Viet Film Fest is back in downtown Santa Ana for its 17th edition. In-person screenings run October 8 to 11, 2026, at The Frida Cinema, followed by a virtual festival October 12 to 25. This year’s program counts 64 films, 20 features and 44 shorts, from 13 countries.
The Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association (VAALA) presents the festival, which it calls the longest-running and largest Vietnamese international film festival in the diaspora. Here is the 2026 plan, pulled from the festival’s lineup announcement as of September 28, 2026.
The quick version
| When | In person Thursday, October 8, through Sunday, October 11, 2026. Virtual October 12 to 25 |
| Where | The Frida Cinema, 305 E. 4th St. #100, Santa Ana, CA 92701. Awards gala at the Bowers Museum |
| Highlights | Opening night A Little Dream of Me, centerpiece Y Vân: The Lost Sounds of Saigon, closing night Ky Nam Inn, Dustin Nguyen honored at the gala |
| Tickets | $17 general screenings, $20 special screenings (regular prices) |
| Badge | Xinêphille Badge, $200, covers all films |
| Official site | vietfilmfest.com |
What’s screening
Opening night: A Little Dream of Me
Thursday, October 8, 7 p.m. Chung Chí Công’s 2026 film from Vietnam opens the festival. The festival places it in a run of musical films it has programmed since the pandemic, each one touching on place, belonging, and dreams.
Centerpiece: Y Vân: The Lost Sounds of Saigon
Saturday, October 10, 6 p.m. Khoa Hà and Victor Velle’s 2025 U.S. film is about recovering a composer’s lost recordings, which the festival describes as a lyrical journey through memory, music, and identity.
Closing night: Ky Nam Inn
Sunday, October 11, 4 p.m. Leon Le’s 2025 romantic drama from Vietnam looks at private lives in a changing country.
More on the program
- Free to Love, an LGBTQIA+ short film program with a panel, presented with OC Pride. Saturday, October 10, 2:15 p.m.
- Other features named so far include Antithesis of Gemini (Trần Nhân Kiên, Vietnam), Made in Germany (Đức Ngô Ngọc, Germany), and Southeast Asian American Journeys (Quyên Nguyen-Le, Joua Lee Grande, and Oanh-Nhi Nguyen, USA).
- Filmmaker Q&As: The festival says most screenings will include a Q&A with the filmmakers. Final panel participants and timing are still being confirmed.
- Encore screening: In Waves (Phuong Mai Nguyen, France, 2026) plays The Frida on Friday, October 23, at 7 p.m.
The Trống Đồng Awards Gala
The festival’s awards night is Friday, October 9, 7 to 10 p.m., at the Bowers Museum, 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92706. Awards include Best Cinematography, Best Actor, Best Actress, the Spotlight Award, the Inspiration Award, and the Grand Jury Awards. Actor, director, and producer Dustin Nguyen receives this year’s Inspiration Award. Gala tickets are $125 at the regular price.
Passes and tickets
Tickets and passes are sold through the festival’s Eventive page. Early bird pricing ended September 19. Regular prices, per the lineup announcement:
- General screenings: $17
- Special screenings (opening, centerpiece, closing): $20
- Xinêphille Badge, all films: $200
- Trống Đồng Awards Gala: $125
- Weekend Pass (October 10 and 11): listed at $100 early bird; check Eventive for the current price.
The virtual festival streams through Eventive’s watch platform October 12 to 25.
Build your weekend
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Thursday, October 8 | Opening night, A Little Dream of Me, 7 p.m. |
| Friday, October 9 | The Trống Đồng Awards Gala at the Bowers Museum, 7 p.m. |
| Saturday, October 10 | Free to Love shorts at 2:15 p.m., then the centerpiece at 6 p.m. |
| Sunday, October 11 | Closing night, Ky Nam Inn, 4 p.m. |
| Can’t make it in person | Catch the virtual festival, October 12 to 25 |
Getting there
The Frida Cinema is in downtown Santa Ana at 305 E. 4th St. #100. The festival’s Plan Your Visit page points to on-site parking at The Frida, with nearby parking structures at 310 N. Birch St. and 420 N. Main St. Parking at the Bowers Museum is listed as free.
- Arrive early: The festival recommends getting there 30 to 45 minutes before your screening.
- RSVP ahead: Reserve screenings and special events in advance. Seating is first come, first served.
- Bring ID for any screening that requires it.
Accessibility
Viet Film Fest has not posted accessibility details for 2026. The virtual edition is an option if getting to the theater is hard. For questions, use the festival’s contact page.
A little history
VAALA was founded in 1991 and launched the festival in 2003. The 2026 edition marks 23 years of the festival and its 17th edition. The festival accepts films by filmmakers of Vietnamese descent and films that center Vietnamese experiences.
Still to come
Final Q&A guests and panel timing, the other award honorees, and accessibility details have not been announced. The full screening schedule is on Eventive. The 824 Journal will update this guide as the festival releases them.
Sources
- Viet Film Fest, official site
- Viet Film Fest 2026 announces this year’s lineup and special events
- Viet Film Fest 2026 returns for its 17th edition
- Viet Film Fest: Plan Your Visit
- Viet Film Fest 2026 on Eventive
Featured photo: Nguyk via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
