The international documentary film festival Visions du Réel 2026 will hold its 57th edition from April 17 to 26, presenting a programme of 164 films from a record 75 countries, reaffirming its status as one of the leading global platforms for non-fiction cinema and the second most important festival in Switzerland for launching new works.

The selection includes 128 new films, of which 83 are world premieres and a further 8 are international premieres. A total of 58 debut films — including 36 first features — are part of this year’s programme, alongside 26 Swiss (co)productions. The films were selected from 3,700 submissions, marking an increase of more than 23% compared to 2023 and underscoring the festival’s continued growth.

Gender representation continues to evolve, with women directors accounting for 44% of the programme, up from 39% in 2025. In addition, 7% of the films are co-directed, 1% are directed by non-binary filmmakers, and 48% by men.

Among the highlights of the Burning Lights competition is Don’t Tidy or Clean My Room, I Like It as It Is, the latest film by Ignacio Ceroi, which will have its world premiere at the festival. The film follows a filmmaker’s attempt to trace a man identified only through footage found in a second-hand camera, expanding on a narrative that blurs the boundaries between fiction and reality. The project evolves into a cross-continental investigation, moving from Buenos Aires to the South of France and Paris, while incorporating elements of film noir and the aesthetics of the French New Wave into a playful yet melancholic reflection on memory, identity and the ghosts of the past.

The festival will welcome a number of prominent international guests, including American filmmakers Kelly Reichardt and Laura Poitras, Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa, and Moroccan artist Meriem Bennani. The opening film will be Cover-Up, the latest work by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Laura Poitras, presented in the presence of Alain Berset and other official guests.

With its expanding international reach and a programme that reflects the creative freedom of contemporary non-fiction cinema, Visions du Réel continues to establish itself as a key meeting point for emerging and established voices in documentary filmmaking worldwide.