Start your year with world-class films at one of the most important film festivals around. Get tickets to the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2026.

What is IFFR?

IFFR is a leading international film festival with a year-round programme dedicated to supporting new and adventurous filmmaking talent from around the world. With the 55th edition of IFFR just around the corner, taking place from January 29 to February 8, 2026, the city of Rotterdam will once again come alive as a destination for film lovers and professionals alike.  

Over 11 days, cinema will become Rotterdam’s beating heart. Filmmakers from all over the world join IFFR to present their creations in cinemas throughout the city, across numerous programmes, and not only in screening rooms but also in galleries, exhibition spaces and unexpected locations.

Film professionals and emerging talent will join IFFR to advance their projects and careers, and the city’s schoolchildren will be engaged in a programme of film education.

Tickets go on sale on January 15, 2026! Mark your calendars and get ready to get your tickets to IFFR 2026!

Attending International Film Festival Rotterdam 2026

Attending the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2026 means:

• Discovering cinematic highlights in an amazing lineup of more than 480 carefully curated and selected cutting-edge films and artworks. The full programme will go live in January on the IFFR website.
• Attending IFFR’s Big Talks by award-winning filmmakers, actors and other big names from the film industry.
• Experiencing the festival spirit. Rotterdam will be alive with visitors enjoying IFFR's special events and parties. Want to make the most out of your festival experience? Check IFFR’s Festival Specials and more.
• Meeting and connecting with new people. During the festival week, IFFR brings together people from diverse backgrounds through screenings, talks, exhibitions and educational events.

Art Directions IFFR 2026

With the Art Directions programme, IFFR pushes the boundaries of what cinema can be, presenting film in unexpected forms like immersive media, live music and audiovisual installations in galleries and artistic spaces throughout Rotterdam. 

Originally named Exploding Cinema, Art Directions is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026. For the second year running, Katoenhuis will be the main venue and partner for Art Directions, hosting installations, immersive media and, for the first time, the industry extension of the programme, Lightroom, which will unite projects in development and works-in-progress together with a symposium.

Katoenhuis will host four Art Directions installations, showcasing IFFR’s commitment to visual and sensory exploration. The works include:

• 3 Scenes from a Marriage by Leopold Emmen (Nanouk Leopold and Daan Emmen), 2026 (Netherlands) - World Premiere
• Café Kuba: Who Dared to Awaken the Dead Memory by David Shongo, 2025 (Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium) - Dutch Premiere
• Krakatoa* by Carlos Casas, 2026 (Spain, United Kingdom, Poland, France) - World Premiere 
  *This project will also be screened in film form in IFFR’s Harbour strand
• Preludio by Silvia Gatti, 2025 (Netherlands) - World Premiere

Other highlights this year include immersive media at Katoenhuis, more installations across cultural spaces across Rotterdam, including Luuk Van Raamsdonk’s My Sweet Elora at Plein in Fenix Museum of Migration, Jacco Gardner’s immersive installation performance Alterity at Brutus, the return of the sound//vision programme at WORM, and a co-developed experience by Elsemarijn Bruys at V2_ Lab for the Unstable Media.

Buy your tickets now

Don't wait for it to sell out - tickets go on sale January 15, 2026, at 8pm. Get your tickets online! Stay up-to-date with the latest news via IFFR’s Tiger Alert. See you at the festival!