Special Guests at 2026 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL GLASGOW

International Film Festival Glasgow begins next week with Scottish Premieres, award-nominated shorts and Special Guests

Scottish Premieres also include Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut, Sian Heder’s Being Heumann, Markus Schleinzer’s Rose starring Berlinale winner Sandra Hüller, Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Cannes winner and French submission for the Oscars Minotaur, Arie and Chuko Esiri’s Clarissa, Rafael Manuel’s Filipiñana and a special preview of Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord

Special guests include Scottish acting talent Lauren Lyle; short competition jury members: Greek filmmaker Christos Nikou, Scottish actor Lorne MacFadyen and Scottish costume designer Carole K Millar; singer Kostis Maraveyas; actor Alexander Lincoln; BIFA nominated producer Alex Polunin and Miriam Newman, producer of Filipiñana and more

The Festival will also screen BIFA nominated Vote Gavin Lyle starring Jack Lowden as part of its shorts programme and showcase The Edge of Existence, a powerful Scottish documentary from director Aaron Wheeler

The Festival will open with the Scottish Premiere of Lukas Dhont’s Coward and close with the Scottish Premiere of James Gray’s Paper Tiger

Greek filmmaker Christos Nikou will deliver a special directing masterclass for emerging filmmakers alongside a programme which expands through a new partnership with the European Film Academy.

International Film Festival Glasgow begins its 13th edition next week running from 10 to 15 November 2026 at venues across Glasgow, including the Grosvenor Picture Theatre and The Social Hub.

International Film Festival Glasgow is one of Scotland’s leading independent film events, championing emerging talent and bringing outstanding independent cinema from around the world to local audiences through its diverse film programme, industry activity and year-round education initiatives.

Fresh from the international festival circuit, IFFG will open on 10 November with the Scottish Premiere of Coward by acclaimed Belgian filmmaker Lukas Dhont (Close, Girl). Starring Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne, the First World War drama follows a powerful love story between two young soldiers on the Belgian trench warfare front. The Festival will close on 15 November with the Scottish Premiere of Paper Tiger, the highly anticipated new feature from James Gray (Ad Astra, The Lost City of Z). Starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller, the gripping drama follows two brothers pursuing the American Dream who become entangled in a dangerous Russian mafia scheme that threatens their family.

Among the headline titles screening at this year’s Festival is The Debut, the latest feature directed by Jesse Eisenberg and produced alongside Emma Stone. Starring Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti and Halle Bailey, the film follows Mona Friedman, a shy housewife whose small role in a community theatre production develops into an all-consuming pursuit of artistic perfection.

IFFG will also present Being Heumann, the latest film from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sian Heder. Starring Mark Ruffalo, Dylan O’Brien and Rob Delaney, the drama follows disability rights activist Judy Heumann as she leads the landmark 1977 occupation of San Francisco’s Federal Building, uniting protesters in a fight for accessibility legislation and equal rights.

Scottish Premiere Rose, directed by Markus Schleinzer (Angelo, Michael), stars Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall, The Zone of Interest) as a mysterious soldier disguised as a man whose appearance in a secluded 17th-century Protestant village threatens to disrupt the established order.

Renowned filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev (Leviathan, The Return) returns with political thriller Minotaur, starring Dmitriy Mazurov (Chisto moskovskie ubiystva – 2, Obshchie interesy) and Iris Lebedeva (Ovcharka, Pishcheblok). Inspired by Claude Chabrol’s The Unfaithful Wife, the film explores power, loyalty and corruption through a gripping contemporary story.

Scottish Premiere Filipiñana, directed by Rafael Manuel (Sadie Makes a Baby, After a Room), stars Jorrybell Agoto (When This Is All Over, Tether) and Carmen Castellanos. The coming-of-age drama follows seventeen-year-old Isabel as she uncovers disturbing truths beneath the surface of an exclusive country club in her native Philippines.

IFFG will also present the Scottish Premiere of Clarissa, directed by Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri. A contemporary Lagos-set reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway, the film stars Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls), David Oyelowo (Selma, Queen of Katwe), India Amarteifio (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, The Rapture), Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso, Anthony), Nikki Amuka-Bird (I, Kack Wright, Old) and Ayo Edebiri (The Bear, The Bottoms), bringing one of literature’s most celebrated stories into modern-day Nigeria.

Audiences will also be among the first in the UK to see How to Divorce During the War from Lithuanian filmmaker Andrius Blaževičius (Runner, The Saint). Starring Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė (Runner, Renovation), Marius Repšys (Runner, The Saint), Alla Bineeva (The Death of Stalin, Sultan’s Heart) and Valentinas Krulikovskis (The Saint, Transsiberian), the film follows a struggling filmmaker and a high-flying executive attempting to navigate divorce during the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

UK Premiere Jim Queen and the Quest for Chloroqueer, directed by Nicolas Athané (The Red Turtle, Dead Cells: Immortalis) and Marco Nguyen (Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales), is a bold, animated comedy featuring the voices of Alex Ramirès (Desperate Lillewives, The Visitor from the Future) and Jérémy Gillet (A Very Ordinary World, A Dangerous Friendship). Set in Paris, the film follows the outbreak of a mysterious virus that turns gay men heterosexual, throwing the city into chaos.

Ahead of its wider release on 13th November, IFFG will host a special preview screening of Fjord on 11th November, the latest feature from acclaimed Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, The Graduation). Starring Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice, Captain America: The Winter Soldier) and Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person in the World, Backrooms), the drama follows a Romanian immigrant family living in Norway whose lives are turned upside down when they become the subject of an investigation by local authorities.

IFFG will also showcase The Edge of Existence, a powerful Scottish documentary from director Aaron Wheeler. The film follows electronics teacher Cam Cameron as he attempts to survive 60 days on Rockall, the UK’s most remote and dangerous island, in a bid to break the world record. Driven by a desire to reconnect with his estranged family after the loss of his father and two brothers, Cam’s journey becomes far more than a test of physical endurance, evolving into a deeply personal story of resilience, grief and reconciliation.

Special Event | Double Bill: La Piscine & A Bigger Splash
The Festival will present a special double bill featuring Jacques Deray’s newly restored 4K presentation of La Piscine alongside Luca Guadagnino’s acclaimed reimagining A Bigger Splash, offering audiences the opportunity to experience both films on the big screen.

Reel Tasty: Sip Along Experience | Marie Antoinette
Returning for its fifth season, Reel Tasty offers audiences a unique food and film experience, pairing great cinema with specially curated drinks and tasting experiences designed to complement the on-screen action. This year’s event celebrates the 20th anniversary of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, with audiences invited to enjoy champagne, cocktails and carefully selected nibbles throughout the screening. Presented in partnership with The Social Hub Glasgow, NOAM, The Glasgow Distillery and NON, guests will be able to enjoy a selection of drinks inspired by the film.

Family Screening | Animal Farm
Family audiences can enjoy a screening of the BFI’s restored 4K anniversary edition of Animal Farm, one of animation’s most enduring literary adaptations.

The winner of this year’s IFFG Short Films Competition will be announced on Sunday 15 November and will be judged by Greek filmmaker Christos Nikou (Apples, Km), Scottish actor Lorne MacFadyen (On The Sea, Vigil) and costume designer Carole K Millar (California Schemin’, Half Man).

IFFG Education Programme
At the heart of International Film Festival Glasgow is a year-round commitment to screen education and audience development. Since 2020, the Festival has delivered workshops, masterclasses, enhanced screenings and interactive events, creating opportunities for under-16s to engage with independent cinema and develop creative skills beyond the classroom.

Working with more than 20 schools across Glasgow and beyond, the programme provides opportunities to explore film, animation and performance, with a particular focus on pupils from disadvantaged communities, those with limited access to cultural activities and festivals, and young people growing up outside traditional family settings.

This year’s programme expands its reach with a range of free educational opportunities, including workshops, masterclasses and special screenings delivered directly to schools and young audiences.

Acting Masterclass with Giles Foreman
One of Europe’s most respected acting coaches, Giles Foreman will deliver a special masterclass for aspiring young performers as part of the Festival’s expanded education programme.

Directing Masterclass with Christos Nikou
This session will focus on survival strategies for filmmakers: How to find and trust one’s own artistic voice, choose collaborators, navigate international opportunities and remain creatively independent, rather than simply following shifting funding priorities, festival expectations or prevailing industry trends.

Animation Workshop with Jonathan Charles
Film education practitioner and animator Jonathan Charles returns to lead practical animation workshops for young audiences.

European Young Audience Award Screenings
As an official partner of the European Film Academy’s Young Audience Award, IFFG will host the announcement of the nominees for the 2027 European Young Audience Award, alongside a programme of education screenings of the nominated films presented by participating filmmakers (further communication to follow separately).

These activities sit alongside IFFG’s year-round improv acting classes, delivered in partnership with Acting Out and led by educator James Scott.

The Festival’s industry programme also returns this year, with networking opportunities hosted in partnership with The Social Hub Glasgow, NOAM, The Glasgow Distillery and NON, bringing together filmmakers, industry professionals and emerging talent from across Scotland and beyond.

Supporting partners include Glasgow Life, Glasgow Virtual School and the European Film Academy, with IFFG serving as an official partner for the European Film Academy’s Young Audience Award programme and its forthcoming announcement (further communication to follow separately).

International Film Festival Glasgow runs from 10 to 15 November 2026 at multiple venues including The Grosvenor Picture Theatre and The Social Hub.