Always Lalisa will open in IMAX and cinemas worldwide on Oct. 12 before moving to YouTube Premium later in 2026. Directed by Sue Kim, the feature documentary follows Lisa during a year focused on solo music, acting and work outside BLACKPINK. Readers will find the confirmed release schedule, festival details and production information below.
Key Takeaways
- Always Lalisa begins a limited worldwide theatrical run in IMAX and cinemas on Oct. 12.
- Tickets are scheduled to go on sale Sept. 9.
- The documentary will have its world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.
- YouTube Premium will stream the film globally later in 2026, with no exact streaming date announced.
- TIFF lists the Sue Kim-directed documentary at 97 minutes in English, Thai and Korean.
Always Lalisa Gets Oct. 12 Global Release
Always Lalisa now has a confirmed worldwide theatrical date. Sony Music Vision said Sept. 2 that the Lisa documentary will officially begin a limited engagement in IMAX and cinemas on Oct. 12 through Trafalgar Releasing, with ticket sales opening Sept. 9.
The announcement clarifies the film’s release path. The theatrical rollout will come first, followed by an exclusive global streaming release on YouTube Premium later this year. Sony Music Vision has not announced the exact streaming date or the length of the cinema engagement.
The release adds another music-centered feature to a screen landscape that has included other music documentary releases built around major recording artists and specific periods in their careers.
Directed by Sue Kim, the film centers on a year in Lisa’s life in which she pursued solo music, acting and other work outside BLACKPINK’s group activities. Sony Music Vision describes the period as the first time since childhood that she stepped away from the group for a year of independence.
The documentary was in production when Sony Music Vision previewed the project in 2025. At the time, Kim said she had followed Lisa through the year-long period.
“Following Lisa on this transformative and thrilling year has been a true honor and cinematic gift,” Kim said.
Film Follows Lisa’s Solo Year Across Music and Acting
The film’s timeline overlaps with several major projects in Lisa’s solo career. She released Alter Ego in February 2025, performed as a solo artist at Coachella that year and made her acting debut as Mook in the third season of HBO’s The White Lotus.
Those developments give the documentary a defined period rather than a full-career retrospective. Sony Music Vision says the film also addresses the pressure of launching solo work, pursuing acting, developing a personal brand and maintaining a private life away from public attention.
Lisa’s movement between recording and acting also fits a wider entertainment pattern of artists crossing into film and television. Always Lalisa, however, remains focused on the year captured by Kim rather than every project announced afterward.
Sony Music Vision also noted Lisa’s EP Press Play, scheduled for Oct. 23, with the single “SaWaDika” released Sept. 3. The EP arrives 11 days after the planned theatrical opening, although the company has not described the documentary as a companion project to the record.
The film therefore arrives at a point when Lisa’s solo work spans multiple entertainment formats, but its stated subject is narrower. Sony Music Vision’s synopsis centers on the transition away from continuous group activity, the demands of working independently and the tension between a public career and a private life.
That focus separates the documentary from a conventional career chronology. Rather than beginning with Lisa’s early years and moving through BLACKPINK’s history, the published description identifies one period as its principal narrative frame.
TIFF Premiere Sets Up Cinema and Streaming Rollout
Before the Oct. 12 theater date, Always Lalisa will make its world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. TIFF lists the documentary in its Gala program and gives it a 97-minute runtime, with English, Thai and Korean listed as its languages. The festival runs Sept. 10 through Sept. 20.
Trafalgar Releasing is handling the theatrical release. Sony Music Vision produced the film with RCA Records and Tremolo Productions, in association with Salt Water Productions and LLOUD CO. Kim and Courtney Crockett are producers, while Morgan Neville and Caitrin Rogers are among the executive producers.
Kim previously directed and produced The Last of the Sea Women, the 2024 documentary about South Korea’s haenyeo divers. That film also premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival before its global streaming release.
For Always Lalisa, the distribution plan combines theaters and subscription streaming. The cinema window begins Oct. 12, while YouTube Premium is scheduled to receive the film later in 2026. No day or month has been confirmed for that second release window.
The two-stage schedule gives audiences two viewing routes, but availability will not be identical at launch. Theater participation will depend on local listings, while the YouTube Premium release is described as global. Until an exact streaming date is announced, Oct. 12 remains the key public release date for Always Lalisa.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Always Lalisa be released?
Always Lalisa will begin a limited worldwide run in IMAX and cinemas on Oct. 12, 2026. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale Sept. 9.
Where will Always Lalisa stream?
The documentary will stream exclusively on YouTube Premium globally later in 2026. Sony Music Vision has not announced a specific streaming date.
Who directed Always Lalisa?
Sue Kim directed the documentary and also serves as a producer. She previously directed The Last of the Sea Women, which premiered at TIFF in 2024.
What does the Lisa documentary cover?
The film follows a year in Lisa’s life as she works on solo music, acting and other projects outside BLACKPINK’s group activities. It also addresses the pressure of maintaining a private life alongside a high-profile solo career.
How long is Always Lalisa?
TIFF lists Always Lalisa at 97 minutes. The festival also lists English, Thai and Korean as the documentary’s languages.
