The Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) 2026 launches on February 25 with the striking UK premiere of Everybody to Kenmure Street. Felipe Bustos Sierra directs this potent documentary, while Oscar winner Emma Thompson executive produces it, bringing a spontaneous 2021 protest to life. Moreover, hundreds of residents in Glasgow’s vibrant Pollokshields neighborhood boldly blocked a UK Home Office van. Consequently, they halted the deportation of two Sikh men amid Eid celebrations. As a result, the eight-hour standoff emerged as a worldwide emblem of fierce community solidarity.
Discover Glasgow Film Festival 2026's opening film: 'Everybody to Kenmure Street', Emma Thompson-backed doc on 2021 Pollokshields protest. UK premiere Feb 25.
Festival Schedule
The 22nd GFF spans February 25 to March 8 across Glasgow Film Theatre and city venues. Organizers open and close the event with Scottish films for the second straight year. It wraps on March 8 with the UK premiere of James McAvoy’s directorial debut, California Schemin’. The full lineup, featuring a “Truth to Power” retrospective on resistance cinema, drops January 21, while gala tickets hit sale January 19.
Film Details
Everybody to Kenmure Street debuted worldwide at Sundance on January 22 and reaches UK/Irish cinemas March 13 via Conic. Programmer Paul Gallagher hails it as “incredibly uplifting and relevant,” spotlighting Glasgow’s compassionate core against global injustice. BAFTA nominee Bustos Sierra harnesses raw footage to depict neighbors rallying against authority.
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