Top Films to Watch at Leeds International Film Festival 2025

Explore a diverse selection of films at this year’s festival

The Leeds International Film Festival returns for its 39th edition from 30 October to 16 November 2025, showcasing over 260 films across various venues in the city. Screenings will take place at locations including Hyde Park Picture House, Cottage Road Cinema, Howard Assembly Room, Vue in the Light, Pictureville, Everyman Cinema at Trinity Leeds, The Leeds Library, Mill Hill Chapel, and Chapel FM.

Festival Highlights

The festival programme features a broad range of genres and themes, including Brazilian cinema, documentaries, UK premieres, classics, and special events such as a Night of the Dead horror marathon. The selection aims to cater to diverse audiences with films addressing topics from historical dramas to contemporary social issues.

Notable Films and Screenings

• Blue Moon – Opening the festival at Hyde Park Picture House on 30 October, this film stars Ethan Hawke as Lorenz Hart, portraying a poignant story of friendship and artistic collaboration set around a Broadway afterparty.
• The Choral – Screening on 31 October at Hyde Park Picture House, this World War One period drama directed by Nicholas Hytner and written by Leeds native Alan Bennett was filmed locally in Saltaire. It stars Ralph Fiennes as a chorus master rallying his community through music.
• Space Cadet – An animated, dialogue-free film about a young astronaut’s first mission, shown at Vue in the Light on 1 November and Hyde Park Picture House on 9 November. The story explores themes of loss and companionship.
• Pillion – Premiering at multiple venues including Hyde Park Picture House and Cottage Road Cinema, this film depicts a relationship between a mild-mannered man and a biker, starring Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård.
• That Summer in Paris – Set against the backdrop of the 2024 Paris Olympics, this film follows a woman reconnecting with her family. Screenings are scheduled at Vue in the Light and Howard Assembly Room.
• Fwends – An improvised feature about two friends reuniting in Melbourne, shown at Everyman Cinema at Trinity Leeds.
• Trains – A black-and-white archival documentary tracing the history of locomotives in 20th century Europe, screening at Howard Assembly Room and The Leeds Library.
• The Girl Who Stole Time – A fantasy action adventure in Mandarin with English subtitles, screening at Vue in the Light.
• Yalla Parkour – A documentary exploring an online friendship between the director and a young parkour athlete in Gaza, presented in partnership with the Leeds Palestinian Film Festival.
• Move Ya Body: The Birth of House – A musical documentary tracing the origins of house music from late 1970s Chicago to the present day, highlighting its cultural roots.

Special Event

Queens of the Dead will close the festival with a horror-comedy screening at Hyde Park Picture House. This film features queer icons and centres on a zombie apocalypse at a Brooklyn warehouse party.

Ticketing and Passes

The festival offers a variety of ticket options, including passes that allow entry to multiple screenings and discounts at local independent restaurants, bars, and cafes. Attendees can select from the LITE PASS, which includes six individual tickets, to the EXPLORER GOLD PASS, which offers unlimited access to films.

For full programme details, screening times, and ticket bookings, visit the official festival website at leedsfilm.com.