Tarzana International Film Festival sets 2026 lineup with Gale Anne Hurd honor

The Tarzana International Film Festival returns Oct. 2-4, 2026, in Sherman Oaks and Tarzana with premieres, special programming and an awards gala honoring producer Gale Anne Hurd. The fifth-year festival is also using its platform to connect independent film with emerging creative tools, including an AI Media Festival showcase.

Why it matters: - TZIFF is positioning itself as both an independent film festival and a showcase for new storytelling technology. - The fifth-year event blends traditional premieres, genre programming and networking with an awards gala tied to the Edgar Rice Burroughs legacy. - The festival is centered in Tarzana, a location tied to Edgar Rice Burroughs’ history and the origin of the community’s name.

What happened: - The Tarzana International Film Festival runs Oct. 2-4, 2026, with screenings at Regal Cinemas at the historic Sherman Oaks Galleria and the Closing Night Dinner & Awards Gala at Mulholland Hills Country Club in Tarzana. - The festival opens Oct. 2 with the premiere of Body Man, a political action thriller directed by Michele Kanan and starring Sean Kanan, Kate Monroe, Martin Kove, Emilio Rivera, Lochlyn Munro, Tom Arnold and David Chokachi. - The Closing Night Dinner & Awards Gala will honor producer Gale Anne Hurd with the Edgar Rice Burroughs Legacy Award. - Ernest Dickerson will present the Edgar Rice Burroughs Legacy Award to Gale Anne Hurd. - The gala will also include a tribute to Chuck Norris, presented by actor Sean Kanan. - Sam J. Jones will receive the festival’s Man of Action Award.

The details: - Saturday and Sunday programming includes feature films, shorts, documentaries, animation, music videos, women-directed films, science fiction, fantasy, horror and two screenwriting categories. - The AI Media Festival, part of TZIFF’s curated programming, will spotlight filmmakers’ work that explores emerging creative technologies and new approaches to cinematic storytelling. - Saturday evening will feature science fiction, fantasy and horror programming. - The Saturday lineup also includes Book of Secrets, an anthology feature from award-winning filmmaker Jeff Rector. - Book of Secrets follows stories revealed after an ancient book is discovered inside the walls of an old Victorian mansion. - Sunday screenings include Ring of Kibo, a family adventure directed by Christian Filippella and Kimberly Skyrme. - Ring of Kibo stars John O’Hurley, Vincent De Paul, Bianca D’Ambrosio and Chiara D’Ambrosio. - The film follows lifelong friends and explorers searching for the legendary Ring of Kibo, an artifact described as having immense power. - The gala will include performances by comedian and television comedy writer Brian Kiley and singer/songwriter Bonnie Gordon. - Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. has supported the festival as a sponsor since its inception. - Edgar Rice Burroughs purchased a ranch in California’s San Fernando Valley in 1919 and named it Tarzana Ranch after his literary hero, which later gave the surrounding community its name. - The Edgar Rice Burroughs Legacy Award recognizes artists whose careers have expanded science fiction, fantasy, adventure and imaginative storytelling. - Gale Anne Hurd’s producing credits include The Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, Tremors, Armageddon and The Walking Dead. - TZIFF founder and CEO Lori Morrissey said the festival is designed as a celebration of storytelling across traditional cinema and new technology. - Jeff Rector, president of TZIFF and founder of AIMF, said the festival aims to keep the filmmaker and the story at the center while traditional filmmaking and emerging creative tools coexist.

Between the lines: - TZIFF is leaning into a broader industry conversation about how AI and other creative tools will affect filmmaking. - The festival’s use of legacy honors and genre programming suggests a strategy to attract both mainstream fans and independent creators. - Linking the gala to Edgar Rice Burroughs gives the event a local identity and a built-in storytelling brand.

What's next: - Festival tickets and the full screening schedule are available at ItsMySeat.com/TZIFF. - TZIFF will continue through Oct. 4 with the awards gala closing the event. - The AI Media Festival is likely to remain part of TZIFF’s broader identity as the festival expands its technology-focused programming.

The bottom line: - TZIFF is using its fifth edition to present independent film, genre entertainment and emerging media technology as part of one festival experience.