European Film Festival Malta 2026: 10 Films Coming to Valletta This September
Ciao Ciao, Malta
The European Film Festival returns to Malta from 15 to 20 September for its sixth edition, bringing six days of European cinema to Spazju Kreattiv.
If your idea of a good evening involves a great film, a beautiful city and absolutely no need to check the price of the ticket, Valletta has you covered.
The European Film Festival returns to Malta from 15 to 20 September for its sixth edition, bringing six days of European cinema to Spazju Kreattiv. The programme features ten films from across Europe, all screened in their original languages with English subtitles, so you can enjoy the drama without having to brush up on ten different languages first.
And the best part? Admission is free.
Bringing together European embassies, cultural institutes and local partners, this year’s festival offers a cinematic trip around Europe without requiring a suitcase, airport security or questionable exchange rates. The ten films explore everything from family and friendship to social injustice, political turmoil, history and the wonderfully complicated business of being human.
What's Showing?
Representing Greece, Wishbone follows 28-year-old Kostas, a newly employed security guard at a public hospital who is forced to take responsibility for his young niece. Struggling to make ends meet, he becomes involved in a medical scam that sets his life on an unexpected course.
Poland’s The Altar Boys follows a group of altar boys who become increasingly disillusioned by the Church’s apparent indifference to social injustice. Determined to do something about it themselves, their youthful rebellion soon takes a much darker turn.
Closer to home, Malta’s Ciao Ciao follows four couples over one eventful night. What begins with polite smiles and social niceties gradually unravels into something considerably more chaotic, proving, once again, that dinner parties rarely go exactly to plan.
House on Fire (Casa en llamas)
Italy’s Duse tells the story of legendary actress Eleonora Duse, who, after retiring from the stage, feels an irresistible urge to return to theatre during Italy’s turbulent years between the First World War and the rise of fascism.
The Fourth Wall, presented by France, takes audiences to Beirut in 1982, where Georges travels to the city to honour a promise to an old friend. His plan is to stage Antigone with actors from opposing political and religious communities, attempting to create a moment of peace in the middle of conflict.
Germany’s 22 Lengths centres on two sisters growing up with an alcoholic mother. Despite their difficult circumstances, they hold on to their belief in the beauty of life in a story about solidarity, love, departure and new beginnings.
For something particularly timely, Mr Nobody Against Putin, presented by the European Commission Representation, follows a Russian primary school teacher who becomes an unlikely whistleblower after being drawn into the country’s state propaganda machine. He begins documenting changes taking place at his school and in his community before planning a dangerous escape.
Hungary’s Brazilians brings football, community and social tensions together when the mayor of the small town of Acsa announces that a Roma football team called the Brazilians can compete in the village championship. Chaos, naturally, follows.
The Netherlands’ Our Girls starts with what sounds like the perfect getaway: two longtime couples enjoying a peaceful break in the Austrian Alps. That serenity doesn’t last long, as old tensions begin to surface and the friendships between them start to fracture.
Finally, Spain’s House on Fire follows Monse, a divorced mother of two whose children have long since distanced themselves from her. Determined to make the most of a family reunion at her Costa Brava home, she refuses to let anything ruin the weekend, although family reunions have a funny way of refusing to cooperate.
With ten films spanning drama, comedy, social commentary, history and contemporary stories, the European Film Festival Malta 2026 is a chance to see a different side of European cinema… and discover stories you might not otherwise come across.
It’s also a pretty good excuse to spend an evening in Valletta. Catch a film, grab dinner afterwards and make a night of it.
All screenings are free of charge, but registration is required and places are subject to availability.
Register here.
