narrative-feature
All My Friends are Back in Brisbane
A female lawyer returns to her hometown of Brisbane after a decade away and is forced to work alongside her ex, who is now married with a child.
Showing: Screening Room 2: Village Theatre
11/06/2026
10:30 AM
narrative-feature
All My Friends are Back in Brisbane
A female lawyer returns to her hometown of Brisbane after a decade away and is forced to work alongside her ex, who is now married with a child. Join us […]
Showing: Screening Room 3: Village Theatre
11/08/2026
1:30 PM
narrative-feature
All That Glisters
Cheryl just wants to have a nice dinner party with her old Hollywood friends. But one of her friends has gone missing. Or he's actually dead. But his instagram is […]
Showing: Screening Room 2: Village Theatre
11/06/2026
4:30 PM
narrative-feature
All That Glisters
Cheryl just wants to have a nice dinner party with her old Hollywood friends. But one of her friends has gone missing. Or he's actually dead. But his instagram is […]
Showing: Screening Room 3: Village Theatre
11/08/2026
4:30 PM
shorts-fest
Animation Showcase I
A powerful and imaginative selection of shorts that blend artistry, emotion, and inventive storytelling across cultures and styles. The films included in this showcase are: Leg Day, Three Words, They, […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/06/2026
10:00 AM
shorts-fest
Animation Showcase II
A powerful and imaginative selection of shorts that blend artistry, emotion, and inventive storytelling across cultures and styles. The films included in this showcase are: Saba, On Saint Nicholas' Eve, […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/07/2026
3:00 PM
documentary-feature
Arthur Elgort: Models & Muses
In this intimate and visually rich documentary, filmmaker Warren Elgort turns the camera on his father, legendary fashion photographer Arthur Elgort, whose candid, movement-driven style transformed the pages of Vogue […]
Showing: Founders Hall C, Hotel Del Coronado
11/07/2026
10:00 AM
events
Avenue of the Stars: Scenes & Sips
Be a Part of the Action From 4:00–6:00 PM on Saturday, November 7, guests will embark on a flavorful stroll down Orange Avenue, where each star on the sidewalk honors […]
Showing: The Bower Hotel
11/07/2026
4:00 PM
narrative-featurered-carpet-filmsan-diego-premiere
Behemoth!
A gifted cellist, Alex Serian, returns home to Los Angeles after 20 years on the road. Music, the constant, all-consuming river of his life, carries him on an adventure that […]
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/07/2026
4:00 PM
documentary-featurered-carpet-film
Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff
An intimate documentary portrait of visionary astronomer, author and television star Carl Sagan, whose groundbreaking ideas transformed our understanding of the cosmos and human existence.
Showing: Screening Room 3: Village Theatre
11/07/2026
4:30 PM
documentary-featurered-carpet-film
Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff
An intimate documentary portrait of visionary astronomer, author and television star Carl Sagan, whose groundbreaking ideas transformed our understanding of the cosmos and human existence.
Showing: Screening Room 2: Village Theatre
11/08/2026
1:30 PM
narrative-featurered-carpet-filmsan-diego-premiere
Centerpiece | Ink
An explosive cinematic rollercoaster about a group of visionaries and misfits with an idea for a new kind of news — one that would give people what they want and […]
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/06/2026
7:00 PM
narrative-featurered-carpet-film
Centerpiece | The Debut
A shy, unassuming housewife (Mona) is unexpectedly cast in a bit part in a small community theater's original musical. As she transforms into a zealous method actor determined to protect […]
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/07/2026
7:00 PM
narrative-featuresan-diego-premiere
Clarissa
A bold reimagining of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway, set in contemporary Lagos, Nigeria. Society woman Clarissa prepares to host a party at her home, where she unexpectedly encounters once-intimate friends […]
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/06/2026
10:00 AM
documentary-feature
Class of Her Own
During her first 25 years at Duval Elementary (East Gainesville, Fla.), Gloria Jean Merriex was a typical teacher. She adhered faithfully to her district’s rigid pacing guides. But after her […]
Showing: Screening Room 2: Village Theatre
11/07/2026
4:30 PM
documentary-feature
Class of Her Own
During her first 25 years at Duval Elementary (East Gainesville, Fla.), Gloria Jean Merriex was a typical teacher. She adhered faithfully to her district’s rigid pacing guides. But after her […]
Showing: Screening Room 3: Village Theatre
11/08/2026
10:30 AM
closing-nightnarrative-featurered-carpet-filmsan-diego-premiere
Closing Night | Paper Tiger
Set in 1986 Queens and Brooklyn, an engineer aspiring to middle-class comforts is pulled into a shady deal with Russian criminals by his brother, a former NYPD cop — endangering […]
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/08/2026
7:30 PM
closing-nighteventsnarrative-featurered-carpet-film
CLOSING NIGHT RECEPTION + FILM | Mouse
Reception on the Bay 6:00–7:30 PM This year, we're doing something we've never done before. CIFF's beloved closing night reception moves to the stunning waterfront setting of the Marriott Coronado […]
Showing: Marriott Coronado Island Resort & Marina
11/08/2026
7:30 PM
events
Closing Night Reception ONLY
Reception on the Bay 6:00–7:30 PM This year, we're doing something we've never done before. CIFF's beloved closing night reception moves to the stunning waterfront setting of the Marriott Coronado […]
Showing: Marriott Coronado Island Resort & Marina
11/08/2026
6:00 PM
shorts-fest
Creative Crossroads
A dynamic selection of films that explore unique voices and fresh perspectives, offering powerful stories and thought-provoking themes. The films included in this showcase are Captive Audience, Meeting Your Maker, […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/08/2026
10:00 AM
culinary-cinema
Culinary Cinema | PAIRINGS Savory Shorts
This curated collection of films that celebrate food, culture, and creativity through the lens of culinary storytelling. Our relationship with food, where it is sourced and how we gather is […]
Showing: John D. Spreckels Center
11/05/2026
10:30 AM
culinary-cinemadocumentary-feature
Culinary Cinema Series | Pairings: Top of the World
Through intimate firsthand accounts from its staff, this film revisits Windows on the World, the iconic restaurant atop the World Trade Center, exploring how it became a symbol of New […]
Showing: John D. Spreckels Center
11/06/2026
1:30 PM
documentary-feature
Dream Touch Believe
As a young Vietnam War soldier, a grenade blast robbed Michael Naranjo of his eyesight. But he didn’t lose sight of his integrity and ambition. He fought past critics and […]
Showing: Founders Hall C, Hotel Del Coronado
11/08/2026
1:00 PM
shorts-fest
Emerging Filmmakers - Advanced
A vibrant program showcasing the creativity and vision of the next generation of storytellers. The films included in this showcase are: Front Row, In the Still of the Night, Little […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/07/2026
6:00 PM
mission-forward-communityshorts-fest
Emerging Filmmakers: High School
Mission Forward — A Free Community Screening A vibrant program showcasing the creativity and vision of the next generation of storytellers. The films included in this showcase are: The Hard […]
Showing: The Winn Room: Coronado Island Public Library
11/07/2026
1:00 PM
shorts-fest
Fork in the Road
The films included in this showcase are: The Public, A Crime Across Four Landscapes, Bloom, Broken Dawn, The Whole Thing, Remember This
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/05/2026
1:00 PM
events
HAROLD!
CIFF historian Tim Ried is back with the program our audiences ask for every year — a CIFF favorite that weaves Coronado and San Diego history into Hollywood legend. He […]
Showing: John D. Spreckels Center
11/08/2026
10:00 AM
narrative-featurered-carpet-film
Hustler
Moscow, 1996. Andrey Rubanov, a young and enterprising banker, has a wife named Irma and a small child. He also has over a million dollars — split with his friend […]
Showing: Screening Room 3: Village Theatre
11/06/2026
7:30 PM
narrative-featurered-carpet-film
Hustler
Moscow, 1996. Andrey Rubanov, a young and enterprising banker, has a wife named Irma and a small child. He also has over a million dollars — split with his friend […]
Showing: Screening Room 2: Village Theatre
11/08/2026
4:30 PM
animated-featurenarrative-featurered-carpet-film
In Waves
In Los Angeles, shy teenager AJ meets Kristen, an avid surfer. They fall madly in love, but everything changes when Kristen is struck by illness — together they face adversity […]
Showing: Screening Room 3: Village Theatre
11/06/2026
10:30 AM
animated-featurenarrative-featurered-carpet-film
In Waves
In Los Angeles, shy teenager AJ meets Kristen, an avid surfer. They fall madly in love, but everything changes when Kristen is struck by illness — together they face adversity […]
Showing: Screening Room 2: Village Theatre
11/08/2026
10:30 AM
narrative-featurered-carpet-film
JIMMY
The untold true story of America’s most-beloved actor and the iconic role that saved him, focuses on the most transformative season in Jimmy Stewart’s life—from winning the Academy Award® for […]
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/06/2026
4:00 PM
narrative-featurered-carpet-filmsan-diego-premiere
Josephine
Eight-year-old Josephine witnesses a brutal sexual assault while jogging with her father in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. As fear and paranoia take hold, she begins acting out, haunted by […]
Showing: Screening Room 2: Village Theatre
11/06/2026
7:30 PM
narrative-featurered-carpet-filmsan-diego-premiere
Josephine
Eight-year-old Josephine witnesses a brutal sexual assault while jogging with her father in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. As fear and paranoia take hold, she begins acting out, haunted by […]
Showing: Screening Room 2: Village Theatre
11/07/2026
7:30 PM
documentary-feature
Kenny Loggins: Conviction of the Heart
Kenny Loggins - multi-platinum, Grammy, Emmy-winning Songwriter/Recording Artist - was a shy, gawky kid with low self-esteem. He thought he had to create a persona to do the rock star thing. Kenny […]
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/06/2026
1:00 PM
narrative-featurered-carpet-film
Killing Castro
Set against one of the most volatile flashpoints of the Cold War, KILLING CASTRO unfolds in 1960 New York where a convergence of forces — including the CIA, FBI and […]
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/07/2026
1:00 PM
shorts-fest
Last Laugh
A lighthearted and entertaining collection of films that find humor in unexpected places, offering witty, comedic takes on life’s challenges and absurdities. The films included in this showcase are: Balloon […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/07/2026
12:30 PM
shorts-fest
Life, Interrupted
A captivating collection of films that delve into life’s unexpected disruptions, exploring how sudden events and chance encounters can alter the course of personal journeys. The films included in this […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/06/2026
7:00 PM
narrative-featurered-carpet-filmsan-diego-premiere
Line Cooks
LINE COOKS is a coming of age mockumentary following Callie, a straight-A and sheltered college student who takes a job as line cook at a hole in the wall restaurant […]
Showing: Screening Room 3: Village Theatre
11/06/2026
1:30 PM
narrative-featurered-carpet-filmsan-diego-premiere
Line Cooks
LINE COOKS is a coming of age mockumentary following Callie, a straight-A and sheltered college student who takes a job as line cook at a hole in the wall restaurant […]
Showing: Screening Room 2: Village Theatre
11/07/2026
10:30 AM
shorts-fest
Matters of Consequence
A powerful collection of films that explore hidden struggles, difficult choices, and the lasting impact of personal decisions. The films included in this showcase are: Ben's Sister, Bobby, Poisoned Skies, […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/05/2026
4:00 PM
narrative-featurered-carpet-filmsan-diego-premiere
Minotaur
Set in a provincial Russian town in 2022, against the backdrop of the Russo-Ukrainian war, successful company director Gleb faces mounting corporate pressure — including a quota of workers to […]
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/08/2026
10:00 AM
shorts-fest
More Than a Game
An inspiring showcase of films that capture resilience, rivalry, and the spirit of competition—showing how the pursuit of victory reaches far beyond the field. The films included in this showcase […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/08/2026
1:00 PM
eventsnarrative-featureopening-nightred-carpet-film
Opening Night + After party | I Play Rocky
OPENING NIGHT! Badge Holders Only DOORS OPEN AT 6:00 | FILM BEGINS 6:30 Specialty Cocktails by: The true story of Sylvester Stallone's unshakable belief that he wasn't just meant to […]
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/05/2026
6:30 PM
mission-forward-communitypanel
Panel | Reel Returns: The Smart Money Behind the Movies
Mission Forward — A Free Community Panel Investing in film can be as thrilling as the movies themselves. This panel pulls back the curtain on funding models, market trends, and […]
Showing: The Winn Room: Coronado Island Public Library
11/08/2026
10:00 AM
panel
Panel | State of the Industry: Navigating a New Era
The entertainment landscape is evolving at lightning speed. From AI and streaming dominance to shifting audience habits and Hollywood’s new realities, industry leaders explore the forces reshaping film and television. […]
Showing: Sacred Heart
11/05/2026
10:00 AM
panel
Panel | The Writers Room
Back by popular demand, this panel brings together some of the most talented and diverse writers in the industry. Learn from their experience as they share how to craft and […]
Showing: Sacred Heart
11/06/2026
10:00 AM
mission-forward-communitypanel
Panel | SAG-AFTRA: Updates from the Frontlines
Mission Forward — A Free Community Panel As the industry evolves, so do the standards for working with talent. This panel unpacks the latest SAG-AFTRA best practices, key industry shifts, […]
Showing: The Winn Room: Coronado Island Public Library
11/08/2026
11:30 AM
panel
Panel | The Chemistry of Casting
Casting is one of filmmaking's most under-recognized art forms—the invisible hand shaping everything an audience feels before a single line is spoken.
Showing: Sacred Heart
11/06/2026
4:00 PM
documentary-feature
Poverty Trap
POVERTY TRAP examines how big plans to end poverty broke the promise of America, and what communities are doing to renew it. From the legacy of urban renewal and the […]
Showing: Screening Room 2: Village Theatre
11/06/2026
1:30 PM
documentary-feature
Poverty Trap
POVERTY TRAP examines how big plans to end poverty broke the promise of America, and what communities are doing to renew it. From the legacy of urban renewal and the […]
Showing: Screening Room 3: Village Theatre
11/07/2026
1:30 PM
documentary-feature
Radioheart: The Drive and Times of DJ Kevin Cole
RADIOHEART: The Drive and Times of DJ Kevin Cole explores the life and career of DJ Kevin Cole, tracing his path from the club dance floors of Minneapolis’ First Avenue […]
Showing: Founders Hall C, Hotel Del Coronado
11/08/2026
4:00 PM
animated-featurered-carpet-filmsan-diego-premiere
Ray Gunn
In Metropia, a gigantic city in an alternate future as seen from 1939, private eye Raymond Gunn is drawn into a case involving aliens, murder, and a multimedia star named […]
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/07/2026
10:00 AM
shorts-fest
Sliding Doors
A captivating collection of films that explore chance encounters, unexpected twists, and the choices that shape our paths. The films included in this showcase are: Lion Rock, Nightfaces, The Overlook, […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/05/2026
10:00 AM
animated-featurered-carpet-filmsan-diego-premiere
Tangles
A young illustrator on the cusp of success leaves her exciting life in 1990s San Francisco to return to her eccentric family, who must confront their vibrant mother's Alzheimer's disease. […]
Showing: Screening Room 3: Village Theatre
11/07/2026
10:30 AM
animated-featurered-carpet-filmsan-diego-premiere
Tangles
A young illustrator on the cusp of success leaves her exciting life in 1990s San Francisco to return to her eccentric family, who must confront their vibrant mother's Alzheimer's disease. […]
Showing: Screening Room 3: Village Theatre
11/07/2026
7:30 PM
shorts-fest
Technical Difficulties
A heartfelt collection of films that capture the complexities of love, connection, and the unexpected bonds that shape our lives. The films included in this showcase are: Homebodies, Pencils Down, […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/07/2026
10:00 AM
documentary-feature
The Choice
The Choice tells the story of best-selling author and renowned psychologist Dr. Edith Eger, whose extraordinary life and teachings become a lifeline for a mother grappling with unimaginable tragedy. Together, […]
Showing: Founders Hall C, Hotel Del Coronado
11/08/2026
10:00 AM
documentary-feature
The Cosmic Trigger
After the first Atomic test at Trinity Site the military went into full expansion mode that unexpectedly brought a unusual and unexpected nemesis. "This isn't about myths or folklore. It's […]
Showing: Screening Room 3: Village Theatre
11/06/2026
4:30 PM
documentary-featuremission-forward-community
The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony
Mission Forward — A Free Community Screening The birth of a girls’ gymnastics team becomes an inspiring spark of light for a small group of undocumented teenagers living on the […]
Showing: Winn Room at Coronado Public Library
11/08/2026
2:00 PM
documentary-featurered-carpet-film
The Last Spy
The Last Spy is the riveting biography of 102-year-old CIA spymaster Peter Sichel, telling for the first time the epic and unvarnished history of the US foreign intelligence service from […]
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/08/2026
1:00 PM
documentary-feature
The Lorraine
Renowned documentarian Sam Pollard tells the astonishing, inspiring story of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, site of the assassination of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., and its remarkable owners, […]
Showing: Founders Hall C, Hotel Del Coronado
11/07/2026
4:00 PM
documentary-feature
The Right Whale
The Right Whale is an intimate and visually stunning documentary that follows the lives of right whales across the globe, from the icy waters of New Zealand and Argentina to […]
Showing: Founders Hall C, Hotel Del Coronado
11/06/2026
1:00 PM
special-engagements
The Science of Possibility
The films included in this showcase are: Wild Hope: Project Shark, Wild Hope: The Butterfly Effect, My Wild Life, Fish for the Future, Plant Life Join us for a Q&A […]
Showing: Founders Hall C, Hotel Del Coronado
11/06/2026
10:00 AM
documentary-feature
The Via Francigena
This is the true story of a 1,300 mile pilgrimage by a father and his two teenage children. The Via Francigena is an ancient route running from Canterbury to Rome, […]
Showing: Founders Hall C, Hotel Del Coronado
11/06/2026
4:00 PM
shorts-fest
Ties that Bind
An evocative collection of films that explore connection, identity, and the enduring bonds that shape our lives and communities. The films included in this showcase are: Take Me Home, Chinaman, […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/06/2026
4:00 PM
documentary-feature
Transforming the Beautiful Game: The Clyde Best Story
In 1969, Bermudian teenager Clyde Best broke into England’s First Division Football (Soccer) and became the first Black superstar of football/soccer’s modern television era. Enduring racism while inspiring millions, Best […]
Showing: Founders Hall C, Hotel Del Coronado
11/07/2026
1:00 PM
shorts-fest
Turning Point
A diverse collection of documentary films capturing real lives, raw truths, and unexpected journeys. The films included in this showcase are: A New Inferno, To Write Love, Born Secret, Giving […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/08/2026
4:00 PM
shorts-fest
Unscripted
A diverse collection of documentary films capturing real lives, raw truths, and unexpected journeys. The films included in this showcase are: Stalin Boys, Sole (얼), I Got My Brother, The […]
Showing: Coronado Community Center- Nautilus Room
11/06/2026
1:00 PM
filmspecial-engagements
Womanhood: The Series
Five Stories. One Conversation. Laugh, Connect and Spark Conversation Five original comedy shorts take on the everyday absurdities facing women in STEM. For All Humankind - During a brainstorming session […]
Showing: John D. Spreckels Center
11/08/2026
2:00 PM
narrative-featurered-carpet-film
World Premiere | Williston
A psychological thriller about 3 land men traveling to North Dakota to obtain mineral rights to land owned by a Native American man who hates the oil industry.
Showing: Village Main Theatre
11/08/2026
4:00 PM
