Saint-Jean-de-Luz International Film Festival
The festival dedicated to the first and second films of world cinema
2026
About FIF Saint-Jean-de-Luz
FIF Saint-Jean-de-Luz — edition 2026
From October 3 to 9, the Le Sélect cinema hosts the 13th edition, themed around "Cinema of the Future." Ten feature films and ten short films, all debut or sophomore works, are in competition under the presidency of Zar Amir, actress and co-director of Tatami. The festival opens with Ni vue, ni connue by Marc Fitoussi and closes with Le Faux Soir by Michaël R. Roskam.
The competition features ten international feature films, all presented as French premieres, and ten short films, screened on Tuesday, October 6 at 2:00 PM in two parts. A dozen films are shown out of competition, including the world premiere of Gilles United by Grégoire Ludig. The "Local Cinema" section showcases regional talents or films shot in the area, with a free screening on Saturday, October 3 at 11:00 AM.
The feature film jury is presided over by Zar Amir, joined by Enya Baroux, Frédéric Farrucci, Nicolas Maury, and Pauline Seigland. The short film jury includes Barbara Pravi, Lucas Tothe, and Raphaël Jouzeau. Short film awards are presented on the evening of Tuesday, October 6, and feature film awards on Friday, October 9.
Beyond the screenings: children's workshops, a round table, meet-and-greets, book signings, a film music concert at Place Louis XIV, and an urban exhibition by Studio Harcourt. Room 1 of Le Sélect is equipped with the Auracast amplified listening system for the hearing impaired.
Highlights FIF Saint-Jean-de-Luz 2026
- Saturday, October 3, 7:00 PM: Opening ceremony and Ni vue, ni connue by Marc Fitoussi
- Sunday, October 4, 3:00 PM: Gilles United by Grégoire Ludig (world premiere)
- Tuesday, October 6, 2:00 PM: Ten short films in competition, followed by the short film awards in the evening
- Wednesday, October 7, 11:30 AM: Meeting with jury president Zar Amir after Tatami
- Friday, October 9, 6:00 PM: Feature film awards and closing film Le Faux Soir
Programme FIF Saint-Jean-de-Luz 2026
Ongoing
- Urban exhibition by Studio Harcourt and Komcebo photo studio: a selection of iconic cinema shots displayed throughout the streets of Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Saturday, October 3, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Local Cinema: a selection of six short films by regional talents or filmed in the Basque Country and Nouvelle-Aquitaine (1h20), followed by a Q&A · Cinéma Le Sélect · free
- 1:30 PM–2:30 PM — Thaumatrope Workshop: create an optical toy, for children aged 6 to 10, registration required ([email protected]) · Ducontenia · free
- 3:00 PM — Carmen l'oiseau rebelle by Sébastien Laudenbach (France, 1h26, out of competition), family screening followed by a meeting with the director and Camélia Jordana, then a workshop-discussion · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 7:00 PM — Opening ceremony, followed by Ni vue, ni connue by Marc Fitoussi (France, 1h53, out of competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
Sunday, October 4, 2026
- 11:00 AM — À l'amour by Djanis Bouzyani, starring Guillaume de Tonquédec (France, 37 min, out of competition), Q&A with the director and actor · Cinéma Le Sélect · free
- 11:30 AM — Film music concert by the brass band Donibaneko Haizeak · Place Louis XIV · free
- 12:00 PM — FIF Encounters: double book signing with Guillaume de Tonquédec (Ta mère et moi) and Patrick Fabre (Cédric Klapisch, ce qui le meut) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 3:00 PM — Gilles United by Grégoire Ludig (France, 1h29, out of competition), "Totally Football" world premiere screening, attended by the director and actor · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 6:30 PM — En haut de la pile by Louis-Julien Petit (France, out of competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
Monday, October 5, 2026
- 10:00 AM — Un cœur fidèle by Júlia de Paz Solvas (Spain, competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 2:00 PM — Beaux seigneurs by Maxime Roy (France, Belgium, competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 5:15 PM — Chercheurs by Aurélien Peilloux (France, Belgium, competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 8:00 PM — Les Princes by Antoine Giorgini (France, out of competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
- 10:00 AM — Tell Me Everything by Moshe Rosenthal (Israel, France, competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 11:45 AM — Round table "Director and Screenwriter: One or Two Professions?", with Enya Baroux, Frédéric Farrucci, and Nicolas Maury · Cinéma Le Sélect · free
- 2:00 PM — Short film competition: ten films in two parts (2h40), attended by the directors · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 7:45 PM — Short film awards ceremony, followed by Voilà, c'est fini by Gustave Kervern (France, out of competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
- 10:00 AM — Tatami by Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir (Georgia, USA, UK, 1h43, out of competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 11:30 AM — Meeting with jury president Zar Amir, following the screening of Tatami · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 2:00 PM — À votre service (Ich verstehe ihren Unmut) by Kilian Armando Friedrich (Germany, competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 3:00 PM–4:00 PM — Storyboard workshop "From Script to Screen", family audience from age 10, registration required ([email protected]) · Médiathèque · free
- 5:15 PM — Un détour par Diane by Ann Sirot and Raphaël Balboni (France, Belgium, out of competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 8:00 PM — Voyage au pays des Blancs (Viaje al país de los blancos) by Dani Sancho (Spain, competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
Thursday, October 8, 2026
- 10:00 AM — Malika by Mounia Meddour (France, Algeria, out of competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 2:00 PM — Kaïros by Jennifer Alleyn (Canada, competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 5:15 PM — Du fioul dans les artères by Pierre Le Gall (France, Poland, out of competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 8:00 PM — Fief by Thomas Vernay (France, competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
Friday, October 9, 2026
- 10:00 AM — Allegro Pastell by Anna Roller (Germany, competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 2:00 PM — Les Yeux verts by Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh (France, competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
- 6:00 PM — Feature film awards ceremony, followed by the closing film Le Faux Soir by Michaël R. Roskam (Belgium, France, out of competition) · Cinéma Le Sélect
Program as published by the organizers in the official 2026 schedule; films in competition (ten feature films, ten short films) are detailed on the festival website.
Prices FIF Saint-Jean-de-Luz 2026
Practical information — FIF Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Practical Information
Screening Venue
Le Sélect Cinema: 23 boulevard Victor Hugo, 64500 Saint-Jean-de-Luz. All screenings and meetings take place in this historic venue in the heart of the city.
Access
By car: Saint-Jean-de-Luz is accessible via the A63 motorway (Saint-Jean-de-Luz Nord or Sud exit). Parking available in the city center and underground parking at Place Maurice Ravel.
By train: Saint-Jean-de-Luz - Ciboure SNCF station is served by TGV from Paris (approx. 4h30) and regional TER trains. The station is a 10-minute walk from the cinema.
Ticketing
Tickets are available online on the official festival website and on-site at the Le Sélect cinema. Reduced rates for students and those under 18.
Contact
Official website: fifsaintjeandeluz.com. Social media: Facebook @fifsaintjeandeluz.
Saint-Jean-de-Luz International Film Festival: the cinema of tomorrow
Since 2014, the Saint-Jean-de-Luz International Film Festival has established itself as a must-see event for auteur cinema in France. Succeeding the Young Directors Festival founded in 1996, this festival has retained the spirit of discovery and support for new talents while expanding its international scope.
An original concept: first and second films
The originality of the festival lies in its exclusive selection of first and second films by directors from around the world. This specificity allows for the identification of future major names in world cinema before they become established. Each edition presents about twenty feature films—including world and French premieres—and a dozen short films in competition.
Le Sélect cinema, the festival's setting
All screenings take place at the Le Sélect cinema, the only cinema in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, located in the heart of the city. This historic venue offers an intimate setting conducive to exchanges between the public and directors, with master classes and workshops organized alongside the screenings.
A prestigious awards ceremony
Two juries—a feature film jury and a short film jury—award sixteen prizes each year, including the Grand Prix, the Jury Prize, the Best Director Award, and the Best Actor/Actress Award. Parallel sections and preview screenings complete the program, making the festival a rich and diverse week of cinema.
An event rooted in the Basque Country
The festival contributes to the cultural influence of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and the Basque Coast. By attracting film professionals, journalists, and cinephiles from around the world, it participates in the city's tourist and economic dynamism while offering privileged access to quality cinema for the local public.
Where does it take place — FIF Saint-Jean-de-Luz
FIF Saint-Jean-de-Luz in brief
History of FIF Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Edition 2025 Oct 2025Other festivals near Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Festival-goer reviews
No review yet. Be the first!
No rating yet — be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Have you spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every suggestion is reviewed by our team before publication.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Published by Valentin Contard, festival listings writer. Reviewed, corrected and approved by Christophe Contard, editor-in-chief. .
A quick word
Find us more easily on Google
Add Festivals en France to your preferred sources: our line-ups and calendars will show up more often in your Google results. It’s free, it takes two seconds, and you can undo it whenever you want.
Add us to my sourcesYou stay on this page: Google opens a window, then brings you back here.