The San Diego International Film Festival returns October 13–18, 2026, for its 25th anniversary. Across six days, audiences can explore studio premieres, independent features, documentaries and short films, with filmmaker conversations and panels adding another dimension to the screenings. 

The celebration begins Tuesday with the Night of the Stars Tribute in La Jolla. Wednesday brings an opening-night film and party at THE LOT, before screenings move into a packed Thursday-through-Sunday program at Westfield UTC. The festival’s mix of local stories and international cinema offers plenty of chances to discover a film that might otherwise pass you by. 

The final weekend extends beyond the theater. A Saturday-night anniversary celebration at Belly Up Tavern honors award-winning filmmakers, while Sunday’s Culinary Cinema pairs a food-inspired screening with tastings from San Diego chefs. Whether you come for a single film or spend the week moving between screenings and events, the festival promises a lively meeting place for filmmakers and film lovers. 

Where the Art & Science of Cinema Converge.

Don’t just watch movies. Experience the festival.

Over the bridge and a world away, the Coronado Island Film Festival brings together filmmakers from around the globe, industry leaders, emerging artists, and passionate audiences for five extraordinary days on Coronado Island, San Diego's "Crown" City. 

Whether attending as a film lover, filmmaker, screenwriter, industry professional, or creative looking for the next collaborator, CIFF offers an experience designed around discovery, connection, and the art and business of cinema. The Leonard Maltin Industry Tribute Gala opens the celebration Wednesday evening, (Nov. 4) in the Crown Room at the iconic Hotel del Coronado, honoring extraordinary cinematic achievement and cultural impact.

Thursday Nov. 5th opens the ShortsFest, the festival’s award-winning short film exhibition, operating as a festival within the festival, spotlighting the short-form storytelling and runs thru Sunday, Nov. 8th. Industry panels led by the most respected names in entertainment journalism — Variety, Deadline, MovieMaker, and Gold Derby — set the pace for awards season, offering audiences a front-row seat to the conversations shaping the year in film. CIFF’s independent film slate gives the stage to emerging voices and visionaries.

Throughout the week, studio premieres, compelling stories of discovery, independent features, special engagements including women in film, historic Hollywood retrospectives, receptions, networking events built for real connection, create an environment where relationships form, ideas take shape, and inspiration take hold.

As a mission-driven nonprofit, CIFF supports filmmakers and screenwriters, strengthens the cinema arts, and creates opportunities for the next generation of creative storytellers.