It’s almost time for the Nashville Film Festival again. After so many years, this has become an annual tradition for me. When it rolls around, I know it’s time to start looking through the lineup and figuring out how many movies I can reasonably fit into my schedule. Of course, “reasonably” leaves a little room for interpretation when there’s another movie that sounds too interesting to pass up.
Part of the fun is that there’s still so much I don’t know going into it. This title might get my attention, or a description might leave me wondering how that story is going to play out. Picking the movies is one thing. Finding out which ones live up to that curiosity is another. That’s a pretty good reason to keep coming back year after year.
For 2026, the 57th Nashville Film Festival takes place September 24 through 30, with more than 150 films from around the world. There’s plenty to look through before making those viewing plans, but a few titles have already caught my attention.
So, as I get ready for another year of this familiar tradition, here are some of the movies I’m looking forward to checking out.
Where the Hell Is Anna?
First up is Where the Hell Is Anna?, which follows a woman trying to rescue her best friend from a secretive woodland retreat. A rescue mission involving a possible cult sounds like it could go wrong in plenty of interesting ways, especially with horror and dark comedy sharing the screen.
There’s also the local connection. With a Nashville-based cast and crew behind it, this film gets to make its world premiere in its own backyard. That gives me another reason to look forward to seeing what they’ve put together.
Compliance
Compliance follows a crisis manager at a tech startup whose efforts to contain a sexual assault scandal pull her into a dangerous conspiracy. Director Kyle Mangione-Smith tells the story through security cameras, hacked webcams and body cameras, which adds another layer to the setup.
I’m curious to see how that approach works as the mystery unfolds. Trying to figure out who you can trust is difficult enough without the possibility that someone is watching every move you make.
The Haunting of Pennhurst
The Haunting of Pennhurst takes my watchlist into documentary territory. I love haunted attractions that have a reputation for actually being haunted. Knowing that some of the things lurking in the dark might not be on the payroll adds to the fun. But Pennhurst also has a difficult history as an institution where people with disabilities suffered years of abuse.
This documentary explores that past alongside the haunted attraction now operating there, with disabled performers among its staff. The ghost stories get my attention, but I’m just as interested in hearing from the people working there today and seeing how the film handles the real history behind the scares.
Brother Save Us
Brother Save Us brings some science fiction into the mix, following a lonely boy in a dystopian Midwest who forms a connection with an AI farmworker. That relationship creates tension with his overworked older brother.
The family element is what gives this premise room to be especially interesting. I’m curious about the companionship the boy finds in this machine, but also what that connection means for two brothers who already have enough to deal with.
These four films give me plenty to look forward to, and there’s still a whole festival lineup beyond them. Right now, part of the fun is wondering which ones will deliver on their premises and which might catch me off guard. Soon enough, I’ll have the chance to find out, and hopefully come away with a few movies I’ll still be talking about after the festival ends.
There’s also plenty happening between screenings, with filmmaker Q&As, parties and the Creators Conference giving everyone a chance to keep talking movies after the credits roll. The conference runs September 25 through 28 and includes panels, workshops and a “Made in TN Day” focused on local talent and filmmaking in Tennessee.
It sounds like I’ll need to leave a little room in my schedule for more than just the movies. And if the current forecast holds, the heat dome that’s been roasting Nashville should ease up by then, bringing some nicer temperatures for getting out and enjoying the festival. Watching people sweat through a tense situation on screen is one thing. Doing it myself just walking from the car is another.
Now comes the hard part: fitting it all in.
Between the movies on my watchlist and everything happening around the festival, there should be plenty to keep me busy. I’m looking forward to seeing how these four films turn out, but I’m also leaving a little room for something I haven’t considered yet. That possibility is part of what keeps this annual tradition interesting.
Hopefully, I’ll see some of you there, and we can compare notes on what we’ve watched and what we still need to catch before the festival ends. Get your tickets and find more information at their webpage.