The Future Is NOW at IFFR 2026: Six Decades of Women’s Cinema in Focus

The announcement of the The Future Is NOW programme at IFFR 2026 has already sparked excitement, and it’s easy to see why. The festival is dedicating a major section to six decades of women’s cinema, tying into the 60th anniversary of the National Organization for Women. This alone signals a bold statement: that feminist filmmaking, women-led storytelling and female-driven animation deserve a central space on one of the world’s biggest cinema stages. The Future Is NOW treats these works not as a sidebar or theme week, but as part of the main conversation about where cinema has been and where it’s heading.

What stands out most is how wide-ranging the selection promises to be. Classic feminist films sit alongside newly commissioned world premieres. Animated works appear beside documentary explorations and experimental pieces. Together, they create a sweeping portrait of the impact women filmmakers have had on global cinema. For anyone searching for women’s cinema, feminist films, animation by women, or female directors at international film festivals, this programme will be essential viewing. The Future Is NOW is shaping up not just as a retrospective, but as a reminder that women have always been at the forefront of redefining the art form.