The Bucharest International Film Festival (BIFF) starts on Friday, 18 September 2026, and runs until Sunday, 27 September, in Bucharest. The 22nd edition features an international competition, Romanian and Romanian-Moldovan films, historical documentaries, titles from the major festival circuit and a Focus Japan section. For those who want to attend one or two screenings rather than the entire festival, the most useful reference points are films whose individual pages already list a time and venue.
For further information, you can also read Antena 1 autumn 2025: when Asia Express and Romanian series started, plus the Insula Iubirii calendar, an article that explores an aspect directly connected to this topic.
BIFF takes place at Apollo111 and Cinema Muzeul Țăranului Român, while part of the programme has also been announced for DeYellow, a cultural hub in Bucharest’s Sector 1. Organisers point visitors to the official website and Eventbook for tickets. As schedules may be updated, readers should check the individual screening page before setting off, rather than relying solely on the general film list.
BIFF 2026 at a glance: why it is worth following
BIFF is not built around a single genre or one type of audience. The competition brings together recent international feature films, while the Romanian Authors and History and Cinema sections are best suited to viewers interested in local productions, documentaries and meetings with filmmakers. The Panorama section presents films that have screened at international festivals, while Focus Japan offers a clear option for cinephiles drawn to Asian cinema.
A practical advantage of the 2026 edition is that several confirmed screenings include post-film discussions. This changes the experience: you are choosing not only a title, but also the opportunity to hear directly from the director, actors or production team. For people who rarely attend festivals, this may be a more useful criterion than the label “arthouse film”.
Confirmed screenings for the first weekend
| Date and time | Film | Venue | What to know beforehand |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 September, 8:00 pm | The Last Refuge / Redoubt, John Skoog | Apollo111 | Opening gala; a Swedish film inspired by a true story, about a man who turns his home into a shelter. |
| 20 September, 4:00 pm | Enisala Fortress – Dobruja’s Survivor, Cristian Nencu | Apollo111 | Romanian historical documentary, followed by the presence of the team, a re-enactment and a discussion. |
| 20 September, 8:00 pm | Lenin’s Pawn, Dragoș Turea | Apollo111 | Romanian-Moldovan hybrid documentary with dark humour; a Q&A is announced after the screening. |
| 21 September, 7:00 pm | The Circle, Valeriu Andriuță | Cinema Muzeul Țăranului | Republic of Moldova–Romania co-production; Q&A with director Valeriu Andriuță. |
| 23 September, 6:00 pm | 17, Kosara Mitić | Cinema Muzeul Țăranului | Balkan drama selected for Berlinale 2026; it contains sensitive themes, including sexual assault. |
| 26 September, 6:15 pm | The Samurai and the Prisoner, Kiyoshi Kurosawa | Cinema Muzeul Țăranului | A 147-minute Japanese historical mystery; a suitable choice for viewers prepared for a long screening. |
The times and venues in the table were those displayed on the festival’s individual pages when the research was checked. For any last-minute changes, the ticket and the screening page remain the practical references.
If you choose one evening: four simple options
1. For a first BIFF experience: the opening gala
“The Last Refuge”, directed by Sweden’s John Skoog, opens the festival on Friday, 18 September, at Apollo111. Organisers have announced a welcome cocktail from 7:00 pm and the start of the film at 8:00 pm.
The film is based on the real-life case of a worker in southern Sweden who turns his house into a fortress amid Cold War anxieties. It is a good choice for viewers who prefer a film focused on character and psychological tension rather than a gala built exclusively around red-carpet spectacle. The screening has an additional advantage: The Last Refuge also enters Romanian cinema distribution on 18 September, so it can be caught later outside the festival as well.
2. For a Romanian mini-marathon: documentary, history and discussion
On Sunday, 20 September, Apollo111 hosts two screenings that can make for a coherent afternoon and evening. At 4:00 pm, “Enisala Fortress – Dobruja’s Survivor” traces the history of the medieval fortress through differing historical theories and re-enactments. The fact that the screening is announced with the film team and a discussion makes it suitable for viewers seeking more context than a 67-minute documentary can provide.
At 8:00 pm, also at Apollo111, “Lenin’s Pawn” changes the register. Dragoș Turea’s film is presented as a hybrid documentary with elements of black comedy and follows actor Sergiu Voloc in an absurd struggle with Lenin monuments left in the Republic of Moldova. A Q&A session of around 30 minutes is announced after the screening.
The two films should not be conflated simply because they share a regional connection. The first considers heritage and how a historical narrative is constructed; the second uses a contemporary story to address memory, ideology and absurdity. Together, they offer a broader picture of how documentaries can work with the past.
3. For a narrative film evening with a Romanian-Moldovan dimension: “The Circle”
“The Circle”, written and directed by Valeriu Andriuță, is scheduled for Monday, 21 September, from 7:00 pm at Cinema Muzeul Țăranului. The Republic of Moldova–Romania co-production begins with the death of a man during a hunting trip on the eve of New Year 1999. A young investigator is sent to determine whether it was an accident or murder.
This is not a recommendation for anyone looking for a fast-paced thriller with quick answers. The premise is a mystery, but the stakes announced by the festival are moral: the case becomes a test of conscience for the protagonist. The film received the Special Mention of the Jury at the Romanian Film Days section of TIFF 2026. The Q&A with Valeriu Andriuță included in the schedule may be a concrete reason to choose this screening over watching it later.
4. For international cinema that demands attention: “17” or Kiyoshi Kurosawa
“17”, by Kosara Mitić, arrives at Cinema Muzeul Țăranului on Wednesday, 23 September. The production from North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia follows a teenage girl during a school trip. The film was selected for the Perspectives section of Berlinale 2026.
It is important to know that the synopsis includes the sexual assault of a female student. This is not a promotional detail, but a reference point for viewers who avoid potentially disturbing content. The film may suit those looking for a drama about solidarity and coming of age, but it is not the most relaxed choice for a spontaneous outing.
For a different kind of experience, Focus Japan includes “The Samurai and the Prisoner”, directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, on Saturday, 26 September, from 6:15 pm. The film runs for 147 minutes and combines historical drama with mystery: in a castle under siege at the end of the 16th century, a murder takes place and an imprisoned strategist becomes the key to solving it. Its running time makes it better suited to a planned evening than a stop between other activities.
How to choose better than by poster or “premiere” status
At a festival, the premiere label does not automatically mean a film will suit you. A simple approach is to choose according to the time you have and the experience you are looking for:
- Want an event atmosphere: choose the opening gala and films with confirmed guests.
- Want local context: look for the Romanian Authors and History and Cinema sections.
- Want to stay for a discussion after the film: explicitly check for a Q&A mention on the screening page.
- Want an unhurried weekend choice: check the running time. The difference between a 67-minute documentary and a 147-minute feature completely changes the plan for the evening.
- Coming by car or crossing the city at rush hour: allow extra travel time and check traffic conditions in Romania before you leave.
What to check before buying a ticket
BIFF has individual pages for its films, but information published on a general page may be updated at a different pace from that in the ticketing system. Before paying, therefore, check four things: the date, time, venue and whether a Q&A is scheduled. If you are attending for a particular director or guest, do not assume their presence is guaranteed simply because they appear in the festival presentation.
It is also worth checking the total time spent at the event. A screening with a discussion lasting around 30 minutes ends substantially later than the film’s listed running time. In the case of The Circle, for example, the 112-minute film and the announced post-screening discussion mean an evening that may exceed two and a half hours.
BIFF 2026 offers an accessible entry point into festival cinema precisely because it does not require you to see the whole programme. A good choice may be a single gala, a local documentary with a discussion or an international title that you might not otherwise encounter soon in commercial release. The useful criterion is not to tick off the most films, but to choose the screening for which the venue, theme and time invested make sense for you.
Frequently asked questions
When does BIFF 2026 take place?
The 22nd edition of the Bucharest International Film Festival is scheduled to take place in Bucharest from 18 to 27 September 2026.
Where do BIFF 2026 screenings take place?
The venues announced by the festival are Apollo111, Cinema Muzeul Țăranului Român and DeYellow, a cultural hub in Sector 1. The exact auditorium should be checked on each screening page.
Which Romanian or Romanian-Moldovan films are already scheduled?
Confirmed titles include “Enisala Fortress – Dobruja’s Survivor”, “Lenin’s Pawn” and “The Circle”. Discussions with the film team have been announced for some of them.
Where can I check tickets and the updated programme?
The festival directs visitors to its official pages and to Eventbook. Before purchasing, check the page for your chosen film for the date, time, venue and any changes.
