21 January 2025
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Glasgow Film Festival 2025 (GFF25) has announced the full programme for its 21st edition. Across 12 packed days, Scotland’s largest annual celebration of cinema will showcase 91 World, UK and Scottish premieres from 39 countries.
The 21st edition of Scotland’s largest film festival will open on 26 February with the World premiere of Scottish director John Maclean’s hotly-anticipated survival thriller Tornado starring Tim Roth, Jack Lowden, Takehiro Hira and Kōki, shot on location in Scotland.
UK premieres include Ralph Fiennes and Juliet Binoche reuniting in The Return, Jessica Lange and Ed Harris in the star-studded adaptation of Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Vicky Krieps in the chilling New Zealand ghost story Went Up The Hill, and music documentaries Peaches Goes Bananas and Desire: The Carl Craig Story
Scottish premiere highlights include Scottish folk horror Harvest shot on location in Argyllshire, Tilda Swinton and George Mackay in the post-apocalyptic musical satire The End, Nicolas Cage in trippy psychological thriller The Surfer, and Glasgow’s James McArdle in the feel-good comedy Four Mothers.
GFF25 will close on 9 March with the World premiere of Scottish documentary filmmaker Martyn Robertson’s Make It To Munich, following remarkable Scots teenager Ethan Walker as he defies life-threatening injuries to cycle from Glasgow’s Hampden Park to Munich Football Arena for Scotland’s opening Euro24 match.
Glasgow-born Hollywood star James McAvoy will appear at a live In Conversation event, looking back at his career.
GFF is one of the leading film festivals in the UK and is run by Glasgow Film, a charity which also runs Glasgow Film Theatre. Glasgow Film Festival is made possible by support from Screen Scotland and the BFI Audience Projects Fund, both awarding National Lottery funding, Glasgow Life and EventScotland, part of VisitScotland. GFF would also like to extend thanks to the Glasgow 850 Festival Fund that helped make community outreach activity impactful by engaging children, young people and the wider community with the festival.
Chair of Glasgow Life, Bailie Annete Christie, said: "The Glasgow Film Festival is a shining example of our city’s vibrant cultural identity and its love for cinema. With an outstanding programme featuring eagerly awaited premieres and acclaimed works from around the globe, this year’s festival promises to captivate audiences, inspire creativity, and reaffirm Glasgow’s position as a leading destination for film and the arts. We’re delighted to support such a treasured and internationally admired event. This year, the festival also benefits from the Glasgow 850 Festival Fund, enabling special initiatives like the Community and Youth Takeovers, which reflect the richness of Glasgow’s talent and the strength of its community spirit during this milestone year for our city."
GFF25 marks CEO and Film Festival Director Allison Gardner’s final festival, after more than 30 years at Glasgow Film.
Allison Gardner, CEO of Glasgow Film and Director of GFF, said: “I cannot begin to say how excited I am by the brilliant programme we have curated, the breadth of films on offer genuinely has something for everyone. Everyone across Glasgow Film works very hard to make the magic happen and I cannot thank all my colleagues enough for their hard work, enthusiasm and sheer brilliance in making this not only a great festival to attend, but a friendly and supportive environment to work in. I shall be sad that this is my last festival as I’ve had so many magical moments over the years, but I know the great work we have done will ensure that audiences, filmmakers and industry colleagues will continue to support what I consider to be the best film festival in the world.”
Rebecca Edser, Head of EventScotland, said: “Supported through our International Events Programme, the Glasgow Film Festival is part of an exciting portfolio of events strengthening Scotland’s reputation as the perfect stage for events.
“The festival’s exciting and varied programme is filled with an abundance of World, European, UK and Scottish premieres as well as true cinema classics and thrilling special events, giving people the chance to connect, share and enjoy in truly memorable experiences in the way only events can.
“Through their commitment to screening Scottish based films, they also help showcase to audiences, both visiting and local, what is available beyond the screen to go and explore, reflecting the growing global trend of screen tourism or ‘set-jetting’. Congratulations to Allison and the GFF team on another fantastic programme – we wish Allison a wonderful final edition.”