For Internationals

The International Film Festival Assen (IFA) is the go-to destination for film lovers in the North. From March 5 to 8, 2026, immerse yourself in films that highlight women in front of and behind the camera. Our four-day festival takes place annually at De Nieuwe Kolk in Assen. This year is our 46th edition. IFA challenges your perspective on equality and identity, offering captivating arthouse films and an exciting festival programme.

IFA is one of the oldest film festivals in Europe with an intersectional feminist tradition. This means that the festival pays attention to how different forms of inequality, such as gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and socioeconomic status, intersect and impact each other. Female filmmakers and their stories are central to our mission. For 46 editions, we have worked to continue strengthening the position of women in the film industry. Every year, we proudly present a programme that touches, inspires, and sparks reflection. 

The theme of IFA 2026 centres on taking up space by claiming it, sharing it, and creating it. Since its founding, IFA has been committed to equal opportunities and representation in the film world. This year, we proudly say: Het doek is van ons (the screen is ours). We claim our place in the cinematic landscape and invite you to do the same, together with us. 💜

This year, IFA once again presents a diverse and inspiring festival programme, featuring films from the Netherlands and beyond. From thought-provoking stories that challenge perspectives to lighter, feel-good films, the selection offers something for every kind of film lover. IFA is a place to discover meaningful new stories, but also to enjoy a day out; connecting with fellow audiences and experiencing cinema together.

For our international audience, we’ve made it easy to find accessible films. Further down this page, you’ll find an overview of all films that are either English-spoken or have English subtitles.

Friday, March 6th is especially suited for international visitors, as all films screened on this day will be in English or have English subtitles. Below, you can explore the selection and get a taste of a programme where unique films and relevant social themes come together. Get inspired, meet like-minded film lovers, and experience IFA for yourself. Ticket sales will open soon, so keep an eye on this page for updates!
 

IFA shines its spotlight on a rich selection of contemporary cinema, created by female talent both in front of and behind the camera. Here, you’ll find current (inter)national films, including premieres and true fan favorites. A permanent spot within Spotlight is reserved for IFA Perspective, where a groundbreaking film is discussed in a panel conversation. We delve into questions like: what does this film say about us and the world we live in? Get inspired by powerful stories and new insights.

 

Blue Heron
Language: English and Hungarian | Dutch subtitles
Saturday 7 March 19.30 | Sunday 8 March 16.30

A family of six settles into their new home on Vancouver Island as internal dynamics are slowly revealed through the eyes of the youngest child.
 

Dreams
Language: English and Spanish | Dutch subtitles
Friday 6 March 17.00

A family of six settles into their new home on Vancouver Island as internal dynamics are slowly revealed through the eyes of the youngest child.

Finis Terrae
Language: Italian | English subtitles
Friday 6 March 17.00

In this poetic documentary, Marzia Rumi travels with a composer to Alicudi, the most remote Aeolian island, in search of voices and legends. This film is presented as part of DocuDonna meets IFA and is supported by the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Amsterdam.

Sound of View
Language: No dialogue
Saturday 7 March 11.00

A unique sensory film-music project in which image and sound interact in a different way each time. The Utrecht-based ensemble Postland presents the same specially created short film by experimental filmmaker Barbara Meter four times.

The Bride!
Language: English | Dutch subtitles
Friday 6 March 21.15 | Sunday 8 March 16.15

Dr. Frankenstein asks Dr. Euphronius to help create a companion. They bring a murdered woman to life as the Bride, sparking romance, police interest, and radical social change.

The Testament of Ann Lee
Language: English | Dutch subtitles
Friday 6 March 20.15

Acclaimed filmmaker Mona Fastvold tells the true story of Shaker leader Ann Lee. Amanda Seyfried stars in a visceral historical drama shaped by ritual song, dance and original music by Daniel Blumberg.

The World of Love
Language: Korean | English subtitles
Friday 6 March 20.15

In this powerful, emotionally layered drama, a seemingly carefree teenager is confronted with hidden pain. Gradually, she discovers the resilience to take her life into her own hands. Director Yoon Ga-eun explores, with care and sensitivity, the quiet courage it takes to overcome trauma and shape one’s own story.

Thelma & Louise
Language: English | Dutch subtitles
Saturday 7 March 20.15

Thelma & Louise is a timeless classic by Ridley Scott. With iconic performances by Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis, it remains a landmark feminist road movie about friendship, freedom and defiance.

Un Anno di Scuola
Language: Italian, Swedish & English | Dutch subtitles
Saturday 7 March 11.15

Director Laura Samani returns to her birthplace of Trieste in 2007 for a film adaptation of a book about the thin line between friendship and love and what it's like to be a woman in a male-dominated world.

White Snail
Language: Belarussian, Russian, Mandarin & English | Dutch subtitles
Saturday 7 March 20.00 | Sunday 8 March 14.00

A melancholic and tender portrait of two misfits who unexpectedly find intimacy together in modern-day Belarus.

We explore themes like gender diversity, discrimination and stereotypes. If you just look around, you’ll notice an increasing hostility toward LGBTQIA+ individuals and a rise in (online) hate against people who speak out as feminists or gender activists. Providing a counter-narrative is becoming increasingly essential. These stories must remain visible.

Broken English
Language: English | Dutch subtitles
Friday 6 March 14.45

A bold, hybrid documentary about the British singer and cultural icon Marianne Faithfull.

Pillion
Language: English | Dutch subtitles
Saturday 7 March 16.45

Colin is a timid man living a mundane life. When he meets Ray, a confident biker gang leader, he is drawn into a submissive relationship that challenges his sense of self. Through their unconventional dynamic, Colin begins a journey of personal growth.

The Day Iceland Stood Still
Language: Icelandic and English | English subtitles
Saturday 7 March 14.30 | Sunday 8 March 14.30 

1975: 90% of women in Iceland quit their jobs and leave their homes. The country grinds to a halt. This is the true story of a day that made Iceland a world leader in gender equality.

The Long Road to the Director's Chair
Language: English, German & Norwegian | English subtitles
Friday 6 March 15.00 

Filmmaker Vibeke Løkkeberg revisits the 1973 First International Women’s Film Seminar in Berlin. Using rediscovered footage, she creates a cinematic time journey that captures feminist solidarity, ambition and the unresolved struggles of women in a male-dominated film world.

The Ugly Stepsister
Language: Norwegian | English subtitles
Saturday 7 March 21.45 

A highly original retelling of Cinderella, seen through the eyes of the “ugly” stepsister who fights to be seen in a world that prizes beauty above all else.

Many stories are told from a Western perspective, shaping what appears visible, relatable, or universal. West Decentered presents films that challenge this approach and create space for multiple ways of seeing, telling, and understanding. By letting go of the idea of a single central viewpoint, the programme opens up new forms of closeness and connection.

 

One Women One Bra
Language: Swahili, English | English subtitles
Friday 6 March 12.45 

In a rural village, an orphaned girl named Star races against time to prove her family lineage and claim her land deed, facing obstacles from hostile neighbors and shady organizations while unexpectedly finding romance along the way.

Palestinian Short Films
Language: Arabic | English subtitles
Friday 6 March 19.30 

Three Palestinian short documentaries by women filmmakers explore lived experience, feminist history and healing. The programme is part of DocuDonna meets IFA and is supported by the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Amsterdam.

Eager to discover the next generation of filmmakers? We’re passionate about showcasing fresh talent at our festival. In KersVers and Noordsterren, our short film competitions, we present a curated selection of some of this year’s finest short films. Additionally, you can attend engaging workshops, visit masterclasses and connect with professionals from the film industry. The perfect opportunity to discover new talent and get inspired. The films will be screened on Saturday March 7th.

Anna's Diepvries - KersVers Selection
Language: Dutch | English subtitles

After her premiere night, 35 year-old Anna comes home alone. When she discovers that her freezer is completely frozen, a solitary spectacle starts where Anna battles her freezer and tries to escape her lonely reality.

Alles van voor ons - KersVers Selection
Language: Dutch | English subtitles

When Freya has a special encounter with seven-year-old Lisa, she suddenly sees her difficult relationship with her depressed mother in a whole new light.

Born Into You - KersVers Selection
Language: English

Born into You is a poetic short film exploring the essence of belonging and human connection. Set in an industrial world, two contrasting, newly born beings meet and form a deep, spiritual bond.

kus kus beng beng - KersVers Selection
Language: Dutch | English subtitles

In this love portrait made from home videos, photos, diaries, audio recordings, and interviews, director Ollie Launspach explores the impact of his transition on his girlfriend, Sterre Mulder. As he tries to understand her emotional world, the chaos in his own mind slowly comes into focus.

Summer Souvenir - KersVers Selection
Language: English & Dutch | English subtitles

Katja is enjoying a surf holiday with her friends when, during a paragliding trip, she finds herself in an unexpected situation that casts a dark shadow over her summer.

Vlechtjes - KersVers Selection
Language: Dutch | English subtitles

In her everyday life, a young woman finds the line between observing and being observed constantly shifting: conversations feel like scenes, memories like fragments from a script that has already been written.

Blau - Noordsterren Selection
Language: No dialogue

Blau reflects on the solitary confrontation with loneliness, in which nature and the aesthetic beauty and depth of a color offer comfort.

De jaren waarin ik niet film - Noordsterren Selection
Language: Dutch | English subtitles

A cinematic essay on the chaotic experience of time, in which the filmmaker expresses her transformative experience of motherhood through intimate letters, still photographs of her homeland and Dutch archival footage.

Ster van de show - Noordsterren Selection
Language: Dutch | English subtitles

Show wrestler Julia shines in the ring, while her sister Nina watches anxiously from the sidelines. Will they come to understand each other better when Nina steps into her sister’s wrestling world?

Zoals een plant groeit - Noordsterren Selection
Language: Dutch | English subtitles

Multidisciplinary artist C’Cesirhe found an outlet in dance during the difficult periods of his life, with his trauma becoming his inspiration. But when those times passed, he fell into a crisis. If his inspiration no longer comes from pain, where does it come from?

Alongside a diverse film selection, Contour takes you off the beaten path and engages all your senses. Expect musical performances, art installations, and surprising crossovers with other artistic disciplines. Come watch, join the conversation, and let yourself be surprised.

The Storm Drives Us, The Storm Holds Us (2025) by VidAmir
Installation | Full weekend | Foyer

The Storm Drives Us, The Storm Holds Us is a video installation about resilience and comfort amid struggle and memory. Inspired by Walter Benjamin and Angelus Novus, the work explores how the storm of history both propels us forward and holds us in place. Through archival protest footage and an intimate narrative voice, past and present converge.

Exhibition by Mignon Nusteling
Exhibition | Full weekend | Foyer

In this exhibition, Mignon Nusteling critically examines how feminism is often represented through explicit symbolism, such as the visualisation of the vulva. Inspired by the ZERO movement and the use of white pleated fabric, the work reflects on reimagining activism and feminist visual language.

A Queer Gaze (1980-2000) by Marian Bakker
Exhibition | Full weekend | Foyer

A Queer Gaze offers a unique overview of twenty years of queer history in the Netherlands, captured by photographer Marian Bakker between the 1980s and 2000s. Present as an engaged fly on the wall, she documented moments of friendship, visibility, activism, love, and solidarity, themes that run through her photographs.

TO GAZA, WITH LOVE: A Global Anijam
Interactive project | Full weekend | Foyer

TO GAZA, WITH LOVE: A Global Anijam is a worldwide animation project in which artists created short animated films as messages of love and solidarity with the Palestinian people. The submissions are brought together on an interactive world map, making global support for Gaza visible. The project is rooted in the animation workshops of Palestinian artist Haneen Koraz, who offers children in Gaza a way to express their emotions and experiences through animation.
 

Openingact Roden Girls Choristers
Choir | Thursday March 5 | 20.00 | Theater 1

The girls’ choir, the Roden Girl Choristers, has been active since September 2000 and performs 20 to 25 semi-professional concerts each year. Under the direction of artistic leader and conductor Sonja de Vries, this dynamic group of girls has built an impressive reputation. The choir consists of 25 to 30 members aged 8 to 18 and is part of the Stichting Koorschool Noord Nederland. The choir is accompanied by organist Sietze de Vries.

DJ Coco Coquilicot
Music | Thursday March 5 | 22.00 | Foyer

You can’t miss Groningen DJ and vibrant personality Coco Coquelicot. As host of queer parties at VERA and OOST, resident DJ at KopjeK, and artistic director and programmer of Relate Radio, she is a central figure in the northern nightlife scene. Her DJ sets showcase modern underground pop and a deep love for music with a powerful message.

Kunstbende performances and film screening 
Music | March 7 & 8 | 13.00 | Foyer
Film | March 8 | 16.15 | Theater 2

Kunstbende is the creative platform for young people aged 13 to 19, both online and offline, where they can meet, learn new skills, and develop their creativity. During the competition, participants gain stage experience in their province, after which the winners advance to the national final and have the opportunity to showcase their work at major events such as Mysteryland and Oerol. One of the finalists is Marit Hofman, whose short film Echoes of Tomorrow won both the Drenthe regional and national competitions; her film will be screened on Sunday 8 March before The Bride!. In addition, two young musical talents from Kunstbende will perform during our talk shows on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 March.

Become our Friend!

Support IFA by becoming a Friend of the festival. Friends get access to exclusive perks, special screenings, and moments that bring you closer to IFA each year. With the support of our Friends, important themes such as emancipation and inclusion remain visible and part of the conversation. Together, we make IFA a little more beautiful every year. Will you become a Friend of IFA too?