SCAD Savannah Film Festival Unveils Star-Studded 2026 Lineup and Comprehensive Panel Programming

SAVANNAH, GA — The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has officially lifted the curtain on the comprehensive schedule and star-studded panel lineup for the 29th annual SCAD Savannah Film Festival. As the nation’s largest university-led film festival and a premier cinematic anchor in the American Southeast, the event continues to cement its reputation as an essential late-autumn stop on the annual awards-season circuit.

This year’s edition is scheduled to run from October 24 through October 31, transforming the historic coastal city of Savannah into a bustling hub for celebrated auteurs, rising voices, industry titans, and devoted cinephiles alike.

SCAD Savannah Film Festival Lineup Includes ‘Being Heumann,’ ‘A Talent for Murder,’ and More

Main Facts: A Landmark Cinematic Showcase

The 2026 festival boasts a massive, diverse program featuring Gala and Centerpiece Screenings, high-profile Special Presentations, Signature Screenings, After Dark horror features, competitive narrative and documentary films, student shorts, and specialized showcases like the Docs to Watch and Pixels and Pencils: Top Animated Contenders series.

Historically, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival has served as an exceptional predictor of Academy Award success. Over its nearly three-decade run, the festival has screened more than 250 Oscar-nominated films and paid tribute to nearly 225 legendary actors, directors, producers, writers, and global filmmakers.

The 2026 slate continues this tradition by spotlighting high-profile studio releases alongside critically adored independent films, animated contenders, and urgent investigative documentaries. Among the major titles populating the schedule are The Odyssey, Project Hail Mary, Hoppers, Wildwood, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, and Neon’s Once Upon a Time in Harlem and Clarissa.

Chronology and Event Schedule

Running from October 24 to October 31, the week-long festival follows a carefully structured calendar designed to balance high-energy red-carpet premieres with rigorous masterclasses, retrospective screenings, and competitive judging sessions.

Opening Weekend (October 24–25)

The festival kicks off with major Gala and Centerpiece screenings, drawing early crowds to witness high-profile world and regional premieres. Anticipated opening days feature high-wattage red carpets and the rollout of the Critical Darlings — Awards Season Kick-off: LIVE! panel hosted by Vulture’s Alison Willmore and Premiere Party’s Richard Lawson.

Mid-Week Programming (October 26–28)

As the week progresses, the focus shifts toward specialized screening blocks, including the Docs to Watch series, the Pixels and Pencils animation showcase, and vital industry panels. This window includes deep-dive discussions on below-the-line craftsmanship, such as the Art of the Epic: Crafting The Odyssey and Patrice Vermette’s career retrospective conversation, Building Arrakis and Beyond.

Closing Stretch and Awards (October 29–31)

The festival’s final days are dedicated to competitive jury screenings in narrative, documentary, and student short categories, alongside the SCAD Alumni Voices panel. The festival wraps up on Halloween night, culminating in awards announcements for the best independent features, shorts, and student works.

Supporting Data: The 2026 Lineup Breakdown

The sheer breadth of the 2026 SCAD Savannah Film Festival program highlights the immense volume and variety of work currently moving through the global entertainment pipeline. Below is the comprehensive breakdown of the curated screening sections:

Gala & Centerpiece Screenings

A Talent for Murder
Behemoth!
Being Heumann
Clarissa (Neon)
Club Kid
The Debut
Elsinore
I Play Rocky
Ink
Josephine (dir. Beth de Araujo)
La Bola Negra
The Liberation
The Mosquito Bowl
Mouse
The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
Paper Tiger
Tender Loving Care
Wild Horse Nine

Special Presentations

All of a Sudden
Bedford Park
Bitter Christmas
Bunker
Coward
Everytime
Fatherland
Fjord
Gentle Monster
Iron Boy
La Gradiva
A Long Winter
Look Back
Minotaur
Possible Love
Rose

Signature Screenings

Backrooms
Blue Heron (Janus Films, dir. Sophy Romvari)
The Invite
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
The Matrix
Misty Green
The Odyssey (production design by Ruth De Jong)
Project Hail Mary
SCAD Presents: A Mosquito in the Ear
Sense and Sensibility
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother

After Dark Screenings

Clayface
The Cycle (dir. Jordan Downey)
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (Mubi)

Docs To Watch

American Doctor
Avedon
Cookie Queens
Everest: The Other Side
The Last First: Winter K2
My Undesirable Friends: Part II — Exile
Once Upon a Time In Harlem (Neon)
One in a Million
The Trial of Alec Baldwin
You Can See Everything

Pixels and Pencils: Top Animated Contenders

Forgotten Island
Hoppers (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Ray Gunn
Tangles
Wildwood

Official Responses and Industry Perspectives

Festival leadership emphasizes that the heartbeat of the SCAD Savannah Film Festival lies in the unique, unfiltered access it provides to students and aspiring filmmakers.

"This is one of those lineups where you look at the filmmakers and performers and realize just how much incredible work is happening across the industry right now," said Christina Routhier, executive director of the SCAD Savannah Film Festival.

Routhier underscored the distinct educational mission embedded within the festival’s framework: "We have films from some of the world’s most distinctive talents, alongside bold work from emerging voices. What I love most is that our students get to experience it all by being in the room with these artists, hearing how the work came together, asking questions, and making connections that can shape their own careers. That combination of great cinema, access, and discovery is what makes SCAD and our festival such a meaningful place to experience the year in film."

Panel Programming: Masterclasses and Conversations

Beyond the silver screen, the festival has curated a robust schedule of panels, masterclasses, and keynote discussions bringing together world-renowned artisans, actors, writers, and executives:

Behind Their Lens: Presented in partnership with IndieWire, this signature series honors trailblazing cinematic powerhouses who have shattered glass ceilings and overcome institutional obstacles to deliver some of the most influential and poignant films and television series of recent years. Confirmed guest panelists include Beth de Araujo (Josephine), Sophy Romvari (Blue Heron), Ruth De Jong (The Odyssey), and Alison Owen (Back to Black).
Below the Line: Dedicated entirely to the unsung heroes of filmmaking, this series explores the intricate artistry of costume design and production design.
SCAD Alumni Voices: Highlighting the global impact of SCAD’s top-ranked film and television degree programs, this panel features successful graduates returning to share their industry journeys. Participating alumni include Annie Taylor (M.A., sound design, 2019; The Bear, Widow’s Bay); Benjamin Frisch (M.F.A., 2011; B.F.A., 2009; Making Gay History, Critical Darlings); Eldar Isgandarov (B.F.A., performing arts, 2024; Club Kid, The Debut); Wai Yan “Sunny” Chan (B.F.A., visual effects, 2008; Wildwood); and Chloe Lipp (B.F.A., film and television, 2008; Stranger Things, The Mandalorian).
The World of BRZRKR: Comic book creators and writers Keanu Reeves and Matt Kindt join illustrator Ron Garney to pull back the curtain on the creation of their epic graphic novel series, discussing its mythology, character arcs, and distinct visual style.
Art of the Epic: Crafting The Odyssey: A technical breakdown featuring production designer Ruth De Jong, costume designer Ellen Mijornik, and casting director John Papsidera.
Building Arrakis and Beyond — In Conversation with Patrice Vermette: Dune production designer and Variety Creative Impact award winner Patrice Vermette sits down with Variety’s Jazz Tangcay to discuss his storied career and tease the highly anticipated Dune: Part Three.
A Look Inside Walt Disney Animation and Disney’s Hexed with Jared Bush: Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer, writer, and Academy Award winner Jared Bush offers an exclusive first look at the studio’s upcoming slate.
Shudder Presents: The New Face of Horror: Showcasing rising indie horror directors Alex Goyette (Breeder) and Jordan Downey (The Cycle), moderated by Shudder Director of Programming Angel Melanson.
Industry & Journalism Panels: Includes Variety’s 10 Artisans to Watch, Entertainment Weekly’s Breaking Big Panel & Awards, From Red Carpets to Reels: Entertainment Journalism in the Digital Age with Kevin McCarthy and Sydnie Rowland, and The Long Game: Gersh Agents on Building Careers in Entertainment.

Competition and Student Showcases

The festival remains deeply committed to nurturing grassroots talent through juried competition blocks and student showcases.

Narrative Competition Films

The Huntress (dir. Suzanne Andrews Correa)
One of Us (dir. Stefan van de Graaff)
Summer of Three (dir. Carlitos Ruiz-Ruiz)
Test (dir. Sam McConnell)

Documentary Competition Films

Dernise: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern (dir. Mike Mendez)
The Lorraine (dir. Sam Pollard)
The Secret Reading Club of Kabul (dir. Shakiba Adil, Elina Hirvonen)
Uncle Roy (dir. Keri Pickett)

Student Shorts (Animated)

Stone Lions Don’t Roar (dir. Le Hang Whalen)
Cardboard Heart (dir. Catalina Ferreira Martin)
Au gré de l’iode (dir. Léa Deprez, Pierre-Luis Bordes, Elliot Desmarets, Jeanne Finet)
Sunburn (dir. Esther Son)
Me in a Nutshell (dir. Joshua Higgs, Elena Krasteva)
Our Fleeting Soul (dir. Marin Caquez, Eva-Louise Moreau, Nour Kharraz)
Kenopsia (dir. Camille Redon, Sélène Le, Alice Hegymegi-Kiss, Gregoire Pezzulo, Fanny Belougne, Quentin Szczygiel, Adel Tebib)
CHAI (dir. Aryan Anand)
The Memory Clocksmith (dir. Jing Rickie Liu, Ellie Grace Colwill)
The Moon Stole My Stripes (dir. Sarah Buckley)
Sundown (dir. Jérémie Jayraj Itty, Inna Soroka, Julia Estrada Torres, Sammi Khuu)
The Nest (dir. Aurélien Coquery, Léa Kermanach, Soline Mauguin, Abel Tixador, Jean Baounon, Romane Selter-Fiette)
Moticos (dir. Paige Meakin)

Student Shorts (Live Action)

KATTI (Unfriend) (dir. Kanishka Aggarwal)
See Me (dir. Cormac Fingeret)
Rio Negro (dir. Luke Cooper Escobar)
The View Was Everything (dir. Blais Cameron)
The Kalgan Horse (dir. Zichen Zhao)
Killer Of Men (dir. Jordan Betine)
Cadencia (dir. Paúlys Cofréy)

SCAD Student Documentary Series

Cora Dale — A Rediscovered Harmony (dir. Silas Immanuel, Isabel Massud Faria De Souza)
Madame Marseille (dir. Brennen Fletcher)
With You (dir. Rebecca Floto)
Assemblée (dir. Lena Faeskorn)
From the Sound to the Sea (dir. Olivia Jackson)
Nanmoku (dir. Will Franz)
An Eternal Sound (dir. Ryan Broussard, Andrew Meriwether)

Implications for the Film Industry

The 2026 SCAD Savannah Film Festival arrives at a critical juncture for the entertainment industry, functioning simultaneously as a bellwether for the upcoming Academy Awards race and a vital platform for independent cinema navigating shifting distribution models.

By integrating university students directly into the fold of high-level industry networking, SCAD continues to bridge the gap between academic instruction and professional practice. For major studios, premiering prestige titles in Savannah offers invaluable early traction with regional audiences and critics ahead of wider winter theatrical rollouts. For independent and documentary filmmakers, the festival provides a respected megaphone to elevate stories that might otherwise struggle for visibility in a crowded marketplace.

As passes go on sale and the October 24 opening approaches, anticipation is palpable across Savannah. The 29th annual edition promises not only a week of extraordinary cinematic discovery but a reaffirmation of the enduring power of storytelling shared collectively in the dark.