The Berlinale has always been a festival of discoveries. It is a stage where cinema reinvents itself. As the 75th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival looms, cinephiles and critics alike are bracing for a lineup brimming with audacity, artistry, and social reflection. With Tricia Tuttle taking the helm, the programming seems to be bolder than ever, mixing celebrated auteurs with breakthrough voices from across the globe.
This year, the selection promises a fascinating cross-section of narratives: from historical epics to surreal dystopias, intimate character studies to socio-political thrillers. Below, we take a deep dive into the ten most anticipated films of Berlinale 2025, breaking down why each film deserves a spot on your radar.
1. Baksho Bondi
Set against the vivid backdrop of a dusty Kolkata suburb, “Baksho Bondi” follows Maya—a resilient working-class woman who juggles multiple jobs while caring for her PTSD-afflicted husband, Sundar. When Sundar mysteriously vanishes and becomes embroiled in a murder investigation, Maya’s quiet life shatters into a tense exploration of love, honor, and the weight of familial expectation. With echoes of the poetic realism of Satyajit Ray, this film promises a raw and heartfelt narrative that is as visually arresting as it is emotionally charged.
2. Sheng xi zhi di (Living the Land)
In “Living the Land,” audiences are invited to witness a generational saga unfolding in a rural Chinese village at the dawn of the nation’s rapid modernization. Spanning four generations, the film captures the quiet heroism of peasant life as traditions clash with the unstoppable forces of economic change. With its lyrical cinematography and meditative pace, this epic promises to reveal the profound resilience and vulnerability embedded in the fabric of rural existence.
3. Kontinental ’25
Radu Jude’s “Kontinental ’25” slices through the post-socialist malaise of Transylvania with a razor-sharp satire on the housing crisis. In Cluj, a guilt-ridden bailiff, Orsolya, finds herself confronting the moral ambiguities of her role after evicting a homeless man whose tragic end reverberates throughout her life. With a narrative that is as absurd as it is incisive—evoking the spirit of Rossellini’s classic films—this work promises to be a provocative commentary on language, bureaucracy, and the fragility of modern society.
4. What Does That Nature Say to You?
From the reflective pen of Hong Sang-soo comes “What Does That Nature Say to You?,” a minimalist meditation that explores the delicate interplay between nature and human relationships. In true Hong Sang-soo fashion, the film is subtle yet profoundly affecting—observing a poet’s quiet encounters with his girlfriend’s family and the small, telling moments that reveal our deepest longings. Expect a film that whispers its truths rather than shouting them, leaving you with a lingering sense of wonder about the natural rhythms that underlie everyday life.
5. Blue Moon
In “Blue Moon,” Richard Linklater revisits the turbulent world of a bygone era. Set during the opening night of a Broadway classic, the film centers on the tormented journey of an aging astronomer whose discovery of a celestial event promises to rewrite the narrative of time itself. Linklater’s meticulous pacing and evocative dialogue transform a single evening into an expansive meditation on regret, hope, and the inexorable passage of time—making this period piece a quietly powerful spectacle.
6. Ice Tower
Imagine a futuristic Arctic research station where isolation and mystery coalesce into an atmosphere of mounting dread. “Ice Tower” is a visually arresting thriller that follows a scientist on a quest to uncover a long-buried secret beneath the ice. With its claustrophobic settings and tension reminiscent of classics like “The Thing” and “Solaris,” this film promises to be a cerebral exploration of paranoia and the human thirst for knowledge amid the frozen wasteland.
7. Mickey 17
Bong Joon-ho returns with “Mickey 17,” a sci-fi odyssey that redefines the very notion of existence. Starring Robert Pattinson, the film follows an “expendable” worker on a colonized planet—a man who is repeatedly resurrected after death, only to rebel against his endless cycle of disposability. With Bong’s deft blend of social satire, visual spectacle, and philosophical inquiry, “Mickey 17” is poised to be one of the festival’s most talked-about and transformative cinematic experiences.
8. The Light
Tom Tykwer’s “The Light” opens the festival with a mesmerizing portrait of a middle-class Berlin family whose life is upended by the unexpected arrival of a mysterious Syrian housekeeper. Through a series of subtle yet seismic shifts in interpersonal dynamics, Tykwer dissects themes of privilege, empathy, and cultural intersection. With its expansive narrative and intimate character studies, “The Light” is set to illuminate not only the screen but also the hidden recesses of our collective consciousness.
9. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Mary Bronstein’s “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” is a raw, nerve-wracking drama that thrusts audiences into the turbulent world of a mother battling overwhelming despair. Featuring a powerhouse performance by Rose Byrne, alongside unexpected turns with A$AP Rocky and Conan O’Brien, the film offers an unflinching look at the personal cost of societal pressures. Bronstein’s piercing narrative promises an experience that is as emotionally devastating as it is cathartic.
10. Reflection in a Dead Diamond
A noir-infused psychological thriller from Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, “Reflection in a Dead Diamond” challenges the boundaries between art and madness. The film unspools the enigmatic story of a reclusive painter whose haunting creations conceal a dark secret. With its Lynchian dream logic and Hitchcockian suspense, the film invites audiences to lose themselves in its hypnotic interplay of light and shadow, questioning the very nature of reality.
