Bangkok International Film Festival 2026 opens with Thailand’s Oscar pick and reveals its first lineup

Bangkok International Film Festival 2026 opens on September 13 with a film already carrying some serious momentum: Thailand’s official Oscar submission, 9 Temples to Heaven.

Sompot Chidgasornpongse's Cannes-premiered family drama leads the opening at ICONSIAM, where Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi will preside over the ceremony. The red carpet unfolds beside the Chao Phraya River, with international actors arriving by boat to dock at the venue – a suitably cinematic start for a festival still rebuilding its scale after several years away.

From there, BKKIFF runs until September 27, with more than 150 films screening across Doc Club & Friends, Samyan Mitrtown, Paragon Cineplex and CentralWorld’s SF World Cinema. Screenings, Q&As and competition strands run daily, making this a city-wide festival rather than a single-cinema showcase.

The Oscar connection gives this edition an especially strong opening hook.  9 Temples to Heaven was selected from a shortlist of eight films by Thailand’s National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations following wins at Shanghai and New Zealand and a Directors' Fortnight premiere at Cannes – the first Thai film in that section in 19 years. Its BKKIFF screening comes just days before its nationwide release on September 17.

For a festival only in its second year back, opening with a film already attracting that level of international attention feels significant. It also puts BKKIFF's own expansion – new ambassadors, a wider spread of venues and a lineup still being revealed title by title – right alongside one of the year’s bigger Thai cinema stories

More programme details are expected as BKKIFF continues to announce its lineup. The festival runs September 13-27. Check the official programme for the latest screenings and updates.