San Luis Obispo International Film Festival Announces Film Lineup for 2026

With over 25 countries represented, "Give Me The Ball!" opens the festival and "Power Ballad" is the Closing Night selection

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA, UNITED STATES, March 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (SLOIFF) has announced this year’s exciting film lineup, led by the Opening Night selection of the documentary Give Me The Ball!, and Power Ballad, starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, as the Closing Night selection. The festival runs from Thursday, April 23 through Tuesday, April 28.

With a slate of over 100 films from 25 countries including narrative features, short films, feature documentaries, and doc shorts, the festival is known for its dedication to diversity and inclusivity, highlighting both emerging and established filmmakers from around the globe. This year brings two new categories - Episodics and a special award recognizing the Best Genre/Horror Film.

Opening Night on Thursday, April 23rd brings the West Coast Premiere of Give Me The Ball!, a celebration of a trailblazing figure in the world of sports and women's rights - Billie Jean King. Directors Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff masterfully weave archival footage with Billie Jean King's own words to craft this uniquely intimate portrayal, revealing the inner turmoil behind the immense sacrifices she made to transform her sport and the world.

On Closing Night, the SLO Film Festival wraps up with the announcement of the Jury and Audience award winners, alongside a screening of Power Ballad. The U.S./Ireland production Power Ballad tells the story of how Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, meets fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas) during a gig, and how the two bond over music and a late-night jam session. But when Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into the hit that reignites his career, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves - even if it means risking everything he cares about.

Also on tap are the Festival’s signature events, Surf Nite, the popular Central Coast Filmmaker Showcase, Cal Poly Short Cuts, Music Video Showcase, and Community of Skate.

Other feature film highlights include the World Premiere of How to Date Again, with Haley Joel Osment and Kevin Nealon; the West Coast Premiere of SLOIFF Alumni Giselle Bonilla’s feature directorial debut and dark comedy The Musical, starring Rob Lowe; the Sci-Fi Thriller April X, starring Connie Storrie; the Brazilian production The Blue Trail, winner of the Silver Bear/Grand Jury Prize at Berlin; festival-circuit award-winning favorite Adult Children; Venice Film Festival and Image Awards winner The Fisherman from Ghana; and Valentina, directed by Tatti Ribeiro, winner of “someone to watch” at the 2026 Independent Spirit Awards.

There will be a special screening of Left Handed Girl, the directorial debut of Shih-Ching Tsou and co-written and edited by Sean Baker, her longtime creative partner. The Sunday, April 26 screening will be followed by a Q&A with the director.

Other special presentations include Sender, a psychological thriller starring Rhea Seehorn, Britt Lower, and Jamie Lee Curtis, and Billy Wilder’s timeless Noir about Hollywood, Sunset Boulevard (1950), newly restored.

Documentary features include American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, winner of the Audience Award at Sundance for US Documentary; Birds of War, winner of World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award at Sundance; and award-winning Steal This Story, Please! which goes behind the scenes with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!

The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival is an Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Qualifying Festival. This year’s nine documentary short films include Love Birds, documenting the discovery of homosexuality in seagulls that ignited a cultural and political firestorm; The Right Fit, about a legendary jean store, its unique owner and its connection to the community; and Swim Sistas, a visually stunning love letter to water, sisterhood, and the enduring strength of Black women across generations.

With films from Iran, Brazil, Lebanon, Colombia, Estonia and the U.S. among other nations, the diverse Narrative Short category brings drama, fantasy, horror, science-fiction, romance and comedy to the SLOIFF screens. The French/South African production Vultures; What If They Bomb Here Tonight, from Lebanon; the romance Never Never Never from the U.K.; the fantasy film I Have Wings But I Cannot Fly from the U.S.; the drama Summer Triangle from Iran; and from Estonia, a horror film, Breadsong, are among the selected films.

New to the festival this year is an Episodic category, with five pilots scheduled to be showcased: the World Premiere of Too Romantic starring Rivkah Reyes; the comedies Dick Bunny and Pour Decisions; the trans drama One For The Team; and the world premiere of Savage, directed by Josh Bowman.

Surf Nite in SLO, the film festival’s signature one-of-a-kind surfing film event, is featuring The Blind Sea. This thrilling documentary follows the remarkable career of Australian surfer Matt Formston, a 3-time World Champion with just 3% vision, as he attempts the most dangerous challenge of his life: riding the monster waves of Nazaré.

ABOUT SAN LUIS OBISPO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Celebrating its 32nd edition in 2026, the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival is a six-day annual event, showcasing creative, diverse, and impactful works from around the world in a wide variety of venues, from the city’s classic art deco Fremont Theater to the SLO Film Center at the vintage Palm Theatre. Named to MovieMaker Magazine’s “25 Coolest Film Festivals” list, and USA TODAY's 10Best Readers Choice Awards, the 2026 festival runs from April 23-28. SLOIFF is an Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Qualifying Festival in the category of “Best Documentary Short”. Tickets and festival passes can be purchased here.

Located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, San Luis Obispo with its laid-back vibe and serene natural beauty is the perfect setting for this highly regarded annual film celebration. Filmmakers rave about the warmth and engagement that is so much a part of the SLO Int’l Film Festival experience, as do the industry pros and film critics who are fast discovering the fest’s thoughtful audiences and unique programming sensibility.

Ann Flower
Ann Flower Communications
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