CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OFFERS FIRST LOOK AT 2026 SPOTLIGHTS AND SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Tim Blake Nelson; Bob Odenkirk; World Premiere of “Ever After”; More Highly Anticipated Films Set to Screen in Chicago
CHICAGO, Illinois (August 25, 2026) - The Chicago International Film Festival today gave a first look at some of the films that will screen in the Spotlight and Special Presentations sections of this year’s 62nd edition of North America’s longest-running competitive film festival, running October 14 - 25, 2026.
From the best in global cinema to the latest achievements in American filmmaking, the Festival continues its tradition of showcasing the year’s most anticipated new movies. Films from award-winning alumni auteurs include BITTER CHRISTMAS, chronicling a filmmaker working to turn an ad exec’s turbulent Christmas weekend into a screenplay, from master Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar; Cannes Best Director winner FATHERLAND by Oscar-winner Paweł Pawlikowski, centering on the relationship between writer Thomas Mann and his daughter Erika (Sandra Hüller) during a road trip across Cold War Germany; James Gray’s deeply felt and intense crime drama PAPER TIGER, starring Adam Driver, Miles Teller, and Scarlett Johansson in a story of two brothers who become entangled in a scheme that turns out to be too good to be true; and Festival favorite Martin McDonagh’s latest WILD HORSE NINE, which follows CIA agents Chris (John Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell) as they set out from Santiago to Easter Island amid the mounting tensions of the 1973 Chilean coup.
Among the many special guests attending this year’s Festival is writer, director, and actor Tim Blake Nelson, set to present his latest film THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF WILSON SHEDD, which follows a teacher (Amanda Seyfried) in an abusive relationship who takes a job at a maximum security prison, where she falls for a charismatic inmate.
Chicagoans and their stories are well represented in this year’s program. Comedian and actor, Chicago’s own Bob Odenkirk (BETTER CALL SAUL, MR. SHOW WITH BOB AND DAVID) will appear at a screening of director Michael LaHaie’s touching and hilarious documentary BOB AND DAVID CLIMB MACHU PICCHU, as he and David Cross face the challenge of climbing one of the most famous mountains on Earth, reflecting on their 30 years of friendship along the way.
The Festival’s popular City and State program, highlighting films with deep ties to Illinois and Chicago, will present the world premiere of director Frankie Nasso’s EVER AFTER. Michelin-starred Chef Curtis Duffy launches a new world-class restaurant during a pandemic in the relentless pursuit of culinary perfection amid a personal reckoning.
The full slate of films and programs presented at the 62nd Chicago International Film Festival will be announced on September 17, 2026. Tickets go on sale to the general public September 24, with Cinema/Chicago members’ pre-sale tickets going on sale September 18. Memberships and passes are now available at www.chicagofilmfestival.com.
For more information, visit https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com.
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Festival Information
Celebrating its 62nd edition October 14 - 25, 2026, the Chicago International Film Festival is North America's longest-running competitive international film festival and an Oscar® and BAFTA-qualifying festival. Showcasing acclaimed and exciting new films from around the world, the 62nd edition will be held in theaters and at venues across the city, featuring a select program of films with open and closed captions. From dramas and thrillers to documentaries and comedies, the Festival’s lineup spans a range of genres. Signature competitive sections include International Feature Film, New Directors, International Documentary, and Shorts, alongside curated programs such as Black Perspectives, Comedy, OutLook, After Dark, and City & State, which showcases films made in Chicago and throughout Illinois.
2026 Festival Sponsors and Partners
The 62nd Chicago International Film Festival's sponsors include Festival Sponsors: Adobe, CineCity Studios, Cinespace Studios, Illinois Production Alliance, Make It Better Foundation, MPB, MUBI, SAGindie, Wintrust. Official Agency: Ogilvy; Publicity Agency: Acacia Consulting Group; With Major Support from Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation, John and Jacolyn Bucksbaum Family Foundation, Charles Droege and Julie Wroblewski, GS Gives - Christopher M. Keogh, and Cynthia Stone Raskin. The Chicago International Film Festival acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.
About Cinema/Chicago
Cinema/Chicago, the non-profit 501(c)(3) presenting organization of the Chicago International Film Festival, enriches the community through year-round programming devoted to international and independent cinema. We strengthen communication and inspire empathy among people of diverse cultures through artistic, educational, and creative development programs that promote discovery and discussion and inspire new visions of our shared future.
Cinema/Chicago's programs include the Chicago International Film Festival, Industry Days, Summer Screenings, CineYouth Festival, Community Cinema, the Digging Deeper into Movies lecture series, and year-round Chicago Industry Exchange Lab (CIX: Lab). Celebrating its 62nd edition October 14 - 25, 2026, the Chicago International Film Festival is North America's longest-running competitive film festival. For more information, please visit www.chicagofilmfestival.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
