The VII International Film Festival of Russia and Neighboring Countries, Lendoc FilmFestival 2026 (“LEFF”), will take place at leading venues across Saint Petersburg from August 20 to 22, 2026. This large-scale international event is designed for emerging filmmakers, residents of Saint Petersburg, and visitors to the city. The festival aims to support and promote interest in the cultural and ethnic diversity of cinema from the regions of our country, while establishing Saint Petersburg as a hub for co-production, professional exchange, and collaboration among filmmakers across the Eurasian region.
LEFF serves as a key platform for the development of joint film projects and the strengthening of professional ties among filmmakers from the CIS countries and neighboring states. Since 2021, the Lendoc Film Studio has been a member of the Council of Film Studios of the CIS Countries, whose activities focus on creating collaborative projects and strengthening cultural relations between friendly nations. The Council includes film studios from Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Festival’s main competition program features both fiction and documentary films. Particular attention is given by the selection committee to international co-production projects.
As part of the Festival, a business program will be held with the participation of leading industry professionals from Russia, the CIS countries, and neighboring states. The program includes a meeting of heads of film organizations from CIS countries, a co-production pitching session (fiction, documentary, and animation projects), and roundtable discussions with prominent representatives of the film industries of neighboring countries, China, India, South Africa, and Brazil. The Festival also features an interactive educational program consisting of masterclasses led by internationally recognized film professionals.