Pattaya film festival aims to boost Southeast Asia’s cinematic scene with citywide events and international spotlight

Pattaya prepares for a week-long film festival in late August, blending screenings, workshops, and outdoor activities to position the city as a Southeast Asian film hub and UNESCO Creative City of Film contender.

Pattaya is preparing to turn late August into a week-long showcase for filmgoers, with the Pattaya International Film Festival 2026 running from 22 to 30 August. For travellers already headed to the Thai resort city, the draw is not just screenings but a wider programme of workshops, talks, exhibitions and outdoor events spread across several venues, giving the festival a citywide feel rather than a single-cinema affair.

The official festival website says the event will present 53 films from 28 countries, alongside filmmaker forums and cultural activities. Organisers say the aim is to position Pattaya as a film destination for south-east Asia, while supporting the city’s bid to become a UNESCO Creative City of Film. Pattaya Mail has reported that the event is also intended to bring in local audiences, younger visitors and people working in the creative sector.

For visitors, the most practical point is access: free screenings are available, but organisers are asking attendees to register through the PEEP app. Daily screenings begin at 1.30pm at SF Cinema Terminal 21 Pattaya and SF Cinema Central Marina Outlet, with most titles shown in Thai. The line-up includes local thrillers, comedies and fantasy films, as well as international titles such as Greenland 2: Migration.

Beyond the cinema, the festival has been designed to appeal to people who want to do more than sit in a darkened room. Workshops include animation sessions led by Thai creator Arut Tantasirin, storytelling classes, a master class by Japan’s ambassador to Thailand Toshio Ueno, and discussions on topics ranging from film craft to artificial intelligence and the creator economy. There will also be a short film competition, an exhibition titled One Scene, Many Waves, and outdoor Movie on the Beach screenings, which could be one of the more appealing parts of the programme for casual visitors.

The busiest stretch appears to be 28 August, when the opening ceremony and red-carpet event are scheduled at the Colosseum Show Pattaya, followed by a creative city market at Central Pattaya Beach. The festival closes on 30 August with an awards ceremony for the Pattaya International Youth Film Festival. For travellers, the timing makes this a useful late-summer add-on: a reason to stay in Pattaya after the beach, or to plan a visit around an event that blends local culture, film and waterfront atmosphere.