The Glasgow Film Festival has announced the first set of films for its 2026 edition, promising a strong and thought-provoking program that blends political themes with global storytelling. The festival will run from February 25 to March 8, 2026, marking its 22nd year.
At the heart of next year’s edition is a special retrospective titled “Truth to Power.” This section will celebrate ten important films made between the 1930s and today — movies that stand up against injustice, corruption, and the misuse of power. Alongside this, the festival will shine a spotlight on Sweden as its country in focus, under the theme “Take a Chance on Me: Swedish Cinema.”
The “Truth to Power” retrospective will include several iconic titles known for their bold messages and cinematic influence. Among them are Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 satire Dr. Strangelove starring Peter Sellers, Ava DuVernay’s civil rights drama Selma (2014), and a special 50th-anniversary screening of All the President’s Men (1976) — the legendary political thriller starring and produced by Robert Redford, about the journalists who exposed the Watergate scandal.
Other highlights in the program include Jim Sheridan’s In the Name of the Father (1993) starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Steven Soderbergh’s Erin Brockovich (2000) led by Julia Roberts, and Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers (1966) — a classic that powerfully depicts Algeria’s fight for independence from France. Together, these films represent cinema’s long history of speaking up against oppression and telling stories of resistance.
Paul Gallagher, Head of Programme at Glasgow Film, said the idea for this year’s retrospective came while thinking about the influence of Robert Redford, whose career has been defined by stories that question authority and challenge injustice. Gallagher described the selected films as “hugely entertaining yet deeply relevant,” adding that they remind audiences how movies can inspire courage and spark conversation even decades after their release.
Beyond the retrospective, the Glasgow Film Festival 2026 will also feature new premieres and regional highlights. The Swedish cinema focus, titled “Take a Chance on Me”, aims to introduce audiences to the fresh voices shaping modern Scandinavian film. Among the announced titles are the U.K. premiere of Live a Little — a drama about a young woman rediscovering herself during a train trip across Europe — and Redoubt, a tense Cold War–era drama about a farmhand who builds a fortress in his home out of fear and isolation.
In addition, the festival will host the U.K. premiere of Eagles of the Republic, a dark political satire from Egypt about an actor who becomes the face of a propaganda campaign. Other notable screenings include the horror drama The Home, set in a care facility where strange events unfold, and the sci-fi story Egghead Republic, which imagines an alternate world where the Cold War never ended. These selections highlight the festival’s commitment to exploring how different cultures use storytelling to reflect the world around them.
Over the years, the Glasgow Film Festival has become one of the U.K.’s most respected cultural events, known for its mix of international premieres, restored classics, and thoughtful retrospectives. The 2026 edition continues that tradition — combining historical reflection with bold, modern filmmaking. With Truth to Power revisiting some of cinema’s most fearless works and Take a Chance on Me introducing vibrant new perspectives from Sweden, GFF26 promises to be both emotionally engaging and intellectually rich.
By connecting classic stories of rebellion with fresh, contemporary voices, the Glasgow Film Festival 2026 reaffirms why cinema remains one of the most powerful tools for understanding the world — and for challenging it. As the countdown to February begins, audiences can look forward to a festival that celebrates not only great films but also the timeless spirit of standing up for what’s right.
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