LEFFEST20º
Lisboa Film Festival 06–15.11.2026

Sections

Official Selection – In Competition

One of the LEFFEST’s main focuses was always the discovery and unveiling of cinema’s great abundance, contemplating several different cinematographies in terms of geography and content.
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Official Selection – Out of Competition

The main purpose of the Official Selection - Out of Competition is to offer the audience, with a broad perspective on international film production, the chance to watch the national premieres of some of the most anticipated films of the following season, as well as displaying the latest works by internationally acknowledged directors.
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Official Selection – Discoveries

Views and journeys of filmmakers little known to the public.
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Lars von Trier Tribute

Who’s afraid of Lars von Trier? The 20th edition of LEFFEST pays tribute to Lars von Trier with a complete retrospective of his work, the most comprehensive ever presented worldwide to date, featuring several films never before screened in Portugal. The programme brings together feature films, short films, television series, commercials and music videos, exploring a body of work that spans cinematic genres and movements.
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Kelly Reichardt Tribute

She’s one of the most highly regarded American filmmakers, yet her films do not always reach us with the ideal regularity. Here, then, is an opportunity to fill those gaps and rediscover a body of work that shines within the vast realm of American independent cinema. From the beauty found on the margins, Reichardt draws out stories of a country far more melancholic than the spectacle of Hollywood would suggest.
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Lee Chang-dong Retrospective

The cinema of Lee Chang-dong, one of South Korea’s most prominent filmmakers, is defined by more than just 'Poetry' and 'Burning'. Coinciding with the preview screening of his latest film, 'Possible Love' (winner of the Grand Jury Prize in Venice), LEFFEST invites audiences on a journey into the heart of his brief yet splendid filmography — a body of work rich in solitude, mystery, desire, and historical consciousness.
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Tiago Guedes Retrospective

Spanning both cinema and television — from films of extraordinary diversity to original series — Tiago Guedes’ body of work is on full display at this year’s LEFFEST. One might say that all roads lead to… 'Aquí'. His latest feature film, an adaptation of Coetzee’s Jesus trilogy, will be presented in a preview screening, perhaps revealing the pinnacle of his artistic maturity.
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Sophie Letourneur Retrospective

We have a recent image of Sophie Letourneur: the exhausted mother barely managing the logistics of a family vacation. This image arrived with 'L’Aventura', her first film to receive a commercial release in Portugal. But there is more to her body of work — a filmography that tracks the various stages of life, observing intimacy with generous doses of fun.
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Barbara Sukowa Tribute

From 'Lola', by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, to 'Hannah Arendt', by Margarethe von Trotta, from a singer at a brothel to one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century, Barbara Sukowa’s versatility on the big screen is a thrilling sight to behold. We will have the chance to see these two films featuring the German actress, as well as her collaboration with David Cronenberg, 'M. Butterfly'.
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(im)moralities

In a time of unease, prudishness, and increasingly scrutinized behavior — a social surveillance that seems to apply only in certain instances, while the blatant immorality of some leaders goes unquestioned — we turn to cinema to put moral issues into perspective. This film cycle also revisits the seven deadly sins.
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The Devil's Death

Crime without punishment. Euphoria without a hangover. Revelation without sacrifice. Cinema has always tended to establish a manichean worldview, to provide easy and comforting but false, manipulative resolutions. But it needn't be.
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Memory of Cinema – Restored Films

LEFFEST is screening classic works of cinema that have just undergone exemplary restoration projects.
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Special Screenings

LEFFEST presents several special screenings in dialogue with the rest of the programme.
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International Meeting of Film Schools

The International Meeting of Film Schools brings together students from three film schools, one Portuguese and two international.
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