Free Festival Shuttle Bus

Thanks to funding from Film Hub North we are pleased to be able to offer a FREE shuttle bus service on Sunday 22 March, extended this year to include the journey between Penrith and Rheged.

The bus will run a circular route, leaving Keswick then picking up in Penrith town and arriving at Rheged in time for the start of each film.

Return buses will depart Rheged to drop off in Penrith and arrive back in Keswick in time for the films at the Alhambra.

See the travel page for full details including how to book your seat.

Festival Fringe Announced

Nurturing talented filmmakers in our community is important to Keswick Film Festival and we are proud to present a selection of films made by groups and individuals, that showcase Cumbrian Life.

From BlueJam Arts based in Penrith to our colleagues and students at Carlisle College, from short films by young filmmakers to films about the Borrowdale temperate rainforest and suicide prevention in Cumbria, our Festival Fringe demonstrates local storytelling at its best.

The Fringe programme and timetable are now available to download and you can find more details on all of the events on the Fringe page.

With huge thanks to all our Fringe contributors.

Please note, there is no admission charge to Fringe films and events, but seats will need to be booked via the Alhambra website. Donations towards the Festival running will be requested at the screenings with any surplus going to Keswick Area Food Share.

Tickets Now on General Sale

Everybody can now buy tickets for individual films at the Festival.  Please book now to avoid disappointment as many films are already selling fast.

If you want to see multiple films our Festival Passes are a great option but these are only available until Monday 16 March.

See the Passes and Tickets page for full details including changes to how passes and tickets work this year.

More Passholder Benefits

All you smart people who have already bought a Pass to the Festival are in for several treats as we secure additional benefits exclusively for you.

As a Passholder you already enjoy

• priority ticket booking up to this Thursday, 12 February
• priority access to return tickets for sold-out screenings  
• exclusive access to the Passholder Party and the Afterparty on the Festival Opening Night

We are now pleased to offer 10% off purchases at Brewery Hub, Keswick’s brand new beer emporium located opposite the Bank Tavern and Fat Face on Main Street. For the duration of the Festival, just show your Festival Pass to get your 10% discount on local bottled craft beer.

Passes and Priority Tickets On Sale

Festival Passes are now available and passholders can book their entitlement of tickets for films at the Festival.

Keswick Film Club members can also book tickets for individual films.

The remaining tickets will go on general sale on 12 February.

Find out more on the Tickets Page.

Programme Revealed

The programme for KFF26 is now available. Alongside UK, European and World Premieres we also have a selection of films chosen by students from Carlisle College.

See all of these titles on our KFF26 Film Page.

But we're not finished! Coming soon, our Festival Fringe programme this year will feature the work of talented filmmakers across the region as we proudly present a selection of films made by groups and individuals that showcase Cumbrian Life.

Opening Film Revealed

 We're thrilled to announce the KFF26 Opening Film will be The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford

This new British feature will be the highlight of our Gala Festival Opening evening at the Alhambra Cinema on Thursday 19th March. A dark comedy, The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford stars Peter Mullan as a tour guide whose world is upended when a big-budget fantasy TV show begins filming in his remote Scottish village. We hope to welcome the Director and members of the cast to introduce the film and host a Q&A .

KFF @ Rheged

We may be the Keswick Film Festival and we enjoy two lovely venues in town – our Festival HQ at the Alhambra Cinema and Theatre by the Lake. But we also show Festival films at the giant Screen 1 at Rheged, located just a short drive or bus ride from Keswick and Penrith.

Our exciting 2026 programme - KFF @ Rheged - showcases hand-picked films to give an immersive experience on this massive 60 ft screen. This year we have the UK Gala Premiere of All And Nothing, The Shepherd and the Bear, The North, Sirât and a special event with Terry Abraham looking at his filmmaking work in the Lake District over the years.

Jodie Foster Retrospective

The first themed strand of KFF26 is our Jodie Foster Retrospective.

This leading American performer and filmmaker started her career as a child actor before establishing herself in diverse adult roles, and becoming a film director of note. She has received several accolades including two Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Foster also was awarded with the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2013 and the Honorary Palme d'Or in 2021.

We could have filled an entire Festival with films in which Foster has appeared! Out of over 48 feature films we have chosen two from early in her career – both from 1976 but starkly contrasting in content and nature – Alan Parker’s Bugsy Malone and Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, alongside her most recent feature film A Private Life.