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VIFF Unveils Star-Studded 2026 Lineup

VIFF’s mix of high-profile premieres plus a 50-plus documentary slate aims to boost Canadian films’ visibility for awards season.

Overview

  • The Vancouver International Film Festival announced its full program in late August and will run Oct. 1–11 with general tickets going on sale Aug. 27 at noon at viff.org.
  • Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut, starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti, is the official opener and Martin McDonagh’s Wild Nine Horses, featuring John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell, is the official closer.
  • The festival will screen 162 feature films including 12 world premieres, 49 Canadian premieres and 91 short films drawn from 76 nations.
  • VIFF’s nonfiction block exceeds 50 films and includes Canadian-focused documentaries such as Run Terry Run and Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story, highlighting local cultural storytelling and subject-driven work.
  • Programming and venue plans across about 10 Vancouver sites position VIFF as a public-facing stop in the fall festival pipeline that could help select films gain distribution and awards traction while showcasing regional filmmakers.