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Tallgrass Film Festival
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Tallgrass Film Festival
Four days. Dozens of independent films. Zero superheroes required.
Tallgrass Film Festival is Kansas' largest independent film festival, bringing filmmakers and movie lovers together in Wichita for feature films, shorts, documentaries, filmmaker Q&As, panels and events that go well beyond sitting quietly in a theater.
Know Before You Go
- Dates: Oct. 15-18, 2026
- Location: Screening and event venues in Wichita
- Admission: Individual tickets and festival passes available
- The films: Approximately 24 feature films and 42 shorts are planned for 2026
- What to expect: Independent narrative films, documentaries, shorts and other original work plus opportunities to hear directly from filmmakers
- Festival cred: Tallgrass has been recognized by MovieMaker Magazine as one of its 25 Coolest Film Festivals and 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee
- Good to know: The complete 2026 film lineup and schedule will be announced closer to the festival
Get Stubbornly Independent
You could spend the weekend watching whatever an algorithm serves up next. Or you could see a film you know absolutely nothing about, meet the person who made it and leave the theater still talking about it two hours later.
Welcome to Tallgrass.
Founded in Wichita in 2002, Tallgrass has grown into an internationally recognized celebration of independent filmmaking. The four-day festival showcases stories and filmmakers from Kansas, across the country and around the world, with screenings ranging from feature-length narratives and documentaries to short films, animation and more.
And the movie ending doesn't necessarily mean the experience is over. Filmmakers regularly attend Tallgrass, giving audiences opportunities to hear directly from the people behind the work through Q&As, panels and other festival programming. It's part of what gives Tallgrass its "Stubbornly Independent" personality — this is less velvet rope, more pull up a chair.
The 2026 festival will feature a more focused lineup of approximately 24 features and 42 shorts, giving moviegoers four days to discover films they probably won't find playing at the multiplex next weekend.
Past Tallgrass selections have gone on to earn recognition from Sundance, the Independent Spirit Awards and even the Oscars. Will you accidentally see the next one before everyone else?
Only one way to find out.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What exactly is the Tallgrass Film Festival?
Tallgrass is a four-day independent film festival held in Wichita. It showcases feature films and shorts from filmmakers in Kansas, across the U.S. and around the world, with programming that can include narrative films, documentaries, animation and other independent work.
Do I need to be a serious film buff to attend?
Absolutely not. You don't need to know a cinematographer from a key grip. Pick a film that sounds interesting, grab a seat and see what happens. Tallgrass is designed for filmmakers and devoted cinephiles, but it's just as approachable for someone attending an independent film festival for the first time.
What films should I look for at the 2026 Tallgrass Film Festival?
Start with the four Spotlight films — Yo (Love Is a Rebellious Bird), Loves Company, Copeland and Crystal Cross — plus the world premiere of Harrison Ford Comes to Wichita, a documentary exploring the actor’s decades-long connection to Wichita.
Can I meet filmmakers at Tallgrass?
There's a good chance. One of the things that sets Tallgrass apart is the access audiences have to visiting filmmakers. Q&As, panels and other festival events create opportunities to hear the stories behind the films, and you may find yourself talking movies with a director after the credits roll.
