Biarritz Film Festival – Nouvelles Vagues 2026, the emerging cinema event in Biarritz

Every year, Biarritz reaffirms its place among the most appealing cultural destinations on the Atlantic coast. Alongside events such as the FIPADOC, the Biarritz Film Festival – Nouvelles Vagues has established itself in just a few editions as a highlight of contemporary cinema.

A 4th edition from 23 to 28 June 2026

For six days, the city lives to the rhythm of screenings, encounters and previews held in emblematic venues such as the Théâtre de la Gare du Midi and the Cinéma Le Royal. The festival also takes over the public space with its now iconic open-air screening on the Port-Vieux beach, facing the ocean.

The international competition brings together eight feature films still unreleased in French cinemas, complemented by more than thirty films, encounters and free screenings. This edition is chaired by the actress and director Kristen Stewart, surrounded by a jury committed to revealing the new generations of filmmakers.

Cinema, artificial intelligence and the ocean

Two cross-cutting themes run through the 2026 programme. The first explores the links between cinema and artificial intelligence, at a time when audiovisual creation is reinventing itself. The second, cinema and the ocean, echoes Biarritz's coastal identity and today's environmental challenges. Talks, special sessions and debates extend the screenings.

Practical information

• Dates: from 23 to 28 June 2026 (4th edition)
• Venues: Théâtre de la Gare du Midi, Cinéma Le Royal, and free open-air screenings on the Port-Vieux beach
• Programme and tickets: official Nouvelles Vagues website

Over the editions

The 2024 edition had already brought together on the red carpet film figures such as Alain Chabat, Matt Dillon and James Franco, in the singular atmosphere of the French “Little California”.

A year later, the 2025 edition welcomed major personalities such as Sofia Coppola, Keira Knightley and Vincent Lacoste, confirming a reputation that keeps growing. This year, it is Kristen Stewart's turn to embody the festival, in the continuity of these great figures of international cinema.

BARNES Côte Basque, patron of the festival

A partner and patron of the festival, BARNES Côte Basque is proud to support an initiative that contributes to the cultural influence of the region. On the red carpet, the agency was represented by Philippe Thomine-Desmazures and Astrid Barsacq. Beyond cinema, Nouvelles Vagues embodies values close to our own, transmission, openness to the world, creativity and excellence, which can also be found among the maison's other summer highlights.

Because prestige real estate is also part of an environment, a culture and an art of living, our agency supports those who dream of making the Basque Coast their year-round address, as well as those looking for a pied-à-terre. During the festival, discover our selection of seasonal rentals in Biarritz to stay as close as possible to the event, or the opportunities to acquire a prestige property in Biarritz.