Glasgow Film Festival 2025

From the 26 February 2025 to 9 March 2025 the Glasgow Film Festival ran at the lovely Glasgow Film Theatre. As an accredited member of the press at the Glasgow Film Festival I had the opportunity to see films both on the big screen and through screeners at home. Out of the great number of films screening at GFF, I had the chance to watch and enjoy twelve of them over the four days I attended. Providing a variety of films and a welcoming environment, the Glasgow Film Festival was an enjoyable and charming experience. 

Friday 28 February – Day One

To being the screenings for GFF, I started with the screener for The Surfer (Finnegan, 2024). Starring Nicolas Cage, the film follows his character as he tries to secure his childhood home in Australia, after having lived in the States for many years. During this long process, the man is humiliated by the local surfers in front of his son causing him to declare war with them. But this war that’s been started, leads the man towards losing his grip on reality. The Surfer is tense and funny, and not what could be expected. My full review can be read here: The Surfer (Finnegan, 2024)

Once in Glasgow, my first screening was the UK premiere of Jonathan Kent’s Long Day’s Journey into Night starring the wonderful Jessica Lange and Ed Harris. Adapted from Eugene O’Neill’s autobiographical play Long Day’s Journey into Night has Lange reprising the role of Mary Tyrone for the third time. Following the Tyrones (husband, wife and two sons), the film is one day in the family’s life. Dealing with Mary’s morphine addiction, as the day goes on, it turns out everyone in the family has their own problems, and no one knows quite how to deal with them. Lange and Harris joined the audience after the film for a Q&A with Kent as well. My full review of the film can be read here: Long Day's Journey Into Night (Kent, 2025)

Saturday 1 March – Day Two

The first in person press screening I attended was the German film Peacock (Wenger, 2024). The film follows Matthias (Albrecht Schuch) whose job is to be whomever his ‘renter’ so wishes – he takes on the role the client requires. As time goes on, it becomes harder for Matthias to be himself and this leads to relationship troubles with his partner Sophia (Julia Franz Richter) and even at work. Peacock is an interesting film but amusing to say the least. All leading down to the idea: how far could you get pretending to be other people before losing grasp on who you really are?

Following Peacock was Silver Star (Amar & Bessis, 2024). A bit chaotic at times, the film follows Billie and Franny as they undertake a Bonnie-and-Clyde-type journey across the States. Billie is beginning probation and wants to rekindle her relationship with her parents, this means doing whatever it takes to save their home from foreclosure. Robbing a bank is Billie’s big idea and of course it all goes haywire when it turns into a hostage kidnapping. Franny (Grace Van Dien) is the unlucky victim, though this unexpected road trip across America might change both of their lives for the better. Despite the fact it is a bit all over the place, the highlight of Silver Star is the chemistry between Billie and Franny and how the two bicker so well to provide entertainment for the viewer(s).

Ending the night was a 2024 TIFF world premiere film, getting its UK premiere at GFF today, Sharp Corner directed by Jason Buxton. The film follows the McCall family – Josh (Ben Foster), Rachel (Cobie Smulders) and their son Max (William Kosovic) – as they move into a new house. They quickly find out why this new house of theirs was on the market for so long: a largely curved corner outside that causes car accidents on a drastic level. Josh becomes obsessed with the possibility of saving the victims, but will this obsession drive him away from his family? A film with a main character who takes a turn for the worst on a moral level, Shap Corner leaves viewers filled with anxiety and pondering. My full review for Sharp Corner can be read here: Sharp Corner (Buxton, 2024)

Monday 3 March – Day Three:

After a day off from film festival-ing, a return was made to GFF with the screener for Bob Trevino Likes It (Laymon, 2024). Based on her own experience, Tracie Laymon creates Lily Trevino (Barbie Ferreira), a people-pleasing young woman who is in a place most 20-year-olds find themselves in. Her mother left her when she was a child, her narcissistic father (French Stewart) has now left her, she’s left with no one. Until, one day while trying to fix her relationship with her father, she adds ‘Bob Trevino’ on Facebook. This Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo), however, ends up being a different man with the same name. The two begin to chat and form a friendship that might help them both. A film about unlikely bonds and how the power of love and friendship can help heal inner trauma. My full review for Bob Trevino Likes It can be read here: Bob Trevino Likes It (Laymon, 2024)

Julian Glander’s Boys Go To Jupiter (2024) was the next film I watched. Following a group of teenagers, the story’s primary focus is on Billy 5000 (Jack Corbett) and his attempts to make $5000 to pay back his sister’s hospitality and eventually get his own place. This coming-of-age story is heightened by its surreal animation, but leaves the audience confused at times. It may feel entirely like a VR simulation, and that may just be the point. My full review of the film can be read here: Boys Go To Jupiter (Glander, 2024)

Tuesday 4 March – Day Four:

On my last day at GFF, in person, I filled up the day watching five festival films. Starting off was the screener of My Dead Friend Zoe (Hausmann-Stokes, 2024) and my goodness was this ever a tear-jerking watch for the morning. Inspired by a true story, the film is about U.S Army veteran, Merit (Sonequa Martin-Green) as she struggles to overcome the PTSD left to her after her tour in Afghanistan. A difficult watch, but My Dead Friend Zoe is truly an important message. My full review can be read here: My Dead Friend Zoe (Hausmann-Stokes, 2024)

The press screening for Planet B (Rapin, 2024) was next. In 2039 France, the State has taken over and a group of activists are rebelling against them. One night, this group of activists, led by Julia Bombarth (Adèle Exarchopoulous), get arrested as their plans go awry. Knocked out upon capture, when she awakes Julia finds herself trapped in an unfamiliar world: Planet B. The film is a bit slow at times, but the idea of a post-apocalyptic world becomes so much more relevant every day that director Aude Léa Rapin might have a good film for a specific audience.

Mistress Dispeller (Lo, 2024) was the next press screening. A documentary that follows Teacher Wang, a ‘mistress dispeller’ whose job it is to break up affairs by any means necessary. Class, capital and culture are explored in relation to how they collide and shape romantic relationships in contemporary China in this film as one of Wang’s cases is followed. Though the film is a documentary, at times it felt as though it could have been heightened by fictionalizing it. That being said, the documentary elements that were there were well done. 

Then the UK premiere of Two to One (Brunckhorst, 2024) part of the audience award strand sponsored by Mubi occurred at GFT. This German film takes places during the 1990s reunification of East and West Germany. Led by Maren (Sandra Hüller), Robert (Max Riemelt), and Volker (Ronald Zehrfeld), an East German community finds millions in soon-to-be-worthless funds. They devise a plan to make the most money they can before the bills become worthless and gain riches. A hilarious comedy, Two to One had the audience laughing out loud, truly. 

Ending the festival for me was French-Canadian film Neon Dreaming (Marcotte, 2024). Billie (Maélya Boyd) is an imaginative eight-year-old girl living with her dad, Fred (Corey Loranger), and grandma, Marthe (Geneviève Langlois). Believing that her mother is a famous ballerina, Billie stops at nothing to find her. When she begins to question the identity of her mother, she must rely on her best friend Sherry’s (Maïna Rose Caméus) help to uncover the truth. Imperfections make up many families, and as Billie gets closer to the truth about her mother, she must decide if she’d rather stay within the comforts of the secrets or understand ideas that might be too grown up for a young child. Neon Dreaming is a beautiful story showcasing the imagination of a child and how much secrets can impact them. Writer and director Marie-Claire Marcotte and director of photography Brennan Full joined the audience for a Q&A after the film, discussing the intricate details behind the story and the positives, and difficulties, of working with the two young actresses.

The 2025 Glasgow Film Festival was a wonderful experience. Welcoming and friendly is the best way to describe the environment created by the Glasgow Film Theatre employees and volunteers. Along with the crew, GFF had a vast number of films that received UK premieres and throwback films as well. A great festival, one that I am excited to visit again!

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