CULTURE EDITION
CAMBRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL REVEALS ITS 2025 LINE-UP The Cambridge Film Festival (CFF), one of the UK’s most distinctive and longest-running celebrations of cinema, returns to Cambridge Arts Picturehouse with its 44th edition this autumn, promising an extended 11-day programme packed full of world-class films, bold new voices and unforgettable stories from all around the globe. Running from 23 October to 2 November, this year’s festival will present nearly 100 titles from more than 25 countries, including 30+ UK premieres, alongside European and world debuts. More than 50% of the line-up is female-directed – marked with the Festival’s signature ‘F’ rating that helps champion women filmmakers. Major names, bold voices This year’s programme is a heady mix of breakthrough debuts, global talent and award-winning auteurs. Highlights include: • Bugonia – Yorgos Lanthimos’s twisted, darkly comic sci-fi reimagining of the Korean cult hit Save the Green Planet! , starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. Expect paranoia, pitch-black absurdity and Lanthimos’s most anarchic storytelling yet. • Rental Family – Brendan Fraser stars in a soulful Tokyo-set drama from director Hikari and producer Riz Ahmed. A tender look at identity and emotional performance in an increasingly disconnected world. • Alpha – Palme d’Or winner Julia Ducournau returns with a searing near-future tale of motherhood and biotech, led by the powerful Golshifteh Farahani. • A Private Life – Jodie Foster headlines this suburban mystery from Rebecca Zlotowski, peeling back the private tensions that shape everyday lives. • The Ice Tower – A haunting mystery set in an isolated snowbound facility, starring Marion Cotillard and directed by Lucile Hadzihalilovic. Expect atmosphere, elegance and enigma. Cinema with purpose Returning for 2025, the beloved Environment & Community strand examines urgent global and local themes, showing How Deep Is Your Love , a poetic documentary about Britain’s hidden urban nature directed by Eleanor Mortimer, and We Live Here , a powerful portrait of resistance and resilience in Kazakhstan, by filmmaker Zhanana Kurmasheva. Free family screenings As part of its commitment to accessible cinema, CFF offers free morning screenings for families throughout October half-term. Discover animated gems and modern classics like Inside Out 2 , Whale Rider , The Nightmare Before Christmas , The Parent Trap and more. Talent support In partnership with Anglia Ruskin University, the festival will be hosting its fourth CFF Industry Day,
© JÉRÔME PRÉBOIS
IMAGES COURTESY OF CAMBRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL
The latest from the cultural scene in Cambridge
welcoming emerging talent and established creatives alike for panels, networking and forward-looking discussions. Expect insights on the future of film, sustainability in cinema and diversity in storytelling. For more information on the full programme and to buy tickets, visit cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk
20 OCTOBER 2025 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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