Thessaloniki Film Festival 2026 (5–15/11): queer films and where to go out afterward

The Thessaloniki Film Festival 2026, its 67th edition, takes place from November 5 to 15, around Aristotelous Square and the port. The queer program hasn’t been announced yet, but you can already get ready: how tickets and queues usually work, how to move between venues, and where to go out after a slow screening. This is your guide.

If you’re coming to the city especially for the festival, take a look at our guide to queer Thessaloniki too, so you can fill the hours between screenings.

What we know about the Thessaloniki Film Festival 2026

• Dates: November 5–15, 2026.
• Edition: the 67th.
• Where: in the center, around Aristotelous Square and in the port area.
• Queer films: the program hasn’t been published yet. Once it is, you’ll find it on the festival’s official site, filmfestival.gr.

We won’t tell you which films to watch before they’re announced. But we will tell you how to be ready when they are. As soon as the program is published, we’ll add the queer films of the year here.

Tickets and queues: how they usually work

Each year the details can change, so check the current information on the festival website. In general, at big festivals like this, the following applies:

• Popular screenings sell out fast. Premieres, films with guests, and anything with buzz go first. When sales open, book anything you’re really interested in.
• Make a list before you buy. Read the synopses, note the times and venues, and see what realistically fits into your day.
• Arrive early. Queues at venue entrances form quite a while before the screening, and entry after the start is often not allowed.
• Leave room for Q&A. Many screenings are followed by a discussion with the creators, which can delay the end.
• If a screening is sold out, check whether there’s a second screening of the same film later in the festival.

The area: from Aristotelous to the port

The big advantage of the festival is that everything happens within a few blocks. From Aristotelous Square to the venues at the port, you can walk, along the seafront or through Ladadika. So you can see two or three films a day without getting into a taxi.

In November, evenings by the sea are humid and windy. Bring a warm coat and, if you don’t want to carry an umbrella, a raincoat. For the gaps between screenings, the area is full of small cafés and food spots. If you’re coming by metro, the "Venizelou" stop is the most convenient for the center.

How to find the queer films

Until the program is out, here’s what you can do:

• Follow the festival announcements on filmfestival.gr, where the films, sections, and times are published.
• Read the synopses carefully. Queer stories aren’t always in one section: they may be in competitions, tributes, or documentaries.
• Organize a queer film crew. Share your lists and book the screenings you all want together.

To warm up, check out our list of 10 lesbian films for the perfect date night and the suggestions for queer films and summer cinemas from the summer. When the titles of the Thessaloniki Film Festival 2026 are announced, you’ll already know what you’re looking for.

Going to the festival alone?

The festival is one of the easiest places to go alone. In the dark of the auditorium, nobody looks at who is sitting next to whom, and in the queues there’s always someone who wants to talk about the film they just saw. A queer screening is often also the most natural way to meet people with shared interests.

If you’re coming from another city, check our tips for solo queer travel in Thessaloniki and for where to stay for nightlife, so you have your base close to the center.

After the slow screening: where to go out

The last screening of the night usually ends late, and by then your head is full of images and conversations. The good news is that Enola, at 19 Valaoritou, on the 2nd floor, is just a few minutes’ walk from Aristotelous Square and is open every night from 23:30, 365 days a year. Even on a Tuesday night during the festival.

You don’t need a reservation for a regular night, and there’s no dress code: come as you left the auditorium. Entry is for 18+ with ID, and the space is a safer space, with zero tolerance for harassment, racism, transphobia, and misgendering. If you’re not sure where it’s most convenient to continue, see Ladadika or Valaoritou. And for how to end a big night properly, read after Enola: how to end the night properly.

If you’re staying far from the center, arrange your return trip in advance, because during festival hours the city has more traffic than usual. The guide Thessaloniki without a car has all the options.