24th Annual San Diego International Film Festival Reveals 2025 Slate

The San Diego International Film Festival has unveiled its lineup for the 34th season, running from October 15 to 19. This year, the theme is "Where Culture, Coast and Cinema Collide," and features 108 titles in Gala, Narrative, Documentary, Spotlight and Short Selections.

This year’s Main Slate showcases a lineup from 29 countries and 24 world premieres chosen from a record-breaking 3,500 submissions. Opening this year’s Festival is the highly-anticipated film, Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt, starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri and Andrew Garfield. (Venice Film Festival).

Additional Highlighted Gala Features include, Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal (Telluride Film Festival),HIKARI’s Rental Family starring Brendan Fraser (Toronto International Film Festival) Cole Webley’s Omaha, starring John Magaro (Sundance Film Festival), Marie-Elsa Sgualdo’s Silent Rebellion starring Lila Gueneau and Grégoire Colin  (Venice Film Festival),  Max Walker-Silverman’s Rebuilding starring Josh O’Connor (Sundance Film Festival) Matthew Shear’s Fantasy Life starring Amanda Peet and Alessandro Nivola (SXSW, Special Jury Award), Elena Oxman’s Outerland starring Asia Kate Dillon (SXSW), Dean Imperial’s Caper, starring Dean Imperial, Kevin Kane, Sam Gilroy (SXSW), Amy Landecker’s For Worse starring Amy Landecker and Bradley Whitford (SXSW).

According to Tonya Mantooth, CEO/Artistic Director, “The San Diego International Film Festival is more than just a film festival — it’s a cultural experience. From international cinema that sparks global dialogue to local stories that reflect the heart of our community, the Festival is pleased to present the best in cinematic storytelling, creativity, and human connection in our beautiful San Diego. Festival attendees will see a strong lineup of diverse voices, bold perspectives and films that spark empathy and conversation.  Gathering at the Festival once a year in beautiful San Diego unites storytellers, changemakers and Film Lovers.  They will see International standouts, features, thought provoking documentaries, Award-winning shorts, and high-profile studio premieres that will give audiences a first look at some of the year’s most acclaimed films.”

The Opening Night film premiere and party will be held at THE LOT, La Jolla on Wednesday, October 15th. The Night of the Stars Tribute red carpet event will take place at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center in La Jolla on Thursday, October 16th. The San Diego International Film Festival honors some of the film industry’s most accomplished actors, directors and filmmakers.

Each year, the festival presents the Gregory Peck Award of Excellence in Cinema with the support of the Peck family.  Partial list of past honorees includes Laurence Fishburne, Annette Bening, Adrien Brody, Kate Beckinsale, Andy Garcia, Kumail Nanjiani, Heather Graham, Judd Apatow, Regina Hall, Kenny Loggins, Geena Davis and others.

Culinary Cinema takes place on Sunday, October 19th and is a perfect recipe for Sunday fun and a dream come true for foodies!  Hosted by Shawn Styles from CBS8’s ‘Cooking with Styles’, the ingredients begin with an extravagant nosh at the Capital One Cafe, followed by a cuisine-themed film, Mads K. Baekkevold’s The Chef & The Daruma. The Festival will then continue from October 17th through October 19th at the AMC14@ UTC Westfield, La Jolla, CA. The most up-to-date festival information is available here.

FESTIVAL PASSES

The Festival’s signature events (Opening Night Film and Pre-Reception and Culinary Cinema) typically sell out.  The best way to guarantee reservations at these events is to purchase a pass and reserve tickets no later than Sep 10th. Individual event tickets to the signature events will go on Sept 12th on a space available basis.

The VIP Pass Package includes: Opening Night Film Premiere and Party, Night of the Stars Tribute, Party With a Purpose, Culinary Cinema, first access to all film screenings, panels, special events and Fest Lounge.

The Fest Pass Package includes all screenings on Thursday - Sunday. Does NOT include Opening Night Film & Party, Night of the Stars Tribute or Culinary Cinema. The Weekend Pass Package includes all screenings on Saturday and Sunday only. Culinary Cinema not included.

10-Ticket Package:  Choose 10 screenings from a curated selection of premieres, international films, indies, docs, and shorts. Your festival, your way.  Buy the 10-Ticket Bundle for $175 and save $25! Valid Thu, Oct 16 – Sun, Oct 19

There are a variety of Festival Packages available to suit every budget. Individual screenings can be purchased for $20 all the way up to the VIP PASS PACKAGE for $575.  Learn more about Festival ticketing options here.

2025 SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL LINE-UP

Gala and Narrative Competition (22)

• 100 Liters of Gold, Dir. Teemu Nikki, Finland, Italy,  United States Premiere
• After the Hunt, Dir. Luca Guadagnino, Italy, USA,  California Premiere
• Aontas, Dir. Damien McCann, Ireland, San Diego Premiere
• Caper, Dir. Dean Imperial, USA, West Coast Premiere
• Case 137, Dir. Dominik Moll, France,  North American Premiere
• Fantasy Life, Dir. Matthew Shear, USA, San Diego Premiere
• For Worse, Dir. Amy Landecker, USA, West Coast Premiere
• Hamnet, Dir. Chloe Zhao, UK,  California Premiere
• Hello Mother, Dir. Byambasuren Ganbat, Mongolia, North American Premiere
• Lost In Territories, Dir. Nadav Shlomo Giladi, France, Israel, Germany, Italy, World Premiere
• Magic Hour, Dir. Jacqueline Christy, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Obraz, Dir. Nikola Vukcevic, Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Germany, North American Premiere
• Odd Fish, Dir. Snaevar Solvason, Iceland, West Coast Premiere   
• Omaha, Dir. Cole Webley, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Outerlands, Dir. Elena Oxman, USA,  Southern California Premiere
• Rebuilding, Dir. Max Walker-Silverman, USA,  Southern California Premiere
• Reeling, Dir. Yana Alliata, USA, West Coast Premiere
• Rental Family, Dir. HIKARI, Japan, USA,  California Premiere
• Silent Rebellion, Dir. Marie-Elsa Sgualdo, Switzerland, Belgium, France, North American Premiere
• SUNPHLOWERS, Dir. Dave Byrne, Ireland, United States Premiere
• The Fisherman, Dir. Zoey Martinson, Ghana, San Diego Premiere
• The Party’s Over, Dir. Antony Cordier ,France , North American Premiere

Documentary Competition (11)

• A Quiet Love, Dir. Garry Keane, Ireland, North American Premiere
• Desert Angel, Dir. Vincent DeLuca, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Lights, Camera, Friendship on the Spectrum - Amelia Island, Dir. Joey Travolta, USA, West Coast Premiere
• Matter of Time, Dir. Karen Barzilay, USA, Canada, West Coast Premiere
• Rising Phoenix: A New Revolution, Dir. Sheridan O’Donnell, United Kingdom, West Coast Premiere
• Room to Move, Dir. Alexander Hammer, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Standout: The Ben Kjar Story, Dir. Tanner Christensen, USA, San Diego Premiere
• The Chef & The Daruma, Dir. Mads K. Baekkevold, Canada, California Premiere
• The Kids Are Not Alright, Dir. Makaela Shwer, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Ugo: An Artist at War, Dir. Steve Nemsick, USA, World Premiere

Shorts Tracks Competition  (74)

Animation Filmmaking:

• Amped, Dir. Vincent Salvano, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Blacky The Metal Arm Cat, Dir. Nic Ho, Hong Kong, San Diego Premiere
• Blu's, Dir. Rajesh PK, India, San Diego Premiere
• Christopher & the Bug, Dir. Vanessa Esteves, Kevin Micallef, Canada, San Diego Premiere
• Creatures of Chaos, Dir. Siddharth Zutshi, Asavari Kumar, USA, Denmark, San Diego Premiere
• Forevergreen, Dir. Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Goldau, Dir. Roman Kaelin, Switzerland, United States Premiere
• I dream about Colorful Earth, Dir. Will Kim, USA, West Coast Premiere
• Puggy Huggy, Dir. Sungwon Kim, South Korea, San Diego Premiere
• Unstable: A Ponytale, Dir. Lauren Hale, USA, World Premiere

DocuDrama:

• Big Bass, Dir. Drew Dickler, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Dancing Warrior, Dir. Rachel McDonald, Peter Goetz, USA, West Coast Premiere
• Edel Rodriguez: Freedom is a Verb, Dir, Mecky Creus, Adrienne Hall, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Hellbent, Dir. Brooklyn Phillips, Sarah Stewart, USA, California Premiere
• Keeper of the Cascades, Dir. Maddie Pellman, Grace Galligan, USA, California Premiere
• The Opening Address, Dir. Jess Lowe Chaverri, Konwanahktotha Alvera Sargent, USA,  Southern California Premiere

Dramedy:

• Cherry-Colored Funk, Dir. Chelsie Pennello, USA, San Diego Premiere
• DISC, Dir. Blake Rice, USA, San Diego Premiere
• I want to go to Moscow, Dir. Sarah Baskin, USA, Southern California Premiere
• Randy as Himself, Dir. Margaret Miller, USA,  San Diego Premiere
• Sienna and the Sit, Dir. Scottie Thompson, USA, San Diego Premiere
• The Most Powerful Human on Earth, Dir. Andrew Richardson, United Kingdom, California Premiere

Dramatic Lens:

• Ashes Under The Sand, Dir. Richard LePow, USA, West Coast Premiere
• Fireline, Dir. Robin Takao D'Oench, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Hugh, Dir. Walker Patterson, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Kong Kong, Dir. Bochen Gong, China, North American Premiere
• The Truck, Dir. Elizabeth Rao, USA, San Diego Premiere

Charmingly Short:

• Fireflies in the Dusk, Dir. Jonathan Hammond, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Friday Night Flop, Dir. Simon Friedberg, Elliott Gerner, UK, Southern California Premiere
• Nonna's Nude, Dir. Courtney Ulrich, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Over, Dir. Duncan Ragg, Anna Phillips, Australia, Southern California Premiere
• Sally, Get the Potatoes, Dir. Danicah Waldo, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Shaba Daba, Dir. Tony De Niro, USA,  San Diego Premiere

San Diego Scene:

• Code Red, Dir. Jessica McGaugh, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Coulrophobia, Dir. Christopher White, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Crane, Dir. Aiden Keltner, USA, California Premiere
• Disconnected, Dir. Will Jones, USA, World Premiere
• One Handed Fighter, Dir. Matthew Meredith, USA, West Coast Premiere
• The Last Ones Out, Dir.  Joshua Timpany, USA, San Diego Premiere
• The Truth About Susie, DIr. Ty Mabrey, USA, World Premiere
• Tides of Tradition: A Brief History of San Diego Commercial Fishing, Dir. Lindsay Bauman, USA, World Premiere

Short & Sweet:

• #1 Bad Dad, Dir. Natalie Camou, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Crayons, Dir. Alejandro Ansoleaga, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Dear Moon, Dir. Robin Lebeau, Ola Mirzoeva, France, World Premiere
• Duck Duck Goose, Dir. Sara Balghonaim, Saudi Arabia, West coast / California premiere
• Fire at Will, Dir. Morgan Gruer, USA, San Diego Premiere
• RISE,  Dir. Jessica J. Rowlands, Zimbabwe, San Diego Premiere
• Uncle Johnny, Dir. Margaux Susi, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Winter Psalm, Dir. Hao Yan ,China, USA, San Diego Premiere

Student Showcase:

• bio_LOGIC, Dir. JT Salcido, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Echoes of the Wild, Dir. Shaz Bell, New Zealand, North American Premiere
• Endowed, Dir. Ben Caplan, USA, West Coast Premiere
• GO, Dir. Dusan Brown, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Grade A Love, Dir. Jaden Koller, USA, West Coast Premiere
• Julie, Dir. Kendra Michelle Marquez, USA, San Diego Premiere
• My Father's Wedding, Dir. Jay McGregor, Canada, San Diego Premiere
• On Air,  Dir. Colby Barrios, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Terroir,  Dir. Casey Rogerson, USA,  West Coast Premiere
• Why Can't We Just Be Ghosts? Dir. Patrick Jang, USA,  San Diego Premiere

Twisted Humor:

• Flash Warning, Dir. Allegra Leguizamo, USA, San Diego Premiere
• FLOOR, Dir. Jo Bareun, Korea, Republic of, West Coast Premiere
• GEMINI, Dir. Naomi Christie, USA, World Premiere
• Jael Drives the Nail, Dir. Maddie Dai, UK , United States Premiere
• Let's Settle This!, Dir. Jack Woon, New Zealand, World Premiere
• Rubber Ducky, Dir. Alexander Angliss-Wilson, Australia, North American Premiere
• Scissor Sleepover, Dir. Nee Kirschman, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Toe, Dir. Elly Howard, USA , West Coast Premiere

When Worlds Collide:

• After What Happened at the Library,  Dir. Syra McCarthy, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Five Past Twelve, Dir. Kevin Van Doorslaer, Belgium, San Diego Premiere
• Follower, Dir. Ryan park, USA, South Korea, North American Premiere
• PAPER CRANES & BLUE FROG, Chavo, Japan, North American Premiere
• Persian Rug, Dir. Lucas Pimenta, Brazil, World Premiere

PUNTER, Dir. Jason Adam Maselle, USA, San Diego Premiere