This Thursday kicks off the 33rd edition of the Austin Film Festival, running from Oct. 29 to Nov. 5. Unsurprisingly, there’s a lot to be excited about: a new Pedro Pascal film, a live performance by Chaparelle, work by local filmmakers, and an entire writers conference featuring panelists like the producer of the Hunger Games series, Nina Jacobson.
The 2026 schedule is loaded with unmissable events, so we took it upon ourselves to highlight some of the films we’re looking forward to the most, including those you can attend without a festival badge.
Thursday, October 29, 7 p.m.: Hogg Memorial Auditorium
This year’s opening-night film stars Julianne Moore as a New Jersey housewife who shakes up her life by auditioning for a local musical. However, she becomes utterly absorbed in her newfound craft as the director (Paul Giamatti) projects onto her his own unrealized dreams. With a screenplay penned by Jesse Eisenberg, we expect the dialogue will be as quick as it is stirring.
Wednesday, November 4, 8:15pm: Texas Spirit Theatre
When Zella Day moved to Austin in 2023 to form the breakout country supergroup Chaparelle with fellow singer-songwriter Jesse Woods and producer Beau Bedford, she might not have realized she’d end up falling for Woods along the way. A screening of the new documentary Bleeding Hearts (aptly named after the band’s debut single) will show the band navigating the long, winding roads of love and artistic collaboration before the group performs live for those lucky enough to be in the audience.
The Stalemate (Badge Required)
Friday, October 30, 9:30 p.m. at The State Theatre
AFF is hosting the world premiere of Nicholas Arioli’s debut feature, so very little information about it exists. However, our curiosity was piqued when we heard Ben Foster (Alpha Dog) and Manny Jacinto (The Good Place)—who will both join Arioli at this week’s screening—play a sheriff and robber facing off in the Old West without any bullets. The absurdist comedy also stars acclaimed Irish actor Fiona Shaw (My Left Foot), which only amplifies our intrigue.
Sunday, November 1, 5:30 p.m. at Hogg Memorial Auditorium
Hearing that Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton) was making a movie with Pedro Pascal was plenty to send our excitement into orbit. This year’s AFF Centerpiece Screening depicts the Mandalorian star as a cellist who returns home after 20 years to score films in LA. With a supporting cast that includes Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby), Olivia Wilde (The Invite), and Will Arnett (Arrested Development), we expect a powder keg of emotions we can’t look away from.
Little Miss Sunshine (20th Anniversary Screening)
Sunday, November 1, 12:30 p.m.: The State Theatre
“On the Road” (presented by Sonic) is its own series nestled within this year’s AFF lineup, bringing film favorites like Poetic Justice and Paper Moon back to the big screen to showcase the great American road trip as a storytelling platform. Little Miss Sunshine will be presented by its screenwriter, Michael Arndt, who wrote this as his first film before going on to contribute to the Star Wars, Hunger Games, and Toy Story franchises.
Sunday, November 1, 9:00 p.m.: The State Theatre
AFF is an Oscar-qualifying film festival, which makes it a big deal that it also shines its spotlight on local filmmakers. This year’s selection of Austin shorts (presented by the Big Bend Film Commission) includes stories of unusual cravings, ominous mega corporations, and a musical about capers. Promising a range of genres and styles, we can’t wait to support the artists working in our own backyard.
AFF33 runs from October 29–November 5, 2026. Badges, tickets, and the full lineup are available on the Austin Film Festival website.
