Phil Lord and Chris Miller Named As Guest Artistic Directors Of AFI Fest 2026
- Details
- Category: Entertainment News
- Published on Wednesday, 23 September 2026 11:49
- Written by AFI
The American Film Institute (AFI) announced that Academy Award®-winning filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller will serve as the Guest Artistic Directors for AFI FEST 2026 presented by Canva. The AFI FEST runs from October 21-25, 2026.
This year's Guest Artistic Directors Program will include "An Evening with Lord and Miller" which will include a Q&A with the directors followed by a screening of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Saturday, October 24.
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Additionally, they have curated a selection of films that inspired their work on their most recent hit PROJECT HAIL MARY. Their selections include HAROLD AND MAUDE (1971), THE MUPPET MOVIE (1979) and RIFIFI (1955).
"PROJECT HAIL MARY answered the prayers of movie lovers this year," said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. "And it is AFI's honor to welcome two of the most inventive, entertaining and impactful storytellers in the world to AFI FEST 2026 as our Guest Artistic Directors."
"We feel so lucky to be the Guest Artistic Directors for AFI FEST 2026. After years of dragging our friends and families to screenings of films we love, we are delighted to get to do it for hundreds of strangers. We chose four films that inspired us not only while making PROJECT HAIL MARY but also as filmmakers and people. We stand on the shoulders of giants like Hal Ashby and Fozzie Bear."
Previous Guest Artistic Directors for AFI FEST include Pedro Almodóvar, Bernardo Bertolucci, Guillermo del Toro, Ava DuVernay, Greta Gerwig, David Lynch and Agnès Varda.
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As previously announced, the 40th edition of the Institute's annual film festival will take place October 21–25 at the TCL Chinese Theatres in the heart of Hollywood. The festival will open with the U.S. premiere of WILDWOOD, feature the World Premiere of THE MOSQUITO BOWL as a Red Carpet Premiere and close with BEING HEUMANN. The festival will feature a curated selection of Red Carpet Premieres, Special Screenings, World Cinema, Documentaries and Short Films.
Passes to AFI FEST 2026 are now available for purchase online at FEST.AFI.com.
Festivalgoers can choose from the Star Pass, Patron Pass and the new Marquee Pass. The AFI FEST Star Pass features access to all screenings (excluding Red Carpet Premieres), early screening selection and theater access, access to the AFI FEST Festival Lounge, AFI FEST merch and free rush access. The Patron Pass features all the benefits of the Star Pass, plus access to Red Carpet Premieres and priority screening selection and theater access.
The full festival lineup will be unveiled on September 29. Individual tickets will be available for purchase on October 3.
AFI FEST is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival for the Live Action, Animated and Documentary Short Film categories for the annual Academy Awards®. AFI FEST is also a qualifying festival for consideration for the British Short Film categories of both the BAFTA Film Awards and the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA).
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AFI is a nonprofit, donor-powered organization. Join AFI's Premiere Circle to support the American Film Institute and enjoy access to exclusive one-of-a-kind opportunities at AFI events, including AFI FEST. To learn more, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Canva, the all-in-one visual communication and collaboration platform, returns as the exclusive Presenting Sponsor of AFI FEST 2026. Built to empower everyone across the entertainment industry, from screenwriters and directors to producers, production teams and studios, Canva helps bring ideas from early concept to screen. Entertainment professionals use Canva to pitch projects and secure buy-in, develop storyboards and mood boards, plan productions, collaborate with cast and crew, create marketing campaigns and promotional assets, and build presentations that bring creative visions to life.
Canva will be integrated throughout AFI FEST including hosting industry networking events and hands-on training workshops for filmmakers, while powering the festival's digital and printed materials. Entertainment professionals can explore resources to pitch projects, plan shoots and bring creative visions to life at canva.com/entertainment.
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About Phil Lord and Chris Miller
Phil Lord and Chris Miller are the Academy Award®-winning duo behind some of today's most successful and inventive films and series, including the SPIDER-VERSE and LEGO MOVIE franchises, THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES, 21 & 22 JUMP STREET, COCAINE BEAR, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, THE AFTERPARTY and CLONE HIGH.
Lord and Miller most recently directed and produced the feature PROJECT HAIL MARY, which has been one of the biggest films of 2026 so far. The film was an adaptation of Andy Weir's novel of the same name and starred Ryan Gosling for Amazon MGM. It released in theaters on March 20, 2026, and quickly became Amazon MGM Studios' highest-grossing film ever, surpassing $684 million at the global box office. The film currently holds a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and was lauded for its emotional heart, breathtaking visuals, inventive use of practical and visual effects and Gosling's performance, making it one of the most well-received films of the year.
On the features side, the duo wrote and produced all three films of the SPIDER-VERSE franchise: SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (2018), which won the Academy Award®, Golden Globe and BAFTA for Best Animated Feature and over 20 critics' prizes; SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (2023), which earned Academy Award®, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations, seven Annie Awards and a Critics Choice Award for Best Animated Feature, grossing over $690 million worldwide; and the third film of the franchise, SPIDER-MAN: BEYOND THE SPIDER-VERSE, which will be released in theaters on June 18, 2027.
Other films produced by Lord and Miller include the Amazon MGM feature THE SHEEP DETECTIVES (2026), LOS FRIKIS (Miami Film Festival 2024), COCAINE BEAR (2023), STRAYS (2023) and THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES (2021), which became Netflix's biggest animated film that year and earned an Academy Award® nomination for Best Animated Feature.
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The pair launched THE LEGO MOVIE franchise with their 2014 hit, which debuted at No. 1 and remained on top of the box office for four straight weeks as the year's fifth highest-grossing domestic release. They also directed 21 and 22 JUMP STREET and wrote and directed CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS.
In television, Lord and Miller were behind Apple TV+'s THE AFTERPARTY (2022–23), created, written and directed by Miller, with Lord executive producing. They also produced the Max revival of their acclaimed animated series CLONE HIGH, which premiered its third season in February 2024 and they were nominated for an Emmy Award® for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series for The Last Man on Earth. They were also executive producers on the MGM+ and Prime Video series SPIDER-NOIR.
The duo has multiple projects in development, including a Universal Pictures live-action film inspired by the Archie comics, PARADOX INC. for Universal, multiple live-action and animated shows based on Sony's Marvel Characters, THE IN-CLAUS, a feature based on the novel "The Six: The Extraordinary Story of the Grit and Daring of America's First Women Astronauts," THE LAST EXPEDITION written by Carly Wray based on a story by Andy Weir and EVERYDAY PARENTING TIPS, written by Travis Braun based on the story by Simon Rich.
To learn more about AFI FEST, visit FEST.AFI.com.
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About the American Film Institute (AFI)
The American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers.
The Conservatory, which counts Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Ari Aster, Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked one of the top film schools in America. AFI's enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations.
AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST presented by Canva and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at elevating emerging storytellers and technology, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive Workshop.
Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, X.com/AmericanFilm,
TikTok.com/@americanfilminstitute and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
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About AFI FEST presented by Canva
Celebrating its 40th edition, AFI FEST presented by Canva is a world-class event, showcasing the best films from across the globe. This year's edition takes place in Los Angeles from October 21-25, 2026. With an innovative slate of programming, the five-day festival presents screenings, panels and conversations, featuring both master filmmakers and new cinematic voices. AFI FEST includes high-profile films with Q&As featuring the films' cast and crew and a robust lineup of fiction and nonfiction features and shorts, providing a one-of-a-kind experience for movie fans. Additional information is available at FEST.AFI.com.
Connect with AFI's film festival at Facebook.com/AFIFEST, X.com/AFIFEST,
Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, TikTok.com/@AmericanFilmInstitute and YouTube.com/AFI.
About Canva
Launched in 2013, Canva is the world's leading all-in-one platform for visual communication and collaboration. Built to empower everyone to design, the company serves the creative and design needs of enterprises, small businesses, consumers and students in more than 190 countries worldwide.
Whether you're a novice taking your first steps in design, or a creative professional seeking powerful tools, Canva ensures users have what they need to transform an idea into something beautiful. Underpinned by the world's most comprehensive library of designer-made content, Canva is powered by a suite of products and proprietary AI tools which elevate how individuals and teams create, collaborate and communicate with ease.
