Sayville International Film Festival 2026: The First SIFF, Day by Day

Sayville gets its own film festival this year, and it is not a small one. The inaugural Sayville International Film Festival takes over Main Street from Thursday, August 13 through Sunday, August 16, 2026: four days of independent cinema, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and a red-carpet awards night, all put on by a Long Island nonprofit whose mission is launching careers for emerging filmmakers. Because it is the first one, this is the year to say you were there at the beginning.

The four days at a glance

• Thursday, August 13 - Opening night at the Sayville Theater: red carpet and press from 4, a filmmaker mixer at Butera's at 6, and the opening feature with a filmmaker Q&A at 7:30, with late-night screening blocks after.
• Friday, August 14 - Screening day at the Sayville Theater: blocks from morning through night on both screens, each with filmmaker Q&As.
• Saturday, August 15 - Screenings plus the Pitch Perfect competition, where filmmakers pitch live for industry prizes.
• Sunday, August 16 - The closing day at CM Performing Arts Center: a professional table read cast with industry actors, then the closing awards gala with red-carpet photos and the official 2026 festival awards.

Tickets, from a night out to the whole festival

Per the festival's official tickets page:

• Single screening block - $15. One block, pick your night.
• Festival Pass - $125. Every screening block, all four days.
• Closing Awards Gala - $50, or the Grand Finale Combo at $65 which pairs the gala with the table read.

Every ticket supports the festival's nonprofit mission of funding vocational experiences for emerging Long Island filmmakers.

Good to know

• Screenings run on two screens at the Sayville Theater; the main screen is upstairs and not wheelchair accessible, while the second screen is on the first floor and accessible. Plan your blocks accordingly.
• The closing ceremony moves to CM Performing Arts Center in Oakdale on Sunday.
• Check the festival's official schedule page for the film-by-film lineup before you pick a block.