LIFF puts Leiden in film mode for eleven days
Editors ·
The Leiden International Film Festival runs through 18 October. More than 100 films range from arthouse to mainstream; three competitions frame the programme around independent cinema, emerging talent and the extraordinary.
For eleven days, Leiden becomes a network of cinemas and unexpected venues. The Leiden International Film Festival runs from 8 to 18 October and is holding its 21st edition. The organisers list more than 100 films, ranging from arthouse to mainstream.
The competition programme has three strands: Independent, Emerging and Extraordinary. They correspond to the American Indie Competition, First Feature Competition and Bonkers! Competition. The festival places independent cinema alongside debut features and films that push beyond familiar genres.
The main cinemas are Trianon on Breestraat and Kijkhuis on Vrouwenkerksteeg. Screenings also take place at venues including the Stadsgehoorzaal, the Temple Hall of the National Museum of Antiquities, Naturalis and Nobel. In 2026, the festival is also screening at Filmhuis Den Haag.
LIFF began in 2006 as a two-day festival. This edition lasts eleven days. Among past winners listed by the organisers are Nomadland in the 2020 American Indie Competition and Whiplash in 2014.
For anyone aged 23 or under, a NextGen ticket costs €10 instead of €13.50. Tickets are available online and at the Trianon box office during the festival, from 30 minutes before a film; the box office accepts card payment only.
The 2023 festival photograph and AI illustration do not show a film from the 2026 edition; check the current programme for a specific screening.