FESTIVAL DATES

THURSDAY, APRIL 30  – SUNDAY, MAY 3

BOX OFFICE 

SMITH RAFAEL FILM CENTER
1118 FOURTH STREET  |  SAN RAFAEL

APRIL 30 – MAY 3: Tickets available at the Rafael box office 60 min before first show until 15 min after start of last show of the day.

TICKET ON SALE DATES

THURSDAY, APRIL 2  •  NOON: All Access Pass RSVPs (Leadership, Investor, Platinum and Silver Level Donors)
FRIDAY, APRIL 3  •  NOON: Bronze Level Donors + All Member Levels
SATURDAY, APRIL 4  •  NOON: General Public

ADMISSION

GENERAL   •   $18.50
SENIOR (65+) & STUDENTS W/ ID   •   $17
CAFILM MEMBERS   •   $15
YOUTH (12 & UNDER)   •   $10

FIND DISCOUNTED TICKET PACKAGES HERE

PLEASE NOTE:
Ticket prices vary for Opening + Closing Night Screenings and Special Events. Please check individual event pages for pricing details, including options for receptions, parties, and dinners where available.

DOCTALK events are free, but tickets are required

GROUP SALES

Discounted tickets are available for groups of 10 or more from schools, corporations, nonprofits, film clubs, and community organizations.

PRICING:
REGULAR GROUPS • $15 per ticket
STUDENT, SENIOR + YOUTH GROUPS • $9 per ticket

GROUP BOOKING POLICIES:

  • Groups must book at least 10 days before their desired screening.
  • Full payment is required at the time of booking.
  • Tickets are non-refundable, reserved for specific screenings, and distributed electronically.
  • Accessibility accommodations should be requested when booking.
  • Availability is limited and subject to Festival Terms & Conditions.

REFUND POLICY

All ticket sales are final. We can’t provide refunds, exchanges, substitutions, or reprints. CAFILM is not responsible for lost, stolen, forgotten, or damaged tickets. Please contact [email protected]  if you believe you have extraordinary circumstances and would like to request a refund.

QUESTIONS ABOUT TICKETING?
877.874.6833 | [email protected]

AUDIENCE CHOICE VOTING

Look for the QR Code on the screen after each screening, on posters in the Lobby or scan the barcode from your ticket.

Rate each film you’ve seen from 1 to 5 stars to help determine the overall DocLands Audience Choice!

CONSENT TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED

California Film Institute and its representatives may photograph, film, and/or otherwise record attendees at all Festival activities. By attending, you consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use in any and all media throughout the universe in perpetuity and without compensation for the use of your appearance, voice, and name for promotional and/or advertising or any other purpose by California Film Institute and its affiliates and representatives.

BADGE PICK-UP

For year-round All Access Pass holders and those needing a badge for DocLands 2026:

Mark Fishkin Room (Adjacent to theater)
Thursday, April 30 • 2:00pm – 7:00pm
Friday, May 1 • 2:30pm – 7:00pm
Saturday, May 2 • 10:30pm – 7:00pm
Sunday, May 3 • 10:30am – 6:00pm

ACCESSIBILITY

doclands.com/accessibility

Please ask on-site staff for assistance with early seating and/or assisted listening devices. If you require effective communication in the form of an ASL interpreter, please contact us at [email protected] at least 10 days prior to the screening you will be attending.

Festival venues are wheelchair accessible. Streaming titles are accompanied by English-language closed-captions, if open-captions are not already included with the program.

We welcome and encourage your feedback. For any accessibility-related questions and/or additional needs, please email [email protected].

ATTENDING SCREENINGS

To guarantee admittance, ticket and pass holders must be in line 30 minutes prior to showtime. Doors typically open 30 minutes before showtime.

Saving seats is not allowed, so please have everyone in your party arrive together.

  • LINE A  is for badge and ticket holders with an ‘A’ sticker on their badge & reserved seat ticket holders.
  • LINE B  is for all other ticket holders.
  • STANDBY: See below
TICKET AVAILABILITY + STANDBY

During the festival, you can visit our Browse Available Films page and find a list of films with tickets still available. Additional tickets are released daily at 12pm throughout the festival.

If a screening shows as “Standby,” it’s probably because we hold some tickets for special guests and partners. But don’t worry—Standby Tickets may still be available!

Standby Tickets are released 15 minutes before showtime on a first-come, first-served basis. They’re only available in person at the venue and can’t be purchased online or with vouchers.  Get in the Standby (Rush) Line early for your chance to grab a ticket!

FESTIVAL GUIDELINES

At the California Film Institute we appreciate, respect, and honor the vibrant diversity and viewpoints of our community of guests and staff. We hold steadfast a commitment to freedom of creative expression. We ask that everyone—artists, audiences, volunteers, press, industry, staff, board members, and beyond—maintain an environment that is welcoming to all by following our Code of Conduct.

  • Outside food and beverage is not allowed in any of our venues—but we do sell concessions! 
  • Please turn off phones and all other electronic or noise-making devices while attending screenings and events.
  • The use of cameras and recording devices is strictly prohibited during all screenings and events and may result in removal from the venue.
  • Oversized bags, with the exception of medical equipment and childcare bags, are not allowed inside any of our venues. Bags 12″ x 12″ x 6″ and smaller are permitted.
  • Please DO NOT sit in a reserved seat unless it has been pre-arranged for you. Reserved seats are limited to specific donor levels (usually by name or badge type) or for special circumstances, including accessibility requests.
  • Please also don’t stand next to reserved seats in the hopes of them being released. For venue safety and its fire code, all aisles must be clear unless actively walking to or from your seat. Standing in the back of theater spaces or sitting in aisles or stairs is prohibited.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Customer support agents are available to assist with any questions. During live support hours, click the purple ‘Help‘ symbol in the bottom right corner to chat with a live agent or send us a message at [email protected].

Live customer support hours are 10:00 am – 9:00 pm from May 2-5.
You can also leave a message with our support staff by calling 877.874.6833. Calls are returned within 24 hours.