The 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival () will take place from 1 to 12 April 2026. HKIFF selected Jia Zhangke as the Filmmaker in Focus for this edition and featured masterclasses led by Chen Kaige, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Huang Jianxin, Tsai Ming-liang, and Ann Hui.
The festival is set to open with the Singaporean drama film We Are All Strangers by Anthony Chen and close with the Hong Kong drama film Cyclone by Philip Yung. This year, 215 films from 71 countries will be screened, including 11 world premieres, four international premieres, and 49 Asian premieres. Angela Yuen, the ambassador of the 49th edition, returned alongside newcomer Tony Wu as the ambassador for this edition of the HKIFF, while Thai actor Metawin Opas-iamkajorn and Taiwanese actress Gingle Wang were named Asian Visionary Ambassadors.
The theme of the 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival is "50 and Beyond: Framing the Future". The festival's poster is designed by Hong Kong comic artist and lyricist , which combines Hong Kong's landscape and imageries, such as UFOs, rockets, chimneys, and neon lights, representing "the film festival's imagination and exploration of the future". On 9 January 2026, Angela Yuen, the ambassador of the 49th Hong Kong International Film Festival, was announced to return as the ambassador, joining newcomer Tony Wu. To celebrate its golden jubilee, Thai actor Metawin Opas-iamkajorn and Taiwanese actress Gingle Wang were named Asian Visionary Ambassadors, joining Yuen and Wu in promoting film culture during the festival. Also to celebrate the 50th anniversary, a live concert featuring soundtracks from Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love (2000), performed by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, was announced to take place on 2 and 3 April at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. "50 and Beyond: The Hong Kong International Film Festival Golden Jubilee Exhibition", a free exhibition of archival materials, photographs, and footage on international cinema, will also be held at Hong Kong City Hall. Lee explained that they chose City Hall as the venue because it was the location of the 1st Hong Kong International Film Festival in 1977.
Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke was revealed as the Filmmaker in Focus for the festival on 29 January. Albert Lee, the executive director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, explained that Jia's debut film Xiao Shan Going Home (1995) was screened at the 22nd edition and "exposed his talent to an international audience", therefore they selected Jia to return for the festival's golden jubilee. A commemorative book on Jia was published in collaboration with Moleskine. In March, Chen Kaige, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Huang Jianxin, Tsai Ming-liang, and Ann Hui were announced as features in the Masterclass section. A full lineup was released on 10 March. Other notable guests at the festival included Juliette Binoche, Ildikó Enyedi, Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Edwin, and Ben Rivers.
The film festival is set to open on 1 April at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre with the Singaporean drama film We Are All Strangers by Anthony Chen and close on 12 April with the Hong Kong drama film Cyclone by Philip Yung. A total of 215 films from 71 countries will be screened, featuring 11 world premieres, four international premieres, and 49 Asian premieres. It is part of the Entertainment Expo Hong Kong, featuring events such as the Hong Kong Filmart and 44th Hong Kong Film Awards taking place concurrently. However, the Asian Film Awards, which were usually held during the Expo, cancelled the main awards ceremony "to be low-key" due to the Wang Fuk Court fire.
The jury of the Firebird Awards comprises:
The following films were chosen as the opening and closing features of the film festival, marking the Asian premieres of both films:
The following films have been selected for screening in the Gala Presentation section, marking the world premieres of We're Nothing At All, The Dating Menu, and Spare Queens:
The following films have been selected for screening in the Cinephile Paradise section:
The following films were selected to compete in the Young Cinema Competition (Chinese-language) at the Firebird Awards:
The following films were selected to compete in the Young Cinema Competition (World) at the Firebird Awards:
The following films were selected to compete in the Young Cinema Competition (Documentary) at the Firebird Awards:
Jia Zhangke was announced as the Filmmaker in Focus for the film festival on 29 January 2025, showcasing eleven of his previous works:
Four restored Chinese classics were showcased as part of a sidebar at the film festival:
The following films were selected for screening in the Masterclass section:
The following films were selected for screening in the Masterclass section, with the Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen attending a seminar after the second screening of We Are All Strangers on 4 April 2026:
The following films were selected for screening in the Masterclass section, with the French-based Hong Kong filmmaker attending a panel discussion with film critic Li Cheuk-to:
The following films have been selected for screening in the Les Auteurs section:
The following films have been selected for screening in the Global Vision section:
The following films have been selected for screening in the Fantastic Beats section:
The following films which starred French actress Juliette Binoche were selected for screening in the Focus section:
Twelve Chinese-language restored film classics were selected for showcase at the festival: