Every August, we set ourselves the same ambitious challenge: to bring together the very best of world cinema and share it with audiences who love discovering films on the big screen. This year's Festival spans almost a century of filmmaking, celebrating cinema in all its richness, diversity and imagination. Whether you're here for a celebrated masterpiece, a future award winner, a hidden gem or a film you'll never have another chance to see in a UK cinema, we hope you'll leave inspired by the most collaborative and magical of art forms.
We're delighted to welcome the Lumiere back for its second Festival. Our beautiful 80-seat mobile cinema at New Park Centre will host almost half of this year's programme, creating a unique Festival hub right at the heart of Chichester.
The Festival family also grows once again, with two wonderful new venues joining us: CineVic in Arundel and the historic Picturedrome in Bognor Regis, entertaining audiences continuously since 1918. Meanwhile, the Windmill Cinema in Littlehampton expands its Festival involvement with even more screenings than ever before.
This year's Festival opens in spectacular style. What better way to begin than with one of cinema's most influential and beloved films, ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’, under the open sky? From that unforgettable opening night, we journey through remarkable stories from every corner of the world before concluding with Pedro Almodóvar's eagerly anticipated new comedy-drama, ‘Bitter Christmas’.
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Alongside an outstanding film programme, I'm especially excited by three major film-and-music events. Our annual silent film presentation moves into the main Auditorium this year, where ‘The Passion of Joan of Arc’ will be accompanied live by an exceptional score. We also welcome a talented string quartet for an evening that pairs a Beethoven performance with the acclaimed drama ‘A Late Quartet’. And to celebrate the centenary of the legendary Miles Davis, we'll present a documentary on the iconic trumpeter followed by a live jazz performance from some of the UK's finest musicians.
One of the greatest pleasures of programming this Festival is uncovering extraordinary films that audiences might otherwise never encounter. This year's programme features numerous UK and English premieres, previews of forthcoming releases and exceptional international films that may never receive a UK theatrical release. My advice is simple: be adventurous. Take a chance on something unfamiliar. The film you know least about could easily become the one you remember most.
The Festival's themed strands have become one of its defining features, offering audiences the chance to explore filmmakers, genres and national cinemas in greater depth. This year I've indulged a personal passion with a major celebration of 21st century Latin American cinema. From Mexico's explosive ‘Amores Perros’ (2000) to Colombia's mesmerising ‘Embrace of the Serpent’ (2015), Argentina's brilliantly audacious ‘Wild Tales’ (2015) and Brazil's Oscar-nominated ‘The Secret Agent’, these are films bursting with energy, originality and unforgettable storytelling.
We're also proud to celebrate some of cinema's most distinctive voices. Robert Redford is honoured with a seven-film retrospective, joined by tributes to Andrea Arnold, Lynne Ramsay and Andrzej Wajda, alongside smaller celebrations of Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot and Claude Chabrol. Many of the strands are complemented by illustrated talks packed with fascinating clips and insights. Our final strand heads behind prison walls, exploring one of cinema's richest and most enduring subjects through seven outstanding films that range from classics to modern masterpieces, famous favourites to overlooked treasures.
The Chichester International Film Festival exists because of an extraordinary community of people who believe in the power of cinema. Our dedicated volunteers, staff, venues, partners and supporters work tirelessly behind the scenes, but the Festival only truly comes to life when audiences fill the auditoria and share these experiences together.
Thank you for being part of that journey. I hope you'll discover something unexpected, revisit an old favourite, embrace the unfamiliar and, above all, enjoy every moment of the 34th Chichester International Film Festival. We look forward to welcoming you.
See you at the Cinema
Walter Francisco, Festival Director
July 2026