The Austin Film Festival has officially revealed the complete lineup for its 33rd annual event. The festival runs from October 29 through November 5, 2026. This year’s program features 197 films representing 24 different countries. Furthermore, the accompanying Writers Conference runs from October 29 to November 1, bringing together industry leaders for various panels.
Opening and Centerpiece Feature Selections
Jesse Eisenberg’s new feature The Debut will open the festival with its Texas premiere—the A24 drama stars Julianne Moore alongside Paul Giamatti. Meanwhile, director Tony Gilroy presents his Searchlight Pictures project Behemoth! as the festival centerpiece. The film features Pedro Pascal as a gifted cellist returning home after decades on the road.
Exciting Additions Across Major Genres
The complete schedule introduces a diverse range of newly announced premieres—for instance, Florian Zeller’s Bunker stars Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, and Paul Dano. Simon Stone brings the biographical drama Elsinore, starring Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman. Additionally, the coming-of-age comedy Purgatory features J.K. Simmons and Abby Elliott.
Several world premieres will also debut during the event. The lineup includes Chris Gary’s watch-collecting documentary Chasing Time. Viewers can also catch the Australian comedy Pickpockets and Steven DeGennaro’s webcam thriller Remote. Furthermore, Mike Leigh’s new feature Tender Loving Care will make its regional debut.
Star-Studded Premieres and Industry Panels
These new additions join previously announced high-profile titles. Pedro Almodóvar presents his latest film Bitter Christmas. Audiences can also anticipate Danny Boyle’s Ink, James Gray’s Paper Tiger, and Brad Bird’s animated project Ray Gunn. Key talent attending the festival includes Patton Oswalt, Edward Burns, Margo Martindale, and Michael Arndt.
The concurrent Writers Conference offers behind-the-scenes insights into major projects. Attendees can experience specialized panels covering Family Guy, Lanterns, and Friday Night Lights. Additionally, screenwriter Peter Craig will host a conversation on his career alongside a live reading of an unproduced script.
Ticketing and Access Information
Badges and conference passes are currently available through the official festival website. Notably, eligible students can purchase a new Student Film Pass for $43 to access all eight days of screenings. Individual film tickets go on sale next week for all scheduled venues. Get your tickets now!
2026 Austin Film Festival full lineup:
OPENING NIGHT FILM:
THE DEBUT (US, A24)
Austin Premiere
Written/directed by: Jesse Eisenberg
Cast: Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, Halle Bailey, Jesse Eisenberg, Cara Buono, Craig Bierko, Eldar Isgandarov, Bernadette Peters
Synopsis: When Mona Friedman is cast in a bit part at a small community theater, she transforms from a shy, unassuming homemaker into a zealous method actor willing to do anything to protect the artistic integrity of her marginal role—even if it means waging war against the show’s domineering director.
CENTERPIECE FILM:
BEHEMOTH! (US, Searchlight Pictures)
Texas Premiere
Written/directed by: Tony Gilroy
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor, Alexa Swinton, Kaya Ralls, Erik Griffin, JoBeth Williams, Margarita Levieva, Hank Azaria, Will Arnett
Synopsis: A gifted cellist, Alex Serian (Pedro Pascal), returns home to Los Angeles after 20 years on the road. Music, the constant, all-consuming river of his life, begins to carry Alex on an adventure that will change him forever.
MARQUEES:
BENEATH THE BLUE SUBURBAN SKIES (US)
Texas Premiere
Writer/Director: Edward Burns
Cast: Jennifer Ehle, Edward Burns, Hannah Dunne, Brian Wiles
A working-class woman, Tina (Jennifer Ehle), struggles with shame and anger toward her two grown children who live at home, and resentment toward a husband who may have held her back. Financial problems loom, and the impact of addiction amplifies the building crisis in Tina’s life.
In Attendance: Ed Burns
BITTER CHRISTMAS (Spain, Sony Pictures Classics)
Texas Premiere
Writer/Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Cast: Bárbara Lennie, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Victoria Luengo, Patrick Criado, Milena Smit, Quim Gutiérrez
Bitter Christmas tells two alternating stories, one starring Elsa, an advertising director, in 2004, during a long weekend in December. The second takes place in 2026 and stars Raúl, a screenwriter and director writing a script that we soon discover tells the story of Elsa, her boyfriend Bonifacio, and her friends Patricia and Natalia. Mixed with fiction, Elsa is, in a way, Raúl’s alter ego, who, like him, turns to autofiction to break a long creative drought. He looks inside himself, and he can’t help but also look at the people who make up his most intimate universe: his partner and his assistant. The film narrates the close relationship between reality and fiction, between inspiration and life, exploring the limits of autofiction and stories within stories.
BLEEDING HEARTS (US)
Texas Premiere
Director: Andrew Morgan
Subjects: Zella Day, Jesse Woods, Beau Bedford
A music-driven love story about the real-life couple Zella Day and Jesse Woods, the musicians behind the emerging band Chaparelle. Following their first year together, the film captures the joy and uncertainty of chasing a shared dream while navigating pressures that could spark their breakup—or their breakthrough.
BRUTON (US)
US Premiere
Writer/Director: Vincent Grashaw
Cast: Theo Rossi, Aya Cash, Tommy Blanchard, Tony Hale
A tragic accident leads Bryan Bruton on a wild, unforgettable journey through the Florida prison system.
In Attendance: Vincent Grashaw, Theo Rossi
BUNKER (France, Spain; Sony Pictures Classics)
Texas Premiere
Writer/Director: Florian Zeller
Cast: Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Paul Dano, Patrick Schwarzenegger
When an architect accepts a morally ambiguous project — building a survivalist bunker for a tech billionaire — his wife begins to question their marriage after 17 years together.
CLUB KID (US, A24)
Texas Premiere
Writer/Director: Jordan Firstman
Cast: Jordan Firstman, Reggie Absolom, Diego Calva, Cara Delevingne, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Colleen Camp, Vicki Pepperdine, Nigil Whyte, Eldar Isgandarov, Saturn Risin9, Miss Benny, Alaska Riley
