The 2026 DC Labor FilmFest returns this spring with a powerful lineup of films that explore the struggles, victories, and everyday lives of working people—on the job, in the streets, and around the world.
Presented at the AFI Silver Theatre and through partner venues, this year’s festival runs from April 18 through May 28, featuring a mix of new releases, labor classics, and timely international stories that speak directly to today’s labor movement.
Opening Night on May 1 features STEAL THIS STORY, PLEASE!, a compelling portrait of journalist Amy Goodman and the fight to tell stories that corporate media often ignores. The screening includes a special Q&A with Goodman and Academy Award–nominated filmmaker Tia Lessin, making it one of the festival’s must-see events.
The festival kicks off even earlier with BARISTAS VS BILLIONAIRES, a timely documentary about Starbucks workers organizing nationwide. With filmmakers in attendance and Q&As moderated by LHF Executive Director Chris Garlock, the film highlights a new generation of workers leading the charge for union rights.
This year’s lineup blends contemporary labor struggles with classic films that remind us where we’ve been. Barbara Kopple’s Oscar-winning AMERICAN DREAM and HARLAN COUNTY USA return to the big screen, offering unflinching looks at strikes that shaped modern labor history. Charlie Chaplin’s MODERN TIMES, the festival’s closing night film, delivers a still-relevant satire on industrial life and the human cost of automation.
International films expand the scope of the festival, from MADE IN EU, a COVID-era drama exposing the human cost of global supply chains, to CASE 137, a gripping look at accountability and power within law enforcement. Films like EVERYBODY TO KENMURE STREET and WTO/99 highlight grassroots activism and global solidarity movements, underscoring labor’s ongoing fight for justice.
The festival also explores the pressures of modern work through films like LATE SHIFT, a tense hospital drama about understaffing and burnout, and SELF DRIVER, a dark look at the gig economy’s hidden costs. Meanwhile, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU and IDIOCRACY bring sharp, satirical takes on corporate culture and the future of work.
Several screenings feature community partnerships and special guests, creating opportunities for discussion and connection among workers, activists, and filmgoers.
As always, the DC Labor FilmFest offers more than entertainment—it’s a space where labor history, culture, and activism come together. From coal mines to coffee shops, from factory floors to film screens, this year’s festival reminds us that the stories of working people are as urgent—and as powerful—as ever.
Volunteer at the DC Labor FilmFest—see films for free!
Want to catch some of this year’s DC Labor FilmFest—and help make it happen? Volunteers are a vital part of the festival, assisting with everything from ticket-taking and ushering to guest check-in and event support. As a thank-you, volunteers receive a pair of free passes to festival screenings. It’s a great way to support the festival, connect with fellow labor activists and film lovers, and be part of bringing these powerful stories to the screen. Interested in volunteering? Email info@laborheritage.org for details and available shifts.