I’ve been getting a lot of emails and announcements from the good folks over at Philadelphia Film Society over the years and my lack of time and proximity hindered me from spotlighting this area of the festival landscape. That said, I don’t live in Philly, but they’re on my radar this year as they’re debuting a slew of feature titles in their yearly delivery for SpringFest which kicks off April 17.
The festival is a weeklong event and is being held at Film Society East, and tickets are now available on their website. That means a chance to look at a number of titles they have in store like Giulio Bertelli’s Agon, Adam Rehmeier’s Samara Weaving starrer Caroline Caroline, the Adam Scott-led thriller Hokum, Aussie director Adrian Chiarella’s all-too prevalent drama Leviticus, and Curry Barker’s Obsession. Of course, the stand-outs for us are The Furious which I will be covering very soon, and Jorma Taccone’s revamp of Tommy Wirkola’s The Trip, Over Your Dead Body which just debuted a new red band trailer from Independent Film Company.
SpringFest already sounds like a fun film trip for the locals. Read on below and get tickets today!
PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 2, 2026) — The Philadelphia Film Society (PFS) today announced the full lineup for SpringFest 2026, a dynamic seven-day celebration of cinema, taking place April 17–23 at Film Society East (125 S. 2nd Street, Philadelphia).
Returning with expanded programming, this year on two screens, and a renewed focus on emerging voices, SpringFest 2026 brings together standout selections from the international festival circuit, from daring American independents and thought-provoking documentaries to acclaimed global cinema, with each film making its exclusive Philadelphia premiere. Designed as a festival of discovery, SpringFest offers audiences an early look at some of the year’s most exciting films, showcasing 18 features prior to wider release, alongside post-screening conversations, filmmaker Q&As, and events that create meaningful connections between artists and audiences.
Highlights for this year’s SpringFest include HOKUM, the new horror from ODDITY director Damian McCarthy, novelist Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) retreats to a remote inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, he is consumed by tales of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite. Disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance forces him to confront dark corners of his past; POWER BALLAD follows a talented but past-his-prime wedding singer (Paul Rudd) and a young rockstar (Nick Jonas) who uses the wedding singer’s songwriting prowess to revitalize his own career; CAROLINA CAROLINE, Adam Rehmeier’s much-anticipated followup to DINNER IN AMERICA, a sexy thrill ride about a small-town gal (Samara Weaving) swept up by a charming grifter (West Chester’s own, Kyle Gallner) who is looking for a partner in crime.
COOKIE QUEENS, Alysa Nahmias’ hilarious, charming, and thoughtful documentary chronicling the trials and tribulations of the Girl Scout cookie economy through the eyes of four tenacious and adorable young sellers; I WANT YOUR SEX, New Queer Cinema pioneer Gregg Araki’s return to the big screen starring Cooper Hoffman as a naive assistant whose life is turned sideways when he gets a job as the “sexual muse” for a dominating, boundary-pushing artist (Olivia Wilde); THE FURIOUS, after the daughter of Wang Wei (Xie Miao) is kidnapped by a criminal network and he receives no help from the corrupt police, Wei sets out on a rampage to find her himself. His only ally is Navin (Joe Taslim) – a relentless journalist whose wife has mysteriously disappeared. Fueled by a furious vengeance, the unlikely duo ruthlessly fights against the kidnappers in this explosive martial arts showdown.
TUNER by Oscar-winning documentarian Daniel Roher (NAVALNY, THE AI DOC), trying his hand at his first narrative feature, an endlessly entertaining romantic caper about a piano tuner savant (Leo Woodall) who utilizes his keen hearing to moonlight as a safe cracker; LEVITICUS, two teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most— each other.
Special Guests include Jorma Taccone and John Early. OVER YOUR DEAD BODY (IFC/Shudder), the twist-filled action comedy about husband and wife (Jason Segel and Samara Weaving) who take a remote weekend getaway as an opportunity to secretly plot to kill each other, directed by The Lonely Island’s Jorma Taccone (POPSTAR: NEVER STOP NEVER STOPPING), who will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A; and comedian John Early’s directorial debut MADDIE’S SECRET (Magnolia), which perfectly walks the razor-thin edge of uproarious and insightful in this surprisingly poignant alternative comedy about a food influencer who is secretly struggling with bulimia. Early will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A.
SpringFest continues to place an exciting emphasis on Philadelphia’s thriving filmmaking community, featuring 34 short films and 2 features by local filmmakers and highlighting the city’s growing influence as a creative hub for independent cinema.
The popular Festival Lounge, located next to the Film Society East Theater, will be open for the first time during SpringFest to all badge and ticket holders. Refreshments will be available with plenty of opportunities to get to know your fellow film fans. Special events are planned at the Lounge to engage SpringFest audiences beyond the festival experience.
A new offering, Friends of SpringFest, invites Festival attendees to stroll around Philly’s oldest neighborhood before or after screenings and receive exclusive discounts at select retail stores and restaurants. The SpringFest ticket or badge will guarantee savings at any of the participating Old City businesses during SpringFest 2026.
“Over the last several years, it’s been thrilling to watch SpringFest grow, not only in terms of the amount of films, number of screenings, and length of the event, but also in terms of audience anticipation and attendance,” said J. Andrew Greenblatt, CEO & Executive Director of the Philadelphia Film Society. “On the 25th anniversary year for the Philadelphia Film Society, and in advance of our milestone 35th Philadelphia Film Festival this coming October, we’re so excited to deliver our largest lineup yet, reflecting a diverse selection of new films celebrating the bold creativity of filmmakers from around the world alongside the incredible talent right here in Philadelphia.”
PFS member presale tickets for SpringFest 2026 go on sale April 3, General Admission tickets go on sale April 6. All-access badges available now.
For the full lineup and ticket information, visit Filmadelphia.org.SPRINGFEST 2026 LINEUP:
- AGON | Giulio Bertelli
- CAROLINA CAROLINE | Adam Rehmeier
- COOKIE QUEENS | Alysa Nahmias
- THE FURIOUS | Kenji Tanigaki
- HOKUM | Damian McCarthy
- I WANT YOUR SEX | Gregg Araki
- JANE ELLIOTT AGAINST THE WORLD | Judd Ehrlich
- LEVITICUS | Adrian Chiarella
- MADDIE’S SECRET | John Early
- MILE END KICKS | Chandler Levack
- THE NAPA BOYS | Nick Corirossi
- NINO | Pauline Loqués
- OBSESSION | Curry Barker
- OVER YOUR DEAD BODY | Jorma Taccone
- POWER BALLAD | John Carney
- TUNER | Daniel Roher
- THESE ARE MY FRIENDS! | Aaron Bartuska | Local Feature
- MARRIAGE COPS w/ WHAT YOU LEFT | Shashwati Tulakdar, Cheryl Hess | Local Feature, Free Community Screening
LOCAL SHORTS PROGRAMS
- In Our Skin
- THE VILLAGE IT TOOK | Victoria Wilcox
- SCAPE G.O.A.T. | Erika Lobati
- MY YELLOW, YOUR RED | Roya Alidjani
- PISMO BEACH | Christian Tucci
- XXVIII | Christian Tate Shepherd
- EMBRACE | Sanoe Wildgrube, Shaquana Tucker
- THE ADVENTURES OF THE BLACK GIRL IN HER SEARCH FOR GOD | Ebonee Blak
- The Point of it All
- WAKING | Jaran Huggins
- TO ORBIT AROUND A DYING STAR | Justin O’Neill
- SILENT PULL | Lamont Nathaniel Gibson
- MARINA | Eva Steinmetz
- REHASH | Kevin Giles
- BABY BROTHER | Harold Batista
- SOIL | Ben McLaughlin
- After Hours: New Oddities
- BILL’S MIRACLE | Aidan Guynes
- GODS OF CABLE CITY | Ryan Dellaquila
- DRESS TO KILL | Kelly Holstrom
- THE DEATH OF THERAPY | Kelly Holstrom
- OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS | Graham Burrell
- HAUNTED HOME | Samuel WH Greaves
- New Comedies
- WARM BEER | Christina Hoffman, Mike Macera
- LAZYBONES | Douglas Williams
- ROOM TONE | Tatyana Yassukovich
- GAINZ | Wesley Haag
- HUNDRED DOLLAR BRAWLER | Charles S Cerrone
- THE DIVE | Morgan Green
- HAVE A SAFE TRIP | Liz Wiest
- TERROIR | Casey Rogerson
- A Philly Lens
- BIG BASS | Drew Dickler
- FLOWERS, BIRDS & DAD | Brandt Hale
- WHY I LOVE YOU: MEET THE ULTIMATES | Shontel Horne
- LEO: KEEPING THE MUSIC ALIVE | Adam Reim
-
-
WHERE THE WATER GOES | Grace Sullivan
-