Film Festival Returns June 17-22 with Opening Film and Dozens of Screenings Throughout the Week

The Nantucket Film Festival has announced its full 2026 program lineup, revealing a six-day schedule of films, documentaries, and conversations set to take place from June 17 to June 22 on the island of Nantucket.

The festival will open with “The Invite,” a film directed by and starring Olivia Wilde, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Rashida Jones and Will McCormack. The film features Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton in supporting roles and follows a couple hosting their upstairs neighbors for a dinner party that takes an unexpected turn.

The centerpiece of this year’s festival is the documentary “Give Me the Ball!”, an ESPN 30 for 30 film presented by Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff. The documentary offers an intimate portrait of tennis legend Billie Jean King, exploring the personal sacrifices behind her public achievements in transforming sports and society.

The festival will close with a special presentation of “The Five Star Weekend,” based on the bestselling novel by Elin Hilderbrand. Directed by Minkie Spiro, the film stars Jennifer Garner, Chloë Sevigny, Gemma Chan, Regina Hall, D’Arcy Carden, Harlow Jane, and Timothy Olyphant. It follows a beloved food influencer coping with loss as she hosts four friends from different chapters of her life for a weekend in Nantucket, where hidden truths emerge amid the coastal setting.

In addition to film screenings, the 2026 Nantucket Film Festival will feature notable conversations and panels. Filmmaker Ken Burns will return to the festival with a new installment from his landmark documentary series “The American Revolution.” This presentation will focus on the language and ideas that ignited the American Revolution, including an extended look at the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense,” and the Battle of Bunker Hill. Following the screening, Burns will lead a discussion examining the ideals of 1776 as the nation approaches its semiquincentennial.

Festival passes are available in three tiers: Founder, Legacy, and Patron. Organizers note that passes are the best way to experience the full week of programming and secure early access to screenings and events.