CIFF 2026 Final Weekend: A Cinematic Celebration of Memory, Family, and Future

Editorial team
5 hours ago
2 min read

The 15th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) enters its final phase with an intense and emotionally rich program. From March 27 to 29, 2026, the spotlight will shine on local and international talents, offering premieres, tributes, and discoveries for all audiences.

Friday, March 27: Memory and Commitment

The day of March 27 promises to be memorable with a special focus on history and intimate stories. Starting at 2:30 PM, the Rosewood Hotel will host a special presentation in English, “Introducing Cambodia Film Policies,” followed by another session on the reasons for choosing Cambodia as a filming location.

At 5:10 PM on the Legend Exchange Square stage, audiences can catch the world premiere of FAR AWAY, CLOSE TO YOU (100 min), the new feature film by Khmer director Mony Kann Darung. It's a story of love and ambition between Sota and Viphu, whose youthful dreams clash with life's realities—a poignant tale of personal growth and bonds that form and break.The evening continues at 6:00 PM at RUPP University with an outdoor screening of an essential film, MEETING WITH POL POT (112 min) by Rithy Panh. Co-written by the documentary master, this film revisits Pol Pot's historic interview with an American journalist, a dizzying dive into the heart of the Khmer Rouge tragedy.

Saturday, March 28: Heritage and Transmission

Saturday, March 28, will feature family-friendly events. At 10:00 AM, Legend Exchange Square and Fable will present CARTOONS OF THE WORLD (98 min), a selection of international animated films to delight the youngest viewers. In the afternoon, at 1:00 PM at RUPP University, the festival will honor indigenous communities with the cultural event “Water Land Forest.”

The day's highlight takes place at 6:00 PM at the Institut français du Cambodge (IFC). THE TIME TO CRY (96 min) by Uong Kan Thouk, one of the pillars of classical Khmer cinema, will screen in the presence of his family. This 1972 melodrama—one of the last before the tragedy—tells the heartbreaking story of two cinema stars separated by family debts, a precious testament to Cambodia's cinematic heritage.

Sunday, March 29: Grand Finale

The festival's final day, Sunday, March 29, will celebrate cinema's past and future. The morning kicks off at 10:00 AM with another session of CARTOONS OF THE WORLD for families. In the afternoon, at 2:00 PM, Legend Exchange Square will screen SEAGNAL - THE OCEAN’S LAST CALL (90 min), a documentary on environmental challenges, while Rosewood hosts a special session titled “ART FOR KEP & Artist Residency.”

At 5:00 PM, at Sabay Cinema, the closing screening will feature THE OLD MAN (100 min) by Somchanrith Chap. This film stars Taro, an elderly man living alone who fakes his own death to reunite his estranged children. It's a tender, touching fable about family, forgiveness, and finding meaning in a fragmented modern world.

The evening wraps up spectacularly at 8:00 PM at Bophana Center with the “CIFF Closing Party,” a final chance to celebrate the vitality of the seventh art and look forward to the 16th edition.

For free tickets, arrive one hour before each screening. Full program and details on the CIFF website.