Paris International Fantastic Film Festival 2026 – France

What to expect in 2026

The Paris International Fantastic Film Festival, commonly known as PIFFF, is a Paris-based festival dedicated to fantastic and genre cinema. Organised by the Paris Ciné Fantastique association, the festival presents international feature films and short films spanning science fiction, horror, fantasy, thriller and other forms of genre filmmaking.

The festival’s official description emphasises discovery, diversity and a broad interpretation of fantastic cinema. Its programme is designed to showcase new voices as well as established filmmakers, with many films presented as Paris premieres or first French screenings. The festival also aims to bring genre cinema to a wider audience through screenings, meetings and special events.

The upcoming edition is the 15th edition of PIFFF and will once again be hosted at the Max Linder Panorama on the Grands Boulevards. The festival has officially announced the event and opened film submissions, while the complete selection, guest list and detailed programme remain to be announced.

Visitors can expect an eclectic programme covering different areas of genre cinema rather than a festival limited to one particular style. Previous editions have included horror, science fiction, fantasy, supernatural films, thrillers, dystopian stories, experimental genre productions and films that combine several genres.

The festival also has a strong audience-oriented character. Alongside the main feature competition, PIFFF organises French and international short-film competitions, school screenings and a late-night weekend session designed to provide a more radical and festive genre-cinema experience.

Festival dates

December 8–14, 2026

The official PIFFF announcement confirms that the 15th edition will take place at the Max Linder Panorama during this period. The festival has described the event as a full week devoted to genre cinema and has already invited filmmakers to submit feature films and short films for consideration.

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Venues & festival locations

The principal and confirmed festival venue is the Max Linder Panorama cinema at 24 Boulevard Poissonnière in Paris.

Max Linder Panorama – This historic independent cinema on the Grands Boulevards has been the PIFFF venue since 2016. The festival’s official website describes it as a panoramic mono-screen cinema with three seating levels and a total capacity of 616 seats in its festival description. The cinema’s current venue information describes a single large auditorium distributed across the orchestra, mezzanine and balcony, together with a large curved screen.

The venue is particularly appropriate for a festival devoted to immersive genre cinema. Its large panoramic screen and auditorium are designed for theatrical presentations rather than small-screen viewing.

The Max Linder also has a bar and reception areas, which provide space for visitors to gather around screenings and festival activities. The venue has regularly hosted premieres, festivals, conferences and special film events.

PIFFF’s concentrated venue structure means that visitors can spend most of their festival time in one central cinema rather than travelling between numerous locations.

Full programme

The complete 2026 programme has not yet been released. The official festival structure nevertheless identifies several recurring programme components.

International feature-film competition – The main feature competition presents international genre films and introduces audiences to new filmmakers and recent work from around the world.

French short-film competition – PIFFF presents a selection of French fantastic short films judged by a professional jury.

International short-film competition – The international short-film competition showcases fantastic short films from filmmakers working outside France. The festival states that the international short-film competition, like the feature competition, is decided by the public.

Out-of-competition films – Additional feature films can be presented outside the main competition, providing further opportunities to discover contemporary genre cinema.

Special screenings – PIFFF traditionally includes special presentations and carefully selected genre films outside the standard competition structure.

Cult screenings – The festival’s archives include dedicated cult-film sessions, giving audiences opportunities to revisit significant or unusual works of genre cinema.

Opening and closing events – Major films and festival ceremonies traditionally accompany the beginning and end of the programme.

Night session – PIFFF’s official festival description confirms a weekend night session featuring more radical and festive genre programming.

School screenings – The festival also organises screenings specifically for schools and younger audiences. Its organisers describe audience development and introducing young people to different forms of cinema as an important part of the festival’s mission.

Featured films & premieres

No individual 2026 feature-film titles have yet been officially announced by PIFFF, so the final selection should be checked on the festival website before publication of specific film information.

Premieres are a central part of PIFFF’s programming philosophy. The official festival description states that PIFFF is committed to presenting films in Paris, with many shown in France for the first time. This gives the festival a strong discovery component for audiences interested in international genre cinema.

The feature-film competition is designed to highlight future talents in genre filmmaking while also presenting recent work from established directors.

The festival’s genre scope includes:

• Horror
• Science fiction
• Fantasy
• Thriller
• Supernatural cinema
• Dystopian stories
• Psychological genre films
• Creature features
• Dark comedy
• Experimental genre cinema
• Genre hybrids

The short-film competitions complement the feature programme by giving emerging filmmakers an additional platform. PIFFF’s official festival description specifically identifies both French and international short-film competitions as important components of the event.

The final programme is expected to identify film language, subtitles, running time, director, cast, country of production and any associated guest appearances.

Directors, actors & guests

The 2026 guest list has not yet been officially announced.

PIFFF traditionally invites directors, actors, screenwriters, producers and other members of film teams to accompany selected films. Guest appearances can be connected to competition films, special screenings, premieres, tributes and discussions.

Previous festival guest lists demonstrate the international scope of PIFFF. Recent guests have included directors such as Nicolas Boukhrief, Kurtis David Harder, Chris Marrs Piliero, Taratoa Stappard and Paolo Strippoli, together with actors including Lisa Delamar, Giulia Maenza, Cassandra Naud and Élodie Navarre.

Previous editions have also welcomed filmmakers including Alexandre Aja, Neil Marshall, Lucile Hadzihalilovic and Thomas Salvador. These guest appearances illustrate the festival’s practice of bringing filmmakers directly into the screening and discussion environment.

The 2026 programme should be treated as the authoritative source once the festival publishes its confirmed guests and jury members.

Screening schedule

The detailed 2026 screening timetable has not yet been published.

Previous PIFFF schedules demonstrate a dense programme with several screenings each day, including feature competitions, short films, special screenings and repeat presentations. The schedule is normally organised around the Max Linder Panorama’s single large auditorium.

The final schedule is expected to provide:

• Film title
• Screening time
• Programme category
• Screening type
• Guest information where applicable
• Ticketing or reservation information
• Age restrictions where applicable

Because the festival uses one principal auditorium, visitors planning several screenings should pay close attention to the published timetable. Some films may be repeated, while other sessions may have limited availability.

The Max Linder’s large auditorium has seating distributed across the orchestra, mezzanine and balcony, allowing the festival to accommodate a substantial audience for major screenings.

Ticket types & accreditation

The 2026 ticket prices have not yet been published on the official PIFFF pricing page. The following figures therefore use the latest published festival ticket structure as reference pricing and have been converted to approximate US dollars.

Regular individual ticket: approximately $14.19 based on the latest published full admission price.

Reduced individual ticket: approximately $10.79. The latest published reduced category included people under 26, students, jobseekers and people over 65.

Max Linder loyalty card: approximately $42.01 for five tickets. The card was non-nominative and could be lent or given to another person under the cinema’s published conditions.

Ciné Carte, five-ticket option: approximately $44.29.

Ciné Carte, ten-ticket option: approximately $78.35.

Ciné Carte, twenty-ticket option: approximately $124.91.

The festival pass provides access to the festival’s screenings with priority entry to the theatre, but the latest public pricing page does not publish the pass price itself. The 2026 pass price should therefore be checked directly with PIFFF when sales information is released.

These dollar figures are approximate conversions from the latest published rates. They are reference amounts rather than confirmed 2026 prices.

Industry & professional access

PIFFF has a dedicated professional and press dimension alongside its public festival programme.

Professional and press accreditation provides access to festival screenings at the Max Linder Panorama and is intended for people working in cinema, journalism and related professional fields. The festival’s published accreditation information explains that accreditation is personal, nominative and non-transferable.

Professional activities can include:

• Industry screenings
• Press screenings
• Film-team meetings
• Interview opportunities
• Professional discussions
• Access to festival information
• Media and promotional materials

The festival also works with distributors and international film sellers that provide films for the programme. Its partner information identifies distributors, sales companies, media organisations and cinema-industry partners among the festival’s wider professional network.

Press and professional applicants should use the official accreditation process rather than relying on ordinary public tickets. Accreditation conditions can differ from public admission arrangements.

Red carpet & special events

PIFFF’s opening and closing events are among the festival’s major public moments.

The festival traditionally combines significant film screenings with ceremonies and appearances by guests. Previous official programmes have included opening films, closing presentations, special screenings and cult-film sessions.

Opening ceremony: The festival traditionally launches its programme with a major screening and a formal opening event.

Closing ceremony: The closing event brings together the festival audience, jury members, guests and selected films before the awards are announced.

Night session: The festival’s official description specifically highlights a weekend night session with more radical and festive genre programming.

Special screenings: These provide opportunities to see films outside the standard competition structure.

Cult screenings: PIFFF’s programme history includes special sessions devoted to important or unusual works of genre cinema.

Guest meetings: Directors and actors accompanying films may participate in introductions, discussions or meetings around their screenings.

Festival rules

PIFFF operates according to festival and cinema admission rules covering tickets, passes, accreditation, screening access and audience conduct.

Festival Pass: The pass provides priority access to festival screenings according to the conditions established by the festival. The festival’s published pricing information describes the pass as providing access to each screening with priority entry.

Individual tickets: Tickets are sold for specific screenings through the Max Linder Panorama ticketing system and cinema box office.

Accreditation: Professional and press accreditation is personal and nominative. The festival’s published accreditation information states that accreditation is not transferable.

Cinema entry: Max Linder’s current ticketing conditions state that electronic tickets are checked at the cinema entrance and that access can be refused where a ticket has already been used or duplicated.

Age restrictions: Certain films can carry legal age restrictions, which are displayed with the relevant film information.

Audience behaviour: The Max Linder conditions state that inappropriate behaviour can result in removal from the cinema. The venue also prohibits entry with animals other than guide dogs and reserves the right to refuse admission for violations of its rules.

How to get there

The Max Linder Panorama is located at 24 Boulevard Poissonnière in the 9th arrondissement of Paris.

By Metro: The closest major metro connection is the Grands Boulevards station, served by Metro Lines 8 and 9.

By Bus: Bus services including Lines 20, 39 and 48 serve the area around the cinema.

By Train: Visitors arriving at Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, Gare Saint-Lazare or other central Paris railway stations can continue by Metro, bus or taxi.

By Taxi: Taxis and ride-hailing services can drop passengers close to Boulevard Poissonnière.

On foot: Visitors staying around the Grands Boulevards, Opéra and central 9th arrondissement can reach the cinema on foot.

The central Paris location makes the festival accessible from many parts of the city without requiring a private vehicle.

Public transport & parking

Public transport is particularly practical for reaching PIFFF because the Max Linder Panorama is located in central Paris and close to the Grands Boulevards Metro station.

Metro: Lines 8 and 9 provide direct access to the Grands Boulevards area.

Bus: Lines 20, 39 and 48 are identified by the official cinema information as serving the area.

Taxi: Taxis provide direct access to Boulevard Poissonnière and can be useful after late-night festival sessions.

Parking: Visitors travelling by car should use commercial or public underground parking facilities in central Paris rather than relying on street parking immediately outside the cinema. Parking availability and charges can change, so checking a current Paris parking service before travelling is recommended.

Because PIFFF includes late screenings and a weekend night session, visitors attending those events may find public transport or a pre-booked taxi more practical than driving into central Paris.

Accommodation areas

Visitors attending PIFFF have several accommodation options within convenient reach of the Max Linder Panorama.

Grands Boulevards: Staying close to the cinema provides the simplest access to festival screenings and late-night sessions.

Opéra: The Opéra district is nearby and offers a large selection of hotels, restaurants and public transport connections.

Montmartre and South Pigalle: These areas are within practical reach of the festival venue and provide numerous hotels, guesthouses and apartments.

Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est: Accommodation around the major railway stations can be useful for visitors arriving by train while remaining connected to the cinema by Metro.

Le Marais: Visitors looking for a central Paris location can also consider accommodation around the Marais, with public transport connections toward the Grands Boulevards.

For a festival centred on one cinema, accommodation within walking distance can be particularly convenient because it removes the need for repeated Metro journeys between screenings.

Food & dining

The Max Linder Panorama is situated in one of central Paris’s busy restaurant and entertainment districts. Visitors can find cafés, bakeries, restaurants, bars and fast-casual dining within walking distance of the cinema.

The Grands Boulevards and surrounding streets provide a wide range of options for meals before or after screenings. Visitors attending several films can also choose quick-service restaurants and cafés when the schedule leaves limited time between sessions.

The cinema itself has a bar, which provides an additional place for visitors to gather around screenings and festival events. The Max Linder’s official venue information confirms the presence of a bar and reception space.

Late-night festival attendees can also find restaurants and cafés in the surrounding central Paris neighbourhoods, although opening hours vary by establishment.

Accessibility

The Max Linder Panorama is a historic cinema with seating distributed across several levels. Visitors with specific accessibility requirements should contact the cinema before attending to confirm current access arrangements for the relevant auditorium and seating area.

Because the auditorium is divided between orchestra, mezzanine and balcony levels, access conditions can differ according to the seating area.

The cinema’s official information should be consulted directly for current accessibility arrangements before purchasing tickets, particularly for visitors using wheelchairs or requiring step-free access.

Visitors should also allow additional arrival time if they require assistance from cinema staff.

Best screenings to attend

The complete 2026 programme has not yet been announced, so individual films cannot currently be identified as confirmed selections.

International feature competition: This is the central competitive programme and is designed to showcase new international genre films and emerging filmmaking talent.

French short-film competition: This section provides an opportunity to discover French short-form genre cinema and see films selected by a professional jury.

International short-film competition: The international shorts offer a broader look at contemporary fantastic filmmaking from different countries.

Premieres: PIFFF places particular emphasis on presenting films in Paris and, in many cases, showing them in France for the first time.

Night session: The festival’s weekend night session is designed around more radical and festive genre cinema and can be an important part of the PIFFF experience.

Opening and closing events: These provide opportunities to experience the festival’s ceremonial side alongside major screenings.

Special and cult screenings: Visitors interested in genre history can look for the special sessions and cult screenings included in the final programme.

Previous year’s highlights

The previous edition presented an international selection of feature films and short films at the Max Linder Panorama, continuing PIFFF’s focus on contemporary fantastic cinema.

The feature programme included films such as Junk World, Influencers, The Holy Boy, Mag Mag, Kissed, Redux Redux, Appofeniacs and The Last Viking. The programme combined international productions with different approaches to horror, thriller, science fiction and other genre forms.

The festival’s short-film programme included French and international selections. The official results recognised Junk World and several short films through the festival’s competition and partner awards. The short-film jury included Olivier Babinet, Delphine Chanéac, Nathalie Jeung and Thomas Salvador.

The previous edition also welcomed directors and actors including Nicolas Boukhrief, Kurtis David Harder, Giulia Maenza, Grégory Morin, Cassandra Naud, Élodie Navarre, Chris Marrs Piliero, Taratoa Stappard and Paolo Strippoli.

The programme demonstrated PIFFF’s continuing combination of feature competition, short films, guest appearances, special screenings and audience-oriented genre programming.

Official tickets & accreditation

The official PIFFF website is the primary source for 2026 programme announcements, ticket sales, Festival Pass information, guest announcements and accreditation.

The festival has confirmed the 15th edition at the Max Linder Panorama and has already opened film submissions. The full programme and guest announcements are still to come.

The latest published public ticket structure provides the following reference prices:

• Regular individual ticket: approximately $14.19
• Reduced individual ticket: approximately $10.79
• Max Linder five-ticket loyalty card: approximately $42.01
• Ciné Carte five-ticket option: approximately $44.29
• Ciné Carte ten-ticket option: approximately $78.35
• Ciné Carte twenty-ticket option: approximately $124.91

The festival pass is designed to provide access to the festival screenings with priority entry, but its latest published price is not displayed on the public pricing page. The 2026 price should therefore be confirmed through PIFFF when pass sales information is released.

Professional and press visitors should use the official accreditation process. The festival’s published professional information explains that accreditation provides access to festival screenings and that accreditation is personal and nominative.

The official festival contact address supplied for general enquiries is contact@pifff.fr.