International Film Festival
Join us for the 11th celebration of the World Languages and Literatures International Film Festival featuring international comedies from around the world. This year's theme, "InternationLOL Films: Humor Across Borders," showcases the universal language of comedy through films in Arabic, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, and Russian, all shown with English subtitles. Enjoy diverse international films, filmmaker and actor Q&As, pre-screening receptions, a film vault tour and special cultural events. Attendees can win festival prizes by attending multiple screenings! Be sure to scan the QR code at each screening check-in to be eligible. Unless otherwise noted, all screenings are FREE and open to the public.
________________________________________
Festival Screenings
Week 1: February 10–13, 2026
Tuesday, February 10 – Opening night: Stilyagi (Стиляги) / Hipsters (Russia)
Special Guest: Wrenn Schmidt (SMU alumna and actress from Apple TV+ "For All Mankind" and FX's "The Americans") will talk about comedy and humor in international film and share her journey from studying acting and Russian at SMU to landing key film and television roles.
Time: 5:30PM opening remarks and Q&A with special guest followed by opening night reception; 7PM film screening
Location: Frances Anne Moody Hall Atrium and Auditorium This opening week event is presented as part of the Scott-Hawkins lecture series.
________________________________________
Wednesday, February 11: Campeones / Champions (Spain)
Time: 6:00 PM screening
Location: Hamon Arts Library, Jeff Gordon Film and Collection Room
________________________________________
Thursday, February 12: Elite Match (short film, 14 minutes) + 抓娃娃 / Successor (China)
Time: 5:30PM reception
6:00PM film screenings
Location: Frances Anne Moody Hall Auditorium & Atrium
Pre-screening reception sponsored by the Chinese Language Club
________________________________________
Friday, February 13
Special Event 1: Screening Elite Match (2022) and Q&A with filmmaker.
Film: Elite Match (Short film, 14 minutes) + virtual Q&A with the director, Kathy Meng
Time: 12:30 PM–1:30 PM
Location: Hamon Arts Library, Hawn Conference Room
Special Event 2: A guided tour of SMU’s film vault. Spots are limited and registration is required.
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: Hamon Arts Library
________________________________________
Week 2: February 17–19, 2026
Tuesday, February 17: Kagi-dorobô no mesoddo (鍵泥棒のメソッド) / Key of Life (Japan)
Time: 5:30 PM reception, 6:30 PM screening
Location: Frances Anne Moody Hall Auditorium & Atrium
________________________________________
Wednesday, February 18: Carving the Divine documentary film screening + Zoom Q&A with the director
Presented by: Nishiki Sugawara-Beda, Associate Professor of Art and Cox Family Endowed Professor of Painting and Drawing at the Division of Art, Meadows
Time: 6:00PM – 8:00PM
Location: O’Donnell Hall, Owen Arts Center
Carving the Divine is a documentary film that offers a rare look into a 1400-year-old Buddhist woodcarving tradition and the practitioners struggling to preserve its legacy in a rapidly changing Japan. https://www.carvingthedivine.com/
More info here: https://calendar.smu.edu/site/meadows/event/carving-the-divine-film-screening/
________________________________________
Thursday, February 19: 重慶森林 (Chóngqìng Sēnlín) / Chungking Express (Hong Kong)
Time: 7:00 PM screening
Location: Angelika Film Center (Dallas)
Program: The SMU Libraries Student-Curated Film Series, "In The Mood For Wong Kar-Wai"
________________________________________
Week 3: February 24–26, 2026
Tuesday, February 24: Le sens de l’humour / A Sense of Humour (Québec)
Time: 6:00 PM screening
Location: Caruth 147
________________________________________
Wednesday, February 25: El Bolero de Raquel / Raquel's Shoeshiner (Mexico)
Time: 6:00 PM screening
Location: Frances Anne Moody Hall Auditorium
________________________________________
Week 4: March 3–5, 2026
Tuesday, March 3: Männer / Men (Germany)
Time: 6:00 PM reception, 7:00 PM screening
Location: Frances Anne Moody Hall Auditorium & Atrium
________________________________________
Wednesday, March 4: Un divan à Tunis / Arab Blues (Tunisia, France)
Time: 6:00 PM screening
Location: Frances Anne Moody Hall Auditorium & Atrium
________________________________________
Thursday, March 5: Un cuento chino / Chinese Takeaway (Argentina)
Time: 6:00 PM screening
Location: Caruth 147
_______________________________________
Week 5: March 10–12, 2026
Tuesday, March 10: Pranzo di Ferragosto / Mid-August Lunch (Italy)
Time: 5:30 PM reception, 6:00 PM screening
Location: Frances Anne Moody Hall Auditorium & Atrium
Pre-screening reception with refreshments provided by the Italian Club
________________________________________
Wednesday, March 11: Divorzio all’italiana / Divorce Italian Style (Italy)
Time: 6:00 PM reception, 6:30 PM screening
Location: Frances Anne Moody Hall Auditorium & Atrium
Pre-screening reception with refreshments provided by the Italian Club
________________________________________
Thursday, March 12 – Closing Night: La famille Bélier / The Bélier Family (France)
Location: Frances Anne Moody Hall Auditorium & Atrium
Time: 5:30PM reception and closing remarks, 6:00PM screening
Closing reception sponsored by the Alliance Française of Dallas
________________________________________
SMU Visitor Parking
Visitors can use self-pay and park locations on campus using ParkMobile or purchase visitor permits by the day as a guest. The Visitor Parking Map is available for download through our website.
The 2026 World Languages and Literatures International Film Festival is made possible thanks to the generous support of its sponsors:
Alliance Française - French Club - Italian Club - Spanish Club - Russian Club - German Club - ESL Department - Dallas Goethe Center - SMU Department of English - G. William Jones Film and Video Collection - SMU Libraries - SMU AAPASA -Scott-Hawkins Lecture Fund - Fulbright Association–Dallas Chapter - Meadows Film Studies Program - Owens Program
Click Here to Become a Sponsor!
