5 Films We Can’t Wait To See At Cambridge Film Festival

The 45th Cambridge Film Festival is just days away! Close-Up Culture pick out five films we’re raring to see at this year’s festival.

I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning

A group of three friends laughing and enjoying a conversation in a warm, cozy setting. One person is holding a credit card and appears to be sharing a humorous moment with the others.

Screening Details: Opening Night Gala – Thursday, 22 October 20:20 & Friday 23 October 18:00

Logline: Five childhood friends navigate the emotional and economic trials of their thirties against the backdrop of the modern UK housing crisis.

Why We’re Excited: Set to kick off CFF26 with a bang, this powerhouse drama has already picked up the Audience Award at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. Director Clio Barnard – who will be in attendance for the opening night gala – is one of Britain’s strongest filmic voices, and we can’t wait to see her bring her poetic, social-realist eye to Birmingham.

Coward

Close-up of a young soldier with short hair wearing a military uniform, sitting next to another soldier. The first soldier is looking to the side with a slight smirk, while the second appears to be listening intently. The background features a train or military vehicle.

Screening details: Tuesday 26 October 20:50 & Wednesday 28 October 18:20

Logline: Amidst the brutal discipline of the World War I trenches, a young Belgian soldier who desperately wants to escape the army finds an unexpected sanctuary of freedom in a fellow soldier’s theatrical vaudeville plays.

Why We’re Excited: Following his heart-wrenching masterpiece Close, writer-director Lukas Dhont returns with another deeply empathetic study of brotherhood and vulnerability. This MUBI-backed World War I drama promises to be a stunning festival highlight.

American Doctor

A group of medical professionals in scrubs and masks performing surgery in a well-lit operating room.

Screening Details: Saturday 24 Oct 18:05 & Friday 30 Oct 15:55

Logline: Three American physicians risk their lives entering besieged hospitals in Gaza, experiencing the catastrophic impact of the conflict on healthcare while treating injured civilians under relentless danger.

Why We’re Excited: Making her debut feature, acclaimed documentarian Poh Si Teng’s film is bound to be one of the most powerful and vital documentary experiences at this year’s festival.

Nuisance Bear

A polar bear walking near parked vehicles and people in winter clothing on a snowy landscape.

Screening Details: Friday 23 October 20:00 & Wednesday 28 October 14:25

Logline: As receding Arctic ice forces an increasing number of polar bears through a historic migration route, a unique lens captures the world from the perspective of a bear navigating the human-populated town of Churchill, Canada.

Why We’re Excited: Following their stunning, award-winning 2021 short film of the same name, directors Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Weisman expand their jaw-dropping concept into feature we can’t wait to experience.

All of a Sudden

Two young women sitting on a dock at night, looking contemplative. One has short black hair, dressed in a gray jacket, while the other has long blonde hair and is wearing a dark jacket. The background features shimmering reflections on water and city lights.

Screening Details: Saturday 24 October 16:15 & Sunday 1 November 15:00

Logline: When life suddenly changes for the worse, a French philosopher and a Japanese anthropologist strike up a profound correspondence, exploring illness and mutual understanding through a shared ethos of care.

Why We’re Excited: Any new work from Oscar-winner Ryūsuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car) is a seismic cinematic event, but his first feature shot largely in France looks particularly magical.

Get tickets for Cambridge Film Festival – https://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/

Written by

James Prestridge
@closeup.culture

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