The wait is officially over – the FilmChelt 2026 programme has been revealed
Starting on Friday 30 October and running until Sunday 8 November 2026 FilmChelt brings a spectacular 10-day celebration of film to Cheltenham.
This year’s finely tuned selection picks out four distinct strands which run through the programme providing a platform for some thought-provoking, highly relevant topics which sit alongside light-hearted family entertainment and cult classics.
Here are some highlights of what’s to come. You can see the full line-up of films and events here.
Spotlight
Featuring films from award-winning directors and up and coming talent starring big-name actors and introducing us to stars of the future, there’s a plethora of critically acclaimed titles which take us on a journey around the globe.
You’ll find many films here way ahead of their UK general release, and which will go on to win multiple awards next year.
Some highlights are:
In our opening film Julianne Moore goes gloriously off the rails in Jesse Eisenberg’s offbeat musical comedy about a shy housewife who discovers her inner leading lady.
The Black Ball (La Bola Negara)
Three men, three eras and one hidden connection shape this boldly cinematic Spanish drama about love, secrets and the weight of the past.
This year’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner stars two 2025 Oscar nominees — Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value) and Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice) — in a gripping, morally complex drama that will you will be think about long after the credits roll.
Helen Mirren plays Patricia Highsmith in a deliciously dark thriller about the writer behind Tom Ripley — and the young publisher who discovers that getting her to write one last book may be murder.
Sophie Okonedo shines as a Lagos society hostess in this vibrant contemporary update of Mrs Dalloway.
A.I: Fact and Fiction
A hot topic of discussion at present, with some alarming revelations hitting the news recently, this is an increasingly prevalent part of the filmmaking process as it becomes part of everyday life.
Some highlights are:
Panel discussion on the impact of AI in the movie industry – can it have a positive impact on film making, or does it spell the end of human creativity in film?
Synthetic Sincerity + The Last Screenwriter
Two films that show different sides of the way in which AI might impact film making. Can AI produce a better script than a professional scriptwriter, and can AI be trained to authentically convey human emotions?
A Cold War-era sci-fi thriller about an American supercomputer designed to control the U.S. nuclear arsenal that gains sentience and holds humanity hostage to enforce global peace on its own terms.
A British comedy about a lonely inventor in rural Wales who builds a towering, robot companion out of a washing machine and spare parts, and the odd, heart-warming friendship that follows.
Eastern Promise
While our screens bring daily stories of destruction and conflict from the Middle East, this season highlights the hope and humanity in this troubled region. In inspiring personal journeys and intimate personal quests, we see these countries through the eyes of everyday people confronting brutality with resilience, dignity, and artistic expression.
Some highlights are:
Palestinian children in Gaza take to the skies in this uplifting documentary about kites, friendship and an extraordinary attempt to break a world record.
Cherien Dabis’s sweeping, decades spanning family drama follows three generations of a Palestinian family, from the upheaval of 1948 to a life shaped by loss, love and the hope of a better future.
A young singer from Gaza risks everything to audition for Arab Idol in this uplifting true story about music, friendship and following a dream against the odds.
30th anniversary of quite possibly the most eye poppingly gorgeous film ever made, a sumptuous allegorical tale focusing on an almost extinct nomadic tribe of South Eastern Iran who are famed for their intricately designed Persian carpets.
Cult
Embrace the enduring power of some timeless titles celebrating milestone first-release anniversaries. From dark thrillers to sci-fi classics, die-hard movie fans are in for a treat.
Some highlights are:
Jacques Tourneur’s atmospheric horror about a skeptical American psychologist investigating a satanic cult leader in rural England, only to find himself marked for death by an ancient runic curse.
60th anniversary of John Frankenheimer’s neglected sci-fi starring Rock Hudson a dissatisfied banker who pays a mysterious organization to fake his death and give him a new identity and youthful body.
Following … In Christopher Nolan’s Footsteps
Actor Jeremy Theobald presents Christopher Nolan’s debut film and shares his experience of working with him throughout his career.
David Lynch’s neo-noir mystery is celebrating its 25th anniversary. This mind-bending masterpiece continues to blur the line between dream and reality in classic, unforgettable Lynchian fashion.
Discovery
Under-the-radar releases from around the world. Discover your new favourite film as we take a deep dive into the global cinematic landscape with our carefully curated selection of hidden gems and unsung masterpieces.
Some highlights are:
A burned-out mother takes off with her disabled teenage son across southern Italy in a borrowed caravan.
A trivial dispute over a parking space spirals into a tense, unsettling confrontation. Former professor of philosophy Louis Godbout crafts a taut psychological thriller that has been a real conversation starter wherever it has played. So it’s just as well that he will be joining us for Q&A after the screening.
With their tiny theatre under threat of closure, two best friends must decide what they’re willing to risk—for art, for love… for each other.
Gallery
