Welcome to IQStar Week™ 2026Tonight · Opening Ceremony broadcasts globally at 18:00 UTCPremiere Screening · Paper Lanterns Over Hokkaido available in 90 territoriesForum · The Future of Cinema — open submissions for the audience roundPress Center · Daily kits available throughout the weekWelcome to IQStar Week™ 2026Tonight · Opening Ceremony broadcasts globally at 18:00 UTCPremiere Screening · Paper Lanterns Over Hokkaido available in 90 territoriesForum · The Future of Cinema — open submissions for the audience roundPress Center · Daily kits available throughout the week
Live Conversations™
The Year in Cinema, Spoken Aloud.
Director conversations, writer roundtables, composer sessions, independent creator stories, technology & creativity panels, and audience questions — all moderated and archived for future viewing.
Mon, Jan 5, 08:00 PM
In Conversation: The Year in Story
Festival Editorial · Library Stage · 60 min
An open editorial conversation about the year's prevailing themes.
interview
Tue, Jan 6, 02:00 PM
Creator Interview · Amara Okeke
Lagos Lumen · Atelier Room · 50 min
Mapping memory across continents.
interview
Tue, Jan 6, 04:00 PM
Masterclass · Hand-Drawn Worlds with Ren Takagi
Yukiboshi · Atelier Room · 75 min
On the discipline of the trembling line.
masterclass
Wed, Jan 7, 01:00 PM
Roundtable · Independent Voices
Festival Editorial · Library Stage · 60 min
Three independent directors on building outside the system.
roundtable
Thu, Jan 8, 02:00 PM
Forum · The Future of Cinema — AI, Ethics, Authorship
IQStar Editorial · Forum Hall · 75 min
Practitioners and ethicists in conversation.
forum
Thu, Jan 8, 05:00 PM
Creator Interview · Noor Al-Sayed
Karam Studios · Atelier Room · 60 min
On grief, intimacy, and intelligent tools.
interview
Fri, Jan 9, 01:00 PM
Masterclass · Building Cinematic Universes
Maeve Lindqvist · Atelier Room · 60 min
Worldbuilding without losing the lighthouse.
masterclass
Sat, Jan 10, 06:00 PM
Composer Sessions · Scoring the Year
Festival Music · Library Stage · 75 min
Three composers on writing for image.
roundtable