Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF) has revealed a 104-film lineup spanning 37 countries for its 29th annual edition, taking place March 25–29, 2026.
The 2026 program includes 41 narrative features, 16 documentary features, and 47 shorts.
Opening Night Film is the California Premiere of Poetic License, Maude Apatow’s directorial feature debut starring Leslie Mann as Liz, adrift in a new town, who befriends two adoring students (Cooper Hoffman, Andrew Barth Feldman) after auditing a poetry class. Flattery spirals into awkward longing in this smart, laugh-out-loud story of reinvention.
Centerpiece Film is Oscar-winning Steven Soderbergh’s The Christophers, starring Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel in a razor-witted chamber comedy skewering art, money, and long-simmering grudges
Closing Night Film is the California Premiere of Under the Lights, directed by Miles Levin. Shot in Sonoma, this film follows a teen with epilepsy who risks everything to attend prom.
SIFF will present After Dark, a genre-focused strand featuring high-profile talent and commercial energy: Fuze (Dir. David Mackenzie) – London-set thriller starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Sam Worthington; Normal (Dir. Ben Wheatley) – Dark action-comedy starring Bob Odenkirk, Lena Headey, and Henry Winkler; The Last Viking (Dir. Anders Thomas Jensen) – Black comedy starring Mads Mikkelsen; Over Your Dead Body (Dir. Jorma Taccone) – horror-comedy featuring Jason Segel, Timothy Olyphant, Samara Weaving, and Juliette Lewis.
Culinary Films & Events include The Big Cheese (Director: Sara Joe Wolansky/USA), Fork in the Road (Director: Jonathan Nastasi, Vivian Sorenson/USA), Hello Betty (Director: Pierre Monnard/Switzerland), Raoul’s, A New York Story (Director: Greg Olliver, Karim Raoul/USA).
Other festival highlights include the World premiere of Fork in the Road, US Premiere of Winter of the Crow (Cohen Media), and Special Screenings of Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller Vertigo starring Kim Novak and James Stewart, presented in conjunction with the documentary Kim Novak´s Vertigo. 4K Restoration of John Woo´s The Killers (Hong Kong)
Other notable films include: I Swear, Cielo, Mile End Kicks, and The Last One for the Road.
“Following last year’s record-setting edition, we’re raising the bar again with a lineup that reflects the full spectrum of contemporary cinema — from internationally celebrated auteurs to bold genre voices,” said SIFF Artistic Director Carl Spence. “We’ve assembled the finest films we discovered throughout the year — including exceptional works that deserve a larger spotlight — alongside in-person conversations with visionary filmmakers and our signature culinary program. Sonoma isn’t just a festival; it’s a destination where world-class cinema meets an unforgettable experience.”
Combining cinema and gourmet, SIFF describes itself as more than a film festival, and is set to serve up exclusive SIFF Pop-Ins featuring curated food and wine experiences at top Sonoma restaurants, lively parties at celebrated establishments, and intimate conversations with film industry veterans.
SIFF will host an in-person presentation and career conversation with Julian Schnabel, who brings his latest feature, In the Hand of Dante, starring Oscar Isaac, Gal Gadot, Gerard Butler, John Malkovich, Al Pacino, Jason Momoa, and Martin Scorsese. The screening will be followed by a moderated discussion examining Schnabel’s career across visual art and cinema.
SIFF’s industry conversations include “The Art of Casting: The Craft Behind the New Oscar,” exploring the Academy’s newest category and the evolving role of casting in shaping performances and careers including director/writers Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), Lulu Wang (The Farewell), and casting directors Kerry Barden, and David Ruben; “The Power of Storytelling,” a discussion with documentary filmmakers on impact-driven filmmaking and audience engagement; “Film Veterans Tell All,” featuring Academy members and industry insiders offering candid perspectives on today’s film landscape; and “Food, Film & the Future,” examining how cinema influences conversations around sustainability, culture, and the global food system.
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