‘Wildwood,’ ‘I Play Rocky,’ ‘Behemoth’ and More Among AFI Fest 2026 Lineup — SkimNews
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- AFI Fest 2026, presented by Canva, will screen 157 films across Hollywood from October 21-25, marking the festival's 40th edition with five red-carpet premieres, 12 special screenings, 13 luminaries selections, 18 discovery titles, 16 world cinema selections, and 17 documentaries.
- The festival opens with the U.S. premiere of animated feature 'Wildwood' and closes with biographical drama 'Being Heumann', with additional red-carpet premieres including 'I Play Rocky,' 'The Mosquito Bowl,' and 'Ray Gunn.'
- Werner Herzog's 'Bucking Fastard' starring Kate Mara and Rooney Mara, Andrew Haigh's 'A Long Winter' starring Fred Hechinger, Kit Connor, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Caitríona Balfe, and 'The Idiot(s)' by Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert starring Johnny Flynn and Aimee Lou Wood anchor the high-profile selections.
- The discovery section spotlights debut filmmakers including Thai director Sompot Chidgasornpongse with '9 Temples to Heaven' and Palestinian-Syrian filmmaker Abdallah Alkhatib with 'Chronicles From The Siege.'
- Rodrigo Sorogoyen's 'The Beloved' starring Javier Bardem leads the world cinema category, which the festival frames as celebrating cultural diversity through shared cinematic language.
- The five-day festival will also host panels, filmmaker conversations, and Q&A sessions with casts and crews alongside the screenings.
Why it matters: The 40th edition of AFI Fest delivers 157 films over five days in Hollywood, with curated discovery and world cinema sections designed to spotlight emerging directors — giving debut filmmakers like Sompot Chidgasornpongse and Abdallah Alkhatib rare industry exposure alongside major premieres featuring Kate Mara, Rooney Mara, and Javier Bardem.
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