📽️ The 2026 Study Abroad Film Festival Finalists Revealed! Vote for Your Favorite!

Oct 9, 2026

This year’s finalists tell stories of presence, belonging, discovery, and unexpected connection through experiences in Japan, Chile, France, London, and Morocco. An international jury’s tie for third place expanded the usual three-film lineup to four.

Drum roll, please! The 2026 Film Festival Finalists are ...

Mono No Aware — Abu Abrar Hoque
Northwestern University | IES Abroad Tokyo, Fall 2024

Filmed over four months in Japan, this documentary explores the beauty of impermanence and learning to appreciate meaningful moments while living them.

Llorona (Crybaby) — Avneet Kaur
Lehigh University | IES Internships Santiago, Summer 2025

A student arrives in Chile for an internship expecting to learn Spanish and finds a family. Through her relationship with her host mother, the film explores belonging beyond language.

The Sun Rises — Latrell Hickem
University of Missouri | Customized & Faculty-Led Paris Ancient Mediterranean Studies program, Spring 2026

Blending French history, experimental sound, and lyrical narration, this poetic short follows a student’s changing perspective during his first experience abroad in Paris.

Wrong Way — Hyunseo Kong
Yonsei University | IES Internships London, Spring 2026

A Korean student accidentally travels to Morocco instead of beginning her London internship. The unexpected detour becomes a story of connection, empathy, and care beyond the familiar.

Watch the Films and Vote For Your Favorite!

How to Vote for Your Favorite Film

You can vote now through October 21st at noon CT! All votes are confidential until the winner is announced at the IES Abroad Study Abroad Film Festival at the Chicago History Museum on October 27.

IES Abroad is celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year! As part of our celebration, we'll be taking our 11th Annual Study Abroad Film Festival internationally for the first time EVER as we head to Vienna to honor our roots where IES Abroad began in 1950.

Please note that this year's Film Festival in Vienna is invite-only, and we look forward to welcoming a broader audience when the Festival returns to Chicago next year.

Vote Now

The finalists are selected by our esteemed Film Festival Jury, who assess the films based on how they capture the spirit of study abroad, production quality, entertainment, and originality. Comprised of accomplished IES Abroad alumni and film studies-related faculty from IES Abroad Centers across the globe, the jury brings their talent and expertise as screenwriters, writers, producers, directors, and editors, and a deep-rooted passion for study abroad.

About the Film Festival

Grand Prize Winner

The winner will receive a $1500 prize!

Back in Chicago

Event takes place at a new location - The Chicago History Museum!

The One and Only Study Abroad Film Festival

The Film Festival was founded in 2014.

Each Film is Student Directed & Produced

We received more than 700 films in the last 12 years.

Supporting Future Students

A student at the winner's school will receive a $5000 scholarship.

Making an Impact

We've raised more than $1M in support of study abroad scholarships.

“It’s hard to believe this is our 12th Annual Film Festival. Somehow the Finalists’ films get better every year, and we are overjoyed to share their remarkable study abroad journeys with the world.”
Amy Ruhter McMillan • Executive Vice President of Global Marketing & Institutional Relations and Founder of the IES Abroad Study Abroad Film Festival

Chicago Celebration to Reveal the Winner, plus a Livestream!

The October 27 event at the Chicago History Museum will be hosted by Kyle Rodriguez, an IES Abroad Buenos Aires alum, the 2015 Film Festival winner, and an Emmy-nominated film composer, producer, and songwriter. His return as host brings a former student filmmaker back to celebrate the next group of Finalists.

The evening will feature screenings of the Finalist films, filmmaker Q&A, a reception, and the live announcement of the Grand Prize winner, with participation from the jury and last year’s winner, Charlie Dermody. In-person tickets are limited, with a livestream planned for a broader audience.

Tickets are very limited this year. If you’re looking to secure tickets, please email us at filmfestival@iesabroad.org

We’re also excited to welcome the 2026 Film Festival sponsors to this year’s event including Barnes & Thornburg, CISI, Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago, Jakala, ScholarTrip, and Nick Robins Photography.

Event Details