First Frames from the 45th Istanbul Film Festival: Highly Anticipated Films Announced!

The Istanbul Film Festival, organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) under the sponsorship of N Kolay and eagerly awaited by cinephiles every year, is preparing to celebrate its 45th edition. Taking place between 9–19 April 2026, the festival will host quality films from Turkey and around the world, along with master directors and star actors, in Istanbul.

The first step to kick off the festival excitement was taken today, with the announcement of the films that will feature in the Documentary Strand, Young Masters, Apparition (Heyula) and Classics from Yesterday to Today sections.

A Rich Selection from Documentaries to Classics

The first films announced demonstrate just how diverse and ambitious the festival’s programme is this year:

Documentary Strand: MegaDoc, directed by Mike Figgis and revealing the behind-the-scenes story of Francis Ford Coppola’s long-awaited project Megalopolis, productions that give voice to Palestine, and original documentaries from Turkey making their debut before audiences all feature prominently in this section. A total of 22 films present stories spanning a wide spectrum from dance to literature, and from human rights to the environment.

Young Masters: This section, which heralds the classics of the future, showcases talented directors presenting their first or second films. Standout titles include Kuşatma Kayıtları (Siege Records), which returned from Berlin with the Best First Feature Award, Tutun Bana (Hold Me), which won the Audience Award at Sundance, and the Venice award-winning Kısa Yaz (Short Summer).

Apparition (Heyula): Films that push the boundaries of cinema and experiment with new narrative languages and forms invite cinephiles to an innovative experience in this selection.

Classics from Yesterday to Today: Unforgettable works from cinema history return to the big screen in restored copies. Among the festival’s heavyweights are Metin Erksan’s unforgettable Acı Hayat (Bitter Life), Baz Luhrmann’s classic Moulin Rouge! celebrating its 25th anniversary, the James Bond adventure From Russia with Love, and Battleship Potemkin, which will be screened with special music by Pet Shop Boys.

Tickets Go on Sale in 2 Days!

Get your diaries ready, because ticket sales for the festival marathon are starting very soon! Following priority sales, tickets will be available for general sale from 10:30 on Friday 27 March.

You can access the full festival programme by clicking here. Happy viewing in advance!