The full lineup for this year’s Manchester Film Festival (MFF) is now out, with some well-known names and hotly anticipated projects set to be screened this year.
MMF 2026 looks to be one of the most extensive and exciting projects yet; spread across multiple venues once again, we can’t wait for the city go full-on cinephile.
With 52 feature films on the roster, including nine UK debuts and eight fully-fledged world premieres, this is going to be well and truly blockbuster – pun intended.
Yeah, Cannes, Venice and Toronto are cool, but having one right on your doorstep is way better.
The MFF26 programme is LIVE!
Featuring some of the best and boldest new cinema from the UK and around the world, book your tickets now to Manchester's biggest celebration of cinema https://t.co/6eRXJpkwmvpic.twitter.com/arIVqxl51k
Returning this coming March and spread over the course of 11 days, the latest edition of Manchester Film Festival is the biggest the city centre has seen to date.
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Featuring everything from locally made short films from Greater Manchester and the wider North West, to bigger but still ‘small’ budget independent movies, there’s something for everyone.
Obviously, indie flicks are the lifeblood of this event, but there’s still plenty of A-listers connected to MFF26. For instance…
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Actors featured this year:
Adam Driver, Charlotte Rampling, Vicky Krieps and Cate Blanchett (Father Mother Sister Brother)
Angelina Jolie (Couture)
Callum Turner and George Mackay (Rose of Nevada)
Charli XCX (Erupcja)
Jason Isaacs (Honey Bunch)
Josh O’Connor (Rebuilding)
Kit Connor (One of Us)
Mads Mikkelsen (The Last Viking)
Tom Hardy (Rhino)
It remains to be seen how many of these famous faces will be in attendance, but the annual film fest always manages to secure a few.
For instance, with Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) bringing his directorial debut, Psychopomp, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll see Jon Snow in the flesh.
As you can see, the 2026 edition is being hosted across five different central and varied locations, including big screen cinemas like Odeon, as well as HOME on First Street and even the home of Factory International, Aviva Studios.
Speaking ahead of the start date, festival director Neil Jeram-Croft said: “We are incredibly proud to present the programme for the 12th edition of Manchester Film Festival, which marks our biggest and most ambitious year to date.
“This year’s line-up brings together an exceptional range of films and filmmakers, with screenings taking place across more venues than ever before, reflecting both the growth of the festival and the appetite for independent cinema in the city.
“We are especially looking forward to welcoming filmmakers from across the UK and internationally, as well as welcoming back our brilliant volunteers, whose support is vital to bringing the festival to life.
“We can’t wait to welcome audiences this March for ten days of powerful storytelling, standout premieres and inspiring conversations.”
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Once again, the BAFTA and BIFA qualifying festival and its accompanying awards ceremony will take place between 19 and 29 March 2026; early bird passes have already sold out, but you can grab your general admission tickets right HERE.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Manchester Film Festival)
Art & Culture
Harry Styles announced as latest performer at the 2026 BRIT Awards
Danny Jones
Yes, in what is set to be his Co-op Live debut (yes, the venue he’s literally invested in), Harry Styles has been confirmed as the latest blockbuster performer at this year’s BRITs.
The lineup for the 2026 BRIT Awards was already pretty stacked, but this just takes the cake.
Not long after FINALLY announcing his fourth album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally and releasing the new lead single, ‘Aperture’, the Cheshire-born singer-songwriter is coming to the Co-op Live arena for the very first time as part of the ceremony’s live music lineup.
Absolute scenes. Screaming, crying, throwing up.
we've got news… Harry's coming home 💋🪩@Harry_Styles will be making his live TV performance debut of music from his new album 'Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.' at The BRIT Awards 2026
Watch the performance live Saturday 28th February on ITV1 & ITVX in the UK and on… pic.twitter.com/Aax3lV03xM
The 31-year-old former One Direction member turned solo artist and global megastar recently revealed a raft of live shows this coming May (and there’s been plenty of discussion surrounding ticket prices), but he’s sadly overlooked Manchester for now.
However, anyone who already secured a seat at the first-ever BRITs here in Manchester will no doubt be doing cartwheels now following the announcement.
As if that wasn’t a mega enough name, he will be joining the likes of the wonderful, already award-winning and fellow multi-time nominee, Olivia Dean.
As quite literally two of the biggest musicians on the planet right now, we couldn’t pick a better roster if we dreamed it up ourselves.
Speaking of Ms Dean, she is also one of several acts confirmed to be playing a series of intimate acts across the country – and her’s is right here in Manchester.
You can see the full lineup of gigs HERE – all we’ll say is that there’s some seriously big hitters playing very small capacity venues on this list.
What a great few weeks for music, eh?
Taking place on Sunday, 28 February, public tickets for the show unfortunately sold out some time ago for what will also be his first-ever live musical TV performance.
Perhaps his booking is at least partly why we haven’t got a standalone Harry Styles Manchester gig on the ‘Together, Together’ tour, but we’re still keeping everything crossed that he’ll announce a second leg of shows here in the UK.
You’d think he’d fancy properly headlining the gaff he helped pay for, or maybe a return to the Etihad Stadium across the way, right?
Find the complete shortlist of nominees, as well as the rest of the live music lineup for the 2026 BRITs ceremony here in Manchester, down below; and if you see on screen trying to clutch at Harry’s ankles, we’re sure you’ll understand…
Featured Images — Leticia Moraes (via Flickr)/Press shots (supplied)
Art & Culture
Sounds From The Other City releases 2026 lineup with 100+ acts playing on 17 stages across Salford
Emily Sergeant
More than 100 exciting artists are set to perform on 17 stages dotted across Salford this spring.
In case you hadn’t heard, 2026 is the year Salford is celebrating 100 years since it was first declared its own city, and to celebrate such a monumental occasion, the popular Sounds From The Other City (SFTOC) festival has now released its full lineup ahead of its return on the early May Bank Holiday weekend.
Salford’s long-running independent festival of new music is known for its genre-spanning showcase of new artists from across the UK and beyond.
This year’s festival is curated by some of the most exciting promoters, record labels, radio stations, magazines, and tastemakers in the North.
Music lovers will get the chance to see artists in a wide range of independent venues and unconventional spaces across the city – with 17 stages around Chapel Street and The Crescent, from pubs and churches, to concert halls and galleries.
Artists announced today include the uncategorisable masked provocateur Lynks, South African ‘future ghetto funk’ trailblazer Moonchild Sanelly, Manchester-based artist jasmine.4.t, who has recently been named BBC 6 Music Artist of the Year 2025.
Other artists to look out for include Grey Lantern, FaT OuT, ambient pop artist Pollyfromthedirt, genre-straddling South London six-piece, Blue Bendy, South London trio ashnymph, and Manchester quartet Pyncher.
The Sounds From The Other City festival has released its 2026 lineup / Credit: Breige Cobane (Supplied)
One of the undeniable highlights of the lineup is that the spiritual home of the festival, Islington Mill, will be programmed day and night by the legendary Band on the Wall, multi-award-winning Reform Radio, Manchester’s infamous queer day-rave BENT, and the LGBTQ+ POC collective Swagga, with performances from Sorvina, Renee Stormz, and Chimpo.
“This year, we’re shining a spotlight on Salford’s independent venues and the selectors in the North who shape our programme,” commented Emma Thompson, Co-Director of From The Other, as the lineup was announced this week.
“Giving these organisations the space to showcase the artists they champion is vital, not just for discovering emerging talent, but to recognise how important these spaces are for our scene.”
Sounds From The Other City 2026 takes place on Sunday 3 May, and tickets go on sale this week – with Early Bird ticket access available to mailing list subscribers from tomorrow (Thursday 29 January) and the remaining tickets going on general sale from Friday 30 January.
Prices remain unchanged from 2025 with tiers at £30/35/40/45, and you can get tickets when they go live here.
Danny Jones -
29th January 2026 
