection of international films which are widely related to literature and history. In line with this criteria, preferred films for the Official Section are adaptations of literary works, productions based on or related to historical events and film biopics about well-known figures.

The festival features seven sections: Official Selection; Cinema amb Gràcia (dedicated to comedies); Zona Oberta, Art al Cinema (dedicated to great art documentaries); Imprescindibles (dedicated to auteur classics); a section dedicated to Asian noir film by CineAsia; and a brand new category Nous talents with a sample of short student films. The 2026 program has yet to be announced, but read on for last year's highlights.

2026 Program

This year, acclaimed actor and four‑time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe will present his new drama The Birthday Party at the festival. Director Fatih Akin will also be in attendance with the historical drama Amrum, and director and composer Damian Michieletto with the historical drama Primavera. Other early confirmations include Jan Komasa's psychological thriller Good Boy (Poland, UK, 2025), Eric Lin's drama Rosemead (USA, Taiwan, 2025), Haifaa al-Mansour's thriller Unidentified (Saudi Arabia, 2025), and Yôji Yamad's drama-comedy Tokio Taxi (Japan, 2025), with many more to come! 

Tickets

Most of the movie screenings are in original language with subtitles and will take place at Cinemes Verdi. Other venues include the Institut Français, CaixaForum, Casa Seat, La Perla 22 and a number of civic centers in Barcelona. Please check the official program for details.

Spring Film Festivals in Barcelona

Barcelona boasts a wide variety of renowned film festivals each spring, and this year promises to be another spectacular edition. Check out our article Spring Film Festivals in Barcelona where you'll discover festivals dedicated to fashion docs, films inspired by literature and history, astounding cinematic works that delve into the creativity, mystery and resilience of the human brain and films that explore the LGBTIQ+ experience.

For more events check our online events calendar.