Welcome to Adelaide Film Festival 2026!

A message from Sophie Hyde, AFF Patron.

I love the moment just before a film starts when the anticipation is high for what might be. I love the moment when a film ends and you stand up and leave, feeling like, just for a moment, you might be looking just a bit through someone else’s eyes, feeling them a little bit in your bones. Sometimes I leave a film feeling changed.

Very often, cinema makes us feel something - joy, an ache, sadness, fear, anger - or it allows us to consider something new, or be deeply challenged. The Adelaide Film Festival offers cinema from across the world, giving us access to people, worlds and perspectives we don’t always get to see. Some of my favourite cinema experiences have been with films I knew nothing about, so I encourage you to take a risk with your viewing choices.

Entering the dark room, opens our hearts and focuses our attention on what the filmmakers have dedicated themselves to - allowing us to step into another’s shoes, see the nuance, the humour, the heartbreak, the compassion, be guided through a story, and be offered a space to feel things.

See you there. Sophie Hyde

The Hon
Peter Malinauskas MP
Premier of South Australia

Welcome to the Adelaide Film Festival 2026!

Cinema is a powerful force in public life, connecting people through stories that inspire, challenge, and deepen our understanding of ourselves and one another.

The State Government’s investment in AFF reflects our commitment to South Australian audiences to experience local and global cinema, art and filmmaking talent. AFF continues to be a leader in the funding and support of South Australian creatives, investing in unique stories to amplify our state’s distinctive cinematic voice through the AFF Investment Fund. AFFIF has helped to launch new South Australian talent internationally. Recent examples include internationally acclaimed films Lesbian Space Princess and Talk to Me alongside the prestigious work of Warwick Thornton and Sophie Hyde.

I am excited to see AFF flourish, strengthening South Australia’s status as a hub for vibrant festivals, innovation, and creative endeavour. Come be a part of it and enjoy AFF2026!

Kyam Maher MLC
Deputy Premier Minister for Arts

I am delighted to welcome you to the 2026 Adelaide Film Festival. Internationally renowned as a welcoming and friendly festival, AFF brings the best of Australian and world cinema to our local screens. It is an opportunity for audiences to come together to meet those behind and in front of the camera, celebrate film and take a chance on seeing something new.

I am particularly proud of the role that AFF plays to elevate stories from our part of the world and most notably Aboriginal storytelling. With its Investment Fund, AFF has a long history of supporting First Nations filmmakers, investing in careers from emerging right through to established and award-winning directors. This October, I especially look forward to the World Premiere of KUMARANGK: Sacred Women’s Business, written and directed by Tracey Rigney (Wotjobaluk/Ngarrindjeri) and co-produced by Joshua Trevorrow (Ngarrindjeri). I invite everyone to come and be a part of this great festival.

Sarah Andrews MP
Assistant Minister for Arts

Welcome to AFF 2026!

One of the great strengths of AFF is that it is more than a festival. Alongside its outstanding screen program, it plays a vital role in developing the next generation of filmmakers and strengthening South Australia’s screen industry. Through initiatives such as Film Lab New Voices (developed by AFF, SAFC and Screen Australia), emerging creatives are given the opportunity to build skills, connect with industry leaders and develop projects that will shape the future of Australian storytelling.

I am especially proud of the Festival’s commitment to showcasing work made right here in our state. The Made in SA shorts program celebrates the creativity, talent and ambition of the next generation of South Australian feature film filmmakers, demonstrating the depth of our local screen sector.

I congratulate everyone involved in bringing AFF 2026 to life and invite everyone to buy a pass and be part of this year’s Festival.

Anton Andreacchio
Chair,
Adelaide Film Festival

On behalf of the AFF Board, I am thrilled to welcome you to Adelaide Film Festival 2026 and invite you to be part of an extraordinary program of films from Australia and around the world.

At the heart of it all remains our commitment to screen culture. This passion is one of the key foundations of the Adelaide Film Festival, ensuring it remains a place where people come together to share, connect, reflect and imagine.

AFF 2026 marks my final Festival as Chair after six years. I’m proud of what has been achieved in this time and look forward to seeing AFF continue to thrive. On behalf of the AFF Board, I’d like to thank everyone who makes the Festival possible: our filmmakers, AFF Luminaries, corporate partners, the South Australian Government, Screen Australia, distributors, our extraordinary volunteers and our tireless team.

Mat Kesting
CEO & Creative Director,
Adelaide Film Festival

AFF is All For Film. In a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, division and distraction, there is something profoundly reassuring about sitting in a dark cinema with a room full of strangers and sharing the same story. Film remains one of the few art forms capable of bringing us together, encouraging us to see the world through another person’s eyes while reflecting on our own place within it. AFF 2026 celebrates that collective experience.

This October we invite you to discover acclaimed films from around the globe and powerful local stories that speak directly to who we are and where we live. The program features unmissable world and Australian premieres, pink carpet and gala celebrations, filmmaker conversations and special events. AFF is proud to present a vibrant showcase of Australian cinema alongside some of the year’s most anticipated international films. Whether you’re joining us for a gala premiere, discovering a new filmmaker or taking a chance on something unexpected, welcome to AFF 2026.