News

ALFF Announces 2026 Sneak Peek Festival Lineup

December 22, 2025

24th Available Light Film Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon

February 6-15, 2026

WHITEHORSE, YT (DECEMBER 17, 2025) Canada's largest film festival north of 60° will bring to Whitehorse 100+ films, ALFF LIVE, media art, and ALFF Industry panels + presentations February 6-15, 2026.

Four Yukon filmmakers will screen their documentaries at the festival. Included in this roster will be three world premieres: Alexandra Knowles’ My Knitting Circle, which explores community and isolation in the Northern territory through the lens of an avid knitter and colourful fibre community; Marty O'Brien’s Back to the Sun, telling the stories of a diverse group of White River First Nation members, long term residents, contractors and newcomers as they work towards energy sovereignty in Canada's most westerly community; Beaver Creek; and Jessica Hall’s Beyond the Left Hand Path - a retrospective documentary film about artist James C. Kirby.

This year’s program will further enrich the long-standing presence of Indigenous cinema at the heart of ALFF programming. Among other films: Patrick Shannon’s Saints and Warriors captures a story of resilience, brotherhood, and the unbreakable spirit of Haida people against the backdrop of the 2024 BC All Native Basketball Tournament; Luke Gleeson’s Caribou Country (Wədzįh Nəne’) features First Nations guardians, government biologists, and guide outfitters confronting the stark reality of declining caribou populations; Eva Thomas’s Nika & Madison is a thriller sharing the story of two young Indigenous women who go on the run after one's defense of the other results in a violent attack against a police officer.

Bringing some laughs to the dark days of winter, this year’s festival is excited to screen Brendan Langelle Lyle’s Tracy and Martina: Goin’ Out West. This hilarious mockumentary follows the irreverent Cape Breton podcasters on their first tour of Alberta.

New this year, ALFF 2026 features a new programming section: the Rituals late night film series, which will include Dead Lover, $Positions and classic Canadian horror film Rituals. 

 

ALFF 2026 Program Highlights

Saints and Warriors, dir. Patrick Shannon

Beyond the Left Hand Path, dir. Jessica Hall. World premiere.

My Knitting Circle, dir. Alexandra Knowles. World premiere.

Back to the Sun, dir. Marty O'Brien. World premiere.

Mammoth Hunters, dir. Fritz Mueller. Canadian premiere.

Amour Apocalypse (Peak Everything), dir. Anne Émond

Sentimental Value, dir. Joachim Trier

Dead Man’s Wire, dir. Gus Van Sant

It Was Just an Accident, dir. Jafar Panahi

Nirvanna the Band, The Show, The Movie, dir. Matt Johnson

Wrong Husband (Uiksaringitara), dir. Zacharias Kunuk 

Caribou Country (Wədzįh Nəne’), dir. Luke Gleeson

Modern Whore, dir. Nicole Bazuin

Nika & Madison, dir. Eva Thomas

Shifting Baselines, dir. Julien Elie

Tracy and Martina: Goin’ Out West, dir. Brendan Langelle. Western Canada premiere.

Rituals (Live Score) 1977, dir. Peter Carter

More details on ALFF 2026 programming will be announced in the coming weeks. Ticket packs are now on sale at alff.ca and single film tickets will be released in January. Learn more about the festival at alff.ca.

YFS gratefully acknowledges the annual support of Yukon Arts Operating Fund, Lotteries Yukon and Canada Council for the Arts. Mahsi Cho, shäw nithan, kwanalchish to all the public funders, sponsors, community partners, artists, audiences, filmmakers, distributors, boosters, industry presenters, festival staff, venue staff and volunteers who participate and support cinema and film creation in the Yukon.

For more information, please contact Selene Vakharia, ALFF marketing director: selene@smrtpopups.com or 867-333-6666.