Stony Brook Film Festival Unveils 2026 Lineup

The 31st Annual Stony Brook Film Festival, presented by Stony Brook Medicine, returns to the Staller Center from July 16-25, with 36 films from 23 countries, filmmaker Q&As, special events and some of the year's most acclaimed independent cinema. The festival annually attracts nearly 10,000 attendees and is recognized as one of the region's premier showcases for independent film.

The festival opens with the New York premiere of Once Upon My Mother, the inspiring true story of a mother's determination to help her son overcome a severe disability against all odds, as told by her now-adult son.

This year's lineup explores themes of family and connection through stories from around the world. Highlights include the heart-warming A Mosquito in the Ear, the very timely The Sea and the mesmerizing If I Go Will They Miss Me, three distinctive films that examine the bonds between parents and children from dramatically different perspectives.

American independent cinema thrives in the kinetic drama Downbeat, indie gem The Art of Quitting Gracefully and the meta Bravado, while lighter offerings include the crowd-pleasing It Takes Two to Tango and the delightfully unpredictable road-trip adventure Crystal Cross.

Acclaimed international selections include Frontier, a WWII epic about small-town residents in a Spanish border-town hiding Jewish refugees; Heysel 85, a heart-pounding film about the calamity of the 1985 European Cup; and Hungarian Wedding, a romantic throwback filled with vibrant music and lively folk-dances.

Closing this year's festival is the East Coast premiere of the Swiss hit Hello Betty, the story of the woman behind Switzerland's most beloved culinary icon.

Notable cast from the films include Jake Lacy (A Mosquito in the Ear), Daniel Rashid (Downbeat), Daniel Bruhl (Berlin Hero), Danielle Brooks (If I Go Will They Miss Me), Adele Exarchopoulos (Dog 51) and more. Many of the filmmakers, along with cast members, will attend the festival, participate in Q&As with the audience and attend the afterparties following their premiere screenings.

The Stony Brook Film Festival and Stony Brook Southampton's Avram Theater will present an encore screening of the award-winning film Westhampton on Sunday, July 26, at 7 pm at the Avram Theater in Southampton. A reception will precede the event at 6:30 pm, and a post-film Q&A with filmmakers will be held. Admission is free; RSVP is recommended at StonyBrook.edu/avram.

The complete festival schedule is now available at StonyBrookFilmFestival.com. Festival passes are on sale now, with individual tickets available beginning July 1.

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Pricing: Passes and Tickets

The Festival offers incredibly reasonable prices for entry. Go to all 10 days (plus parties, awards ceremony and events) with a Gold Pass ($250), or attend all 10 days and the awards ceremony ($100), or choose your favorite five days with a Flex Pass ($75) (excludes closing night). Passholders also receive discounts at hospitality partner locations (Bliss, Curry Club, Saghar, Bagel Express, Elaine's, etc.).

• Gold Pass ($250) Passholder perks, all 10 days, VIP reserved seating, awards ceremony, afterparty access and VIP gift.
• Regular Pass ($100) Passholder perks, all 10 days and awards ceremony.
• Flex Pass ($75) Passholder perks, choose your favorite five days (excludes closing night).
• Single Tickets ($15) Available July 1. Access to one film slot (one feature, one short).