April 2026 Indie Film Releases
This page lists independent film releases scheduled for April 2026, covering the latest indie movies, independent cinema, and low-budget films releasing on digital, VOD, streaming platforms, and in cinemas across the UK, US, and international markets.
It includes official trailers, first-look previews, and confirmed release information for new independent films across key genres such as horror, thriller, crime, drama, sci-fi, documentary, and cult cinema. The April 2026 indie film release calendar below will be updated regularly as new titles, trailers, genres, and release dates are announced.
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April 2026 Release Calendar
📅 April 3 – GAIJIN (Digital – North America)
📅 April 3 – TWO WOMEN (Theatrical – UK)
📅 April 3 – D IS FOR DISTANCE (Theatrical – UK & Ireland)
📅 April 6 – PAST LIFE (Digital – UK)
📅 April 7 – ARIELLA (Digital – UK)
📅 April 7 – I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU DIE (Worldwide Streaming Release)
📅 April 17 – DEPARTURES (Theatrical – UK & Ireland)
📅 April 17 – THE BLUE TRAIL (Theatrical – UK & Ireland)
📅 April 24 – THE NORTH (Theatrical – UK)
📅 April 24 – ROSE OF NEVADA (Theatrical – UK & Ireland)
📅 April 24 – SURVIVING EARTH (UK & Ireland Theatrical Release)
GAIJIN – Cross-Cultural Romantic Drama Spanning Japan, Zimbabwe And The US
📍 Directed by: Mark Chamberlain
📍 Written & Produced by: Michael Chamberlain, Mark Chamberlain
📍 Distributor: Freestyle Digital Media
📍 Genre: Drama, Romance
📍 Runtime: 89 min | Cert: TBC
📍 Release Date: April 3, 2026 (North America VOD) | DVD: April 7, 2026
📍 Starring: Michael Chamberlain, Yuki Iwabuchi, Mark Chamberlain, David Marroquin, Richard Curtis, Hideki Okajima
🎬 Synopsis: GAIJIN follows an American graduate student whose suicide attempt at a legendary Japanese temple is interrupted by the spirit of his dead twin, who challenges him to hold on until cherry blossom season.
Shot across Japan, New England and Zimbabwe, the film blends a cross-cultural narrative with a diverse international cast, exploring themes of grief, identity and hope. As the protagonist navigates both the physical and emotional journey, he is forced to confront his past while searching for meaning and redemption.
Directed by Mark Chamberlain and created by identical twin filmmakers Michael and Mark Chamberlain, GAIJIN delivers a personal story shaped by global experiences, with production spanning multiple continents and cultures.
🎞️ Watch the trailer
#GaijinFilm #FreestyleDigitalMedia #DramaFilm #RomanceFilm #IndieFilm #April2026 #VODRelease #BritFlicks #BritFlicksYouTube
TWO WOMEN – A Sundance Award-Winning Sex Comedy Reimagining A Cult Classic
📍 Director: Chloé Robichaud
📍 Writer: Catherine Léger
📍 Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
📍 Production: Amérique Film
📍 Runtime: 100 minutes | Cert: TBC
📍 Distributed by: Icon Film Distribution
📍 UK Theatrical Release Date: April 3, 2026
📍 Starring: Karine Gonthier-Hyndman, Laurence Leboeuf
🎬 Synopsis: In TWO WOMEN, neighbours Violette and Florence discover they share more in common than they first realise. While one struggles emotionally during maternity leave, the other finds herself numb to the life she has built.
As both women begin questioning the suburban expectations placed upon them, Florence embarks on an affair that sets off a chaotic chain of events. Between impulsive encounters, misadventures and the pressures of marriage and family life, the pair begin exploring what happiness really means — and whether their choices might ultimately unravel everything.
Directed by Chloé Robichaud, the film is a modern reimagining of Claude Fournier’s cult comedy TWO WOMEN IN GOLD (1970) and is adapted from the stage play by Catherine Léger. The film premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award.
🎞️ Watch the trailer
#TwoWomen #ChloeRobichaud #IconFilmDistribution #SundanceFilmFestival #ComedyDrama #CanadianCinema #IndieFilm #April2026 #BritFlicks #BritFlicksYouTube
D IS FOR DISTANCE – A Deeply Personal Documentary Exploring Memory, Family And The Power Of Cinema
📍 Director: Christopher Petit, Emma Matthews
📍 Writer: Christopher Petit, Emma Matthews
📍 Genre: Documentary
📍 Production: TBC
📍 Runtime: TBC | Cert: TBC
📍 Distributed by: BFI Distribution
📍 UK & Irish Theatrical Release Date: April 3, 2026
📍 Streaming Release Date: May 11, 2026 (BFI Player)
🎬 Synopsis: Made by filmmakers Christopher Petit and Emma Matthews, D IS FOR DISTANCE documents a life-changing journey undertaken by their son, Louis Petit. At the age of 12, Louis was struck by a rare and severe form of epilepsy that erased his memory of childhood.
Blending contemporary family and travel footage with archival material from early cinema, the film becomes both a meditation on memory and a reflection on cinema, healthcare, and family relationships. Narrated by Jodhi May, the documentary offers an uncompromising look at medical bureaucracy and the stigma surrounding epilepsy, while also celebrating film, music, and the enduring bonds between parents and child.
The film premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2025, followed by its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival. Q&A screenings with Christopher Petit, Emma Matthews and Louis Petit will take place around the UK and Ireland, including at BFI Southbank.
🎞️ Watch the trailer
#DIsForDistance #BFIDistribution #BritishDocumentary #IndependentCinema #MemoryAndFilm #EpilepsyAwareness #UKCinemaRelease #April2026Releases #BritFlicks #BritFlicksYouTube
PAST LIFE – A Psychological Descent Through Memory And Murder
📍 Director: Simeon Halligan
📍 Writers: Ray Bogdanovich, Dean Lines
📍 Genre: Psychological Thriller
📍 Production: Grimmfest Films
📍 Runtime: 96 minutes | Cert: TBC
📍 Distributed by: Miracle Media
📍 UK Digital Release Date: April 6, 2026
📍 Starring: Aneurin Barnard, Jeremy Piven, Pixie Lott, Nicholas Farrell, Tim McInnerny
🎬 Synopsis: The film follows journalist Jason Frey as hypnosis unlocks violent memories that appear tied to a real unsolved murder. As reality fractures and danger escalates, Jason is forced to confront the terrifying possibility that the past may not be finished with him..
Following its limited UK theatrical release, PAST LIFE arrives on digital platforms April 6, 2026.
🎞️ Watch the trailer
#PastLife #DigitalRelease #PsychologicalThriller #BritishHorror #SimeonHalligan #MiracleMedia #April2026 #UKFilm #BritFlicks #BritFlicksYouTube
ARIELLA – A Crime Thriller About Love, Manipulation And Escape
📍 Director: Michael Garsin
📍 Writer: Michael Garsin
📍 Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
📍 Production: Ariella Productions
📍 Runtime: 106 min | Cert: TBC
📍 Distributed by: 4Digital Media
📍 UK Digital Release Date: April 7, 2026
📍 Starring: Nadia Casula, Oliver Silver, Nina Hatchwell, Mace Richards, Paul Besterman, Lorenzo Camporese, Sarah T. Cohen, Linda O'Dwyer, Robin Kirwan, Mark Denham
🎬 Synopsis: ARIELLA follows a young woman from Brazil who falls in love with a charming London businessman, believing she has found a new life and future abroad.
But the relationship quickly turns sinister when she is manipulated and coerced into prostitution, trapping her inside a dangerous trafficking network.
Determined to reclaim control of her life, Ariella begins searching for a way out, risking everything to escape the criminal world surrounding her.
🎞️ Watch the trailer
#Ariella #CrimeThriller #DramaFilm #4DigitalMedia #IndieFilm #April2026 #UKRelease #StreamingRelease #BritFlicks #BritFlicksYouTube
I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU DIE – Meta Slasher Horror Feature
📍 Director: Alexandra Spieth
📍 Written by: Mike Corey
📍 Produced by: Mike Corey, Bobby Liga, Rushabh Patel
📍 Distributor: Motion Picture Exchange (MPX)
📍 Genre: Horror
📍 Runtime: 88 mins | Cert: R
📍 Worldwide Streaming Release Date: April 7, 2026
📍 Starring: Daniel Boyd Rawya El Chab Summer Hernandez Stephanie Gomes Hogan Zachary Leipert Bobby Liga Rushabh Patel Christa Sheary Katie Wieland
🎬 Synopsis: When a struggling writer discovers that the brutal events of his slasher novel are beginning to play out in real life, fiction and reality collide with deadly consequences. As the body count rises, he must finish the story before his protagonist is hunted down by a relentlessly sadistic stalker who will stop at nothing to claim her.
🎞️ Watch the trailer
#IKnowExactlyHowYouDie #MetaSlasher #HorrorFilm #IndieHorror #PsychologicalHorror #MPX #StreamingRelease #April2026 #BritFlicks #BritFlicksYouTube
DEPARTURES – British LGBTQ Drama Exploring Love, Addiction And Toxic Relationships
📍 Written & Directed by: Lloyd Eyre-Morgan, Neil Ely
📍 Produced by: Paul Mortlock, Neil Ely, Lloyd Eyre-Morgan
📍 Distributor: Peccadillo Pictures
📍 Genre: Drama, Romance, LGBTQ
📍 Runtime: 82 mins | Cert: TBC
📍 Release Date: April 17, 2026 (UK & Ireland cinemas)
📍 Starring: Lloyd Eyre-Morgan, David Tag, Tyler Conti, Liam Boyle, Kerri Howard, Lorraine Stanley, Saira Choudhry, Kimberly Hart Simpson, Jacob Partali
🎬 Synopsis: Benji encounters Jake at an airport departures gate, and there is instant chemistry. Their relationship unfolds through monthly secret trips to Amsterdam, where passion quickly gives way to a complicated and toxic emotional dynamic.
What begins as exciting getaways soon unravels into a doomed relationship of convenience. After being dumped, Benji struggles to move on, spiralling into addiction and fleeting encounters while haunted by the love he has lost.
Created by a collective of working-class Manchester LGBTQ filmmakers, DEPARTURES blends dark comedy with raw, lived experience, offering an honest portrayal of heartbreak, identity and self-worth.
The film premiered at BFI Flare and will receive a UK & Irish theatrical release on April 17, 2026, with a special hometown Q&A screening in Manchester hosted by Russell T Davies.
🎞️ Watch the trailer
#DeparturesFilm #PeccadilloPictures #LGBTQCinema #BritishFilm #IndieFilm #April2026 #UKCinemaRelease #BritFlicks #BritFlicksYouTube
THE BLUE TRAIL – A Bold Near-Future Drama About Resistance, Ageism And Freedom
📍 Director: Gabriel Mascaro
📍 Writer: Gabriel Mascaro | Tibério Azul | Murilo Hauser (assistant writer) | Heitor Lorega (assistant writer)
📍 Genre: Drama
📍 Production: Desvia Filmes
📍 Runtime: 86 min | Cert: TBC
📍 Distributed by: Metfilm Distribution
📍 UK & Irish Theatrical Release Date: April 17, 2026
📍 Starring: Denise Weinberg, Rodrigo Santoro, Miriam Socarras, Adanilo
🎬 Synopsis: Set in a near-future Brazil where productivity is valued above all else, THE BLUE TRAIL follows 77-year-old Tereza, who refuses to comply when the government begins forcibly relocating elderly citizens to remote colonies. Choosing defiance over submission, she escapes and embarks on a transformative journey through the Amazon in pursuit of one final wish.
Directed by Gabriel Mascaro, the film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival where it won three awards, including the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize. Exploring themes of ageism, displacement and resilience, the film combines social commentary with an intimate portrait of late-life rebellion.
🎞️ Watch the trailer
#TheBlueTrail #GabrielMascaro #BrazilianCinema #InternationalFilm #UKCinemaRelease #RodrigoSantoro #AgeismDrama #April2026Releases #BritFlicks #BritFlicksYouTube
THE NORTH – An Emotional Hiking Drama Set In The Scottish HighlandsTHE NORTH – An Emotional Hiking Drama Set In The Scottish Highlands
📍 Director: Bart Schrijver
📍 Writer: Bart Schrijver
📍 Genre: Drama
📍 Production: Tuesday Studio
📍 Runtime: 131 Minutes | Cert: TBC
📍 Distributed by: Tull Stories
📍 UK Theatrical Release Date: April 24, 2026
📍 Starring: Bart Harder, Carles Pulido
🎬 Synopsis: Former best friends Chris and Lluis reunite after a decade apart to hike Scotland’s West Highland Way and Cape Wrath Trail — a 350-mile journey they once completed in their youth.
Over 30 days in the remote Scottish Highlands, the pair attempt to rebuild their fractured friendship. While Chris remains distracted by responsibilities back home, Lluis is determined to finish the trail as proof he can still endure it.
Shot entirely along the hiking route and filmed in chronological order, THE NORTH explores friendship, memory and the restorative power of nature against the sweeping landscapes and harsh conditions of the Highlands.
Select UK previews begin March 20, 2026, with a full UK theatrical release on April 24.
🎞️ Watch the trailer
#TheNorth #BartSchrijver #UKCinema #ScottishHighlands #DramaFilm #IndependentFilm #April2026 #TheatricalRelease #HikingFilm #FriendshipDrama #BritFlicks #BritFlicksYouTube
ROSE OF NEVADA – A Time-Bending Cornish Drama From Mark Jenkin
📍 Director: Mark Jenkin
📍 Writer: Mark Jenkin
📍 Genre: Drama, Fantasy
📍 Production: BFI Films, Bosena, Film4 Productions, Head Gear Films, Metrol Technolog
📍 Runtime: TBC | Cert: TBC
📍 Distributed by: BFI Distribution
📍 UK & Irish Theatrical Release Date: April 24, 2026
📍 Home Entertainment: BFI Blu-ray & BFI Player (Summer 2026)
📍 Starring: George MacKay, Callum Turner, Francis Magee
🎬 Synopsis: When a fishing boat lost with all hands 30 years earlier mysteriously reappears in the harbour of a remote Cornish village, ROSE OF NEVADA unfolds as a haunting tale of fate and time.
Young father Nick joins an enigmatic newcomer and a veteran captain to take the vessel back out to sea, hoping for renewed fortune. But upon returning with a successful catch, they discover something is deeply wrong — they have slipped back in time to 1993, and the villagers greet them as if they are the original lost crew.
Written, directed, shot and edited by Mark Jenkin, the film continues his distinctive analogue filmmaking approach, shot on 16mm in Cornwall. Following its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival and UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, the film arrives in UK and Irish cinemas on April 24, 2026, with a director Q&A tour planned ahead of release.
🎞️ Watch the trailer
#RoseOfNevada #MarkJenkin #BFIDistribution #BritishCinema #GeorgeMacKay #CallumTurner #TimeTravelDrama #UKCinemaRelease #April2026Releases #BritFlicks #BritFlicksYouTube
SURVIVING EARTH – British Drama Based On A True Story
📍 Written & Directed by: Thea Gajić
📍 Produced by: Aleksandra Bilić, Sophie Reynolds
📍 Distributor: Metis Films
📍 Genre: Drama
📍 Runtime: TBC | Cert: TBC
📍 UK & Ireland Theatrical Release Date: April 24, 2026
📍 Starring: Slavko Sobin Olive Gray Stuart Martin Peter Coonan Toni Gojanović Ann Ogbomo
🎬 Synopsis: Based on a true story, ‘SURVIVING EARTH’ follows Vlad, a gifted harmonica player who fled the conflict in Yugoslavia in the 1990s and rebuilt his life in Bristol as a counsellor. As he forms a Balkan music band with colleagues and begins to find creative fulfilment, unresolved trauma from his past resurfaces, threatening the fragile stability he has built and deeply impacting his relationship with his daughter, Maria.
🎞️ Watch the trailer
#SurvivingEarth #BritishCinema #IndieDrama #TrueStory #UKFilm #MetisFilms #TheatricalRelease #April2026 #BritFlicks #BritFlicksYouTube
