SCI-FI-LONDON 2026 Unveils Diverse Line-Up Featuring World Premieres and Debut Features at Rich Mix

SCI-FI-LONDON is set to return from 13 to 17 May 2026 at Rich Mix in Shoreditch, presenting a five-day festival dedicated to innovative science fiction cinema from around the world. The event will showcase a variety of world and UK premieres alongside five curated short film programmes exploring themes from quantum physics to unconventional romances.

The festival opens with the world premiere of Signal One, a sci-fi thriller directed by Canadian filmmaker Jonathan Sobol. The film stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Josh Hutcherson, Dennis Quaid, and David Thewlis, and has drawn comparisons to Ex Machina and Contact. It explores the consequences when humanity attempts to communicate with alien intelligence, only to realise it may be outmatched.

Over the course of the festival, audiences will experience stories addressing grief, survival, memory, obedience, and the price of progress. Films hail from countries including Canada, Mexico, Romania, Australia, the USA, the UK, and China. The 2026 programme places a strong focus on debut features and independent filmmakers, with several directors presenting their first feature-length works on an international platform.

Closing the festival is the UK premiere of Voidance, directed by Marianna Dean. The film stars Zoe Cunningham in a gripping narrative about Alana Toro, who must navigate a simulation that resets with every error until the system itself becomes the threat. The film exemplifies the bold British sci-fi that SCI-FI-LONDON champions, featuring a female-led creative team both in front of and behind the camera.

Feature Films

Signal One (Canada, 88 mins, 2026) – Opening Night Film and World Premiere
Directed by Jonathan Sobol, the story follows tech billionaire Sam Houston recruiting computer scientist Annika to a secret facility. She discovers alien intelligences communicating around us, but when the mission shifts from listening to responding, humanity’s primitive understanding puts the species at risk.

ReLive (USA, 80 mins, 2026) – World Premiere
Steven Lee Taylor’s film centres on Priscilla, whose son is lost due to temporal anomalies. Offered a chance to go back in time to prevent the invention of disruptive technology, she has only four hours in her 21-year-old body to stop a man who has yet to commit a crime. The director will participate in a post-premiere Q&A.

Beings (Seres) (Mexico, 103 mins, 2025) – UK Premiere
Directed by Sandro David Arceo Espinosa, this film depicts a world suffering from water and medicine shortages. Inventor Lucio struggles to repair his medical robot, raising questions about humanity when technology and empathy fail.

The Uncertainty Principle (Romania, 90 mins, 2025) – UK Premiere
Sebastian Bărădău’s debut feature follows three scientists on the verge of a quantum breakthrough. The film focuses on intense personal conflicts amid scientific discovery, emphasising raw human tension over CGI effects.

Yesterday Island (Australia, 91 mins, 2025) – UK Premiere
Sam Voutas directs this dark comedy about Amos, a failed novelist who encounters a strange, elastic concept of time while minding a remote research station. Inspired by Greek mythology, the film is noted for its bewildering and memorable narrative.

Chatlines (UK, 78 mins, 2026) – London Premiere
Directed by Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely, the film follows Jordan, a man with terminal cancer in 2027, who connects with Danny via a Chatroulette-style app. Danny claims it is 2005 and that he is also dying. The film blends queer romance with time-bending elements and stars Siobhan Finneran.

Shackled (USA, 80 mins, 2025) – World Premiere
Luke Spears’ dystopian thriller features a white-collar criminal and a gangster linked by explosive devices implanted in their hearts. Survival depends on cooperation, making trust a dangerous gamble. The cast and crew will join a post-premiere Q&A.

The Journey to No End (China, 93 mins, 2025) – UK Premiere
In Xiang Chen’s debut, humanity uploads consciousness into a digital New World, leaving Earth deserted. Sixteen-year-old Cheng Qi refuses to log in and explores the abandoned landscape alone.

Voidance (UK, 87 mins, 2026) – Closing Night Film and UK Premiere
Marianna Dean’s film follows Alana Toro’s final test to join the elite ATIC Guard, involving a simulation where mistakes reset time but leave lasting memories. The cast includes Zoe Cunningham, James Cosmo, Mim Shaikh, and Neil Bishop. A Q&A with cast and crew will follow the screening.

Short Film Programmes

SCI-FI-LONDON 2026 also features five short film showcases comprising 39 films from four continents. The Best Short Film award goes to Broadcast, directed by Ewan Pollitt. The programmes include:

• Shorts I: The Long Way Home – Eight films exploring human connection through journeys across space, featuring lost astronauts and solitary researchers.
• Shorts II: Synthetic Hearts – Six films about love in the robotic age, highlighting awkward and unexpected relationships.
• Shorts III: The Memory Archive – Eight films examining memory’s complexities, including its preservation and potential to disrupt lives.
• Shorts IV: The Systems Design – Eight films focusing on systems functioning as intended, including the Best Short Film winner Broadcast.
• Shorts V: Earth Altered – Nine films portraying Earth’s transformation through flooding, abandonment, reclamation, and mysterious visits.