LOFT FILM FEST

10/16/2026

The LOFT FILM FEST is honored to present Joan Tewkesbury with the inaugural Larry McMurtry Screenwriting Award, which will be presented over zoom by his writing and producing partner, Diana Ossana!

The award will be presented before a screening of NASHVILLE on Sunday, November 15 at 1:00pm. Tickets are on sale now!

The Larry McMurtry Screenwriting award, created with Larry’s blessing, honors the work of a deserving member of the greater film creative community from around the world.

Screenwriting derived from Larry’s and Diana’s work has received 34 Oscar nominations and 13 Oscars. During Larry’s thirty-five-year residency in Tucson, he and Diana were devoted patrons of The Loft Cinema.

The Loft Film Fest is grateful for the opportunity to celebrate Larry, who The Loft Cinema had the privilege to know and welcome as a friend over many years, including a private screening of Brokeback Mountain, the first time Larry and Diana saw their Oscar-winning film on the big screen!

Guest Artist Appearances Supported By Sue Ellen Schuerman & Bob Erbe.

10/15/2026

Sundance standout CLOSURE will be screening at this year's Loft Film Fest!

Following his Sundance Directing Award-winning ALL THESE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, Michał Marczak returns with a visually arresting and deeply immersive documentary that defies the true-crime genre.

After his teenage son goes missing near the Vistula River, Daniel embarks on an all-consuming search, suspended between hope and fear.

Screens on Friday, Nov. 13 at 7:15pm and Monday, Nov. 16 at 6:30pm.

10/11/2026

The Loft Film Fest kicks off one month from today! Join us for nine days of mind-blowing films selected from prestigious festivals around the world, featuring in-person appearances by celebrated filmmakers and special guests!

Fest badges get you priority access to all screenings & special events! On sale now at loftfilmfest.org

arrestedmemory filmfest

10/10/2026

50 years after The Rocky Horror Picture Show electrified the world, a fearless dreamer dares to bring its message of personal expression and sexual freedom to a small Wyoming town.

Don’t miss Time Warp at this year’s fest! The RHPS has been screening regularly at The Loft Cinema since 1978, making it one of the longest-running continuous screening traditions in the United States, if not the longest!

10/07/2026

The trailer for SOUL PATROL, winner of the Directing Award for U.S. Documentary at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, premiered today! You will be able to catch it at the 2026 Loft Film Fest!

J.M. Harper‘s documentary unveils a hidden chapter of American military history by introducing audiences to the Vietnam War’s first Black special ops team, an elite unit operating deep behind enemy lines, and capturing a reunion between the surviving members at a hotel on the 50th anniversary of the war.

J.M. Harper's 'Soul Patrol,' the winner of the Directing Award for U.S. Documentary at Sundance 2026, will be released by Kino Lorber on November 6.

10/05/2026

Congrats to On the Road / En el camino for taking home 6 Ariel Awards, which recognize the best of Mexican cinema! Don't miss it at this year's Loft Film Fest!

The film is also Mexico's official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards!

Director David Pablos attended the 2016 LFF with his film The Chosen Ones.

10/02/2026

We're excited to announce the first wave of films selected for this year's Loft Film Fest, which will be taking place Nov. 11 - 19!

: Two brothers pursue the American Dream but get entangled in a dangerous Russian mafia scheme in the new film from James Gray. Starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson & Miles Teller.

: Amid the ancient ruins of Pompeii, a group of French teenagers on a class trip to Naples grapple with anxiety and exhilaration ahead of their high school graduation. Marine Atlan’s exceptional debut won the Critics’ Week Grand Prize at Cannes!

Everything Else Is Noise: In Mexico, musician Tere hosts fellow composer Rosa for a TV interview. Their conversation wanders as unexpected guests arrive. A witty, absurdist comedy that lampoons art-world phoniness and pretension while honoring female friendship.

Aanikoobijigan (ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild): Ancestors manipulate time and space within museum archives, confronting history and spirituality as specialists battle for Indigenous remains' repatriation, exposing enduring worldviews that legitimized their initial collection. Co-director scheduled to attend! Winner of the NEXT Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

: Set in Vilnius in 2022, high-flying executive Marija chooses the worst moment to discuss divorce with husband Vytas - one day before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Winner of the Directing Award (World Cinema, Dramatic) at the Sundance Film Festival.

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, Walter and Loree Bailey.

09/30/2026

Mark your calendars - Loft Film Fest badges are on sale now!

The 16th edition of the fest will take place Nov. 11-19, featuring in-person appearances by celebrated filmmakers and special guests, and a stellar slate of Arizona and Southwest premieres selected from prestigious festivals around the world!

This year's Lofty Achievement Awards will go to legendary directors Gus Van Sant (My Own Private Idaho, Good Will Hunting, Mala Noche) and Susan Seidelman (Desperately Seeking Susan, Smithereens, S*x & The City)!

Fest badges get you priority access to all screenings and special events!

Get yours now before they are gone!

09/25/2026

The Marching Band, a hit at last year's Loft Film Fest, is now playing at The Loft Cinema!

An equally hilarious and affecting comedy/drama that premiered at Cannes and became a French box office sensation, The Marching Band stars Benjamin Lavernhe (My Donkey, My Lover & I) and Pierre Lottin (The Stranger).

Tickets & Info: https://loftcinema.org/film/the-marching-band/

09/22/2026

We're excited to share the official artwork for this year’s , created by Loft Cinema Marketing Director, Matt McCoy .

With legendary filmmakers GUS VAN SANT and SUSAN SEIDELMAN in attendance plus all of the stellar programming, this year's fest promises to be a week to remember!

There are now less than 40 Loft Film Fest badges remaining! Purchase yours today and secure your spot for every screening at this year's fest!