Leeds International Film Festival 2026: Full film schedule revealed with our five picks so far this year

The complete line-up for the Leeds International Film Festival (LIFF 2026) has landed online, giving film lovers across the region their first look at the 18-day cinematic marathon running from October 29 through to November 15.

With individual tickets and passes going on sale from October 8, this year's schedule spans multiple iconic Leeds venues - including Hyde Park Picture House, Cottage Road Cinema, Vue in the Light, Everyman Screen 4, Mill Hill Chapel, and Leeds City Library.

Alongside international premieres, retrospectives, and cult strands, the 2026 schedule puts a strong spotlight on regional talent.

A key highlight for local film fans is the dedicated Yorkshire Short Film Competition, showcasing a diverse collection of compelling short films created by filmmakers from across the county.

To help you navigate the packed schedule before the box office opens, here are our five picks (so far) from this year’s programming.

Five Leeds International Film Festival highlights for 2026

Opening Night Highlight: Wicker

• Strand: Fanomenon Opening Film
• Screenings: October 29 at Vue Screen 7 (6:15pm) & Cottage Road Cinema (8:45pm)

Leading the charge on opening night is one of the most intriguing dark comedies of the festival circuit.

Wicker tells the story of an eccentric seaside woman who commissions a husband crafted entirely out of wicker - triggering a wave of absurdity, small-town jealousy, and unexpected romance.

Directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson (Save Yourselves!), the raunchy period fable has drawn strong praise for its stellar cast - starring Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Peter Dinklage, and Elizabeth Debicki - and its sharp balance of laugh-out-loud comedy with genuine heart.

Local Music Triumph: Ultimate Thunder

• Strand: Cinema Versa Opening Film
• Screenings: October 30 (Vue Screen 11), October 31 (Hyde Park Screen 2), & November 9 (Vue Screen 7)

A celebratory home-turf highlight, this joyful documentary follows the journey of Leeds’ own neurodivergent DIY punk band, Ultimate Thunder.

Capturing their raw live energy, creative camaraderie, and fierce musical spirit, it promises to be one of the warmest and most triumphant local screenings of the festival.

Cinephile Anorak Pick: Los Angeles Plays Itself

• Strand: Archive & Cinema Culture
• Screening: Saturday, November 14 at Hyde Park Picture House (Screen 1, 19:30)

For film nerds (including myself) and history buffs, catching Thom Andersen's 2003 video essay on the big screen at the historic Hyde Park Picture House is a bucket-list experience.

Using hundreds of classic movie clips, the film meticulously dissects how Hollywood has represented - and misrepresented - its home city across a century of cinema history.

Crowd-Pleaser Restoration: Pan’s Labyrinth (20th Anniversary 4K)

• Strand: Fanomenon Retro
• Screenings: Thursday, October 29 & Friday, October 30 at Vue Screen 7

Marking two decades since its release, Guillermo del Toro’s dark fantasy masterpiece returns to the big screen, meticulously restored in 4K from the original 35mm negative.

For those who have only experienced Ophelia's haunting underworld on home video, seeing it on a full cinema screen is unmissable.

Closing Night Highlight: Tender Loving Care

• Strand: Festival Finale Showcase
• Screenings: Sunday, November 15 at Hyde Park Picture House & Vue

Capping off the final day of the festival on November 15, Mike Leigh’s Tender Loving Care stands out as one of the most talked-about new European drama additions on the circuit, delivering an emotionally charged story to bring LIFF 2026 to a memorable close.

Set in contemporary London, the film is a tragicomic social-realist drama exploring the modern British welfare system, friendship, and the quiet complexities of ageing.

Amy (Kate O'Flynn), a dedicated government child protection worker, moves in with her upbeat best friend Rosie (Alice Bailey Johnson), a fellow social services officer struggling against daily public friction, anger, and administrative fatigue.

While Amy and Rosie navigate their high-stress front-line jobs, Amy's ageing parents (Paul Jesson and Marion Bailey) grapple with their own health crises and growing fears for their daughter's happiness.

Tickets for individual screenings go on general sale on October 8 via the official Leeds International Film Festival website. Full festival passes and venue ticket bundles are also available.