Organised by Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), Istanbul Film Festival will be held for the 45th time, between 9 and 19 April 2026, sponsored by N Kolay. Submissions are now open for productions or co-productions from Türkiye only. The Festival prefers to shape its programme through invitations for other productions. The deadline for submitting Turkish films is 10 January 2026. Applications will be accepted online through FestiCine only.

Established as a film week in 1982, Istanbul Film Festival brings together thousands of film enthusiasts every year with its extensive programme that comprises prominent productions from around the world to recent films from Türkiye; from award-winning films to classics, from special retrospectives to festival talks. The festival also continues to host Turkey's first co-production market, Meetings on the Bridge.

The festival's official selection

Istanbul Film Festival maintains its new structure in its 45th edition. Continuing to provide a platform for innovative and creative voices in cinema, the festival's official selection includes three competitive sections: the international Golden Tulip Competition, New Visions, which is open only to domestic feature-length fiction and documentary films, and the national Short Film Competition.