Indie Memphis Film Festival Is Back: Get a First Look at the Preview Party

Before the first film rolls, Memphis gets the first look. On September 30, Indie Memphis reveals its full 2026 lineup at the new Metal Museum, with trailers, announcements, and drinks with fellow film lovers.

Fall in Memphis means one thing for film lovers: Indie Memphis is back. At the Preview Party, guests will be the first to hear festival announcements and catch trailers from many of this year’s films. Doors open at 6:00 PM for cocktail hour, and announcements and trailers begin at 7:15 PM, right when the full festival schedule goes live.

One title is already out. The Lorraine, a new documentary from director Sam Pollard (MLK/FBI, Slavery by Another Name), is the festival’s opening night film. It tells the story of the Lorraine Motel, the Memphis landmark tied to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and now home to the National Civil Rights Museum. If that’s the first chapter, the Preview Party is where we find out the rest.

Your $10 advance ticket includes light bites and complimentary drinks from 6:00 to 7:15 PM, including cocktails made with Old Dominick liquor, beer from Hampline Brewing Company, and soda. After that, it’s a cash bar. Guests must be 21+ for alcohol, and ID will be checked at the door. Passholders get priority access to film tickets before they go on sale to the public on Monday, October 5.