Press release submitted by the Dietrich Theater
Summer is well underway, and as the temperature heats up, so does the Dietrich’s Summer Film Festival. Running July 17 through August 6, Summer Fest promises to bring the very best in independent, foreign, and art films to the big screen. With 20 films over 21 days, there’s truly something for everyone to discover. A big thank you to Peoples Security Bank & Trust for sponsoring Summer Fest 2026.
Dietrich Theater General Manager and Movie Booker Ronnie Harvey shares, “Feel good hits, important and timely documentaries, and career-defining performances are all present in this year’s Summer Fest. A truly eclectic mix of independent, foreign and documentary films to enrich the mind, broaden our worldview and deepen our connection with one another. People have to be getting sick of me saying there is something for everyone, but there truly is something for everyone among this list. Give festival a chance. It may just surprise you, and there is no time like the present.”
Summer Fest 2026 will kick off with Preview Day on Thursday, July 9 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Preview Day is the perfect chance to watch all 20 trailers for the films featured in this year’s festival and decide which ones you absolutely don’t want to miss. Admission is free, and discounted concessions will be available.
Once the festival comes to an end, the fun isn’t over just yet. On Friday, August 7 at 1 p.m., attendees will have the chance to gather with fellow movie lovers to discuss and share their thoughts on the films they’ve seen. Admission is free, and all are welcome to attend.
Tickets to Summer Fest movies are $8.50 each. Below you’ll find the full lineup of Summer Fest showtimes and synopses. These details are also available at DietrichTheater.com.
The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist
Show times:
July 24 at 5:00 p.m.
July 28 at 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 2 at 7:00 p.m.
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 103 min
Language: English
Director: Daniel Roher, Charlie Tyrell
From the Academy Award winning filmmakers behind Everything Everywhere All at Once and Navalny; a father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with all this AI insanity. The film investigates the existential threats and potential promises of artificial intelligence. Roher conducts interviews with leading experts in the field to understand the world his child will inherit, balancing anxiety with trying to stay optimistic about the future. The AI Doc is a hand-made, eye-opening documentary about the most powerful technology humanity has ever created…and what’s at stake if we get it wrong.
Agatha’s Almanac
Show times:
July 25 at 7:00 p.m.
July 28 at 2:30 p.m.
Aug. 2 at 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 6 at 12:00 p.m.
Rating: NR
Runtime: 86 min
Language: EnglishDirector: Amalie Atkins
Agatha’s Almanac follows Agatha, a petite, nonagenarian, who labors in her massive vegetable garden and maintains her rural home with astounding DIY resourcefulness, needing no assistance from her niece Amalie. As Amalie films Agatha’s daily routines over a period of six years, it becomes clear that she’s the one who has a thing or two to learn: like how to survive without running water; how to harvest and transport a 15-lb watermelon so you can slice and feast on it, and why living on your own may be tough but is as colorful and vivacious as any married life. Agatha’s Almanac is a captivating portrait of how artful a fiercely handmade, independent life can be.
Amrum
Show times:
July 21 at 12:00 p.m.
July 30 at 2:15 p.m.
Aug. 2 at 12:00 p.m.
Aug. 3 at 2:15 p.m.
Rating: NR
Runtime: 93 min
Language: German with Subtitles
Director: Fatih Akin
Starring: Diane Kruger, Jasper Billerbeck, Laura Tonke
Starring Diane Krugar, Amrum is a tender coming-of-age tale about the loss of innocence set against the waning days of the Second World War. 12-year-old Nanning spends his days working the nearby farm, helping his mother feed their family. When he finds out that the war is to end soon, he is thrilled to learn that his Nazi officer father might soon be coming home. When he is sent off on a quest, he must navigate neighbors who he has been taught are the enemy and comes to the realization that those he deems as the enemy might not be after all.
Bernstein’s Wall
Show times:
July 18 at 12:00 p.m.
July 23 at 7:00 p.m.
July 25 at 2:15 p.m.
Aug. 1 at 7:15 p.m.
Aug. 6 at 4:30 p.m
Rating: NR
Runtime: 105 min
Language: English
Director: Douglas Tirola
Bernstein’s Wall follows legendary maestro Leonard Bernstein, celebrity conductor, composer, and political activist, thrillingly captured in this archival documentary portrait by Douglas Tirola. With Bernstein’s 1989 Christmas Day concert in Berlin as a frame, Tirola crafts Bernstein’s remarkable career entirely from television interviews, news footage, home movies, audio clips, and personal letters.
Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It
Show times:
July 24 at 7:15 p.m.
July 26 at 2:30 p.m.
July 30 at 7:00 p.m.
Aug. 1 at 9:15 p.m.
Aug. 5 at 2:30 p.m.
Rating: NR
Runtime: 105 min
Language: English
Director: Paris Barclay
Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It follows the extraordinary life and six-decade career of Grammy winning keyboardist Billy Preston, whose signature sound shaped the work of The Beatles, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and The Rolling Stones. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and rare photos, this documentary follows Billy’s career, his struggles with his sexuality and early childhood abuse and how these things shaped his well being and career choices.
Blue Heron
Show times:
July 18 at 4:30 p.m.
July 21 at 4:15 p.m.
July 29 at 2:15 p.m.
Aug. 4 at 7:00 p.m.
Rating: NR
Runtime: 91 min
Language: English, Hungarian with subtitles
Director: Sophy Romvari
Starring: Eylul Guven, Edik Beddoes, Iringó Réti
Blue Heron, based in part on the director’s own childhood, follows the eight-year-old daughter of a Hungarian immigrant family who relocate to Vancouver Island in the late 1990s while their oldest son Jeremy displays increasingly dangerous behavioral issues in their new environment. Blue Heron is a deeply affecting and masterfully-assembled memory piece that goes a long way towards articulating life-altering grief and its lasting impact on a family.
The Christophers
Show times:
July 18 at 2:15 p.m.
July 23 at 12:00 p.m.
July 26 at 7:00 p.m.
July 28 at 7:00 p.m.
Aug. 1 at 2:30 p.m.
Aug. 4 at 5:00 p.m.
Rating: R
Runtime: 100 min
Language: English
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Ian McKellen, James Corden and Michaela Coel
Starring an ensemble cast including Ian McKellen, James Corden and Michaela Coel, The Christophers follows Julian, a mainstay of the London art scene since his starry breakout in the creative explosion of the 1960s, who has drifted into a cluttered, self-imposed seclusion. His two estranged children enlist a young painter and sometime-forger, to pose as a prospective assistant and gain access to a fabled series of unfinished canvases he has buried deep in his home studio, in a deceptive bid to secure an inheritance for themselves.
Couture
Show times:
July 18 at 9:00 p.m.
July 22 at 12:00 p.m.
July 27 at 7:00 p.m.
July 30 at 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 5 at 7:00 p.m.
Rating: NR
Runtime: 106 min
Language: English, French with subtitles
Director: Alice Winocour
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Louis Garrel, Ella Rumpf
Couture follows an American filmmaker who arrives in Paris during the frenzy of Fashion Week. Drawn into a love story with a familiar collaborator as her path intersects with women of different ages and cultural backgrounds — all fighting to take control of their own destinies, she finds herself on a deeply personal journey of self-discovery that forces her to confront the choices shaping her life.
Diamonds
Show times:
July 20 at 12:00 p.m.
July 27 at 12:00 p.m.
Aug. 1 at 4:30 p.m.
Rating: NR
Runtime: 135 min
Language: Italian with subtitles
Director: Ferzan Özpetek
Starring: Luisa Ranieri, Jasmine Trinca, Stefano Accorsi
Merging reality with fiction, Diamonds is an sumptuous Italian comedy drama set in the 70’s and the present day. The film follows two sisters, Luisa and Gabriella who run a glamorous fashion house in Rome. They cater to the uber wealthy and most colorful of characters. Colors, sewing and fabric are at the core of the movie; but lots of dramas unfold in this close-knit community of seamstresses. They navigate their lives, including struggles with difficult relationships, financial strain, and personal growth, showcasing their strength like “diamonds”.
Gregg Allman: Music of My Soul
Show times:
July 21 at 7:00 p.m.
July 24 at 9:15 p.m.
July 29 at 12:00 p.m.
July 31 at 9:15 p.m.
Rating: NR
Runtime: 99 min
Language: English
Director: James Keach
Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul explores the groundbreaking life and work of Allman Brothers band co-founder Gregg Allman. The documentary traces Allman’s journey through profound personal tragedy and hard-won redemption, revealing how his raw honesty and blues-soaked power permanently reshaped American music. Told through never-before-seen interviews and rare performances, the film weaves an intimate portrait of Allman including his battles with addiction and personal demons that shaped both his life and his music.
Horseshoe
Show times:
July 19 at 5:00 p.m.
July 21 at 2:15 p.m.
July 26 at 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 3 at 7:00 p.m.
Rating: NR
Runtime: 88 min
Language: English
Director: Edwin Mullane, Adam O’Keeffe
Starring: Carolyn Bracken, John Connors, Lalor Roddy
Horseshoe, set against the backdrop of the Irish countryside, follows the Canavan clan as they deal with the sudden passing of the head of the family. No one is mourning his passing including his four estranged children, but the legalities of his will must be observed and more than one of the siblings is harbouring secrets. As the family returns to the home, the fate of their unit, their sanity and the estate hangs in the balance.
I Swear
Show times:
July 19 at 12:00 p.m.
July 23 at 4:30 p.m.
July 26 at 12:00 p.m.
July 28 at 12:00 p.m.
Aug. 5 at 12:00 p.m.
Rating: R
Runtime: 120 min
Language: English
Director: Kirk Jones
Starring: Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake, Somerled Campbell
Based on the life story of Tourette’s Syndrome campaigner John Davidson and Winner of the BAFTA award for Best Actor, I Swear is set within 1980’s Britain and follows John throughout his troubled teens and early adulthood. The film explores this little known and entirely misunderstood condition, along with his attempts to live a ‘normal’ life against the odds.
Normal
Show times:
July 20 at 7:15 p.m.
July 25 at 12:00 p.m.
July 30 at 12:00 p.m.
Rating: R
Runtime: 91 min
Language: English Japanese with subtitles
Director: Ben Wheatley
Starring Bob Odenkirk and featuring Lena Headey and Henry Winkler, Normal is a neo-Western thriller that follows an unassuming substitute sheriff assigned to a quiet Midwestern town. Seeking a temporary escape from personal and professional turmoil, he instead finds himself drawn into a crisis when a botched bank robbery exposes a dangerous secret beneath the town’s calm exterior. As tensions escalate, he is forced to confront his troubled past and the true nature of the community he has been tasked with protecting.
Power Ballad
Show times:
July 17 at 7:00 p.m.
July 22 at 7:00 p.m.
July 25 at 4:30 p.m.
July 31 at 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 4 at 2:45 p.m.
Aug. 6 at 7:00 p.m.
Rating: R
Runtime: 98 min
Language: English
Director: John Carney
Starring: Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald
Power Ballad follows Rick, a wedding singer who meets a washed up former boy band singer, Danny, at a wedding one night and bonds with him over a jam session. After the session, Danny steals one of Rick’s songs, and it becomes a number one hit that brings Danny back into popularity, leading to Rick seeking out revenge and recognition. What follows is being hailed as the crowd-pleasing hit of the season that hits all the right notes.
Pressure
Show times:
July 18 at 7:00 p.m.
July 22 at 2:30 p.m.
July 27 at 4:30 p.m.
July 31 at 7:00 p.m.
Aug. 2 at 2:15 p.m.
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 100 min
Language: English
Director: Anthony Maras
Starring Brendan Fraser, Andrew Scott and Kerry Condon, Pressure follows the tense 72 hours before D-Day, with the fate of the free world hanging in the balance. The film puts us in the situation room with General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Captain James Stagg as they face an impossible choice: launch the largest and most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether.
Silent Friend
Show times:
July 20 at 4:30 p.m.
July 24 at 12:00 p.m.
July 29 at 7:00 p.m.
Aug. 4 at 12:00 p.m.
Rating: NR
Runtime: 147 min
Language: English, German, Cantonese with subtitles
Director: Ildikó Enyedi
Starring: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Luna Wedler, Lea Seydoux
Silent Friend follows a single ginkgo tree set in the botanical garden of a medieval town in Germany. Through three loosely connected stories in different eras: 1908, 1972, and 2020, three people find themselves trying to create links to the plants and world of the garden. We follow their clumsy and awkward attempts to connect as they are transformed by the quiet, enduring and mysterious power of nature.
Steal This Story, Please!
Show times:
July 24 at 2:45 p.m.
July 27 at 2:30 p.m.
Aug. 1 at 12:00 p.m.
Aug. 3 at 12:00 p.m.
Rating: NR
Runtime: 98 min
Language: English
Director: Carl Deal, Tia Lessin
From the Oscar nominated and Emmy winning directing team of Tia Lesson and Carl Deal, Steal This Story, Please! explores the life and career of independent investigative journalist Amy Goodman who has reported on some of the most consequential stories of our time. This documentary is a gripping portrait of a journalist whose unwavering commitment to truth-telling spans three decades of turbulent history.
Time and Water
Show times:
July 19 at 7:00 p.m.
July 23 at 2:15 p.m.
July 31 at 2:15 p.m.
Aug. 5 at 4:30 p.m.
Rating: PG
Runtime: 93 min
Language: Icelandic with subtitles, English
Director: Sara Dosa
From the Academy Award nominated director of Fire of Love, Time and Water follows Icelandic writer Andri Magnason who turns his archives into a time capsule to hold what is slipping away from him. Tasked to write the eulogy for Okjökull, the first glacier to be declared dead due to climate change, Magnason reflects on how glaciers create an archive of deep time within their ice over millions of years. Drawing from a mix of photographs, home movies, myths, songs, and folk tales, Time and Water is at once an elegy for what we’ve lost and an attempt at cinematic time travel to retain it.
Tuner
Show times:
July 17 at 9:00 p.m.
July 20 at 2:30 p.m.
July 25 at 9:00 p.m.
July 31 at 12:00 p.m.
Aug. 6 at 2:00 p.m.
Rating: R
Runtime: 109 min
Language: English
Director: Daniel Roher
Starring: Leo Woodall, Dustin Hoffman, Havana Rose Liu
Starring Academy Award Winner Dustin Hoffman and from the Academy Award winning director of Navalny, Tuner follows a talented piano tuner whose meticulous skills for tuning pianos lead him to discover an unexpected aptitude for cracking safes, turning his life upside down. What begins as a modest character study about a soft-spoken piano tuner quickly unfolds into a quick-witted caper that hums with rhythm, humour and invention.
Two Pianos
Show times:
July 19 at 2:30 p.m.
July 22 at 4:30 p.m.
July 29 at 4:15 p.m.
Aug. 3 at 4:30 p.m.
Rating: NR
Runtime: 115 min
Language: French, English
Director: Arnaud Desplechin
Starring: François Civil, Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Charlotte Rampling
Starring Academy Award nominee Charlotte Rampling, Two Pianos follows Mathias who returns to France after a long exile to visit Elena, the mentor of his youth, who wants him to give a series of piano concerts alongside her. But upon his return, an encounter with a child who looks exactly like him – his double – sends Mathias into a frenzy that threatens to consume him, leading him to take stock in his life whether he is ready to or not.