Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam 2026

Overview

The Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam - AFFR - is the world’s leading film festival dedicated to film, architecture and the city. Each October, we bring together filmmakers, designers, architects, and engaged audiences to explore the social, political, and cultural dimensions of the built environment through cinema. The next edition of the festival is set to take place at LantarenVenster film theatre from 7 to 11 October 2026. AFFR offers a carefully curated selection of documentaries, fiction films, shorts, and immersive media projects, complemented with talks, debates, masterclasses and other special programs. Annually, the festival screens a programme of between 80 and 100 films which focus on the built environment to an engaged yet wide audience; film is after all one of the most accessible media and offers a way to understand the complexity of architecture and urban planning. Films at AFFR can vary from documentaries about urban projects to architect’s biographies, from fly on the wall reports that explore the spatial dimensions of current affairs to science fiction films about future cities, from VR installations that bring architecture to life to animations about imaginary worlds. The festival is visited by over 9.500 enthusiastic local ánd international visitors as well as approximately 100 guests, primarily filmmakers and experts from the field. AFFR is an important event on the cultural calendar for both architects, filmmakers and for the city of Rotterdam, with a lively atmosphere adding to the experience. We are always on the lookout for fresh, thoughtful, and boundary-pushing work that explores how architecture, cities, and society intersect on screen. We welcome submissions of all formats and genres, as long as there is a clear connection to architecture and the built environment.

Last updated Sep 17, 2026

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FilmFreeway community

• Filmmaker

  We are thrilled that we were included in this!!

• Filmmaker

  As always, it was fantastic to be part of AFFR. This was the fourth time I took part in the festival, but the first time that my film was selected as opening film. The staff is very friendly, there are great talks and debates, the audience is fantastic, and then the festival makes sure that all directors get to meet each other and network. Awesome festival!!

• Filmmaker

  from A to Z a sublime pleasure. Hope to be back!

• Filmmaker

  It is my honour to join in this film festival. The only thing is that maybe the festival could send some images about the screening of my films in the venue or they can send me feedback or something. That would more make sense. But overall, it is a very good festival.

• Filmmaker

  My short doc has been screened and I had a Q&A after that in front of a large and interested audience and it was great. All the people of the organization are very supportive, comunication was perfect and a great thank goes to Renate Bergsma: I have been in touch with her from the begining. The place of the screenings and meeting is great and the last day there was a meeting of the directors, we could talk and share experiences and ideas in a very friendly and inspiring environment. Storngly raccomended.

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