straight 8 unveils top films for 2026

This marks the third year of collaboration between BFI IMAX and straight 8 exhibiting the smallest film format on the UK’s biggest screen! 

The 90-minute show is an array of bold and ambitious cinematic shorts created entirely in camera – each on a single roll of Super 8 film, with no opportunity to edit or undertake any post-production.

Despite the technical restrictions the global community of straight 8 entrants have once again achieved a high bar of creativity, with films ranging in genre from comedy to horror, to heartfelt documentary. Expect to see diverse films featuring in-camera visual effects, ambitious one-shotters, hand-crafted set designs and more. A refreshing break from the worlds of digital polish, and AI.

Processed and scanned at world renowned London-based film laboratory, Cinelab Film + Digital, and projected in 4K digital the films are presented to the filmmakers, who will not yet have seen them, in all their glory on a screen five times higher than a London bus. 

This year’s jury comprised an impressive list of filmmakers and industry professionals who were tasked with finalising the Top 25.

• Hedda Archbold - Producer (MK3D, Girls On Film)
• Joanna Duncombe - Senior Film Programme Consultant: New
• Talent Lead, British Council, Freelance curator.
• John MacLean - Director (Tornado, Slow West)
• Justine Wright - Editor (Locke, Last King of Scotland)
• Madeleine Mullett - BFI IMAX Programme Manager
• Mark Jenkin - Director (Bait, Rose of Nevada)
• Rachel Clark - Director of Photography (I Am Ruth, Finding Emily)
• Stuart Brown - BFI Director of Programme and Distribution

After intense deliberation the jury elevated a selection to the joint top prize: the Top 8 films preview one week earlier on Saturday 16 th May at Cinema Olympia in Cannes during the film festival.

The top 8 are:

• Aryk! by Ilya Wray - UK / Kazakhstan
• Blackbirds by Joey Kaushik - India
• Born To Die by Jean Louis & Nya Jonele - USA
• Descendant by Lily Blunsom - UK
• Flow State by Tristan Copeland, Richard Forsdyke, Daniel
• Johnston, Sam Mitchell, Rupert Waring - UK
• Kurogo by Yugo Suzuki - Japan
• La Salu by Pau Colomina - Spain
• Overlooked by Lola Blanc – USA

Be there with the filmmakers when they see their work for the very first time: 

Top 8 Preview - Cinema Olympia, 20:30h, Saturday 16th May 2026  RSVP essential at www.straight8.net/2026

The Top 25 at BFI IMAX 11pm on Saturday 23rd May 2026 Buy tickets while they last here.

Since 2003, straight 8 has screened the best films from their Super 8 filmmaking competition in Cannes, during the film festival. 2026 marks the 19th time. straight 8 has held sold out Top 25 premieres at either BFI Southbank or BFI IMAX for four years in a row.