The Patrick Wilson and Molly Ringwald-led “Run Amok,” Matthew Giaquinto’s “Red Flag” and Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci’s “Big Night” are among the titles set to screen at the Lighthouse International Film Festival . The festival will take place June 10 through 14 on Long Beach Island, N.J.
LIFF’s 2026 lineup includes a range of world premieres, Sundance and SXSW favorites and genre showcases. Edd Banda and Stephen Halsted’s “Chili Finger” will open the festival and Bayan Joonam’s documentary “Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero” will close the festival. NB Mager’s “Run Amok,” also starring Bill Camp and Margaret Cho, is the Saturday centerpiece and Joe Swanberg’s “The Sun Never Sets” is the Friday centerpiece.
“At a moment of renewed energy for filmmaking in New Jersey, Lighthouse is proud to serve as a meeting point for artists, audiences and the industry at large. As we gather again on Long Beach Island for this 18th edition, our lineup celebrates the vitality and singularity of independent cinema across the world,” said Wilhelm Kuhn, LIFF executive director, in a statement.
LIFF advisory board member Jason Alexander and Tony Shalhoub will join as special guests, with Alexander moderating the mini-retrospective of Shalhoub’s career. Alexander will also lead a five-day acting intensive ahead of the festival’s opening day.
Find the full list of films here.
Monday, May 18
‘Girl Dad’ and ‘Otra’ Among the Nominees at the American Black Film Festival Awards; Steven Caple Jr. to Be Honored With The Alumni Award
Solvan Slick Naim’s “Girl Dad” and Armani Ortiz’s “Otra” are among the nominees for the American Black Film Festival’s Best of the ABFF Awards. Set to take place on May 30 at 8:30 p.m. at the New World Center in Miami Beach, Florida, the ceremony will honor outstanding achievements in independent filmmaking across the festival’s competitive categories.
Steven Caple Jr. will also be honored with the festival’s Alumni Award. Described as a “true success story of the ABFF pipeline,” the writer and director won the HBO Short Film Award in 2013, and has since gone on to direct hits including “Creed II,” “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” “Man on Fire” and “I Am Legend 2.”
“The Best of the ABFF Awards has always been about honoring the brilliance and resilience of independent creators,” said Jeff Friday, President of Nice Crowd, in a statement. “As we celebrate our 30th year, it is incredibly poetic to welcome back Steven Caple Jr., a filmmaker whose journey from our short film competition to global blockbuster success embodies the very mission of this festival. We are proud to celebrate him alongside this year’s exceptional nominees.”
Grammy Award-winning artist and actor Anthony Hamilton will perform during the evening.
