More than 10,000 attendees are expected in Downtown Durham from April 16 to 19 for the 28th Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. The four-day festival will screen 49 films from 31 countries across a compact downtown footprint.
Festival co-director Emily Foster said more than 1,100 films were submitted this year, with fewer than 50 selected for the final lineup. Screenings and conversations stay within about two city blocks, a format that has long set Full Frame apart from larger spread-out events.
- Opening night on Thursday will feature "The Oldest Person in the World," a documentary by Sam Green built from 10 years of filming record-holders for the oldest person alive across several countries.
- The 2026 program includes films centered on climate change, one of the clearest themes in this year's lineup.
- Full Frame has posted its 2026 film lineup and schedule, including invited programs and additional festival selections.
Foster said the curation aimed to balance emerging and established filmmakers while putting films in conversation with one another.
What's next: Full Frame opens Thursday night and runs through Sunday in Downtown Durham.