Written by Kianna Best on Jan 8, 2025. Posted in Awards and Festivals

What's fuelling the film festival circuit for the new year?

International film festivals have long been a cornerstone of the global film industry, fostering creativity, innovation, and cultural exchange. In 2025, these festivals remain more significant than ever, evolving to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world while continuing to provide filmmakers with a vital platform to showcase their work.

Image courtesy of Universal Pictures

Often it can be easy to get wrapped up in the spectacle of glitz and glamour that international film festivals bring. But from Cannes to Sundance, these events throughout the year create a platform for a diverse array of filmmakers from across the world, whether it be newcomers or familiar face sin the industry bringing their art to large audiences.

These festivals promote cultural exchange, allowing viewers to experience stories from perspectives that may differ vastly from their own. This function is particularly critical in 2025, as the world continues to grapple with poignant issues such as rising political tensions, climate change, and social inequality. By amplifying marginalised voices and showcasing underrepresented narratives, film festivals contribute to global understanding and empathy.

The BFI London Film Festival’s #GenerationNow brought a selection of short films to the stage last year, exploring the experience of young adulthood, along with SCENE, a complimenting series of virtual interview with the filmmakers, launched on the BFI YouTube channel. Along the French Riviera, the famed Cannes International Film festival spotlit the stories of LGBTQIA+ individuals and the complexities of their backgrounds in a number of showcases from Netflix’s Golden Globe winning Emilia Pérez to Special Screening The Belle from Gaza from Yolande Zauberman.

Image courtesy of Unité/Phobics/Arte France Cinéma

In addition to their cultural significance, film festivals have adapted to the digital age. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift toward hybrid formats, and this trend has matured in 2025. Today, most major festivals offer both in-person and virtual components, ensuring accessibility for filmmakers, critics, and audiences around the world. This democratisation of access allows smaller, independent filmmakers to reach broader audiences without the financial burden of international travel. It also enables audiences in remote locations to engage with world cinema, fostering a more inclusive global film community.

International film festivals are critical for their impact on the industry itself. Festivals are often a launchpad for emerging talent, providing a spotlight for filmmakers to gain recognition and secure distribution deals. For instance, many critically acclaimed films, such as Killers of the Flower Moon and Anora , began their journeys at festivals before achieving their respective global successes. This year, with the rise of streaming platforms, and an increasingly fragmented media landscape, festivals remain a vital tool for curating quality content and helping films find their audiences amidst an overwhelming sea of entertainment options, all the while working with the new platforms for increased exposure of projects.

Image courtesy of Apple TV+

As hubs for industry networking and collaboration, filmmakers, producers, distributors, and critics are able to converge in these spaces, exchanging ideas, striking deals, and discussing the future of cinema. With the ongoing advancements in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and sustainability practices in filmmaking, festivals in 2025 also serve as think tanks for addressing the ever evolving challenges and opportunities in the industry.

By embracing technology and inclusivity, these festivals continue to play a vital role in shaping the global cinematic landscape, ensuring that the art of storytelling thrives in an increasingly interconnected world.