AFI Fest 2025 Presented By Canva Announces Full Festival Lineup
- Details
- Category: Entertainment News
- Published on Wednesday, 01 October 2025 10:19
- Written by A&E Contributing Editor
The American Film Institute (AFI) unveiled the full lineup of films screening at this year's AFI FEST presented by Canva, taking place in LA from October 22-26. Passes and bundles are now available at FEST.AFI.com.
10-ticket bundles are on sale, with ticket selection beginning Friday, October 3. Individual tickets will be available starting Monday, October 6.
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This year's festival lineup includes 7 Red Carpet Premieres, 12 Special Screenings, 14 Luminaries selections, 15 Discovery films, 20 World Cinema selections, 15 Documentaries, 6 After Dark titles, 44 films in the Short Film Competition, and 23 films from the AFI Conservatory Showcase presented by AMC Networks. There are 5 World Premieres, 5 North American Premieres and 5 U.S. Premieres. Of the official selections, 39% are directed by women and 29% are directed by BIPOC filmmakers.
Rounding out the impressive slate of already announced titles are highlights such as Jim Jarmusch's Venice Golden Lion Winner FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER; Kaouther Ben-Hania's Venice Silver Lion Jury Prize winner THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB; Werner Herzog's GHOST ELEPHANTS; Charlie Kaufman's highly anticipated short film HOW TO SHOOT A GHOST, starring Oscar®-nominee Jessie Buckley; Paolo Sorrentino's LA GRAZIA; Mascha Schilinski's SOUND OF FALLING; Charlie Polinger's (AFI Class of 2017) THE PLAGUE, starring Joel Edgerton; Ildikó Enyedi's SILENT FRIEND; Shih-Ching Tsou's LEFT-HANDED GIRL, co-produced, co-written and edited by Sean Baker; plus the World Premieres of William Means' (AFI Class of 2021) feature debut JUNKIE, executive produced by Patty Jenkins (AFI Class of 2000), and Joan Bofill Amargós' documentary THE HANGING OF STUART CORNFELD, a portrait of film producer Stuart Cornfeld (AFI Class of 2000) featuring close friends and collaborators, including Jack Black, Mel Brooks, David Cronenberg, Guillermo del Toro, David Lynch, Steven Soderbergh and Ben Stiller.
Additional highlights include several highly anticipated international titles making their U.S. or North American Premieres, including Singaporean filmmaker Siyou Tan's (AFI DWW+ Class of 2019) Toronto-premiered debut feature AMOEBA; Iranian filmmaker Ali Asgari's Venice-debuted DIVINE COMEDY; Thai filmmaker Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's San Sebastián-premiered MORTE CUCINA; Armenian filmmaker Tamara Stepanyan's MY ARMENIAN PHANTOMS, Armenia's Best International Feature Oscar® submission; Mexican filmmaker Fernando Eimbcke's Berlin-debuted OLMO, produced by Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Eréndira Núñez Larios; Oscar®-nominated documentarian Daniel Raim's (AFI Class of 1999) Venice-premiered THE OZU DIARIES; German filmmaker Julian Radlmaier's Locarno-premiered PHANTOMS OF JULY; UK filmmaker Oscar Hudson's Venice Critics' Week Award Winner STRAIGHT CIRCLE; and French filmmaker Stéphane Demoustier's Cannes-debuted THE GREAT ARCH, starring Claes Bang, Xavier Dolan and Swann Arlaud.
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This year's edition will also include new works from top auteurs like Fatih Akin (AMRUM), Cherien Dabis (ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU), Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (YOUNG MOTHERS), Lav Diaz (MAGELLAN), Annemarie Jacir (PALESTINE 36), Radu Jude (KONTINENTAL '25), Nadav Lapid (YES), Sergei Loznitsa (TWO PROSECUTORS), László Nemes (ORPHAN), François Ozon (THE STRANGER), Amanda Kramer (BY DESIGN), Hylnur Pálmason (THE LOVE THAT REMAINS), Christian Petzold (MIROIRS NO. 3), Ira Sachs (PETER HUJAR'S DAY), Lee Sang-il (KOKUHO), Hong Sang-soo (WHAT DOES THAT NATURE SAY TO YOU), Erige Sehiri (PROMISED SKY) and Carla Simón (ROMERÍA).
Among the other high-profile documentary selections screening at this year's festival are Clay Tweel's ANDY KAUFMAN IS ME; Gianfranco Rosi's BELOW THE CLOUDS; Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus COVER-UP; Ben Proudfoot's THE EYES OF GHANA; Brandon Kramer's HOLDING LIAT; Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard's I WAS BORN THIS WAY; Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin's LOVE+WAR; Tamara Kotevska's THE TALE OF SILYAN; plus Brittany Shyne's SEEDS and Isabel Castro's SELENA Y LOS DINOS, both Sundance award winners.
This year's program represents 56 countries and includes 19 Best International Feature Oscar® submissions, including ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU (Jordan), EAGLES OF THE REPUBLIC (Sweden), FIUME OR DEATH! (Croatia), HAPPY BIRTHDAY (Egypt), KOKUHO (Japan), LEFT-HANDED GIRL (Taiwan), THE LOVE THAT REMAINS (Iceland), MAGELLAN (Philippines), MY ARMENIAN PHANTOMS (Armenia), THE MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO (Chile), ORPHAN (Hungary), PALESTINE 36 (Palestine), A POET (Colombia), THE PRESIDENT'S CAKE (Iraq), SOUND OF FALLING (Germany), THE TALE OF SILYAN (North Macedonia), A USEFUL GHOST (Thailand, THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB (Tunisia), and YOUNG MOTHERS (Belgium).
"With more than 90 features and nearly 70 shorts, AFI FEST 2025 will be our biggest program in recent memory," said Todd Hitchcock, Director of AFI FEST and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. "But more importantly, this year's selection reflects a diversity of viewpoints, artistry and daring from filmmakers across the globe."
"AFI FEST's unique mix of red carpet premieres, major works from established auteurs and impressive debuts from new talents makes for an action-packed five days of great cinema, which will spark conversation and stir imagination," said Abbie Algar, Director of Programming, AFI FEST and AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. "We look forward to welcoming the film lovers of Los Angeles back to the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre, as well as, this year, The Egyptian Theatre."
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Canva is the exclusive Presenting Sponsor of AFI FEST. FIJI Water is the festival's Official Water Sponsor.
As previously announced, Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro will serve as Guest Artistic Director of this year's festival. Del Toro's selected screenings will include Stanley Kubrick's BARRY LYNDON (1975), Federico Fellini's CASANOVA (1976), Ridley Scott's THE DUELLISTS (1977), and Pupi Avati's ARCANE SORCERER (1996). The festival will open on October 22 with SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE and will close on Sunday, October 26 with the World Premiere of SONG SUNG BLUE. Gala Screenings include JAY KELLY on Thursday, October 23, NUREMBERG on Friday, October 24, DEAD MAN'S WIRE on the afternoon of Saturday, October 25, and CHRISTY on the evening of Saturday, October 25 and the World Premiere of THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS on the afternoon of Sunday, October 26.
AFI also announced the lineup for the Special Screenings section, which will include BAD APPLES, BUGONIA, THE CHORAL, THE CHRONOLOGY OF WATER, IS THIS THING ON?, A MAGNIFICENT LIFE, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, the World Premiere of NEBRASKA LIVE, REBUILDING, RENTAL FAMILY, THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE and TRAIN DREAMS.
Passes to AFI FEST 2025 are now available for purchase online at FEST.AFI.com. Festivalgoers have the opportunity to purchase a Star Pass or upgrade to a Patron Pass. The AFI FEST Star Pass is a five-day pass with access to all screenings (excluding Red Carpet Premieres), early screening selection before individual tickets go on sale, priority theater access, entry to the festival lounge, invitation to the festival mixer to mingle with filmmakers and guests, a complimentary AFI FEST tote and free Rush Line access to all screenings. The AFI FEST Patron Pass features all the benefits of the Star Pass plus two tickets to each of the star-studded Red Carpet Premieres held at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre and priority screening selection before Star passholders.
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AFI FEST is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival for the Live Action, Animated and Documentary Short Film categories for the annual Academy Awards®. AFI FEST is also a qualifying festival for consideration for the British Short Film categories of both the BAFTA Film Awards and the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA).
Canva, the all-in-one visual communication and collaboration platform, returns as the exclusive Presenting Sponsor of AFI FEST 2025. Designed to empower entertainment professionals to visualize their ideas into impactful film and TV projects, Canva will be integrated throughout AFI FEST including hosting industry networking events, hands-on training workshops for filmmakers, and powering the festival's digital and printed materials. Entertainment professionals can explore resources to pitch projects, plan shoots, and bring creative visions to life at canva.com/entertainment.
Guest Artistic Director
In a special Spotlight section, AFI FEST honors Oscar®-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro — who most recently wrote and directed his spectacular re-imagining of Mary Shelley's gothic horror story FRANKENSTEIN — and who has selected four of his favorite films to present to AFI FEST audiences: BARRY LYNDON, FELLINI'S CASANOVA, THE DUELLISTS and ARCANE SORCERER. Films will screen throughout the festival, with introductions by del Toro.
BARRY LYNDON
Stanley Kubrick's visually stunning, Academy Award®-winning 18th-century epic — which marks its 50th anniversary this year — follows the rise of a reluctant conscript (Ryan O'Neal) through war, romance and intrigue across Europe. DIR Stanley Kubrick. SCR Stanley Kubrick. CAST Ryan O'Neal, Marisa Berenson, Patrick Magee, Hardy Kruger, Diana Koerner, Gay Hamilton. USA
FELLINI'S CASANOVA
Federico Fellini's infamous 1976 take on Giacomo Casanova's tale is a visual and sonic spectacle — a lavish, hallucinatory reimagining of the legendary Venetian seducer's life, starring Donald Sutherland and set to an unforgettable score by Nino Rota. DIR Federico Fellini, SCR Federico Fellini, Bernardino Zapponi. CAST Donald Sutherland, Tina Aumont. Italy
THE ARCANE SORCERER
A personal favorite of Guillermo del Toro, this richly atmospheric, spiritual horror film follows a disgraced seminary student as he takes refuge with an excommunicated monsignor with a penchant for the occult. Forced to participate in increasingly macabre rituals and tests, Giacomo is consumed by the sinister — as apparitions, ghosts and deadly rumors start to accumulate. DIR Pupi Avati, SCR Pupi Avati, CAST Carlo Cecchi, Stefano Dionisi, Arnaldo Ninchi, Andrea Scorzoni, Consuelo Ferrara. Italy
THE DUELLISTS
Ridley Scott's striking Cannes prize-winning debut feature is a visually arresting tale of honor, obsession and pride chronicling the 16-year feud between two French officers (Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel) against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. DIR Ridley Scott, SCR Gerald Vaughan-Hughes, CAST Harvey Keitel, Keith Carradine, Albert Finney, Edward Fox, Cristina Raines. USA
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About the American Film Institute (AFI)
The American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers. The Conservatory, which counts Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked as one of the top film schools in America.
AFI's enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations. AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST Presented by Canva and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at elevating emerging storytellers and technology, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive Workshop.
Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, X.com/AmericanFilm,
TikTok.com/@americanfilminstitute and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About AFI FEST
Now in its 39th year, AFI FEST is a world-class event, showcasing the best films from across the globe. This year's edition takes place in Los Angeles from October 22-26, 2025. With an innovative slate of programming, the five-day festival presents screenings, panels and conversations, featuring both master filmmakers and new cinematic voices. AFI FEST includes high-profile films with Q&As featuring the films' cast and crew and a robust lineup of fiction and nonfiction features and shorts, providing a one-of-a-kind experience for movie fans. Additional information is available at FEST.AFI.com.
Connect with AFI's film festival at Facebook.com/AFIFEST, Twitter.com/AFIFEST,
Instagram/AmericanFilmInstitute, TikTok/@AmericanFilmInstitute and YouTube.com/AFI.
About Canva
Launched in 2013, Canva is the world's leading all-in-one platform for visual communication and collaboration. Built to empower everyone to design, the company serves the creative and design needs of enterprises, small businesses, consumers, and students in more than 190 countries worldwide. Whether you're a novice taking your first steps in design, or a creative professional seeking powerful tools, Canva ensures users have what they need to transform an idea into something beautiful. Underpinned by the world's most comprehensive library of designer-made content, Canva is powered by a suite of products and proprietary AI tools which elevate how individuals and teams create, collaborate, and communicate with ease.
