Alongside the 52 feature films and short film strands previously announced, the festival will also present the Manchester premiere of The Good Boy, starring Stephen Graham; the Manchester premiere of California Schemin’, directed by James McAvoy; and the Manchester premiere of The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford, starring Peter Mullan.
The festival is also thrilled to announce that Kit Harington will attend the festival for an in-person Q&A following the previously announced world premiere of his directorial debut, Psychopomp, which will screen as part of the Opening Night programme.
Neil Jeram-Croft, Festival Director, said: “We can’t wait for March and to welcome the team behind Psychopomp, The Good Boy, California Schemin’ and The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford to Manchester. Having the people who made – and star in – these films with us in person is a huge part of what makes the festival special, and we’re excited to share those moments with our audiences.”
OPENING NIGHT SPECIAL PRESENTATION
The festival opens on Thursday 19 March 2026 with an unmissable double-bill celebrating bold new voices in cinema at the much-celebrated arts venue Aviva Studios, the home of Factory International.
The evening begins with the world premiere of short film Psychopomp, the directorial debut of Kit Harington. The screening will be followed by an in-person Q&A with Harington, whose screen work includes Game of Thrones and Industry.
Synopsis: Harry’s a desperate man who’s decided to end his own life with the help of hired assassin Liam.
Kit Harington, director of Psychopomp said: “To have Psychopomp play on Opening Night at Manchester Film Festival means a great deal to me. I’m thrilled to bring the film to Manchester and share it with festival audiences, and I’m looking forward to being there.”
Following this, the festival will present the Manchester premiere of The Good Boy, a dark and gripping psychological thriller directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Jan Komasa (Anniversary). Feature film The Good Boy stars Stephen Graham (Boiling Point, Adolescence), Andrea Riseborough (Possessor), and Anson Boon (MobLand). The film is written by Manuncian screenwriter Naqqash Khalid (In Camera) and Bartek Bartosik. There will be a Q&A following the screening with the film team.
Synopsis: 19-year-old hooligan Tommy (Anson Boon) revels in a life of drugs, parties, and violence. Until one night, he is abducted by an unknown figure (Stephen Graham). Though he is no stranger to violence, he is horrified when he wakes to find himself chained in the basement of the isolated suburban family home of Chris (Graham), and his near-spectral wife (Andrea Riseborough). The family sets out to reform Tommy’s unruly behaviour, forcing him to comply with their relentless mind games or seek escape at any cost.
CLOSING NIGHT
The festival closes on Sunday 29 March 2026 with another standout evening celebrating emerging and established talent.
The Closing Night film is California Schemin’, the directorial debut of James McAvoy, whose acclaimed screen career includes Atonement, Split, X-Men, The Last King of Scotland and His Dark Materials. Marking an exciting new chapter in McAvoy’s career, the film brings the festival to a close with a bold and highly anticipated debut from one of the UK’s most acclaimed actors. Following the screening there will be a Q&A with the film team.
The film stars Samuel Bottomley (Anemone) and Sean Connor (Schemers) as two aspiring Scottish MCs whose audacious plan to pose as Californian hip-hop artists catapults them towards fame with increasingly high stakes.
Synopsis: Based on the improbably true story, CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN’ follows two aspiring Scottish MCs who devise an audacious scheme to achieve their dream of a record deal, by posing as Californian hip hop artists. As fame beckons and the lies pile up, their friendship is put to the test.
James McAvoy, director of California Schemin’ said, “I am so proud to have CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN’ close this year’s Manchester Film Festival. Manchester’s music heritage and fearless creative energy feel like a perfect fit for our film, and the city’s long history of artists pushing boundaries and taking risks runs right through this story. I’m very much looking forward to sharing the film with Manchester audiences.”
OTHER PROGRAMME ADDITIONS
Further highlights added to the programme include The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford, a sharp and darkly comic British feature directed by Seán Dunn. The film stars Peter Mullan (Ozark, Tyrannosaur), Gayle Rankin (GLOW, Men), Jakob Oftebro (The Last Kingdom), Sid Sagar (Industry), and Lewis MacDougall (A Monster Calls).
The festival will also host the world premiere of short film Box of Frogs, directed by Ian Puleston-Davies (Tin Star, Peaky Blinders, Coronation Street). The film stars Mathew Horne (Gavin & Stacey), alongside Mark Lewis Jones (The Crown), Anna Chancellor (Four Weddings and a Funeral), and Amit Shah (Happy Valley). Box of Frogs will screen on Friday 20 March, followed by an in-person Q&A with Puleston-Davies and Horne.
Additionally, Anything That Moves, directed by Alex Phillips, will receive its Manchester premiere at the festival. A surreal, psychedelic horror-thriller, the film promises a bold and immersive cinematic experience.
Synopsis: Liam bikes through Chicago delivering snacks and pure satisfaction to his love-hungry clients while a serial killer leaves a trail of blood that leads to the innocent lover’s own bed.
The festival has also announced its archive screenings for the 2026 edition: AI On Screen.
The selection of films include I, Robot (Alex Proyas, 2004), Moon (Duncan Jones, 2009), Ex Machina (Alex Garland, 2014), Demon Seed (Donal Cammell, 1977) and A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Steven Spielberg, 2001).
The festival has announced a number of confirmed guests who will participate in post screening discussions and Q&As following their screenings. These include Thomas Turgoose (This Is England) who is starring in Synthesized and Nico Mirallegro (My Mad Fat Diary, Hollyoaks) starring in Chatlines.
Full details below of confirmed attendance:
Afrodite: Stefano Lorenzi (Director)
Box of Frogs: Ian Puleston-Davies (Director), Mathew Horne (Cast)
Chatlines: Lloyd Eyre-Morgan (Writer/Actor/Director), Neil Ely (Writer/Director), Nico Mirallegro (Cast)
Finding My Voice: Arabella Burfitt-Dons (Director)
Lady: Samuel Abrahams (Director)
LifeHack: Ronan Corrigan (Writer / Director), Hope Elliott Kemp (Writer), Aleksandr Kletsov (Writer), Joann Kushner (Producer)
Littermates: Scott Tinkham (Writer / Director), Michael Woloson (Director / Cinematographer), Oliver Woolf (Cast)
Maricel: Elias Demetriou (Director)
Misper: Harry Sherriff (Director), Laurence Tratalos (Screenwriter)
Mutt Cat: Shay Kelly (Producer / Director / Actor), Nell Weik Clarke (Cast)
One of Us: Stefan van de Graaff (Writer / Director)
Ride or Die: Josalynn Smith (Director)
Surviving Earth: Thea Gajic (Director)
Synthesized: Chris Green (Director), Thomas Turgoose (Cast), Chris Coghill (Cast), Sacha Parkinson (Cast), Kiran Landa (Cast), Neil Bell (Cast), Sam St. John (Producer)
The Model: Marcus Flemmings (Writer / Director), Sasha Vadher (Cast), Malyka Khan (Cast), David Ajayi (Cast), Supreet Bedi (Cast)
Think of England: Richard Hawkins (Director)
Visceral Images: Ed Palmer (Director
Tickets and passes are on sale now and can be purchased via the official website at manchesterfilmfestival.com.
The festival’s lead partner is CUPRA City Garage. Other partners include FILMD, Met Film School and Screen Manchester.
As a BAFTA and BIFA qualifying festival, this year’s edition continues to champion exceptional filmmaking and original voices. Over eleven days, guests can enjoy an expansive line-up featuring international premieres, short and feature films, intimate Q&As, industry mixers, relaxed drinks events and the excitement of the red carpet. The festival’s annual Industry Programme will be announced at the end of February. The Festival’s Annual Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday 28 March.
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