The Los Angeles Festival of Movies (LAFM) has announced the first wave of programming for its third edition, scheduled to take place April 9–12, 2026, at venues across Los Angeles. The festival will open with the U.S. premiere of Maddie’s Secret, the directorial debut from comedian and actor John Early.
The opening night screening will take place April 9 at Vidiots Eagle Theatre. The film features performances by Kate Berlant, Vanessa Bayer, and Conner O’Malley. The story centers on a food influencer whose online persona masks a private struggle with the return of an eating disorder. The film previously premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The festival will close on April 12 with the U.S. premiere of Blue Heron from filmmaker Sophy Romvari. The film follows a Hungarian family navigating immigration to Vancouver Island in the late 1990s and first premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, where it received the Swatch First Feature Award and the Junior Jury Award.
The 2026 program will include more than 25 films, featuring two world premieres, three U.S. premieres, and six West Coast premieres. Among the highlighted screenings are 4K restorations of Macho Dancer from Filipino filmmaker Lino Brocka and Shades of Silk by Mary Stephen.
Additional programming will include curated short film blocks, the Animation Today program presented by Cartuna, and a new showcase of Los Angeles-based filmmakers titled Presidium Overactive. Artist talks and special events will also return.
Screenings and events will take place at venues including Vidiots, 2220 Arts + Archives, and Now Instant Image Hall.
Passes for the festival are currently available, with individual tickets scheduled to go on sale the week of March 23.
