Chichester Film Festival 2026 runs from 7 to 23 August, with more choices than most visitors can realistically compare. The useful decision is not whether the programme is large. It is whether you want an open-air crowd-pleaser, an indoor family film or a higher-priced event that combines cinema with live performance.
Our shortlist favours screenings with confirmed times, classifications, prices and practical reasons to book. It deliberately excludes listings with TBA details and does not pretend to judge films we have not seen. For other ideas during the school break, use the wider Summer Holidays in West Sussex 2026 guide.
Chichester Film Festival 2026 at a glance
| Best for | Screening or event | Date and time | Venue | Classification | Listed adult price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Younger children outdoors | Babe | 8 August, 17:00 | Priory Park, PO19 1NS | PG | £14 advance |
| Big-screen opening night | Star Wars: A New Hope | 7 August, 19:45 | Priory Park, PO19 1NS | 12A | £14 advance |
| Earlier Sunday blockbuster | Jurassic Park | 9 August, 16:30 | Priory Park, PO19 1NS | 12A | £14 advance |
| Local-history subject | Mary Anning: The Dinosaur Hunter | 14 August, 11:30 | Lumiere, New Park, PO19 7XY | Advisory PG | £11.50 |
| Quieter daytime family film | The Summer Book | 20 August, 13:00 | Lumiere, New Park, PO19 7XY | PG | £11.50 |
| Morning family slot | Momo | 22 August, 10:45 | Lumiere, New Park, PO19 7XY | Advisory PG | £11.50 |
| Film with live classical music | A Late Quartet | 16 August, 14:00 | New Park auditorium, PO19 7XY | 15 | £22 |
| Film with live jazz | Miles Davis centenary event | 20 August, 19:00 | New Park auditorium, PO19 7XY | 15 | £24 |
Prices and availability can change. Use the official chronological programme to reach the live booking page before travelling.
Best open-air choices at Priory Park
The festival opens with five outdoor films at Priory Park in central Chichester. The park has a stated capacity of 1,000, and visitors can bring a picnic basket, blanket or chair. That makes the weekend feel more like an event than a standard trip to the cinema, but it also makes weather planning part of the booking decision.
Best for younger children: Babe
Babe is the simplest family choice in the open-air programme. It is rated PG, runs for 93 minutes and starts at 17:00 on Saturday 8 August, with gates opening at 16:00.
There is one official inconsistency worth knowing. The chronological listings show 17:30, while the current individual film and booking pages show 17:00. We have used the live booking time because that is the record attached to the ticket. Check the official Babe page again on the day and arrive for the earlier time.
Best opening-night atmosphere: Star Wars: A New Hope
The festival begins with Star Wars: A New Hope at 19:45 on Friday 7 August. Gates open at 18:30, the film runs for 121 minutes, and the classification is 12A. It is the strongest choice for families with older children who want a recognisable film and the atmosphere of the opening night.
Best Sunday option: Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park starts at 16:30 on Sunday 9 August, with gates opening at 15:00. The earlier slot may be easier than an evening screening, but the film is 12A. Children under 12 must attend with an adult, and parents should make their own judgement about whether the content suits their child.
Advance open-air prices are the same for these three films: £14 per adult, £3 per child or £30 for two adults plus two children. If tickets remain, the organiser lists day prices of £15 for adults and £4 for children. Booking in advance protects both the lower price and the family plan.
For no-cost alternatives elsewhere in the county, compare the free summer holiday activities in West Sussex.
Best indoor family choices
The indoor programme is the safer choice when weather certainty, a defined seat and easier access matter more than the outdoor atmosphere. The three family-oriented screenings below take place in the 80-seat Lumiere at Chichester Cinema at New Park, New Park Road, Chichester, PO19 7XY.
Mary Anning: The Dinosaur Hunter
This documentary screens at 11:30 on Friday 14 August and is currently listed as advisory PG. Its local-history subject gives it a clear reason to choose over a general release, particularly for children interested in fossils and natural history. The listed adult booking price is £11.50.
The event page says the cinema hopes to welcome guests for a Q&A. That is not a confirmed appearance, so do not book on the assumption that a Q&A will happen.
The Summer Book
This PG drama screens at 13:00 on Thursday 20 August, runs for 90 minutes and has a listed adult price of £11.50. It is the quieter daytime option in this shortlist. Parents should still read the official synopsis before choosing it for younger children, rather than treating a PG certificate as a guarantee that every theme will suit them.
Momo
Momo screens at 10:45 on Saturday 22 August, runs for 91 minutes and is currently listed as advisory PG. The morning start makes it easier to combine with other things to do in Chichester, but families should recheck the final classification and subtitle or language information on the live booking page.
Special events worth the higher price
The clearest reason to pay more than a standard festival ticket is a format that cannot be recreated by watching the film at home.
A Late Quartet begins at 14:00 on Sunday 16 August in the New Park auditorium. The schedule combines an introduction, a live classical performance, an interval and the film, with a listed finish at 17:30. Tickets are £22.
The Miles Davis centenary event starts at 19:00 on Thursday 20 August. It combines film and live jazz and is scheduled to finish at about 22:50. Tickets are £24, and the listing is rated 15.
Both events are a stronger festival proposition than an ordinary screening, but they are also long. Choose them for the live element, not simply because they appear in the programme. If live performance is the priority, the Chichester Festival Theatre 2026 guide offers a separate comparison.
Tickets and age classifications
Festival screenings and special events can have their own prices, so the individual booking page should overrule the cinema’s general price list. For ordinary screenings, Chichester Cinema currently lists full-price tickets at £11, under-25 tickets at £6.50 and children under 15 at £3. Those figures are useful as a guide, not a promise for every festival event.
Carers accompanying a customer with a CEA Card or equivalent local disability card can attend free. Contact the cinema if the online booking path does not make that option clear.
Classification rules matter:
- Children aged three and under are admitted only to Baby Makes Two screenings.
- Children under 11 must attend with an adult.
- For a 12A film, children under 12 must attend with an adult.
- The 15 and 18 age limits are mandatory, and staff may ask for identification.
- An advisory PG listing is not the same as a final BBFC certificate. Check the event page again before booking.
The things to do with teenagers in West Sussex guide has alternatives if the classifications or running times rule out the festival shortlist.
Accessibility
Chichester Cinema has step-free access to the box office, bar, accessible toilet, studio and main auditorium. Wheelchair spaces should be reserved in advance by phone or in person. The Lumiere has one wheelchair space and a mixture of stepped and ramped access.
New Park has four Blue Badge parking spaces, but the cinema does not guarantee that one will be available. Arriving 30 minutes before the screening is advised for parking, while advance contact is the safer plan for wheelchair seating or other specific access needs. The cinema also lists an induction loop and hearing-assistance devices.
Priory Park is described by the festival as fully accessible. It is still an outdoor event, so weather and the ground conditions may affect individual comfort. Contact the cinema before booking if the distinction matters to your visit.
The official venue guide says CineVic in Arundel is not accessible to disabled visitors. Do not assume that access arrangements at the main cinema apply to every satellite venue.
Getting there
Chichester Cinema at New Park
The main cinema is at New Park Road, Chichester, PO19 7XY. It has limited free parking shared with the New Park Centre. The cinema asks drivers to use a space no more than 30 minutes before a screening and to leave within 15 minutes after it ends.
From Chichester railway station, the cinema’s walking route follows South Street to the Cross, then East Street and St Pancras. The 700 bus serves stops at Market Avenue and East Street. Allow enough time to reach the venue for the published start, because the cinema warns that films do not always have trailers.
Priory Park
The open-air venue is Priory Park, Priory Road, Chichester, PO19 1NS. The festival identifies Northgate and New Park Road as the closest council car parks. Bring a chair or blanket and clothing for the forecast rather than relying on fixed cinema seating.
If rain makes an outdoor screening unappealing, use the rainy-day activities in West Sussex guide before booking a replacement.
Satellite venues
The festival also has screenings at the Windmill Cinema, Windmill Road, Littlehampton, BN17 5LH; CineVic, Victoria Institute, 10 Tarrant Street, Arundel, BN18 9DG; and the Picturedrome, 51 Canada Grove, Bognor Regis, PO21 1DW. Check the venue name on every ticket. “Chichester Film Festival” does not mean every screening happens in Chichester.
First-time visitor checklist
- Open the individual booking page rather than relying on a saved programme screenshot.
- Confirm the start time, venue and postcode together.
- Recheck any advisory classification before buying for a child.
- Reserve wheelchair seating or clarify carer admission directly with the cinema.
- For Priory Park, pack a chair or blanket and plan for the weather.
- Arrive for the published start time. A trailer buffer is not guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
When is Chichester Film Festival 2026?
The 34th Chichester International Film Festival runs from 7 to 23 August 2026. The Priory Park open-air weekend is 7 to 9 August, followed by the main indoor programme from 12 August.
How much are Chichester Film Festival tickets?
Advance Priory Park tickets are £14 for adults, £3 for children and £30 for two adults plus two children. Indoor festival screenings and special events have their own prices, so check the individual booking page before paying.
Which films are suitable for children?
Babe and The Summer Book are listed as PG. Star Wars: A New Hope and Jurassic Park are 12A, so children under 12 must attend with an adult. Mary Anning: The Dinosaur Hunter and Momo are currently listed with advisory PG classifications, which families should recheck before booking.
Where is Chichester Film Festival held?
The main venue is Chichester Cinema at New Park, New Park Road, Chichester, PO19 7XY. Open-air films are shown at Priory Park, Priory Road, Chichester, PO19 1NS. Some screenings take place in Littlehampton, Arundel and Bognor Regis.
Is Chichester Cinema wheelchair accessible?
The main cinema has step-free access, an accessible toilet and wheelchair spaces that should be booked in advance. The Lumiere has one wheelchair space. Blue Badge parking exists at New Park but is limited and cannot be guaranteed.
Hero image: AI-generated illustration created for West Sussex Weekly. It does not depict the actual event.
Sources
- Chichester International Film Festival 2026
- Official chronological listings
- Official festival venue guide
- Chichester Cinema location and travel information
- Chichester Cinema ticket prices
- Chichester Cinema accessibility information
- Chichester Cinema classification guidance
- Star Wars: A New Hope open-air listing
- Babe open-air listing
- Jurassic Park open-air listing
- Mary Anning: The Dinosaur Hunter listing
- Momo listing
- The Summer Book listing
- A Late Quartet listing
- Miles Davis centenary event listing