NOFF celebrates the legacy of New Orleans and its people, opening with Victory profiling the legendary Irma Thomas
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Film Society (NOFS) is thrilled to announce its first wave of titles for the Oscar®- qualifying 37th Annual New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF) presented by Andscape, taking place October 22 – 27, 2026. This year’s festival will showcase 175 films in-person at venues across the city, including the festival’s central hub, the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC), plus the Prytania Theatre Uptown, The Broad Theater and additional satellite locations (plus, virtually October 22 – November 1 via the NOFF Virtual Cinema, available globally). NOFF 2026 will kick off with its opening night screening of Victory, a portrait of beloved New Orleans soul legend Irma Thomas and a powerful documentary celebrating the extraordinary legacy of New Orleans and its people.
New this year, the free Filmmaker Conference presented by the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Foundation (NOTCF) moves entirely into the CAC Hub on the LMP Studios Stage, bringing workshops, live podcast recordings, lunch and learns, and fireside chats under one roof, including a fireside chat sponsored by legacy sponsor partner Gilead. The VIP Filmmaker Lounge also lands at the CAC this year, on the third floor in The Shop Workspace, keeping filmmakers, All Access Pass holders and industry guests in the heart of the action all festival long.
“Last year’s New Orleans Film Festival was the biggest in our history, and rather than slowing down, we used that momentum to dream even bigger,” said Dodd Loomis, Executive Director of the New Orleans Film Society. “This year’s lineup celebrates the full spectrum of cinema, from remarkable Louisiana filmmakers and emerging new Southern talent to some of the year’s most anticipated films featuring internationally acclaimed artists like Dame Helen Mirren and John Malkovitch. But what truly makes this festival special is everything that happens beyond the screen: the workshops, concerts, parties, rooftop receptions, filmmaker Q&As, gospel brunches and chance encounters that turn an amazing week of indie films into an unforgettable celebration of creativity, and New Orleans itself.”
FILMS IN COMPETITION:
View the full list of films in competition HERE.
This year’s competition lineup, curated from a submissions pool of nearly 4,000 films, showcases the distinctive voices and visions of filmmakers from 38 countries. Spanning features and shorts across documentary, fiction, animation and experimental filmmaking, the selections reflect a diverse range of stories, styles and perspectives from around the world. The lineup also places a strong emphasis on homegrown filmmaking, with 53 films made in Louisiana, alongside a compelling selection of work from across the American South—celebrating the region’s singular voices while connecting them to a global cinematic conversation.
- The world premiere of The Dew Drop Inn: Resistance and Resilience, a documentary chronicling the legendary New Orleans music venue and its pivotal role on the Chitlin’ Circuit.
- Loves Company, a New Orleans–shot dark comedy starring Rachel Dratch and New Orleans acting legend Brian Batt, with a deliciously Misery-inspired twist.
- Matininó, a feature that participated in the 2022 New Orleans Film Festival’s South Pitch program before going on to premiere at Tribeca earlier this year.
- The world premiere of Scrim, the wild true story of a legendary New Orleans rescue dog who escaped like an action hero, took over Mardi Gras, inspired art and tattoos, and became a symbol of hope for the rescue world.
- Some Kind of Refuge, a documentary that premiered at Sundance and offers an intimate look at the unique and resilient community living along the Mississippi River’s batture.
TICKETS:
Tier 2 All Access Passes are now available to purchase (with prices increasing by $50 on September 3), with individual public tickets on sale September 21 for NOFS Members and September 24 for non-members.
The Unlimited Film Package, Student + Teacher Passes and Virtual Passes will be available to purchase on September 3. New this year is the Unlimited Film Package (also launching September 3), giving guests the opportunity to attend unlimited NOFF screenings for only $99 ($85 for NOFS members, and included with Scene Stealer Membership).
Thanks to the continued support of The Helis Foundation, the First Ticket On Us campaign returns for its fourth year, offering every New Orleanian a promotion code good for one free ticket to any film or shorts block during NOFF. New this year, one theater at The Broad Theater will run as a pay what you will screening room for the entire festival, letting audiences name their own price for a full slate of NOFF films. Together, these programs are part of NOFF’s larger commitment to accessibility, opening the festival to community members across Greater New Orleans who have historically faced barriers to participation. Last year alone, residents redeemed more than 1,000 free tickets through First Ticket On Us, proof that when the doors open wider, the city walks through them.
NOFF 2026: WHAT TO EXPECT.
Thursday, October 22: “OPENING NIGHT”
Opening Night sets the tone for the entire festival with a red carpet premiere screening and eye catching after party at the historic Gallier Hall drawing filmmakers and community leaders who shape New Orleans. The evening’s film is Victory, a new documentary from Ben Chace that follows Irma Thomas, the Soul Queen of New Orleans, as she revisits her gospel roots in a recording session that spans genres and generations. After the screening, the celebration moves to Gallier Hall, once the seat of city government and now one of the most storied gathering places on St. Charles Avenue, where Cha Wa takes the stage with a special cameo from DJ Jubilee. It is the night the city turns out for film. The NOFF Virtual Cinema opens the same evening, running through November 1.
OPENING NIGHT FILM: Victory (Director: Ben Chace) *World Premiere
Thursday October 22, 7 PM, CAC Warehouse Theater
Film Synopsis: Victory follows Irma Thomas, a trailblazing figure in New Orleans music as she revisits her gospel roots in a recording session that spans genres and generations. At 83 years old, Thomas brings together a diverse group of musicians in New Orleans to create a gospel album that speaks to her life’s journey, legacy, and enduring faith. The documentary captures intimate moments from the recording process with a remarkable ensemble of collaborators: Brazilian legend Jorge Ben, Christian music superstar Lauren Daigle, indie folk singer Valerie June and pillars of the New Orleans music culture Cyril and Ivan Neville, Charlie Gabriel Trombone Shorty, and Big Chiefs Shaka Zulu and David Montana. Beyond the studio Irma reflects on her incredible life story, from her early days as a teenage mother of four, trying to break into the music business in the Segregation era, to becoming a beloved musical matriarch and the center of a large blended family with her husband and manager of 50 years, Emile Jackson. The journey culminates in a transcendent performance with a full gospel choir and her Belgian backing band, The Soldiers of Love. As Irma raises her voice in a soulstirring celebration of faith, Victory becomes more than a portrait of a legendary artist: it is a testament to resilience, love, and the enduring power of music to connect generations and transform a life.
Friday, October 23: “TECH x FILM DAY”
The Festival Hub opens with a Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening Ceremony at the CAC, where NOFF officially welcomes the city into its central gathering place and honors its Cultural Ambassadors, including bounce legend DJ Jubilee. The ceremony also celebrates the local businesses that help make NOFF happen, including Freret Napoleon, the Official Marketing Partner of the 37th New Orleans Film Festival. From there, the day belongs to the future: filmmakers, entrepreneurs and industry and tech leaders explore film, artificial intelligence, creative technology and cultural innovation, anchored by the Film Tech Lunch x Learn Series at The Shop. The Sazerac Bar opens at the CAC Hub the same day and pours all weekend long, giving the festival’s home base a signature New Orleans toast. The evening builds to South Pitch Narrative, presented by MUBI, where five Southern film teams pitch their works-in-progress live to a panel of industry leaders, and closes out the only way a Friday in New Orleans should: the Fri-YAY Bounce Party, with the king of bounce himself, DJ Jubilee on the decks.
Saturday, October 24: “FUN FOR Y’ALL”
Saturday at NOFF is built for inclusion, a day of intergenerational moments designed to inspire the next generation of creatives and connect kids with their caregivers. Legacy programming like South Pitch Documentary, where five Southern film teams pitch their works-in-progress to a panel of industry leaders, and the invite-only Filmmaker Alumni Breakfast honors the voices that built this festival while welcoming the ones just finding theirs. Family-friendly workshops invite kids and caregivers to learn, laugh and play together, and hub yoga at the Contemporary Arts Center offers everyone an intermission to breathe and reset.
New this year, the South Pitch Celebration presented by NBCUniversal honors and uplifts everyone who makes the program what it is: the filmmakers who bring their works-in-progress to the stage and the panelists who invest in them. South Pitch has become a proven launching pad for Southern filmmakers, with alumni going on to secure funding for feature-length films and screen at festivals across the country. Just this past June, three South Pitch alumni premiered films at Tribeca, including Gabriela Díaz Arp’s Matininó, the very project she pitched at South Pitch in 2022. The Celebration is a toast to that track record and to the bold new Southern voices adding to it.
The day closes with the Saturday night Andscape Party, a laid back, loungey evening honoring the festival’s presenting sponsor. Andscape, the Black-led content studio from Disney and ESPN, became NOFF’s first-ever multi-year presenting sponsor in 2025, a commitment to Southern storytelling that goes beyond a single festival. The party is a thank you in true New Orleans fashion: good music, good company and a room full of the filmmakers and film lovers their support makes possible.
Sunday, October 25: “MUSIC x FILM DAY”
Music x Film Day kicks off with the Filmmaker Awards Gospel Brunch, one of the most spirited events of the festival, where more than 200 filmmakers, passholders, and guests gather over a soulful Southern meal with the gospel sounds of Leo Jackson and the Melody Clouds, celebrating 61 years of making music together. Select awards are presented by legacy sponsor partners Keslow Camera and NBCUniversal, whose longtime support puts real tools in the hands of winning filmmakers, while Reel South returns to present the Reel South Short Award, continuing its championing of short-form Southern storytelling. Kino Film Collection joins this year as an awards sponsor, and cinematography honors expand with the inaugural Keslow Camera Narrative Short Cinematography Award. Throughout the day, films, conversations, and special events explore the powerful relationship between music and cinema, celebrating the artists, traditions, and enduring legacy of the Chitlin’ Circuit and the American South. The celebration culminates in the Music x Film All Access Party at the historic Dew Drop Inn, hosted by Paramount, where audiences will have the rare opportunity to experience the artists and musical traditions celebrated on screen earlier that day.
Monday, October 26: “MADE IN LOUISIANA DAY”
Made in Louisiana Day is a full day of programming focused on Louisiana’s film industry, beginning with a Coffee and Beignet breakfast networking event with films and panels at the CAC and The Historic New Orleans Collection. The day brings together industry and business professionals, creatives and above- and below-the-line talent for screenings, conversations and networking that spotlight Louisiana-based productions and the state’s growing film economy. The day wraps with the Independent Filmmaker Party at The Broadside, where Shawscope will screen footage shot at Friday’s fan-favorite 35mm Film Workshop. It is a rare treat: participants see their own work broadcast on the big screen just three days after shooting it, celluloid to premiere in a single festival weekend.
Tuesday, October 27: “REEL FUTURES DAY” (CLOSING NIGHT)
REEL Futures Day, sponsored by Liberty Bank and Trust and Paramount, connects 1,300+ high school and college students with free access and exposure to career pathways in Louisiana’s film and entertainment industry through two gatherings: the NOFF x COOL Cooperative Takeover for high school students and REEL Futures All Colleges Day, welcoming students from Tulane University, Loyola University, Xavier University of Louisiana, LSU New Orleans, and Dillard University. Panelists from SAGindie, Paramount, and others bring students direct insight from the industry experts. New to the COOL Cooperative Takeover this year is sports filming, where students learn and practice how to capture live athletics on camera, a skill in demand from Friday night lights to the Superdome. The festival’s closing night feature will be announced at a later date.
HOW TO ATTEND NOFF 2026
Festival-goers can purchase an All Access Pass, good for all in-person and NOFF Virtual Cinema screenings, parties and events; Unlimited Film Package to watch as many films as they desire, virtually or in-person ($85 NOFS members, $99 GA, included with Scene Stealer Membership), or purchase individual tickets for each screening. All Access Passes are now available for purchase, with Individual tickets on sale to NOFS members on September 21 (12 PM CST) and general public on sale September 24 (12 PM CST) at neworleansfilmsociety.org.
The in-person screening schedule will be announced on September 17, and screenings will take place at The Broad Theater, Contemporary Art Center (CAC), The Prytania Theatre, The Historic New Orleans Collection, and CIVIC Theater between October 22 – 27.
This year’s festival includes the return of a Main Festival Headquarters at the CAC, which will be open to the public. This festival hub will include the main NOFF box office, the Sazerac Bar, the CAC Warehouse Theater, the MBS Black Box Theatre, the LMP Studios Stage, a merchandise store, special events, and more. New this year, the CAC Hub will host all 40+ events of the free NOFF Filmmaker Conference presented by NOTCF, a slate of panels, workshops, live podcast recordings, and fireside chats that brings filmmakers, industry leaders, and film lovers together in conversation. Every conference event is free and open to the public.
NOFF Virtual Cinema will run from October 22 – November 1, offering 115+ films from the festival lineup! Film lovers can buy a Virtual Pass to watch all films in the lineup throughout the festival; an Unlimited Film Package to watch as many films as they want, virtually or in-person ($85 NOFS members, $99 GA, included with Scene Stealer Membership), or buy individual tickets for each virtual screening. Students and teachers can purchase a discounted pass for access to all virtual and in-person screenings.
New Orleans Film Society members receive $50 off of All Access passes, $3 off of in-person screening tickets, and $2 off of NOFF Virtual Cinema tickets. Become a member today and save with these great benefits! Sign up for membership here.
All festival transactions will be contactless; cash or check payments will not be accepted–– acceptable forms of payment include credit and debit cards, and Apple and Google Pay. Click here for more details.
Support for NOFF 2026 Comes From:
The 37th New Orleans Film Festival is presented by Andscape. The festival’s marquee sponsor are the Contemporary Arts Center and New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Foundation. The festival’s producing sponsors are Film New Orleans, Gilead, Keslow Camera, and LMP Studios. The festival’s premiere sponsors are The Chloe, The Helis Foundation, NBCUniversal, MBS, and Paramount. The festival’s feature sponsors are Goldring Family Foundation, Liberty Bank and Trust, MUBI, Positive Vibrations Foundation and Shawscope. The festival’s supporting sponsors are Columns Hotel, Crescent 9 THC Seltzers, Dan Lucas Memorial Fund, Freret Napoleon, Historic New Orleans Collection, Kino Film Collection, LEUCHTTURM1917, Reel South, The Solomon Family, and SAGindie. The festival’s media partners are WWNO 89.9, WWOZ 90.7, The Advocate, Times-Picayune, NOLA.com, The Gambit, Antigravity Magazine, and Louisiana Weekly. Grantors include The Azby Fund, the City of New Orleans through a Community Arts Grant administered by Arts New Orleans, Ford Foundation, Greater New Orleans Foundation’s LGBTQ Fund, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Perspective Fund.
2026 KEY DATES (All times in CST)
- Summer Presale on All Access Passes: June 25 (Tier One); price increases July 31 (Tier 2) and September 3 (Regular Price).
- All Pass Types on Sale: September 3.
- Film Schedule Announced: September 17.
- NOFS Member Presale on Festival Tickets: September 21.
- Festival Tickets on sale: September 24.
- In-Person Festival Dates: October 22 – 27.
- Virtual Festival Dates: October 22 – November 1.
For more information on the New Orleans Film Society and 2026 New Orleans Film Festival, visit www.neworleansfilmsociety.org.
ABOUT ANDSCAPE
Andscape is a content studio that explores the depth of Black identity through its power in sports and culture. Magnified by the power and reach of The Walt Disney Company, the Andscape umbrella includes daily journalism, film, television, book publishing and music. For more from Andscape, visit www.andscape.com.
ABOUT THE NEW ORLEANS FILM SOCIETY
The New Orleans Film Society (NOFS) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to promote, nurture, and amplify the diverse voices of filmmakers and to facilitate conversations through film and film-related programming that inspire, educate, challenge and entertain our audiences.
Founded in 1989, NOFS produces the Oscar®-qualifying New Orleans Film Festival annually and invests year-round in building a vibrant film culture in the South to share transformative cinematic experiences with audiences, and connect dynamic filmmakers to career-advancing resources. Year-round programming includes free and low-cost screenings for members and the broader community of cinephiles in New Orleans, the French Film Festival, the longest-running foreign language film festival in the United States, featuring contemporary and classic Francophone cinema, and filmmaker professional development programs created to nurture diverse voices in filmmaking in the American South.
The New Orleans Film Society is supported by grants from the Ford Foundation; The Azby Fund, Perspective Fund; and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The City of New Orleans supports NOFS’s programs through a Community Arts Grant administered by Arts New Orleans.