When the 10-day-long Sundance Film Festival opens on January 22 in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, it will during the second half, celebrate the festival’s rich history through archival screenings of iconic films from previous editions as part of its Park City Legacy programme. The festival is scheduled to hold from January 22 to February 1, 2026, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, with the virtual programme available online from January 29 to February 1, 2026. The Park City Legacy programme will also feature artist talks with festival alumni while the festival’s jury and audience awards will be presented on Friday, January 30, at a ceremony at The Ray Theatre in Park City.Also, the 2026 Sundance Film Festival will honour Robert Redford, a champion and curator of independent stories who started the non-profit Sundance Institute in 1981. Redford died on September 16, 2025 after what has been described as a lifetime of support for Indigenous films. With 105 films in competition this year, this year will mark the last time the festival will hold in Park City, Utah. There are plans to move the festival from its 40 years location to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027. “The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will be a truly pivotal and memorable moment as we celebrate artists and their visionary works, honour our Sundance Institute founder, Robert Redford, and his transformative vision, and show our gratitude to Utah by commemorating our collective journey,” said Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute acting CEO. The indigenous feature films that will be screened include “Aanikoobijigan (ancestors)” from directors and producers Adam Khalil and Zack Khalil. The film, about ancestors trapped in museum archives and who bend time and space to find their way home, offers a revealing look at the still-pervasive worldviews that justified collecting them in the first place. A similar theme emerges in the World Cinema Documentary Competition with ‘Kikuyu Land’ by Kenya filmmakers Andrew Brown and Bea Wangondu.
Pan African Film, Arts Festival Holds February 9
THE 34th yearly Pan African Film and Arts Festival, otherwise known as PAFF, will hold from February 9 to 16 in Los Angeles. Established in 1992 by Hollywood veterans Danny Glover (The Colour Purple, Lethal Weapon), the late Ja’Net DuBois (Good Times) and Ayuko Babu, the Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation that has remained dedicated to the promotion of Black stories and images through the exhibition of film, visual art, and other creative expression. For over 30 years, PAFF has been the international beacon for the African diaspora film and arts communities. As the critically acclaimed largest Black film and arts festival and Black History Month activation in the United States, PAFF brings together filmmakers, artists, and unique craftspeople from over 40 countries and six continents to Los Angeles annually, to showcase their pivotal work and talent. Every year PAFF’s film festival continues to showcase over 200 new high-quality Black films from the U.S., Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, the South Pacific, Canada, and increasingly, Asia. Information on the festival can be sourced at www.paff.org
Nigerian Film Festival Association Unveils 2026 Calendar
THE Nigerian Film Festivals Association (NFFA) has unveiled its 2026 calendar, outlining a nationwide slate of film festivals aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s film industry and expanding cultural engagement. National Chairman of the association, Kate Ezeigbo, said NFFA serves as the umbrella body for film festivals in Nigeria, with a mandate to drive the growth of the nation’s film industry through strategic events and targeted initiatives.
Announcing its 2026 calendar, the Nigerian Film Festival Association (NFFA) highlighted a robust lineup of film festivals across the country. Key events include the Abia International Film Festival (October 15-18, Umuahia, Abia State), the African Indigenous Language Film Festival (December 2 – 5, Lagos), and the Badagry International Film Festival (November 19-21, Badagry). Other major festivals on the calendar are the Bayelsa International Film Festival (November 11-14, Bayelsa), Benin City Film Festival (October 29-31, Benin City, Edo State), Coal City Film Festival (March 26-28, Enugu), and Eko International Film Festival (May 11-15, Lagos). Additional events include the Gospel Film Festival (June 3-5, Ibadan, Oyo State), Ìbàdàn International Film Festival (September 17-19, Oyo State), Igbowood Arts Exhibition Film Festival and Awards (November 20-22), Imo International Film Festival (July 23-25, Owerri, Imo State), and Imo Film Festival (January 15-17, Owerri, Imo State).
Other notable festivals scheduled for 2026 include the Jos Community Film Festival (November 4-6, Jos, Plateau State), Kano Indigenous Languages of Africa Film Market & Festival (November 17-21, Kano), Kano International Film Festival (September 27-30, Kano State), Kingdom Film Festival (November 27-29, Lagos), and Lafia Documentary Film Festival (November 12-14, Lafia, Nasarawa State). The calendar also features the Nollywood Iconic Personalities and Film Festival (May 5-8), Rivers International Film Festival (October 29-November 1, Port Harcourt), Starlinks Cultural International Film Festival & Awards (October 22-24, Asaba, Delta State), Village Arts and Film Festival (December 20-22, Owerri, Imo State), Warri International Film Festival (December 8-12, Warri, Delta State), Zafaa Global Awards (dates TBA, rotational), and the Zuma International Film Festival (December 1-5, Abuja).
