Woodstock Film Festival Unveils 2026 Lineup Featuring ‘The Debut,’ ‘I Play Rocky,’ ‘Club Kid,’ and More

Jesse Eisenberg’s “The Debut,” Peter Farrelly’s “I Play Rocky,” and Jordan Firstman’s “Club Kid” are just a few of the awards-season players screening at the 27th Woodstock Film Festival this fall.

The festival, now a key stop on the Oscar circuit, will present a wide-ranging selection of 37 feature narratives and 26 feature documentaries, including nine world premieres. The screenings will take place Oct. 14 to Oct. 18 at Hudson Valley venues across Woodstock, Rosendale, Kingston, and Saugerties.

Other major films that will be showcased over the five days include Tim Blake Nelson’s “The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd,” Russell Goldman’s “Sender,” Catherine Hardwicke’s “Street Smart,” Katie Aselton’s “Their Town,” Guy Nattiv’s “The Liberation,” Noah Segan’s “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York,” James Gray’s “Paper Tiger,” Siân Heder’s “Being Heumann,” and Lee Chang-dong’s “Possible Love.”

Some notable documentaries that will be playing at the festival include “Musk,” Alex Gibney’s sprawling takedown of the tech mogul; “Avedon,” Ron Howard’s look at the legendary photographer; and “Once Upon A Time in Harlem,” William Greaves and David Greaves’s story about a gathering of the surviving members of the Harlem Renaissance, to name a few. The program will also include the East Coast premiere of the TV pilot for the new independent series “Woodstockers,” starring Corbin Bernsen, Stephen Tobolowsky, Maggie Lawson, Oliver Bernsen, Zoe Rosenberg, and Henry Bernsen, followed by a moderated conversation.

World premieres include Onur Tukel’s “A Company of Thieves” and Suzi Yoonessi’s “Mother Wolf.”

“As we enter the 27th Woodstock Film Festival, this year feels especially meaningful to me,” said Meira Blaustein, who co-founded the festival and is stepping down as its executive director. “For nearly three decades, this festival has been about creating a home for independent filmmakers, bringing audiences together and championing stories that challenge, inspire and connect us. I’m incredibly proud of the program we’re presenting this year and of the community that has grown around the festival. As I prepare to pass the torch, I’m excited to celebrate this remarkable group of artists and everything that has made the Woodstock Film Festival so special from the very beginning.”

NARRATIVE FEATURES:

● “A Company of Thieves,” by Onur Tukel, United States, 2026 – WORLD PREMIERE
● “All of a Sudden,” by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, France/Japan/Germany/Belgium, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Behemoth!,” by Tony Gilroy, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Being Heumann,” by Siân Heder, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Blow the Horn,” by Nacho Arenas, United States, 2026 – WORLD PREMIERE
● “Bolio,” by Jim Issa, United States, 2026 – New York Premiere
● “Club Kid, “written and directed by Jordan Firstman, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Danny Is My Boyfriend,” by Lucy Sandler and Mechi Lakatos, United States, 2025 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Fatherland,” by Paweł Pawlikowski, Poland/France/Germany/Italy, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Homunculus,” by Owen Kibby, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “I Play Rocky,” by Peter Farrelly, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Ink,” by Danny Boyle, United Kingdom, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Josephine,” by Beth De Araújo, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Minotaur,” by Andrey Zvyagintsev, France/Germany/Latvia, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Mother Wolf,” by Suzi Yoonessi, United States, 2026 – WORLD PREMIERE
● “Mouse,” by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “On the Line,” by John Murlowski, United States, 2026 – WORLD PREMIERE
● “Paper Tiger,” by James Gray, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Possible Love,” by Lee Chang-dong, South Korea, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Rain Reign,” by Erika Burke Rossa, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Sender,” by Russell Goldman, United States, 2026 – New York Premiere
● “Street Smart,” by Catherine Hardwicke, United States, 2026 – East Coast Premiere
● “Tangles,” by Leah Nelson, United States/Canada, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Tender Loving Care,” by Mike Leigh, United Kingdom, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Test,” by Sam McConnell, United States, 2026 – New York Premiere
● “The Debut,” written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “The Liberation,” by Guy Nattiv, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd,” by Tim Blake Nelson, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “The Man I Love,” by Ira Sachs, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York,” by Noah Segan, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “The Plea,” by Zach LeBeau and Dean Imperial, United States, 2026 – New York Premiere
● “The Projectionist,” by Alexandre Rockwell, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Their Town,” by Katie Aselton, United States, 2026 – New York Premiere
● “Trauma or, Monsters All,” by Larry Fessenden, United States, 2026 – East Coast Premiere
● “Washed Up,” by Isabel Moncloa Daly, United Kingdom, 2026 – New York Premiere
● “Wicker,” by Eleanor Wilson and Alex Fischer, United States/United Kingdom/Australia, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Wild Horse Nine,” by Martin McDonagh, United Kingdom/United States/Chile, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES:
● “Amazing Live Sea Monkeys,” by Mark Becker and Aaron Schock, United States, 2026 – New York Premiere
● “American Zoo,” by Tim Travers Hawkins, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Avedon,” by Ron Howard, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Everest: The Other Side,” Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, United States, China, Nepal, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Fork in the Road,” by Jonathan Nastasi and Vivian Sorenson, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Give Me the Ball!,” by Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “In Hines Sight,” by Jared Whipple and Josh Therriault, United States, 2026 – WORLD PREMIERE
● “Little Feat: The Documentary,” by Jesse Lauter, United States, 2026 – East Coast Premiere
● “Lunatic Dreamers,” by Tiller Russell, United States, 2026 – WORLD PREMIERE
● “More Than Medicine: The Rise of Psychedelic Therapy,” by Kerthy Fix and Paul Kloss, United States, 2026 – WORLD PREMIERE
● “Musk,” by Alex Gibney, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Noga,” by Jono Bergmann and Benji Bergmann, Austria 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Nuisance Bear,” by Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Weisman, United States/Canada/United Kingdom, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Once Upon a Time in Harlem,” by William Greaves and David Greaves, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “One in a Million,” by Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes, United Kingdom, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Our Dark Horse,” by Grace Barry, United States, 2026 – WORLD PREMIERE
● “Re/Pair,” by Lacey Schwartz Delgado, United States, 2026 – New York Premiere
● “Rehearsals for a Revolution,” by Pegah Ahangarani, Czech Republic/Spain, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Rescue,” by Sine Plambech, Denmark/Italy/Germany/Sweden/Iceland, 2026 – US Premiere
● “School for Defectors,” by Jeremy Workman, South Korea, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “Seized,” by Sharon Liese, United States, 2026 – New York Premiere
● “Sydney Cash Makes Too Much Art,” by Ivan Cash, United States, 2026 – WORLD PREMIERE
● “The Brittney Griner Story,” by Alexandria Stapleton, United States, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “The Great Experiment,” by Stephen Maing and Eric Daniel Metzgar, United States/Mexico, 2026 – Hudson Valley Premiere
● “The Natural State,” by Matthew Dougherty, United States, 2026 – East Coast Premiere
● “To Hold a Mountain,” by Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić, Serbia/France/Montenegro/Slovenia/Croatia, 2026 – New York Premiere
● “Union Town,” by Barbara Kopple, United States, 2026 – New York Premiere

EPISODIC PROGRAM:
● “Woodstockers,” by Oliver Bernsen, United States, 2025 – East Coast Premiere

PANELS
A hallmark of the Woodstock Film Festival is its commitment to conversation and the exchange of ideas. Each year, WFF’s panels bring together acclaimed filmmakers, artists, industry leaders, and cultural voices for candid, thought-provoking discussions about the craft and ever-changing business of storytelling.

Masterclass with Catherine Hardwicke: Fix It in Prep – Acclaimed filmmaker Catherine Hardwicke (director of “Thirteen,” “Lords of Dogtown,” and the blockbuster “Twilight”) takes audiences inside her creative process, sharing how storyboards, shot lists, rehearsals, and collaboration with key department heads help establish the visual language of a film before the cameras roll.

Films Not Made: Live Podcast with Amy Hobby & Avi Zev Weider – Featuring Mark Duplass & Katie Aselton – Award-winning filmmakers, actors, and longtime collaborators Mark Duplass and Katie Aselton join Amy Hobby and Films Not Made co-creator and co-host Avi Zev Weider for a live conversation. The podcast lets filmmakers, writers, directors, and producers tell the stories of the movies they were dying to make and the very real reasons they never happened.

Democracy in Documentary – As corporate news consolidation accelerates and independent journalism faces growing challenges, Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman leads a panel of leading voices in documentary filmmaking: Steven Maing (“The Great Experiment”), Maite Alberdi (A Child of My Own), Raney Aronsom-Rath (One in a Million), Pamela Yates (Borderland: The Line Within), and Carl Deal (Steal This Story, Please!). The group will discuss documentary film’s role in informing the public, fostering civic engagement, and protecting democracy.

New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) – Breaking the Frame – How Far Have Women in Film Really Come? – Sharing personal experiences and industry insights, NYWIFT CEO Cynthia Lopez and iconic creatives, including Rosanna Arquette (“Desperately Seeking Susan”) and more to be announced, will explore the changing landscape for women in film, the conversations that can help move the industry forward, and how the next generation can continue creating new possibilities for women in the industry.

WFF “In Conversation” Series – Conversations give audiences an intimate and personal look into the artistry of some of our most beloved creatives as industry professionals sit down for an intimate and candid discussion. This year’s conversation participants include actor and director Tony Goldwyn (“Ezra”), actor and director Griffin Dunne (“Practical Magic”), and actor Britt Lower (“Severance,” attending WFF with “Sender”).

SPECIAL EVENTS
The special events at WFF invite the audience closer to view the art and craft of filmmaking of both long-form and episodic formats in a unique way. Experience cinema deeply and joyfully through noteworthy programming, including live music by renowned musicians, and in-depth conversations with world-class artists.

“American Zoo” – The Festival kicks off Tuesday, Oct. 13 with a screening of “American Zoo” and Q&A featuring director Tim Travers Hawkins and special guests, moderated by The Overlook News founding editor-in-chief Noah Eckstein. Newly uncovered home movies and archival materials reveal a complex hidden history of the Catskill Game Farm, including founder Roland Lindemann’s hiring of German zoologist Dr. Heinz Heck, whose arrival would connect the Game Farm to a disturbing zoological legacy.

“Fork in the Road” Reception + Screening – White Feather Farm hosts a reception and screening of “Fork in the Road,” a documentary featuring Nick Offerman as he joins America’s small farmers fighting industrial agriculture and working to rebuild our food system, health, and future. The evening begins with a “Feast of Plant Friends” cocktail reception, followed by the screening and a conversation about building just and community-centered food systems.

“Grilling Bill Plympton” – Celebrate legendary independent animator Bill Plympton’s milestone 80th birthday as fellow independent filmmaker, artist, writer, and animator Signe Baumane playfully “grills” the two-time Academy Award® nominee about his prolific career, creative process and the stories behind his work. The animated short film retrospective will feature “Your Face,” “Homer’s Face,” “Guard Dog,” “Mexican Standoff,” “Nose Hair,” “Duckville,” “The Cow Who Wanted to Be a Hamburger,” “Santa: The Fascist Years,” and “Whale 52,” along with Plympton’s new animated music video for Average Friends’ “u know i luv u.”

“Woodstockers” TV Pilot + Talk-Back: The Rise of Indie TV – Following the screening of the pilot for the new independent series “Woodstockers,” join Corbin Bernsen, Stephen Tobolowsky, Maggie Lawson, Oliver Bernsen, Zoe Rosenberg and Henry Bernsen for a lively conversation about making the series in the Hudson Valley and the rise of independently produced television. The discussion will explore the creative freedom of indie TV, new approaches to production and distribution, and the evolving relationship between creators and audiences.

“Lunatic Dreamers” World Premiere Screening + Live Music Performance – The WFF screens the world premiere of the documentary “Lunatic Dreamers.” The film, an intimate portrait of Palenville-born The Felice Brothers, “your favorite band’s favorite band,” celebrates the music, creative journey, and Catskills roots of Ian Felice, James Felice, Jesske Hume, and Will Lawrence. Following the screening, The Felice Brothers will take the stage for a live performance, bringing the film and their music together for a one-of-a-kind evening.

Fiercely Independent Band Live Music Performance – The “Fiercely Independent Band” is made up of longtime WFF friends Brian Devine, John Mazlish, and Larry Fessenden (coming to the festival with “Trauma Or, Monsters All)”. The classic rock band will perform at the historic Colony during an electric night of music featuring additional bands and special guests.

“Little Feat: The Documentary” Screening + Live Music Performance – The film, narrated by Jeff Bridges, shares the untold story of one of America’s most influential and underappreciated bands, featuring never-before-seen footage and stories from music legends. Little Feat band members Tony Leone and Scott Sharrard join WFF for a live music performance and a Q&A, alongside director Jesse Lauter.

SHORTS LINEUP

The full slate announcement for the shorts program will be issued shortly.