Chester International Film Festival (CIFF) is returning to Storyhouse this spring with a hotly anticipated selection of movies and shorts from across the world.
The 2026 festival takes place from Friday 13 – Sunday 22 March 2026 and tickets are on sale now, with movie buffs offered savings if they book two or more events at the same time.
The annual festival, now in its 39th year, is a partnership between Storyhouse, Chester Film Society and the University of Chester, and has been held at the Hunter Street cultural centre since 2018.
It aims to celebrate the very best in contemporary independent cinema from across the globe, with film fans promised a wide range of fantastic screen outings from countries including Italy, Japan, North Macedonia and Brazil as well as the United Kingdom. The event includes a hand-picked selection of international film previews, locally curated short film programmes and expert guest speakers.
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The CIFF Official Selection brings together 14 preview screenings which are in competition for a special Audience Award which will be announced at the end of the festival. Some screenings will be introduced by a guest speaker from the University of Chester.
There will also be two films with post-screening Q&A sessions, a Short Film Programme, Chester Animation Festival, Northern Exposure – a selection of the best short films from the North of England, a Student Showcase and a pair of Festival Classics.
The festival officially opens on Friday 13 March with a drink’s reception and a screening of DJ Ahmet, a crowd-pleasing comedy set in North Macedonia. It follows a 15-year-old boy who finds a refuge in music while attempting to navigate family and community expectations.
Concurrently, Chester Animation Festival celebrates its 12th edition highlighting outstanding animated shorts from filmmakers from across the world on Saturday 14 March. This year’s shortlisted films come from six countries including Canada, the Netherlands and Iran.
Susanne Hodder, of Chester Film Society, said: “We’re delighted to bring the Chester International Film Festival back for another year, hosted at Storyhouse and in partnership with the University of Chester.
“The festival is a fundamental part of our commitment to bring world cinema to Chester, inviting audiences to discover inspiring films from diverse cultures and voices from across the world. We can’t wait to share these unique stories with audiences and create an experience that connects our community through film.”
Storyhouse head of cinema Nicky Beaumont added: “We’ve been honoured to work with Chester Film Society to host the annual international film festival at Storyhouse since 2018, and more recently to partner with the University of Chester on this long-running festival.
“Chester International Film Festival is a highlight in our calendar, spotlighting films from around the world and bringing them to audiences at Storyhouse.”
Storyhouse Cinema is supported by Film Hub North with National Lottery funding on behalf of the BFI Film Audience Network.
