Netherlands | CinemAsia Film Festival 2026
From 8–12 April 2026, the 18th CinemAsia Film Festival arrives at Studio/K, Rialto De Pijp, and Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam, celebrating the plurality of voices shaping Asian cinema.
Founded in 2003, CinemAsia champions Asian stories and filmmakers in the Netherlands, fostering visibility, representation, and cross-cultural dialogue. The full 2026 festival programme will have over 40 films from Asia and its diaspora.
Among the highlights is the New Visions section, showcasing 11 debut feature films from some of Asia’s emerging filmmakers. Notably, 10 of the 14 directors are women and one is non-binary, underscoring CinemAsia’s commitment to amplifying diverse voices in cinema. The lineup includes one international premiere and one European premiere, with three directors attending in person.
A selection of highlights includes:
- BECOMING (France, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, et al. 2025) | Zhannat Alshanova: A portrait of 17-year-old Mila, whose refuge in open-water swimming offers hope amidst family instability.
- AMOEBA (Singapore, Netherlands, et al. 2025) | Tan Siyou: A coming-of-age story of four elite Singaporean schoolgirls forming a secret gang to defy rules.
- SHAPE OF MOMO (India, South Korea 2025) | Tribeny Rai: Bishnu’s return to her Himalayan village confronts family pressures and patriarchal expectations, revealing the sacrifices and resilience of women across generations.
- 10S ACROSS THE BORDERS (Philippines, Singapore, et al. 2025) | Chan Sze-Wei: A documentary celebrating the trailblasers of the underground ballroom scenes in Southeast Asia, tracing queer expression from New York to Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
After the main festival, a selection of festival favourites travel to Rotterdam, The Hague, Groningen, and Maastricht, bringing Asian cinema to audiences nationwide.