Take A Look At PAIFF's 2026 Feature Films Lineup
- Feb 27
- 6 min read
A Global Feature Program Built for Discovery, Conversation, and Impact
PAIFF 2026’s feature film lineup represents 16 of the festival’s 99 official selections (out of 41 feature-length submissions–a 39% acceptance rate), offering audiences a standout cross-section of the bold, diverse storytelling that defines this year’s program. While more than 70 projects will be screened across 8 screening sessions (excluding screenplay selections), these 16 features serve as a major cornerstone of the festival, spanning 5 narrative and 11 documentary works that explore music, migration, identity, family, education, environment, history, and personal transformation. Together, they reflect PAIFF’s global spirit and curatorial commitment to presenting films that are emotionally resonant, culturally rich, and deeply engaging.
PAIFF Season Three's feature selections represent an impressive international spread, with films from or co-produced by the United States, Mexico, Canada, Ecuador, France, Ukraine, Spain, Korea, Barbados, Panama, and Puerto Rico, along with stories that span regions including the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa. The result is a program with global reach and local relevance, inviting audiences to engage with films that are timely, resonant, and deeply human.
Please note: All screenings subject to up-to-the-last-minute schedule changes.
Audience
Dir. by Tom Miller (United States), 65 min, Session 5 w/ FILMMAKER Q&A
Tom Miller’s Audience invites viewers into a delightfully surreal, layered, and self-aware theatrical experience where the line between spectator and performer begins to collapse in unexpected ways. With sharp wit, inventive structure, and a playful skewering of avant-garde pretension, this is a must-see for audiences who enjoy films that challenge perspective while remaining genuinely funny and accessible.
Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me
Dir. by Robert Clem (United States), 88 min, 2 SCREENINGS! Session 1 and Session 6
This powerful documentary honors the life and legacy of blues icon Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, a groundbreaking artist whose fierce authenticity and influence helped shape American music history. Audiences drawn to music, cultural history, and stories of creative resilience will find this portrait of a singular voice both inspiring and long overdue.
Class Of Her Own
Dir. by Boaz Dvir (United States), 87 min, Session 7
Class Of Her Own tells the remarkable true story of Gloria Jean Merriex, an educator who transformed her classroom by rejecting rigid systems and creating her own bold, music-driven teaching methods. This uplifting documentary offers an energizing reminder that innovation, courage, and high expectations can radically change lives, making it especially compelling for educators, parents, and changemakers.
The Color Of Exile
Dir. by Azlarabe Alaoui (France), 98 min, Session 3
Set in motion by persecution and shaped by an unforgiving journey, The Color Of Exile follows a young albino boy and his mother as they navigate desert crossings, superstition, and the brutal realities of displacement. Emotionally urgent and visually striking, the film invites audiences into a deeply human story about survival, rejection, and the search for dignity in an ever-shifting world.
The Dog, My Father And Us.
Dir. by Pablo Arturo Suárez (Ecuador), 90 min, Session 5 w/ FILMMAKER Q&A
This darkly humorous family drama centers on a 45-year-old man whose life begins unraveling all at once, forcing him to confront work, marriage, aging, family tension, and long-buried resentments. As director Pablo Arturo Suárez notes, the film uses humor to explore how Sebastián must “change and reformulate” his life, making this a relatable and emotionally rewarding watch for anyone who understands that family chaos often reveals what matters most.
Flowers Beyond The Dark
Dir. by Iryna Pravylo (Ukraine), 78 min, 2 SCREENINGS! Session 3 and Session 6
Filmed during and after the occupation of the Kyiv region, Flowers Beyond The Dark captures artists, soldiers, clergy, and civilians living through devastation while searching for meaning, faith, and renewal. In the director’s words, the film is about “life overcoming death,” offering audiences an intimate and courageous portrait of resilience in the face of unspeakable loss.
Jailhouse To Milhouse
Dir. by Buddy Farmer (United States), 67 min, 2 SCREENINGS! Session 5 and Session 6
This inspiring documentary follows the extraordinary true story of Pamela Hayden, beloved voice of Milhouse on The Simpsons, as she reflects on surviving trauma, institutional hardship, and profound setbacks before dedicating herself to helping teen girls overcome adversity. Told with candor, warmth, and surprising humor, the film delivers exactly the kind of uplifting emotional arc that stays with an audience.
Leaving Beringia
Dir. by Barbara Hager (Canada / United States / Mexico), 90 min, Session 7 w/ FILMMAKER Q&A
In a deeply personal and expansive documentary journey, Métis/Cree filmmaker Barbara Hager travels to some of the oldest archaeological sites in the Americas to explore Indigenous origin stories alongside scientific inquiry. This film offers audiences a fascinating and necessary re-examination of long-held narratives, opening space for a broader and more culturally grounded understanding of human arrival, memory, and belonging.
Mutation (Mutacion)
Dir. by Carlo Ayhllón (Mexico), 60 min, Session 3 w/ FILMMAKER Q&A
Structured in three movements, Mutation explores the conception, creative process, and world premiere of Carlo Ayhllón’s contemporary orchestral work, bringing audiences inside a rare collision of philosophy, performance, and sound experimentation. This documentary is an ideal screening for music lovers, composers, and curious viewers eager to experience the rigor and beauty behind ambitious contemporary art.
Over The Moon: My Adventures Dealing With Cults
Dir. by Michael A. Smith & Ted E Haynes (United States), 66 min, Session 3
This documentary dives into the dangerous and emotionally charged world of cult intervention, focusing on the personal risks once taken to rescue and deprogram vulnerable young adults. With real-life stakes, moral complexity, and a subject that remains deeply relevant, it promises a gripping and conversation-sparking screening.
Piggy Duster
Dir. by Jesse Stewart (United States), 91 min, Session 3 w/ FILMMAKER Q&A
Set on a high-altitude camping trip interrupted by a grizzly bear, Piggy Duster uses wilderness tension as the backdrop for a deeply personal story of family fracture and attempted repair between a teenage girl and her stepfather. Director Jesse Stewart describes it as “a love letter to our sons, sisters, daughters, and fathers,” and that emotional sincerity gives this intimate feature its pull.
The Reencounter. 500 Years Moctezuma And Cortés
Dir. by Miguel Gleason (Mexico), 100 min, Session 2
This thought-provoking documentary explores the deep cultural divide still felt in Mexico through a symbolic modern-day reunion tied to the legacies of Moctezuma and Cortés. By examining resentment, identity, and the possibility of reconciliation, the film offers audiences a meaningful invitation to reflect on history not as a closed chapter, but as something still living inside the present.
Sargassum
Dir. by Claude Barnes (Canada / United States / Barbados / Mexico), 90 min, Session 7 w/ FILMMAKER Q&A
Both visually immersive and urgently relevant, Sargassum explores the paradox of a floating marine ecosystem that is essential at sea yet increasingly devastating when it overwhelms coastlines. For Caribbean communities especially, this film will resonate as both an environmental wake-up call and a look at the ingenuity being applied to one of the region’s most pressing natural challenges.
Shield. The Living Wall Of The Caribbean
Dir. by Mario Cuesta Hernando (Spain / United States / Mexico / Panama / Puerto Rico), 80 min, Session 3
This timely documentary examines how mangroves and coral reefs serve as critical natural defenses against hurricanes and drought across the Caribbean, even as climate change and human impact threaten their survival. With strong regional relevance and a built-in sense of urgency, it is an important screening for audiences who care about science, conservation, and the future of coastal communities.
The Unfixing
Dir. by Nicole Betancourt (Spain / United States), 87 min, Session 4
A deeply personal and visually layered documentary, The Unfixing follows Nicole Betancourt through chronic illness, family struggle, ecological grief, and an evolving search for renewal. As Betancourt writes, the film seeks to offer “another way to face the sickness in our bodies and the earth,” making it a powerful and poetic choice for audiences drawn to healing, reflection, and emotionally daring nonfiction.
Welcome To Vegas
Dir. by Hae Sun Hong (United States / Korea), 82 min, Session 4
Hae Sun Hong’s debut feature is a moving intergenerational portrait of survival, migration, and the emotional weight carried between a mother and son trying to rebuild their lives in Las Vegas. Blending raw feeling with cultural specificity, the film promises a heartfelt and resonant experience; as Hong writes, “Laughter and tears often walk hand in hand,” and this story lives in that space.
PAIFF 2026’s feature program is designed not only to entertain, but to engage, challenge, and connect audiences through the power of meaningful cinema. These films reflect the kind of work PAIFF is proud to champion: diverse in origin, bold in voice, and deeply committed to the human experience. Join us for these screenings and discover why, at PAIFF, it’s always about the films.
OFFICIAL RUNNING ORDER AND SESSION TIMES + VENUE INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED THE WEEK OF MARCH 2nd, 2026. Can't wait?... peek at the unofficial schedule now.
Session 1 – Wednesday, March 25
Session 2 & 3 – Thursday, March 26
Session 4 & 5 – Friday, March 27
Session 6 & 7 – Saturday, March 28
Session 8 – Sunday, March 29
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