Aesthetica Film Festival opens in York on Wednesday with 300 screenings to Sunday 8 November. York residents get 25% off a day pass, £29.25; single films are £8.50.
Aesthetica Film Festival opens in York on Wednesday 4 November and runs to Sunday 8 November. It is the festival’s 16th edition, with about 300 short film screenings in venues across the city (Aesthetica Film Festival).
Alongside the films there are masterclasses, a Games Lab with more than 40 games, a podcasting lounge, networking sessions and a New Music Stage. The festival says its 2026 speakers include people from BBC Film, Ridley Scott Associates, Channel 5 and ITV.
Passes are still on sale. York residents can get a day pass for £29.25, a 25% saving (tickets).
What the tickets cost
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Single screening | £8.50 |
| York Resident Pass (one day) | £29.25 |
| One Day Pass | £39 |
| Two Day Pass | £65 |
| Unlimited (all five days) | £120 |
| Family Day Pass (2 adults, up to 2 children) | £99 |
| Opening Night, Wednesday 4 November | £15 |
| Music at Aesthetica, Saturday 7 November | £39 |
All prices are from the festival’s tickets page. Tickets are non-refundable.
The resident pass needs a York Card or proof of a York address when you collect it. The family pass also carries the 25% saving for York residents. A single screening ticket covers one film and does not include masterclasses, and seats are first come, first served.
Passes are swapped for a lanyard at the festival hub desk in City Screen Picturehouse (YO1 9QL). Masterclasses, labs and workshops are included with a pass, but you need to register for them in advance.
Highlights through the week
- Wednesday 4 November: Opening Night, a screening of work from the 2026 Official Selection chosen by festival director Cherie Federico. It needs its own ticket.
- Friday 6 November: the premiere of three new documentaries from the Listening Pitch, made with Audible, and the Friday Night Party at Dusk on New Street.
- Saturday 7 November: the music programme at York Theatre Royal, with the New Music Stage and 10 new artists.
- Sunday 8 November: the awards ceremony, then an after party at Thor’s.
The festival’s details are from its opening week announcement.
Free to see in the street
The Radical Listening trail is free and needs no pass. Three light, sound and interactive installations, by Squidsoup, Steve Messam and Being Now Here, run from 4 to 8 November. The trail goes from Exhibition Square and York Theatre Royal towards King’s Square (Aesthetica).
What it means for you
- Live in York? Take proof of address. The resident day pass is £9.75 cheaper than the standard one.
- Just one film? An £8.50 single ticket gets you into any screening, any day.
- Masterclasses fill up. They are free with a pass but need booking ahead.
- Not buying a ticket? The light trail around Exhibition Square and King’s Square is free all week.
Ghosts After Dark also runs in Museum Gardens from 4 to 8 November; see our Ghosts After Dark page and what’s on in York this month.
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