Leeds International Film Festival Unveils Programme – Preview

Last week, Leeds International Film Festival (LIFF) unveiled its thrilling programme for the 39th edition of the festival. From 30 October to 16 November 2025, LIFF will showcase 260 films across more than 300 screenings. Screenings will take place at venues across Leeds, including Vue at The Light, Everyman, Hyde Park Picture House, Cottage Road Cinema, and Howard Assembly Room. We attended the programme launch to get a closer look at this year’s epic celebration of cinema. 

Founded in 1987, LIFF is the UK’s longest-running film festival and one of its largest. It is committed to showcasing innovative, diverse, and international cinema that often escapes mainstream attention.

Kicking off this year’s festival on Thursday, 30th October at Hyde Park Picture House is Richard Linklater’s ‘Blue Moon’. Ethan Hawke delivers a career-defining performance in this poignant and witty portrait of lyricist Lorenz Hart. It is a story of friendship, creativity, and faded glory, set against the backdrop of another opening night. The film sets the tone for the festival with its evocative and emotionally rich storytelling.

Blue Moon. Sony Pictures Classic. Image Credit: Leeds International Film Festival.

LIFF 2025 showcases films across five key sections, offering something for every cinephile. ‘Blue Moon’ features in Constellation, a strand spotlighting visionary international films, including UK premieres from Austria, Egypt, India, and Sudan. Be among the first in the UK to experience some of the most anticipated and significant new films of the year. Highlights include Richard Linklater’s ‘Nouvelle Vague’, Palme d’Or winner ‘It Was Just an Accident’ by Jafar Panahi, Lynne Ramsay’s ‘Die, My Love’, and dark comedy ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ by Mary Bronstein.

If I Had Legs I Would Kick You. Picturehouse. Image Credit: Leeds International Film Festival.

Fanomenon is the UK’s largest festival selection dedicated to new fantastic genre films, featuring: fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and dark comedy. The festival includes seven UK feature premieres, such as Julia Ducournau’s ‘Alpha’, Yorgos Lanthimos’s ‘Bugonia’, and an all-night horror marathon ‘Night of the Dead’ headlined by Tina Romero’s ‘Queens of the Dead’. Other highlights include Oliver Laxe’s apocalyptic road trip ‘Sirāt’ and award winning films like Paolo Strippoli’s ‘They Holy Boy.’ The festival also offers wonderful family films, including Kid Koala’s ‘Space Cadet’ and Yu Ao’s ‘The Girl Who Stole Time’, providing something a little out of the ordinary for all ages. 

Bugonia. Universal. Image Credit: Leeds International Film Festival.

Cinema Versa is a powerful and immersive documentary strand exploring urgent environmental and social issues. From rewilding projects in the French Pyrenees to climate refugees in America, and stories of Palestinian resistance, this section promises to open your eyes and offer fresh perspectives. Highlights include the UK premieres of Werner Herzog’s ‘Ghost Elephants’ and ‘Celtic Utopia’, which follows the next generation of Irish folk musicians. In partnership with the Leeds Palestinian Film Festival, taking place later in November, you can also experience ‘Yalla Parkour’ by Areed Zuaiter, a reflective film about identity, life under occupation, and the adrenaline-fueled sport of parkour.

Celtic Utopia. Split Screen. Image Credit: Leeds International Film Festival.

LIFF Spotlights offers unique retrospectives and other special selections of rarely screened films. This year features 4K restorations of ‘The Arch’ (1968) by Hong Kong’s first female filmmaker T’ang Shushuen, and ‘Compensation’ (1999), Zeinabu Irene Davis’s landmark film on Deaf African American struggles. Other spotlights focus on Brazilian cinema’s themes of displacement and classic films about escaping ordinary life and searching for different ways of living, including ‘Wanda’ and ‘Roman Holiday’.

LIFF Shorts celebrates the art of short filmmaking, with eight competitions and £8,000 in prizes. The world’s first short film was made in Leeds in 1888 by Louis Le Prince. To honour that legacy, this year’s programme features a dedicated section of work from Yorkshire. Shorts from across the UK and around the world showcase a diverse mix of voices and styles. From documentaries and queer stories to Sundance picks and music videos. Notable UK premieres include Lewis Pashley’s ‘The Caged’ and Sabriah Nawroozi’s ‘The Long Away Game’. 

The festival closes on Sunday 16th November with ‘The Love That Remains’. From Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason, this film is a tender, playful exploration of family dynamics, shot on luminous 35mm film. Following his acclaimed ‘Godland’, Pálmason delivers an intimate meditation on love, nature, and the complexities of unconventional families.

The Love That Remains. Curzon. Images Credit: Leeds International Films Festival.

This year, Liff has expanded accessibility with more weekend screenings, community events, and affordable ticket options ranging from £6-£10.50. They also offer a wide range of multi-film tickets. The LIFF Lite Pass gives you 6 tickets to use in any combination. For more flexibility, the LIFF Explorer Pass is available in bundles of 10, 20, 30, or 40 tickets, making it easier to enjoy as many films as you like.

At the programme launch, audiences were treated to a 75-minute trailer reel teasing some of the standout films. It was a thrilling preview that set the tone for what promises to be a fascinating two weeks. LIFF 2025’s bold, diverse programme reaffirms its status as one of the UK’s leading film festivals. Whether it’s world cinema, bold docs, cult gems, or local talent, there’s something for everyone.

Keep an eye on TSOTA for upcoming film reviews

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Explore the full programme and plan your festival experience now at https://www.leedsfilm.com/