Pan's Labyrinth (20th Anniversary 4K Restoration)

Vue in the Light · 118 min

Guillermo del Toro’s beloved masterpiece is meticulously restored in 4K from the original 35mm negative. In post-Civil War Spain in 1944, Ofelia moves with her pregnant mother to live with her new stepfather, a brutal captain in Franco’s army. She discovers a mysterious labyrinth, where a faun tells her she must complete three dangerous tasks to reclaim her throne in the underworld. As Ofelia navigates the trials, the lines between her harsh reality and the fantastical world blur. "Watching the unique explosions of Guillermo del Toro's mind realise themselves on screen is truly astounding." — Helen Cowley, Little White Lies Content Guidance Contains scenes with strong graphic violence, sexual violence, sex and nudity.

Iron Boy

Vue in the Light · 90 min

A beautiful, hand painted animation set in rural France, Iron Boy is also a personal story for the former Pixar animator Louis Clichy, a gently touching coming of age tale, often funny and consistently entertaining. 11-year-old Christophe tries to live up to his rigid and distant father on the family farm. But the young boy starts to lean over and collapse without warning. A doctor finds the solution that forces Christophe to reinvent his life and find new passions: he must wear an iron corset. Presented with Leeds Young Film Festival. "Iron Boy is both visually dazzling and deeply personal... It is, in a word, lovely." — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety

Mouse

Hyde Park Picture House · 120 min

The summer of 2002 changes everything for shy high-schooler Minnie in this humorous yet heartbreaking drama from Saint Frances (2019) team Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan. When a tragic accident tears Minnie from her best friend Callie, Minnie develops an uncomfortable and dependent relationship with Callie’s mum Helen (Sophie Okonedo), causing friction with her own frazzled mother. A remarkable coming-of-age film about grief, queerness and discovering yourself in the darkest times. "Mouse is a rich, emotionally satisfying and superbly acted bittersweet drama about the bumpy journey of coming to terms with loss." — Wendy Ide, Screen International Content Guidance Contains themes of bereavement.

Mouse

Vue in the Light · 120 min

The summer of 2002 changes everything for shy high-schooler Minnie in this humorous yet heartbreaking drama from Saint Frances (2019) team Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan. When a tragic accident tears Minnie from her best friend Callie, Minnie develops an uncomfortable and dependent relationship with Callie’s mum Helen (Sophie Okonedo), causing friction with her own frazzled mother. A remarkable coming-of-age film about grief, queerness and discovering yourself in the darkest times. "Mouse is a rich, emotionally satisfying and superbly acted bittersweet drama about the bumpy journey of coming to terms with loss." — Wendy Ide, Screen International Content Guidance Contains themes of bereavement.

Wicker

Vue in the Light · 105 min

Olivia Colman’s perfect wicker husband becomes the source of much jealousy in this charming one-of-a-kind romance. Fisherwoman is often ridiculed by her peers for being unmarried – that is until she orders herself an unusual but perfect husband who sends the village into a frenzy. With an all-star cast including (former Leeds student) Alexander Skarsgard as the man made of wicker, Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s film is a funny, poetic, and a-bit-out-there tale of how love makes the world go round. "A warming, sometimes poignant pleasure, a film full of lively personality and possessed of a rather humane outlook on our petty foibles." — Richard Lawson, The Hollywood Reporter

Filipiñana

Vue in the Light · 100 min

Rafael Manuel’s extraordinary debut is a razor-sharp satire of wealth and exploitation in the Philippines, every shot perfectly manicured as the fairways in the elite country club where it’s set. Isabel, a 17-year-old from the rural north, gets a new job pampering powerful men, but soon uncovers the ugly truths behind the veneer of luxury as she encounters the patriarchal director of the club and uncovers her country’s history of violence. "In a year of several standout debuts, Manuel’s ranks among the most impressive. The microcosm he meticulously constructs makes for a rivetingly caustic indictment of his homeland." — Carlos Aguilar, RogerEbert.com Content Guidance Contains scenes of accident trauma and sexual innuendo

Wicker

Cottage Road Cinema · 105 min

Olivia Colman’s perfect wicker husband becomes the source of much jealousy in this charming one-of-a-kind romance. Fisherwoman is often ridiculed by her peers for being unmarried – that is until she orders herself an unusual but perfect husband who sends the village into a frenzy. With an all-star cast including (former Leeds student) Alexander Skarsgard as the man made of wicker, Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s film is a funny, poetic, and a-bit-out-there tale of how love makes the world go round. "A warming, sometimes poignant pleasure, a film full of lively personality and possessed of a rather humane outlook on our petty foibles." — Richard Lawson, The Hollywood Reporter

Rose

Vue in the Light · 94 min

A mesmerising performance from Sandra Hüller elevates the emotionally devastating, gender defying period drama Rose. It is based on a true story and handsomely shot in stark monochrome. Set in a German protestant village after the Thirty Years' War, an enigmatic soldier appears, who is slightly built with a disfiguring facial scar. He gradually attains a grudging acceptance from the suspicious villagers but this is shaken by the revelation of an impossible deceit, he is actually a woman. "The third film from Austrian director Markus Schleinzer is terrific. What initially seems like a gender-flipped riff on the story of Martin Guerre grows richer and more satisfying as it unfolds. Schleinzer deftly blends droll humour with a poignant portrait of a gender non-conforming individual in a society which is not forgiving of difference." — Wendy Ide, Screen Daily Content Guidance Contains scenes of sexual violence, transphobic attitudes and language.

Papaya

Vue in the Light · 74 min

A tiny papaya seed rebels against becoming a tree in this stunning Brazilian animated debut from Priscilla Kellen, dialogue-free and with an upbeat score from Talita Del Collado. Little Papaya has always been a curious being, with a dream of flying and need for freedom. Realising she will soon have to root, she must fight against nature and keep moving, in this joyous, dialogue-free adventure about discovering the power within you. Accompanied by a soundtrack of Brazilian beats, Papaya is an imaginative and psychedelic experience for all ages. "A charming animated debut that captures audiences due to it's gorgeous 2D animation and the lively score that serenades the titular seedling's journey." — Giovanni Lago, Next Best Picture Content Guidance Contains scenes of mild threat and surreal scenes of breastfeeding.

The Red Hangar

Vue in the Light · 83 min

A taut and enthralling political thriller, The Red Hangar takes place during the military coup in Santiago, Chile, on September 11, 1973. As a decisive shift in power prompts an escalating progression of disturbing events, an Air Force Captain receives an order that will change his life forever: to turn his Training Academy into a detention and torture centre. In an encounter with a former rival, he finds himself in an impossible moral predicament and realises he must put his life on the line. "While the story, taken from reality, contains plenty of its own inherent tension, director Juan Pablo Sallato and screenwriter Luis Emilio Guzman pare the tale down to its essentials to ratchet up the atmosphere of uneasiness and incipient horror." — Deborah Young, The Film Verdict Content Guidance Includes violent scenes.

Dao

Vue in the Light · 185 min

French-Senegalese director Alain Gomis has made one of the best films of the year in this swirling, cross-continental epic. ‘Dao’ is defined as ‘perpetual circular movement framing reality’. This informs a restless camera that sweeps through crowds of bodies, switching between two celebrations. Gloria returns to her late father’s home village and introduces her daughter Nour to her ancestral motherland, and African and European guests flock to Nour’s upmarket wedding on a French country estate. "Alain Gomis’ Dao feels less like a film you watch than a space you enter — one where time doesn’t move forward in a straight line, but loops, overlaps, and quietly returns." — Shahran Morshed, International Cinephile Society Content Guidance Contains scenes of animal slaughter

You are the Film + Hoodsteps

Vue in the Light · 68 min

A trip to the cinema breaks the space/time continuum in this delightful micro-budget sci-fi comedy. Aspiring playwright Madoka finds herself watching a film about musician Kazuma, who himself is watching a film about Madoka. Somehow the two can communicate through the screen and as their stories merge, cracks begin to show in the multiverse. Highly inventive, the feature debut from the writer of Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes and River is a giddy ode to creativity and being the writer of your own story. "We see the delight that comes from engaging in artistic play: even within the four walls of a tiny boutique theater, universes can be created, and lives changed." — Clint Worthington, RogerEbert.com

Variations on a Theme

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 65 min

Variations on a Theme is a captivating, lyrical portrait of life in rural South Africa. Elderly goatherd Hettie is drawn into a scam promising long-overdue compensation for her father’s wartime service, unsettling the rhythms of her everyday life. Moving gracefully between documentary and fiction, Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar create a tender, richly observed portrait of Hettie and her Kharkams community, alive to memory and the poetry of the everyday. "A pure, fresh, surprising cinematic delight." — Lee Marshall, Screen Daily

Flies

Vue in the Light · 101 min

Fernando Eimbcke’s gentle, charming character drama tracks an unlikely friendship with emotional warmth and touches of deadpan comedy. Landlady Olga is a little stubborn and set in her ways and struggles to adjust when a new tenant smuggles in his video game obsessed nine-year-old son. Memorably rendering the anonymous apartment blocks of Mexico City in finely grained black-and-white cinematography and imaginative sound design, the film has a finely-toned sense of detail. "Directed in sharp-edged black-and-white with seemingly effortless precision by Fernando Eimbcke, it marks the writer-director’s welcome return to a Mexican setting." — Deborah Young, The Film Verdict

Mārama

Vue in the Light · 89 min

A young Māori woman faces the horror of her colonial heritage in this stunning Gothic horror. Mary leaves New Zealand for Victorian Yorkshire looking to explore her family history. Against her better judgement, she takes on a role as governess in Hawkser Manor. But something is off and Mary realises she may be trapped inside the estate with buried secrets and dark, terrifying visions. A brooding and poignant exploration of the horror of colonialism and the erasing of Māori culture. "Mārama bears a striking clarity of purpose -- suggesting the horror genre still possesses the ability to turn even a long-ago moment of righteous fury into communal confrontation and spiritual release." — Alison Foreman, IndieWire Content Guidance Contains strong injury detail, violence, threat, disturbing scenes.

Ultimate Thunder

Hyde Park Picture House · 98 min

A fresh and joyful documentary which is a true ode to DIY, friendship and music with a generous dose of punk spirit Described as the most punk rock band in Britain, Ultimate Thunder are musicians with learning disabilities, Down syndrome and autism based in Leeds. The film follows their story over three years as they develop new music and play to increasingly larger crowds, all while facing challenges including cuts to arts funding, major surgery and the lead singer losing his voice. "A powerful new documentary telling the story of one of Leeds’ most unique and resilient musical forces" — Benjamin Jackson, Yorkshire Evening Post

Ben'Imana

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 101 min

Winner of the best first feature award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Ben'Imana is an astounding debut from Rwandan filmmaker Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo. In 2012, nearly two decades after the genocide against the Tutsi, survivor Vénéranda leads her community through a painful process of justice and reconciliation, while clashing with her pregnant teenage daughter. Drawing on a decade of research and gathered testimony, Dusabejambo crafts a deeply moving, feminist exploration of the genocide’s enduring legacy and the difficulty of healing. "Dusabejambo walks a tightrope with formidable grace in her reckoning with the legacy of genocide." — Sophie Monks Kaufman, Little White Lies Content Guidance Contains discussions of genocide and sexual violence, and themes of trauma and violence.

Odd Man Out

Vue in the Light · 116 min

Set against political unrest in Northern Ireland, Carol Reed’s gripping post-war noir stars James Mason as Johnny McQueen, a revolutionary stranded on the streets of an unnamed Belfast after a robbery goes wrong. Wounded and hunted by police, Johnny makes his way across the city over the course of one increasingly desperate night. With cinematographer Robert Krasker, Reed transforms Belfast into a shadowy urban labyrinth, anticipating their later collaboration on The Third Man. "Carol Reed’s first masterpiece… a stranger’s groping quest through the labyrinth of a great city." — Imogen Sara Smith, Criterion Content Guidance Contains scenes of violence and mild threat.

Rebellion

Pictureville · 80 min

The landmark struggle of the Bradford 12 comes urgently to life in this powerful new documentary. In 1981, twelve young Asian men were arrested after preparing to defend their community against an anticipated far-right attack, sparking a major campaign for their freedom. Drawing on remarkable archive footage, first-hand testimony and a collectively staged reconstruction of the trial, Rebellion captures how a community organised in the face of racist violence and fought back. "For me, this film is personal. It has taken me 40 years to tell it, and it is a story of the wounds of my own life, in the scars of my generation, and in the courage of those who stood with us." — Tariq Mehmood, Co-director Content Guidance Contains scenes of racist violence, and racist attitudes and language.

Sad Girlz

Vue in the Light · 90 min

Fernanda Tovar’s award-winning debut is an intimate, deeply empathetic portrait of female friendship in the aftermath of trauma. Paula and La Maestra are inseparable friends and star swimmers until an incident at a party tests their bond as they struggle with differing responses to what happened. With exceptional performances from Rocío Guzmán and Darana Álvarez, this sensitive coming-of-age drama explores how young women navigate sexual violence, friendship and the possibility of finding joy again. "A sensitive and knowing study of female teenage friendship, powered by strong performances from its young leads." — Nikki Baughan, Screen Daily Content Guidance Contains themes of sexual violence and trauma.

Pan's Labyrinth (20th Anniversary 4K Restoration)

Vue in the Light · 118 min

Guillermo del Toro’s beloved masterpiece is meticulously restored in 4K from the original 35mm negative. In post-Civil War Spain in 1944, Ofelia moves with her pregnant mother to live with her new stepfather, a brutal captain in Franco’s army. She discovers a mysterious labyrinth, where a faun tells her she must complete three dangerous tasks to reclaim her throne in the underworld. As Ofelia navigates the trials, the lines between her harsh reality and the fantastical world blur. "Watching the unique explosions of Guillermo del Toro's mind realise themselves on screen is truly astounding." — Helen Cowley, Little White Lies Content Guidance Contains scenes with strong graphic violence, sexual violence, sex and nudity.

Master

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 126 min

Master is a sly and gripping political drama from Bangladesh, brilliantly dramatising the subtle, corrupting influences of power. Jahir, a provincial high school history teacher, is a pillar of the community engaged in a crusading liberal campaign for a mayoral election, championing education and women's rights. He may be a shoe in for victory, but he is unprepared for the compromises of power, controlling bureaucrats and pressure from the criminal underworld. "Gripping Bangladeshi drama... it's an eye-opening look at institutional structures in a country that rarely gets much screen time internationally, and a timeworn tale designed to rouse rage against the machine in local and global audiences alike." — Guy Lodge, Variety

Wild Horse Nine

Vue in the Light · 118 min

From writer-director Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin), Wild Horse Nine is a gripping dark comedy thriller set shortly before the 1973 coup in Chile. CIA agents Chris (John Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell) are dispatched from Santiago to Easter Island by their bureau chief, MJ (Steve Buscemi). Amongst the Island's iconic statues, Chris's new bond with a pair of rebellious students (Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas) threatens to upend everyone’s trip to this remote paradise. "A bittersweet hangout film about lonely, crumpled men facing up to mortality, dealing with the consequences of violence and chewing the fat to outlandishly funny effect." — Philip De Semlyen, Time Out Content Guidance Contains scenes of strong violence.

The Third Man

Vue in the Light · 104 min

Regarded as one of the greatest British films of all time, The Third Man is one of two Carol Reed films screening in The City Plays Itself season alongside Odd Man Out. Set in post-war Austria in 1949, the film follows American writer Holly Martins who arrives in Vienna to visit an old friend but learns he has been killed in a street accident. The circumstances seem suspicious, and what follows is a murky and captivating thriller set among the maze-like streets and sewers of Vienna. "Vienna in The Third Man is a more particular and unmistakable place than almost any other location in the history of the movies." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times Content Guidance Contains scenes of mild threat and violence.

Little Fugitive

Hyde Park Picture House · 80 min

Seen through the eyes of a seven-year-old, Little Fugitive captures the excitement, fear and freedom of childhood in 1950s New York. When Joey runs away to Coney Island after being tricked into believing he has killed his brother, the legendary amusement park becomes a world of adventure and discovery. Co-directed by photographer Ruth Orkin, Morris Engel and Ray Ashley, this pioneering independent film’s handheld camerawork and naturalistic style would inspire the French New Wave. "An underseen indie-film landmark and an invaluable artifact of local history to boot." — Joshua Land, Village Voice

Sad Girlz

Vue in the Light · 90 min

Fernanda Tovar’s award-winning debut is an intimate, deeply empathetic portrait of female friendship in the aftermath of trauma. Paula and La Maestra are inseparable friends and star swimmers until an incident at a party tests their bond as they struggle with differing responses to what happened. With exceptional performances from Rocío Guzmán and Darana Álvarez, this sensitive coming-of-age drama explores how young women navigate sexual violence, friendship and the possibility of finding joy again. "A sensitive and knowing study of female teenage friendship, powered by strong performances from its young leads." — Nikki Baughan, Screen Daily Content Guidance Contains themes of sexual violence and trauma.

You are the Film + Hoodsteps

Vue in the Light · 68 min

A trip to the cinema breaks the space/time continuum in this delightful micro-budget sci-fi comedy. Aspiring playwright Madoka finds herself watching a film about musician Kazuma, who himself is watching a film about Madoka. Somehow the two can communicate through the screen and as their stories merge, cracks begin to show in the multiverse. Highly inventive, the feature debut from the writer of Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes and River is a giddy ode to creativity and being the writer of your own story. "We see the delight that comes from engaging in artistic play: even within the four walls of a tiny boutique theater, universes can be created, and lives changed." — Clint Worthington, RogerEbert.com

Ultimate Thunder

Hyde Park Picture House · 98 min

A fresh and joyful documentary which is a true ode to DIY, friendship and music with a generous dose of punk spirit Described as the most punk rock band in Britain, Ultimate Thunder are musicians with learning disabilities, Down syndrome and autism based in Leeds. The film follows their story over three years as they develop new music and play to increasingly larger crowds, all while facing challenges including cuts to arts funding, major surgery and the lead singer losing his voice. "A powerful new documentary telling the story of one of Leeds’ most unique and resilient musical forces" — Benjamin Jackson, Yorkshire Evening Post

Into the Jaws of the Ogre

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 86 min

Iranian filmmaker Mahsa Karampour tries to reconnect with her younger brother in this thoughtful, tender documentary road movie. Travelling across the US with Siavash, a punk musician exiled from their homeland, she tries to understand the life he has built far from her own. Moving between their journey and memories of childhood in Tehran, Karampour traces the distance that has grown between them, exploring siblinghood and the different ways we carry home with us. "Beautifully poetic and deeply insightful, Into the Jaws of the Ogre is a fascinating document of two people who decide to allow the audience into their lives." — Matthew Joseph Jenner, International Cinephile Society Content Guidance Contains discussions of violence and murder, and themes of trauma.

Daughters of the Forest

Vue in the Light · 95 min

Journey deep into Mexico’s forests in Otilia Portillo Padua’s beautiful and immersive exploration of the hidden worlds beneath our feet. Indigenous mycologists Lis and Juli bring scientific practice into dialogue with ancestral knowledge as they study the extraordinary networks of fungi that sustain their ecosystems. Blending documentary with science fiction elements, this lyrical, transportative film offers a profound vision of our interconnectedness with the natural world. "Crafted with artistry that simply demands the big screen." — Lauren Wissot, International Documentary Association

Flies

Vue in the Light · 101 min

Fernando Eimbcke’s gentle, charming character drama tracks an unlikely friendship with emotional warmth and touches of deadpan comedy. Landlady Olga is a little stubborn and set in her ways and struggles to adjust when a new tenant smuggles in his video game obsessed nine-year-old son. Memorably rendering the anonymous apartment blocks of Mexico City in finely grained black-and-white cinematography and imaginative sound design, the film has a finely-toned sense of detail. "Directed in sharp-edged black-and-white with seemingly effortless precision by Fernando Eimbcke, it marks the writer-director’s welcome return to a Mexican setting." — Deborah Young, The Film Verdict

Never After Dark

Vue in the Light · 105 min

A travelling medium uncovers dark, threatening secrets in this spine-chilling ghost story. Airi helps lost souls cross over to the afterlife. Arriving at a remote location, she encounters a spirit that will only come out at night and that refuses to leave. With no other option, Airi breaks her own rules to try and understand the spirit’s strange behaviour and immediately puts herself in danger. Dave Boyle’s masterful storytelling gives us a fresh and terrifying take on the haunted house genre. "A terrific slow-burn horror film that evolves from a supernatural ghost story into something darker, bloodier and surprisingly emotional. Moeka Hoshi is excellent, the atmosphere is haunting, and the final act makes the patient build worth it." — Elliott Collins, Movie Files Content Guidance Comtains scenes with strong bloody violence and gore.

Day of the Dead

Vue in the Light · 60 min

Featuring some of the most acclaimed horror films of the year, Day of the Dead on Halloween opens with Never After Dark, a spine-chilling ghost story from Japan. Two films from the USA follow – creepy Gothic horror Recluse and unsettling genre-bending mystery Imposters. The day’s finale is the wild martial arts horror comedy Ghost in the Cell from Indonesia FILMS Never After Dark Recluse Imposters Ghost in the Cell Passes for the whole day are available. To buy tickets for individual films instead, please book on the film pages.

Love Letter

Hyde Park Picture House · 98 min

The directorial debut of the great Japanese actress and filmmaker Kinuyo Tanaka, who made 15 films with director Kenji Mizoguchi, Love Letter is a vivid evocation of post-war Tokyo a year after the American occupation ended. The film follows repatriated veteran Reikichi, who searches for his lost love while translating romantic letters from Japanese women to American GIs. The film is a nuanced and perceptive romantic drama with a deft critique of patriarchal hypocrisy. "Love Letter should be considered a postwar classic... in Kinuyo Tanaka’s first directorial work, we see a much-needed female voice that offers a much more nuanced reading of women’s lives in postwar Japan." — Natalie Ng, Filmed in Ether

My Father's Kora

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 88 min

A journey from Berlin to Dakar becomes a moving exploration of identity and belonging in Aymar Esse’s affecting debut. Souleymane, an Afro-German trans man, travels to Senegal to repair the kora inherited from his father, reconnecting with family and heritage along the way. Quietly observant and deeply heartfelt, the film weaves together music, faith and chosen family in a sensitive meditation on repair and what we pass down through generations. "The warmth and affection that Souleymane receives in Dakar is equally characteristic of My Father’s Kora, which has a touch of the fairy tale about it." — Srikanth Srinivasan, The Seventh Art

Dao

Vue in the Light · 185 min

French-Senegalese director Alain Gomis has made one of the best films of the year in this swirling, cross-continental epic. ‘Dao’ is defined as ‘perpetual circular movement framing reality’. This informs a restless camera that sweeps through crowds of bodies, switching between two celebrations. Gloria returns to her late father’s home village and introduces her daughter Nour to her ancestral motherland, and African and European guests flock to Nour’s upmarket wedding on a French country estate. "Alain Gomis’ Dao feels less like a film you watch than a space you enter — one where time doesn’t move forward in a straight line, but loops, overlaps, and quietly returns." — Shahran Morshed, International Cinephile Society Content Guidance Contains scenes of animal slaughter

The Meltdown

Vue in the Light · 108 min

Manuela Martelli’s second feature is an intense thriller set in 90s Chile, centering on a missing teenager in a remote ski resort. 9-year-old Ines is used to seeing people come and go at her family’s resort and when young German skier Hanna arrives, they form a fast friendship. But when Hanna goes missing, Ines observes the reaction of her community without truly understanding. A gripping film about the tensions of a small community as their country undergoes political transition. "Confused connections, parental proxies, colonial histories -- Martelli interweaves these narrative strands with skill and artistry." — Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter Content Guidance Contains themes of grief and trauma.

Recluse

Vue in the Light · 102 min

Henry Chaisson’s atmospheric debut set in a Gothic world is a claustrophobic descent into horror. After receiving a mysterious phone call, sound engineer Joan (Sasha Frolova) returns to her father’s New England estate in the aftermath of a devastating fire, where her painter father lies in bed with severe burns, watched over by the crossbow-wielding housekeeper. Joan must trace a series of ghostly audio fragments to confront the unearthed demons of her family’s past. "Recluse hits all the tropes that one expects to find in this type of horror film, yet it manages to push this story in a daring, disturbing new direction that uses sound as a superpower. It’s a hell of a directorial debut from Henry Chaisson." — Daniel Kurland, Bloody Disgusting Content Guidance Contains scenes with strong violence and domestic abuse.

Wild Horse Nine

Hyde Park Picture House · 118 min

From writer-director Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin), Wild Horse Nine is a gripping dark comedy thriller set shortly before the 1973 coup in Chile. CIA agents Chris (John Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell) are dispatched from Santiago to Easter Island by their bureau chief, MJ (Steve Buscemi). Amongst the Island's iconic statues, Chris's new bond with a pair of rebellious students (Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas) threatens to upend everyone’s trip to this remote paradise. "A bittersweet hangout film about lonely, crumpled men facing up to mortality, dealing with the consequences of violence and chewing the fat to outlandishly funny effect." — Philip De Semlyen, Time Out Content Guidance Contains scenes of strong violence.

Congo Boy

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 95 min

A young refugee chases his rap dreams in this rousing autobiographical feature from the Central African Republic. Robert balances making music with hiding his identity and raising his siblings while his parents are imprisoned. During the day, he muddles through school whilst writing poetry, then at night hustles his way through vibrant nightclubs. Inspired by Rafiki Fariala’s own life, Congo Boy is a joyous, crowd-pleasing film about following your dreams in the toughest of circumstances. "A stirring musical drama, this Cannes Un Certain Regard entry beats with the rhythms of resilience." — Murtada Elfadl, Variety Content Guidance Contains scenes of graphic violence.

The Red Hangar

Vue in the Light · 83 min

A taut and enthralling political thriller, The Red Hangar takes place during the military coup in Santiago, Chile, on September 11, 1973. As a decisive shift in power prompts an escalating progression of disturbing events, an Air Force Captain receives an order that will change his life forever: to turn his Training Academy into a detention and torture centre. In an encounter with a former rival, he finds himself in an impossible moral predicament and realises he must put his life on the line. "While the story, taken from reality, contains plenty of its own inherent tension, director Juan Pablo Sallato and screenwriter Luis Emilio Guzman pare the tale down to its essentials to ratchet up the atmosphere of uneasiness and incipient horror." — Deborah Young, The Film Verdict Content Guidance Includes violent scenes.

Master

Vue in the Light · 126 min

Master is a sly and gripping political drama from Bangladesh, brilliantly dramatising the subtle, corrupting influences of power. Jahir, a provincial high school history teacher, is a pillar of the community engaged in a crusading liberal campaign for a mayoral election, championing education and women's rights. He may be a shoe in for victory, but he is unprepared for the compromises of power, controlling bureaucrats and pressure from the criminal underworld. "Gripping Bangladeshi drama... it's an eye-opening look at institutional structures in a country that rarely gets much screen time internationally, and a timeworn tale designed to rouse rage against the machine in local and global audiences alike." — Guy Lodge, Variety

Imposters

Vue in the Light · 102 min

A couple is put to the test when their missing baby returns under mysterious circumstances in this chilling lo-fi sci-fi. Paul and Marie are a picture-perfect couple whose lives are shattered when their baby, Theo, is taken from them. But when Marie returns with an unharmed Theo sometime later, Paul suspects the child isn’t theirs and that something dark is at play. Caleb Phillips crafts a smart, tense, and at times harrowing film centred around a stellar performance from Jessica Rothe. "Caleb Phillips establishes himself as an audacious new voice in genre by utilizing a high-concept mystery, complete with shocking twists, to drive a tense, creative exploration of an overused plot device that feels original." — Sara Clements, Next Best Picture Content Guidance Contains distressing scenes of parental grief and strong violence.

Joybubbles

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 79 min

Long before the internet, in 1950s America, a young boy miraculously discovers that he can control the global telephone system by whistling a magic tone. Born blind, Joybubbles develops an obsession with telephones and building connections from a young age. This unexpectedly leads to the creation of a subculture that influences the future development of hacking and technology. Told through archival footage and voice recordings, the film highlights the power of community while challenging assumptions about disability and identity. "By subverting expectations, “Joybubbles” becomes a delightful watch, a biography of a man whose talents on a telephone were just one of many that made him special." — Brain Farvour, The Playlist Content Guidance Contains discussion of sexual and physical abuse, ableist language and discrimination.

Josephine

Vue in the Light · 119 min

Beth De Araújo's masterful and devastating drama Josephine won the top dramatic grand jury prize and the audience award at Sundance Film Festival In a stunning child performance, Mason Reeves plays 8-year-old Josephine who witnesses a sexual assault in a park while out with her father Damien (Channing Tatum). In the aftermath, while suffering from the effects of the trauma, Josephine seeks to understand what she has witnessed and the part she has to play in the search for justice. "A harrowing, poignant study on the poison of gender-based brutality that rejects sentimentality to challenge our normalisation of female fear." — Stefania Sarrubba, The Skinny Content Guidance Contains scenes of graphic violence or injury, nudity, sex, and sexual violence.

Ghost in the Cell

Vue in the Light · 106 min

In the Fanomenon Day of the Dead finale, Indonesian genre master Joko Anwar delivers a wild combo of martial arts action, graphic horror, pitch-black humour, and social commentary, topped with dance battles and performance art prayer routines. When a high-security prison led by a tyrannical warden is rocked by a series of gruesome murders, with the bodies of victims put on spectacular display, rival gangs and outcasts are forced to unite against the invisible demon. "Anwar once again delivers the perfect balance of social commentary, graphic gore, and slapstick comedy in Ghost in the Cell. The spectacular action flick throws everything at the wall, and mostly, it sticks." — Rebecca Sayce, Filmhounds Content Guidance Contains scenes with strong bloody violence and gore.

Red Rocks

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 90 min

The brilliantly unpredictable French director, Bruno Dumont returns with a vivid and offbeat drama about the strangeness and intensity of childhood. On the French Riviera, two gangs of kids compete in the perilous game of cliff jumping. Géo, barely five years old, discovers over the course of a summer a world where friendship blends with rivalry, and where the first stirrings of the heart emerge against the dazzling Mediterranean landscape. "Funny, suspenseful, tender and occasionally bizarre. Above all, it is a wonderfully precise study of emotions at the moment when we experience them for the first time, before we have learned how to name them." — Nataliia Serebriakova, Film Ink

Heysel 85

Vue in the Light · 91 min

This breathtaking thriller sweeps through the backrooms and corridors of Brussels’ Heysel Stadium during the tragic incident at the 1985 European Cup Final, which killed 39 people. With great sensitivity and political nuance, the film splices actual historical footage with convincing period detail and peerless sound design. In classic disaster movie style, we are introduced to a cross section of contrasting characters, all of whom are drawn into the heart of the tragedy. "Heysel 85 successfully brings to life the drama unfolding behind what quickly resembles a war zone, dissecting how this disaster was not an unfortunate accident but the predictable result of a host of dysfunctions." — Laura Della Corte, The Upcoming Content Guidance Contains scenes of graphic violence or injury

Summertime

Vue in the Light · 99 min

David Lean turns Venice into a city of longing and possibility in this exquisite, bittersweet romance. Katharine Hepburn gives one of her most moving performances as Jane, a lonely American tourist whose long-awaited trip takes an unexpected turn when she falls for a charming antiques dealer. Shot on location in radiant Technicolour, Summertime captures Venice through the wonder of a first-time visitor, and tenderly explores falling in love with a person and a place. "So rapturously beautiful to look at [...] that it seems more a song than a movie, a wordless expression of some ancient romantic longing." — Stephanie Zacharek, Criterion

Nuisance Bear

Vue in the Light · 90 min

Nuisance Bear is a visually stunning and unconventional nature documentary, considered from one animals’ perspective with a poetic voiceover from an indigenous Inuit elder. Welcome to Churchill, Manitoba, where there is a burgeoning tourist trade for polar bear watching, though increasing problems are caused by climate change, preventing the bears from migrating on the ice further north. The film then shifts to neighbouring Nunavut, where indigenous people struggle to preserve their culture. "This tension between profit and protection, between exploitation and conservation, is explored in much more depth in Vanden and Weisman’s latest feature, thanks to yet more stunning compositions and some crucial historical context provided by Inuit narrator Mike Tunalaaq Gibbons." — Oliver Weir, The Film Stage

I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 100 min

Isabelle Stever’s daring and distinctive drama explores queer love and identity amid the upheaval of war. As Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine begins, Olya and her recently transitioned boyfriend Oleh attempt to flee Kyiv, only to encounter bureaucratic barriers and transphobia. Inspired by true experiences, this compassionate, finely observed film brings the intimate and political into powerful conversation, asking what it means to remain yourself when the world around you is being remade. "With its startling humanism and boundless empathy, I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming should shake viewers from their slumber." — Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com Content Guidance Contains scenes of violence and themes of war, transphobia, trauma and sexual violence.

Papaya

Vue in the Light · 74 min

A tiny papaya seed rebels against becoming a tree in this stunning Brazilian animated debut from Priscilla Kellen, dialogue-free and with an upbeat score from Talita Del Collado. Little Papaya has always been a curious being, with a dream of flying and need for freedom. Realising she will soon have to root, she must fight against nature and keep moving, in this joyous, dialogue-free adventure about discovering the power within you. Accompanied by a soundtrack of Brazilian beats, Papaya is an imaginative and psychedelic experience for all ages. "A charming animated debut that captures audiences due to it's gorgeous 2D animation and the lively score that serenades the titular seedling's journey." — Giovanni Lago, Next Best Picture Content Guidance Contains scenes of mild threat and surreal scenes of breastfeeding.

Fjord

Vue in the Light · 146 min

The gripping and thought-provoking drama Fjord is Cristian Mungiu’s second Palme d’Or winning film at Cannes Film Festival after 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007). A Norwegian woman (Renate Reinsve) and her devout Romanian husband (Sebastian Stan) relocate with their five children to a remote, close⁠-⁠knit, coastal town. As unease begins to simmer among neighbours around their rigid beliefs, they are soon forced to confront a system of judgement that blurs the line between concern and prejudice. "Fjord sustains nail-biting tension across its lengthy running time through meticulous pacing, confirming the Palme d’Or laureate as one of contemporary cinema’s sharpest moral observers." — Tara Brady, Irish Times

In a Whisper

Vue in the Light · 113 min

From writer-director Leyla Bouzid (As I Open My Eyes), In a Whisper is a touching intergenerational family drama with a captivating ensemble cast, including the great Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass (also in Atonement at LIFF 2026). Back in Tunisia for her uncle's funeral, Lilia reunites with a family that knows nothing about her life in Paris, especially her love life. Determined to unravel the mystery surrounding her uncle’s sudden death, Lilia find herself confronted with long-hidden family secrets. "The film unfolds over six days of mourning, and an impeccable ensemble cast and a vivid sense of time and place allow for a nuanced exploration of relationships under pressure; not just from personal prejudice, but also from wider social constraints." — Amber Wilkinson, Screen International

Grotesqqque

Vue in the Light · 104 min

A hit at this year’s Fantasia film festival, Grotesqqque is a music-fuelled, girl-filled anime anthology film in three parts from CloverWorks studio and Atsushi Nishigori, Chief Animation Director behind Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time. A(E)lien is a slapstick comedy starring a full-throttle alien octopus girl. In Yoroshiku★Girl, a frenzied battle royale is fought among gyarus (‘gals’). In Nocturne: Nuit Grotesque, a pureblood vampire and three ‘infected’ girls are sole post-apocalyptic survivors. —

Whispers in May

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 95 min

A tender coming-of-age film about friendship and identity that blends reality and fiction, and challenges the boundaries of documentary filmmaking. Set in a remote village in south-west China, Qihuo and her two best friends set out across the surrounding mountains to find a new ceremonial skirt, while their parents work away from home. The journey challenges their friendship but also offers a glimpse into the fleeting balance between childhood and adulthood. "A meditative lyrical observational documentary about a 14-year-old Chinese girl living in the remote Liangshan Mountains" — Murtada Elfadl, Variety

Rose

Hyde Park Picture House · 94 min

A mesmerising performance from Sandra Hüller elevates the emotionally devastating, gender defying period drama Rose. It is based on a true story and handsomely shot in stark monochrome. Set in a German protestant village after the Thirty Years' War, an enigmatic soldier appears, who is slightly built with a disfiguring facial scar. He gradually attains a grudging acceptance from the suspicious villagers but this is shaken by the revelation of an impossible deceit, he is actually a woman. "The third film from Austrian director Markus Schleinzer is terrific. What initially seems like a gender-flipped riff on the story of Martin Guerre grows richer and more satisfying as it unfolds. Schleinzer deftly blends droll humour with a poignant portrait of a gender non-conforming individual in a society which is not forgiving of difference." — Wendy Ide, Screen Daily Content Guidance Contains scenes of sexual violence, transphobic attitudes and language.

Filipiñana

Vue in the Light · 100 min

Rafael Manuel’s extraordinary debut is a razor-sharp satire of wealth and exploitation in the Philippines, every shot perfectly manicured as the fairways in the elite country club where it’s set. Isabel, a 17-year-old from the rural north, gets a new job pampering powerful men, but soon uncovers the ugly truths behind the veneer of luxury as she encounters the patriarchal director of the club and uncovers her country’s history of violence. "In a year of several standout debuts, Manuel’s ranks among the most impressive. The microcosm he meticulously constructs makes for a rivetingly caustic indictment of his homeland." — Carlos Aguilar, RogerEbert.com Content Guidance Contains scenes of accident trauma and sexual innuendo

La Bola Negra

Vue in the Light · 155 min

Three stories intertwine in Los Javis’ ambitious melodrama of Spanish queer history. A soldier fascinated by a prisoner of the Civil War, the story of a man in pre-dictatorship Spain blackballed from his father’s club, to a present-day man wrestling with his family’s history. La Bola Negra is a celebration of Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca’s enduring legacy, which reimagines his work as a sweeping operatic epic starring an enigmatic young cast and scene-stealing turns from Penelope Cruz and Glenn Close. "This decades-spanning love odyssey is as impressive as it is moving, grabbing at the visceral nature of Lorca’s genre-bending work to mould its staggeringly boisterous cinematic equivalent." — Rafa Sale Ross, Little White Lies Content Guidance Contains scenes of graphic injury, war and homophobic language.

Ben'Imana

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 101 min

Winner of the best first feature award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Ben'Imana is an astounding debut from Rwandan filmmaker Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo. In 2012, nearly two decades after the genocide against the Tutsi, survivor Vénéranda leads her community through a painful process of justice and reconciliation, while clashing with her pregnant teenage daughter. Drawing on a decade of research and gathered testimony, Dusabejambo crafts a deeply moving, feminist exploration of the genocide’s enduring legacy and the difficulty of healing. "Dusabejambo walks a tightrope with formidable grace in her reckoning with the legacy of genocide." — Sophie Monks Kaufman, Little White Lies Content Guidance Contains discussions of genocide and sexual violence, and themes of trauma and violence.

Mārama

Vue in the Light · 89 min

A young Māori woman faces the horror of her colonial heritage in this stunning Gothic horror. Mary leaves New Zealand for Victorian Yorkshire looking to explore her family history. Against her better judgement, she takes on a role as governess in Hawkser Manor. But something is off and Mary realises she may be trapped inside the estate with buried secrets and dark, terrifying visions. A brooding and poignant exploration of the horror of colonialism and the erasing of Māori culture. "Mārama bears a striking clarity of purpose -- suggesting the horror genre still possesses the ability to turn even a long-ago moment of righteous fury into communal confrontation and spiritual release." — Alison Foreman, IndieWire Content Guidance Contains strong injury detail, violence, threat, disturbing scenes.

Lady

Hyde Park Picture House · 93 min

A vibrant debut from director Olive Nwosu, which won the Acting Ensemble award at Sundance Film Festival for its all-female main cast. Lady works as one of the city’s few women cab drivers in the sleepless city of Lagos. Saving her wages, Lady longs to leave for a new life, but is unexpectedly drawn into night journeys, chaos and self-discovery with her former childhood friend, Pinky, now a sex worker. What begins as judgement develops into unexpected sisterhood. "A Slender but Striking Nigerian Neo-Noir About Friendship, Gender and Sex Work" — Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter Content Guidance Contains scenes of graphic violence or injury, nudity, and sex

Words of Love

Vue in the Light · 95 min

Rudi Rosenberg’s warm, funny and heartbreaking Words of Love features captivating performances from new young actors Nour Salam and Mateo Danila, the brilliant Hafsia Herzi, and a mudi shepherd as a cheese-obsessed stray dog. Erika is the anchor of a household that rarely stands still, doing her best to raise teenage Abigail, and her whirlwind little brother, Yoni. When Abi hears that her long-absent father has been seen nearby, Erika fears the fragile family balance will collapse for good. "A classic melodrama centred on its main characters, deliberately modest yet highly effective, shot in a realism beautifully captured by cinematographer Éric Dumont." — Fabien Lemercier, Cineuropa

São Paulo, Incorporated

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 107 min

Luiz Sérgio Person’s electrifying portrait of 1960s São Paulo captures a metropolis transformed by industrialisation. As the city’s booming automotive industry gathers pace, ambitious young Carlos pursues professional success while growing increasingly alienated from the life he has built. Ricardo Aronovich’s striking cinematography captures the scale and energy of the city, revealing a society in thrall to progress and the individual reduced to another cog in its machine. "Equally surprising is the versatility of Ricardo Aronovich’s camera, capable of capturing the energy of a large crowd or the fragility of a face with... sensitivity." — Cecilia Cenciarelli, Il Cinema Ritrovato

Mutter: The Diary of a Mother

Vue in the Light · 99 min

A mother’s love knows no bound in this maternal horror drama with a powerful central performance. When Gül gives birth to a child that resembles an otherworldly creature rather than a human baby, her husband leaves her. Alone and penniless, she will do everything in her power to care for her child, no matter what other people think. Mixing body horror and social drama, Mutter: The Diary of a Mother is an affecting exploration of motherhood and societal pressure that asks us what we should truly qualify as monstrous. "Revulsion and maternal instincts propel Mutter: The Diary of a Mother forward, rendering it one of the year’s most striking and heartbreaking horror movies." — Chad Collins, Dread Central Content Guidance Contains scenes with strong graphic violence, sexual violence, sex and nudity.

Wild Horse Nine

Cottage Road Cinema · 118 min

From writer-director Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin), Wild Horse Nine is a gripping dark comedy thriller set shortly before the 1973 coup in Chile. CIA agents Chris (John Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell) are dispatched from Santiago to Easter Island by their bureau chief, MJ (Steve Buscemi). Amongst the Island's iconic statues, Chris's new bond with a pair of rebellious students (Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas) threatens to upend everyone’s trip to this remote paradise. "A bittersweet hangout film about lonely, crumpled men facing up to mortality, dealing with the consequences of violence and chewing the fat to outlandishly funny effect." — Philip De Semlyen, Time Out Content Guidance Contains scenes of strong violence.

All of a Sudden

Vue in the Light · 196 min

Ryûsuke Hamaguchi weaves another poignant drama, this time about illness, friendship, art and care. In his first film in French, Marie-Lou (Virginie Efira), the director of a care home meets Mari (Tao Okamoto), a Japanese theatre director with terminal cancer. Despite different languages and ideas, their bond becomes a profound reflection on what it means to care. Shot in a facility with real patients, Hamaguchi’s unfurling epic is a transformative experience for both the characters and audience. "The result is a treasure, a transcendent film whose power is capable of rekindling one’s hope in humanity. It’s an invitation for those in the grasp of despair to maybe stay a little longer among the living." — Carlos Aguilar, The Playlist Content Guidance Contains themes of illness and bereavement.

9 Temples to Heaven

Vue in the Light · 141 min

9 Temples to Heaven is a beautiful and hypnotic film about a one-day family pilgrimage. Sakol hears a prophecy from a fortune teller that his elderly mother may die soon. He corrals three generations of his family to visit nine temples in succession, overcoming personal worries and generational conflict to offer tributes at each one. A gentle, patiently revelatory drama ensues, taking the viewer on a tour of stunning Thai architecture and celebrating magical everyday moments of transcendence. "When 9 Temples to Heaven enters into a more metaphysical realm, blurring the lines between the living and the dead, that it truly disarms its audience. By the final shot of a temple after a funeral service, you’d be forgiven to question whether the singing came from a voice recording or a ghost." — Anzhe Zhang, Slant Magazine

Bowels of Hell

Vue in the Light · 111 min

A delightfully trippy and socially conscious horror-comedy from Brazil, about a sewage system taken over by evil spirits. Malu is a constipated event planner with a severe phobia of toilets due to a tragic event from her past. She also has a strained relationship with her non-binary child, who protests the gender reveal party she has been hired to plan. And now the toilets in their apartment building have turned carnivorous, making their way through the eccentric tenants one-by-one. "Social satire meets (literal) toilet humor in the gruesomely entertaining Brazilian horror comedy Bowels of Hell." — Max Borg, Film Verdict

Odd Man Out

Vue in the Light · 116 min

Set against political unrest in Northern Ireland, Carol Reed’s gripping post-war noir stars James Mason as Johnny McQueen, a revolutionary stranded on the streets of an unnamed Belfast after a robbery goes wrong. Wounded and hunted by police, Johnny makes his way across the city over the course of one increasingly desperate night. With cinematographer Robert Krasker, Reed transforms Belfast into a shadowy urban labyrinth, anticipating their later collaboration on The Third Man. "Carol Reed’s first masterpiece… a stranger’s groping quest through the labyrinth of a great city." — Imogen Sara Smith, Criterion Content Guidance Contains scenes of violence and mild threat.

Wolfram

Vue in the Light · 102 min

Warwick Thornton follows up his acclaimed Sweet Country from 2017 with the immersive and moving outback western Wolfram. A pair of Aboriginal siblings negotiate the punishing and violence-soaked terrain of 1930s Australia. After they break free from their white masters who forced them into child labour in mines, the children flee across the vast desert ‘sweet country’ of Central Australia, relying on each other as they search for safety, family, and a way home. "One of the film’s greatest strengths is its look and feel. That’s perhaps unsurprising, since Thornton once more acts as his own DP." — Catherine Bray, Variety Content Guidance Contains scenes of strong violence.

Adam's Apple

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 98 min

A unique collaborative documentary told through the dual perspectives of Adam, a transgender teenager, and his mother, visual artist Amy Jenkins. Filmed by the pair over two decades, the film offers a distinctive and authentic collage of Adam’s gender transition alongside the everyday challenges of teenage life. Through the films creative and poetic lens, it captures a bold and joyful portrait of identity, friendship and the rhythms of family life. "Intimate, expertly-crafted doc celebrates power of family and identity" — Nikki Baughan, Screen Daily Content Guidance Contains scenes of LGBTQIA+ discrimination

The Third Man

Vue in the Light · 104 min

Regarded as one of the greatest British films of all time, The Third Man is one of two Carol Reed films screening in The City Plays Itself season alongside Odd Man Out. Set in post-war Austria in 1949, the film follows American writer Holly Martins who arrives in Vienna to visit an old friend but learns he has been killed in a street accident. The circumstances seem suspicious, and what follows is a murky and captivating thriller set among the maze-like streets and sewers of Vienna. "Vienna in The Third Man is a more particular and unmistakable place than almost any other location in the history of the movies." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times Content Guidance Contains scenes of mild threat and violence.

Nuisance Bear

Vue in the Light · 90 min

Nuisance Bear is a visually stunning and unconventional nature documentary, considered from one animals’ perspective with a poetic voiceover from an indigenous Inuit elder. Welcome to Churchill, Manitoba, where there is a burgeoning tourist trade for polar bear watching, though increasing problems are caused by climate change, preventing the bears from migrating on the ice further north. The film then shifts to neighbouring Nunavut, where indigenous people struggle to preserve their culture. "This tension between profit and protection, between exploitation and conservation, is explored in much more depth in Vanden and Weisman’s latest feature, thanks to yet more stunning compositions and some crucial historical context provided by Inuit narrator Mike Tunalaaq Gibbons." — Oliver Weir, The Film Stage

Joybubbles

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 79 min

Long before the internet, in 1950s America, a young boy miraculously discovers that he can control the global telephone system by whistling a magic tone. Born blind, Joybubbles develops an obsession with telephones and building connections from a young age. This unexpectedly leads to the creation of a subculture that influences the future development of hacking and technology. Told through archival footage and voice recordings, the film highlights the power of community while challenging assumptions about disability and identity. "By subverting expectations, “Joybubbles” becomes a delightful watch, a biography of a man whose talents on a telephone were just one of many that made him special." — Brain Farvour, The Playlist Content Guidance Contains discussion of sexual and physical abuse, ableist language and discrimination.

The Meltdown

Vue in the Light · 108 min

Manuela Martelli’s second feature is an intense thriller set in 90s Chile, centering on a missing teenager in a remote ski resort. 9-year-old Ines is used to seeing people come and go at her family’s resort and when young German skier Hanna arrives, they form a fast friendship. But when Hanna goes missing, Ines observes the reaction of her community without truly understanding. A gripping film about the tensions of a small community as their country undergoes political transition. "Confused connections, parental proxies, colonial histories -- Martelli interweaves these narrative strands with skill and artistry." — Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter Content Guidance Contains themes of grief and trauma.

Persepolis

Mill Hill Chapel · 96 min

We opened LIFF 2007 with Persepolis at Leeds Town Hall and we are screening the film again in tribute to the artist, writer and filmmaker Marjane Satrapi who passed away this June. Adapted from her graphic novel, the groundbreaking animated classic Persepolis follows the life of Marji, a spirited young girl growing up in Iran during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Through her eyes, we witness the fall of the Shah, and the rise of a new and even more strict regime. "Here is an adaptation so inspired, so simple and so frictionless in its transformation of the source material that it's almost a miracle." — Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

Heysel 85

Vue in the Light · 91 min

This breathtaking thriller sweeps through the backrooms and corridors of Brussels’ Heysel Stadium during the tragic incident at the 1985 European Cup Final, which killed 39 people. With great sensitivity and political nuance, the film splices actual historical footage with convincing period detail and peerless sound design. In classic disaster movie style, we are introduced to a cross section of contrasting characters, all of whom are drawn into the heart of the tragedy. "Heysel 85 successfully brings to life the drama unfolding behind what quickly resembles a war zone, dissecting how this disaster was not an unfortunate accident but the predictable result of a host of dysfunctions." — Laura Della Corte, The Upcoming Content Guidance Contains scenes of graphic violence or injury

A Private Enterprise

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 78 min

A pioneering portrait of British-Asian life, Peter Smith’s warm and perceptive drama follows young engineer Shiv as he tries to build a future in 1970s Birmingham. Dreaming of leaving factory work to start his own business, he navigates family expectations, romance and the racism of his adopted country. Shot on a tiny budget, A Private Enterprise finds humour and humanity in Shiv’s determination to make a place for himself in a changing city. "A manifesto for the expression of British-Asian voices in the popular culture of the UK." — Ben Forrest, Far Out Magazine Content Guidance Contains themes of racism and discrimination.

La Bola Negra

Vue in the Light · 155 min

Three stories intertwine in Los Javis’ ambitious melodrama of Spanish queer history. A soldier fascinated by a prisoner of the Civil War, the story of a man in pre-dictatorship Spain blackballed from his father’s club, to a present-day man wrestling with his family’s history. La Bola Negra is a celebration of Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca’s enduring legacy, which reimagines his work as a sweeping operatic epic starring an enigmatic young cast and scene-stealing turns from Penelope Cruz and Glenn Close. "This decades-spanning love odyssey is as impressive as it is moving, grabbing at the visceral nature of Lorca’s genre-bending work to mould its staggeringly boisterous cinematic equivalent." — Rafa Sale Ross, Little White Lies Content Guidance Contains scenes of graphic injury, war and homophobic language.

The Education of Jane Cumming

Vue in the Light · 114 min

A powerful historical drama based on a real libel case from 19th Century Scotland, The Education of Jane Cumming interrogates the entrenched societal homophobia of the colonial era. Teachers Jane Pirie and Marianne Woods run a boarding school. Their lives are changed forever when a wealthy aristocrat enrols Jane, her 'illegitimate' 15-year-old grandchild from India, who makes a scandalous accusation: that Miss Pirie and Miss Woods are lovers. "This is a richly textured, thought-provoking period drama and queer coming-of-age story that does justice to the real-life character of Jane, finally giving her a long-overdue place at the center of her own story." — Matthew Turner, Next Best Picture

Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 104 min

Four friends reunite when the album they made as pre-teens goes viral 20 years later. In 2000, X-Cetra was formed in a bedroom, pairing raw lyrics with trance beats. Soon forgotten as the friends drifted apart, the album resurfaces online, attracting fans, record labels and a Rolling Stone feature. Now adults, they reunite to record a new song and recapture the unselfconscious joy of their girlhood. Ayden Mayeri’s debut is a celebration of female friendship and never losing your creative spark. "A charming and surprisingly funny look at friendship, creativity, and the weird ways the internet can resurrect the past." — Louisa Moore, Screen Zealots Content Guidance Contains discussion of abuse.

Daughters of the Forest

Mill Hill Chapel · 95 min

Journey deep into Mexico’s forests in Otilia Portillo Padua’s beautiful and immersive exploration of the hidden worlds beneath our feet. Indigenous mycologists Lis and Juli bring scientific practice into dialogue with ancestral knowledge as they study the extraordinary networks of fungi that sustain their ecosystems. Blending documentary with science fiction elements, this lyrical, transportative film offers a profound vision of our interconnectedness with the natural world. "Crafted with artistry that simply demands the big screen." — Lauren Wissot, International Documentary Association

Atonement

Hyde Park Picture House · 118 min

Anchored by moving performances from Boyd Holbrook, Hiam Abbass (also in In a Whisper at LIFF 2026), and Kenneth Branagh, Atonement is a powerfully human story about the immeasurable costs of war, exploring universal questions about guilt, redemption and the nature of forgiveness. In the early days of the Iraq War, a U.S. Marine’s split-second decision during a firefight devastates an Iraqi family. Years later, haunted by his time in Iraq and aided by a New Yorker journalist, the Marine seeks to reconcile with the surviving family members. Content Guidance Contains scenes with death and grief.

Salvation

Vue in the Light · 120 min

Winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at Berlin Film Festival, Emin Alper’s Salvation is a deeply unsettling folk-horror-like examination of the roots of atrocity that fills you with foreboding until its searing end. In a remote village high in the Turkish mountains, the return of an exiled clan reignites a decades-old land feud. As dormant resentments resurface, Mesut, the local leader’s brother, is seized by dark visions that he believes to be divine warnings and soon tensions surge in the community. "This apposite demonstration of religious convictions being used to prop up concrete actions, spurred on and given fuel by tribalist rivalries, elevates “Salvation” from a merely striking mood piece to an astute psychological study." — Catherine Bray, Variety Content Guidance Contains scenes of strong graphic violence.

Summertime

Vue in the Light · 99 min

David Lean turns Venice into a city of longing and possibility in this exquisite, bittersweet romance. Katharine Hepburn gives one of her most moving performances as Jane, a lonely American tourist whose long-awaited trip takes an unexpected turn when she falls for a charming antiques dealer. Shot on location in radiant Technicolour, Summertime captures Venice through the wonder of a first-time visitor, and tenderly explores falling in love with a person and a place. "So rapturously beautiful to look at [...] that it seems more a song than a movie, a wordless expression of some ancient romantic longing." — Stephanie Zacharek, Criterion

São Paulo, Incorporated

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 107 min

Luiz Sérgio Person’s electrifying portrait of 1960s São Paulo captures a metropolis transformed by industrialisation. As the city’s booming automotive industry gathers pace, ambitious young Carlos pursues professional success while growing increasingly alienated from the life he has built. Ricardo Aronovich’s striking cinematography captures the scale and energy of the city, revealing a society in thrall to progress and the individual reduced to another cog in its machine. "Equally surprising is the versatility of Ricardo Aronovich’s camera, capable of capturing the energy of a large crowd or the fragility of a face with... sensitivity." — Cecilia Cenciarelli, Il Cinema Ritrovato

The Education of Jane Cumming

Vue in the Light · 114 min

A powerful historical drama based on a real libel case from 19th Century Scotland, The Education of Jane Cumming interrogates the entrenched societal homophobia of the colonial era. Teachers Jane Pirie and Marianne Woods run a boarding school. Their lives are changed forever when a wealthy aristocrat enrols Jane, her 'illegitimate' 15-year-old grandchild from India, who makes a scandalous accusation: that Miss Pirie and Miss Woods are lovers. "This is a richly textured, thought-provoking period drama and queer coming-of-age story that does justice to the real-life character of Jane, finally giving her a long-overdue place at the center of her own story." — Matthew Turner, Next Best Picture

Words of Love

Vue in the Light · 95 min

Rudi Rosenberg’s warm, funny and heartbreaking Words of Love features captivating performances from new young actors Nour Salam and Mateo Danila, the brilliant Hafsia Herzi, and a mudi shepherd as a cheese-obsessed stray dog. Erika is the anchor of a household that rarely stands still, doing her best to raise teenage Abigail, and her whirlwind little brother, Yoni. When Abi hears that her long-absent father has been seen nearby, Erika fears the fragile family balance will collapse for good. "A classic melodrama centred on its main characters, deliberately modest yet highly effective, shot in a realism beautifully captured by cinematographer Éric Dumont." — Fabien Lemercier, Cineuropa

Documentary Short Film Panorama: City Variations

Mill Hill Chapel · 98 min

Olinda's Golden Arches A twisty, playful take on the little-told tale of a Brazilian mayoral election that came to be known as the ‘Battle of Olinda’, a key engagement in the war between two of the most powerful colonial forces of the twentieth century: communism and McDonalds. UK Premiere | Douglas Henrique | Brazil | 2025 | 24 mins | Portuguese Your City Between Shenzhen and New York, two queer voices connect across the distance as a typhoon gathers. Shifting from luminous 16mm to spectral thermal imagery, this atmospheric work speaks to the experience of migration, uncertainty and the search for home in an unstable world. UK Premiere | Ting Su | China, France, USA | 2026 | 14 mins | Mandarin Chinese Infinity River Every day, thousands cross the Tagus River to clean, care for, build and serve the city of Lisbon. Following three workers through their daily routines, this delicately observed portrait pays tribute to the invisible labour that keeps a city moving. UK Premiere | Gonçalo Pina | Portugal | 2025 | 22 mins | Nepali, Portuguese Sawyer Avenue, Sunday Afternoon Through the body-worn cameras of masked US Border Patrol agents and the phones of ordinary citizens, Oscar nominee Bill Morrison presents a tense, real-time reconstruction of a neighbourhood’s desperate attempt to prevent the kidnapping of one of their own. Yorkshire Premiere | Bill Morrison | USA | 2026 | 18 mins | English, Spanish Another Day Shall Come Voicenotes from anonymous Palestinians living within the 1948 borders form a fragmented portrait of life under occupation; a mosaic of reflections on the instability of identity, the impermanence of nature, and the permeability of our inner and outer worlds. UK Premiere | Aida Kaadan | Palestine | 2026 | 20 mins | Arabic Content Guidance Contains scenes of violence and mature themes including war, racism, migration and discrimination.

Wolfram

Vue in the Light · 102 min

Warwick Thornton follows up his acclaimed Sweet Country from 2017 with the immersive and moving outback western Wolfram. A pair of Aboriginal siblings negotiate the punishing and violence-soaked terrain of 1930s Australia. After they break free from their white masters who forced them into child labour in mines, the children flee across the vast desert ‘sweet country’ of Central Australia, relying on each other as they search for safety, family, and a way home. "One of the film’s greatest strengths is its look and feel. That’s perhaps unsurprising, since Thornton once more acts as his own DP." — Catherine Bray, Variety Content Guidance Contains scenes of strong violence.

Shana

Vue in the Light · 84 min

Eva Huault electrifies as the irrepressible Shana in Lila Pinell’s freewheeling, high-energy debut. Reeling from her grandmother’s death, Shana inherits a ring said to protect her from bad luck, just as her toxic partner is released from prison and her troubles begin to multiply. Blending social realism with sharp comedy and adding propulsive tension, Pinell crafts a vibrant, unpredictable character study, driven by Huault’s charismatic performance and Shana’s defiant swagger. "An endearing feminist portrait that scratches beneath the surface of society in search of truth." — Fabien Lemercier, Cineuropa Content Guidance Contains scenes of domestic violence, abuse, and drug-related themes.

La Bola Negra

Hyde Park Picture House · 155 min

Three stories intertwine in Los Javis’ ambitious melodrama of Spanish queer history. A soldier fascinated by a prisoner of the Civil War, the story of a man in pre-dictatorship Spain blackballed from his father’s club, to a present-day man wrestling with his family’s history. La Bola Negra is a celebration of Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca’s enduring legacy, which reimagines his work as a sweeping operatic epic starring an enigmatic young cast and scene-stealing turns from Penelope Cruz and Glenn Close. "This decades-spanning love odyssey is as impressive as it is moving, grabbing at the visceral nature of Lorca’s genre-bending work to mould its staggeringly boisterous cinematic equivalent." — Rafa Sale Ross, Little White Lies Content Guidance Contains scenes of graphic injury, war and homophobic language.

Adam's Apple

Mill Hill Chapel · 98 min

A unique collaborative documentary told through the dual perspectives of Adam, a transgender teenager, and his mother, visual artist Amy Jenkins. Filmed by the pair over two decades, the film offers a distinctive and authentic collage of Adam’s gender transition alongside the everyday challenges of teenage life. Through the films creative and poetic lens, it captures a bold and joyful portrait of identity, friendship and the rhythms of family life. "Intimate, expertly-crafted doc celebrates power of family and identity" — Nikki Baughan, Screen Daily Content Guidance Contains scenes of LGBTQIA+ discrimination

Coward

Vue in the Light · 125 min

Lukas Dhont returns with the love story of a young soldier and a theatre troupe leader in this award-winning First World War drama. Pierre is a timid young farm boy, forced into the Belgian trenches of WWI. Once there, he is entranced by the charismatic and gentle tailor Francis, who leads a band of cabaret performers, there to provide the only form of escape and entertainment for men on the front. Dhont continues to examine queerness and masculinity in this tender exploration of forbidden love. "Dhont deftly and affectingly captures the physical and psychological brutality of the battlefield and delivers a powerful queer love story for the ages." — James Kleinmann, The Queer Review Content Guidance Contains scenes of graphic violence.

Yorkshire Short Film Competition

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 89 min

Practical Anarchy A defiant history of Bradford's 1in12 Club, the member-owned venue that became a beacon for protest and punk subcultures throughout the '80s and '90s. Long-standing club members reflect on the victories, struggles and the evolving destiny of the collective. Yorkshire Premiere | Michael McCabe | UK | 2025 | 13 mins | English Pay As You Go A struggling tenant wants to escape his Pay-As-You-Go Life Tariff, but must first confront a relentlessly cheerful Customer Support officer conducting a routine “Life Utility Check-Up”. A Kafka-esque comedy set in a world where everything is chargeable. Yorkshire Premiere | Tom Diffenthal | UK | 2026 | 10 mins | English Wuthering Hearts O love! O achin’ love! In this perfect blend of emo and romance, Helena (a teen with a heavy case of the “morbs”) struggles to navigate her first romance when various obstacles get in the way of her beloved Bernard and his many odes to her beauty. Laura Jayne Hodkin | UK | 2025 | 3 mins | English The Witches of Pool Bottom Perfectly fitting the remit of our Yorkshire Competition to support young filmmakers, this film confronts, with increasing absurdity, societal expectations of female self-surveillance and judgement, in a humorous, surreal short exploring teenage body-image. Yorkshire Premiere | Ava Bounds | UK | 2025 | 7 mins | English Claw & Order When a sudden and unexplained extinction wipes out Whitby’s lobster stocks, the local community is thrown into crisis. Fishermen and scientists must join forces to restore an ecosystem on the brink, with a little help from their hard-shelled heroes. World Premiere | Mikey Sneddon | UK | 2026 | 13 mins | English Nowt This dark drama highlights the pressures of girlhood through Bailey, with big, beautiful lashes and very little confidence, a rebellious teen who is led astray by an older man. But what begins as forbidden love violently morphs into a traumatising situation. Yorkshire Premiere | Milda Baginskaitė | UK | 2026 | 14 mins | English Five Minute Brides Twice a year, Skipton seamstress Mandy Abramson invites women of any age, shape or size into her bridal shop to have a wedding dress-up day of their own. Mandy’s simple act of generosity elicits moving stories that this documentary compassionately captures. Yorkshire Premiere | Jacqueline Maxted | UK | 2025 | 16 mins | English Blue Hour Before departing for university, a teenager wanders the Yorkshire moors for one last summer afternoon with her besties. Capturing their final moments of adolescence on film, she grapples with the looming transition and the fear of leaving everything she knows. Kate Graham | UK | 2026 | 13 mins | English Content Guidance Contains scenes of physical and emotional abuse.

In a Whisper

Vue in the Light · 113 min

From writer-director Leyla Bouzid (As I Open My Eyes), In a Whisper is a touching intergenerational family drama with a captivating ensemble cast, including the great Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass (also in Atonement at LIFF 2026). Back in Tunisia for her uncle's funeral, Lilia reunites with a family that knows nothing about her life in Paris, especially her love life. Determined to unravel the mystery surrounding her uncle’s sudden death, Lilia find herself confronted with long-hidden family secrets. "The film unfolds over six days of mourning, and an impeccable ensemble cast and a vivid sense of time and place allow for a nuanced exploration of relationships under pressure; not just from personal prejudice, but also from wider social constraints." — Amber Wilkinson, Screen International

Congo Boy

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 95 min

A young refugee chases his rap dreams in this rousing autobiographical feature from the Central African Republic. Robert balances making music with hiding his identity and raising his siblings while his parents are imprisoned. During the day, he muddles through school whilst writing poetry, then at night hustles his way through vibrant nightclubs. Inspired by Rafiki Fariala’s own life, Congo Boy is a joyous, crowd-pleasing film about following your dreams in the toughest of circumstances. "A stirring musical drama, this Cannes Un Certain Regard entry beats with the rhythms of resilience." — Murtada Elfadl, Variety Content Guidance Contains scenes of graphic violence.

Levitating

Vue in the Light · 119 min

In a town where people find joy in possession, a young man aspires to become a trance party shaman to prevent his eviction. After his first attempt ends badly, Bayu meets Laksmi, who agrees to help him become the town’s official spirit channeler. But time is running out: his father plans to sell their home to a developer exploiting the village’s sacred water. With blistering visuals and incredible sound design, Wregas Bhanuteja’s musical fantasy sees indigenous spirituality, tradition and capitalism collide. ""Levitating" will hook you in a trance, inspire your creativity, and leave you craving for its aliveness when the daydream wears off." — Nadia Dalimonte, Next Best Picture Content Guidance Contains scenes with strong violence and sex.

Zejtune

Vue in the Light · 108 min

A spellbinding drama set on the island of Malta, following an extraordinary folk singing tradition, where the vocalists spa with improvised rhyming couplets. After her estranged mother’s death, Mar plans to leave Malta for good by selling the farmland she’s inherited. But as she travels the island to claim her land, she meets Nenu, an irrepressible 80-year-old folk singer whose music and spirit challenge her desire to escape. Mar slowly warms to the homeland she wanted to turn her back on. "A personal, Chloé Zhao–styled coming-of-age drama featuring strong authentic music, a striking lead performance, and vivid landscapes." — Ben Langford, Next Big Picture

International Documentary Short Film Competition 1

Hyde Park Picture House · 94 min

Forgotten Spaceman The history of a nation is family history writ large in this inventive desktop doc, the impersonality of the archive - events seen as if from space - here a backdrop to one man’s perspective on the half-remembered dream of Afghanistan’s first and only astronaut. Yorkshire Premiere | Elham Ehsas | Afghanistan, UK | 2026 | 16 mins | Pashto (Pushto) Statues Also Die? In a Budapest park full of decaying monuments to its nation’s bygone communist era, four children gather the opinions of locals, tourists and even the statues themselves as they attempt to understand the complicated future of their past. UK Premiere | Thais Fernandes | Belgium, Brazil, Hungary, Portugal | 2025 | 12 mins | English, Hungarian Spectral Geography A river buried, a landscape transformed, the dead commemorated through song. Along Colombia’s Cauca River, women embroider and cast flowers into the water in this haunting meditation on memory, resistance and the enduring violence of extraction. English Premiere | Manuel Mateo | Colombia | 2026 | 22 mins | Spanish Chuuraa Deep in the Siberian Arctic, Indigenous Sakha palaeontologist Aisen Klimovskii descends into the thawing permafrost in search of an ancient creature. A mesmerising journey into a prehistoric underworld where science and mythology converge. UK Premiere | Evgenia Arbugaeva | UK | 2026 | 18 mins | English like moths to light Prowling nocturnal animals, burning theme parks, doomed prophets... A speculative, docufictional essay that’s as much a rigorous analysis of the new frontier of ‘neurocapitalism’ as it is a poetic reminder of the hallucinatory beauty of our shared human dream. UK Premiere | Gala Hernández López | France, Italy, Spain | 2026 | 26 mins | English Content Guidance Contains archival images of armed conflict, and themes of violence and displacement.

Red Rocks

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 90 min

The brilliantly unpredictable French director, Bruno Dumont returns with a vivid and offbeat drama about the strangeness and intensity of childhood. On the French Riviera, two gangs of kids compete in the perilous game of cliff jumping. Géo, barely five years old, discovers over the course of a summer a world where friendship blends with rivalry, and where the first stirrings of the heart emerge against the dazzling Mediterranean landscape. "Funny, suspenseful, tender and occasionally bizarre. Above all, it is a wonderfully precise study of emotions at the moment when we experience them for the first time, before we have learned how to name them." — Nataliia Serebriakova, Film Ink

Mutter: The Diary of a Mother

Vue in the Light · 99 min

A mother’s love knows no bound in this maternal horror drama with a powerful central performance. When Gül gives birth to a child that resembles an otherworldly creature rather than a human baby, her husband leaves her. Alone and penniless, she will do everything in her power to care for her child, no matter what other people think. Mixing body horror and social drama, Mutter: The Diary of a Mother is an affecting exploration of motherhood and societal pressure that asks us what we should truly qualify as monstrous. "Revulsion and maternal instincts propel Mutter: The Diary of a Mother forward, rendering it one of the year’s most striking and heartbreaking horror movies." — Chad Collins, Dread Central Content Guidance Contains scenes with strong graphic violence, sexual violence, sex and nudity.

Take Me Home

Vue in the Light · 91 min

Liz Sargent’s intimate and emotionally captivating debut draws on her real-life experiences to enlighten the struggle of Korean-American sisters navigating a complex web of caregiving needs and the structural challenges faced by disabled people. Anna (played by the director’s sister Anna Sargent) is a 38-year-old woman with cognitive disabilities who looks after her ageing adoptive parents. A Florida heatwave disturbs the delicate balance of their lives and her sister Emily comes to help. "There isn’t a predictable or hackneyed exchange in the drama, which understands not just the immense challenges its characters face but also the throwaway humor that can be essential to a family’s connective tissue." — Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter

International Documentary Short Film Competition 2

Hyde Park Picture House · 97 min

The Revolution Against Death Joshua Oppenheimer continues to explore the interplay of fear and desire, belief and delusion, individual and system, as a thousand elderly Americans gather at a ‘life-extension’ conference in a last-ditch bid to outrun a fate they may well already have met. Yorkshire Premiere | Joshua Lincoln Oppenheimer | Denmark | 2026 | 23 mins | English The Dark Knot at the Center In the years before Roe v. Wade, women travelled across the US to Mexican border towns in search of underground abortion care. Their intimate letters echo across present-day landscapes, retracing clandestine journeys that resonate with unsettling urgency today. UK Premiere | Inês Pedrosa e Melo | Portugal | 2026 | 17 mins | English Intersecting Memory A box of videotapes unseen for 20 years takes filmmaker Shayma’ Awawdeh back to her childhood in Hebron during the Second Intifada. Memories of school and birthdays collide with the everyday violence of growing up under occupation. Yorkshire Premiere | Shayma' Awawdeh | France, Occupied Palestinian Territory | 2025 | 20 mins | Arabic A Woman's Place Is Everywhere After their mother dies, twin sisters Emilija and Ona face eviction from the Williamsburg loft they’ve always called home. Filled with art and memories, their family home becomes a living archive of motherhood, sisterhood, and a disappearing New York. Yorkshire Premiere | Fanny Texier | USA | 2026 | 22 mins | English Nothing Happens After Your Absence A filmmaker returns to his hometown to screen a film for the community, but finds himself thwarted by bureaucracy, local custom and war, prompting a minimalist, tragicomic meditation on the power - but also the limits - of cinema as a tool of resistance. UK Premiere | Ibrahim Omar | Sudan | 2026 | 15 mins | Arabic Content Guidance Contains images of violence, injury and death, and mature themes including war, abortion, grief and trauma.

Illusion of an Everlasting Summer

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 94 min

An extraordinary long form documentary filmed over 25 years by acclaimed photographer Alessandra Sanguinetti, Illusion of an Everlasting Summer traces the lives of two inseparable cousins. The film starts in 1999 as the two girls are 8 and 10, tracing the years into adult and parenthood. The setting makes a striking visual backdrop as they live in remote farmland in the vast Argentine Pampas. Superlative cinematography and editing combine to create a profound film on time, memory and womanhood. "Filming real women over three decades takes a lot of effort not to turn them into lab subjects or human guinea pigs. Filmmaker Alessandra Sanguinetti avoids that danger with the unwavering trust and love of all participants in The Illusion of an Everlasting Summer, which welcomes a new directing voice in Latin American cinema: artistic, sensitive, but also down-to-earth." — Lucy Virgen, Film Verdict

Flies

Vue in the Light · 101 min

Fernando Eimbcke’s gentle, charming character drama tracks an unlikely friendship with emotional warmth and touches of deadpan comedy. Landlady Olga is a little stubborn and set in her ways and struggles to adjust when a new tenant smuggles in his video game obsessed nine-year-old son. Memorably rendering the anonymous apartment blocks of Mexico City in finely grained black-and-white cinematography and imaginative sound design, the film has a finely-toned sense of detail. "Directed in sharp-edged black-and-white with seemingly effortless precision by Fernando Eimbcke, it marks the writer-director’s welcome return to a Mexican setting." — Deborah Young, The Film Verdict

Leeds Screendance Competition

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 64 min

Leeds Screendance Competition

Vera Media: Archiving the City

Salvation

Vue in the Light · 120 min

Winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at Berlin Film Festival, Emin Alper’s Salvation is a deeply unsettling folk-horror-like examination of the roots of atrocity that fills you with foreboding until its searing end. In a remote village high in the Turkish mountains, the return of an exiled clan reignites a decades-old land feud. As dormant resentments resurface, Mesut, the local leader’s brother, is seized by dark visions that he believes to be divine warnings and soon tensions surge in the community. "This apposite demonstration of religious convictions being used to prop up concrete actions, spurred on and given fuel by tribalist rivalries, elevates “Salvation” from a merely striking mood piece to an astute psychological study." — Catherine Bray, Variety Content Guidance Contains scenes of strong graphic violence.

Leeds Queer Short Film Competition 1

Hyde Park Picture House · 88 min

Log Off, Loser! In the virtual world of The Lounge, you can look however you want - as long as you have your parents’ credit card… A bittersweet hit of nostalgia for every trans person who’s ever played a video game. World Premiere | Heath Virgoe | UK | 2026 | 11 mins | English The Wind in Ash A student returns to rural China to attend their father’s funeral. Amid the gossip at the funeral and the rules of tradition, an unexpected gesture from their mother creates an emotional connection. A tender journey of self-discovery based on the director’s own experience. Yorkshire Premiere | Sun Kun | China | 2025 | 18 mins | Mandarin Chinese Making It Fit A short animated documentary that reflects on funerary rites through a queer lens, exploring how the rituals we create to remember those we love should be extensions of their gender identity and the way they lived within their community. Yorkshire Premiere | Mariana Leal | UK | 2025 | 5 mins | English Waves of Silence A charming love story where Amon, whilst helping his mother run a hotel, feels an immediate connection with the new delivery boy, Roberto. Meanwhile, his best friend Daniella also sets her sights on him. International Premiere | Caio J. Bonfim | Brazil, UK | 2026 | 20 mins | Portuguese Half-Life Cumbrian poet Emma McGordon wrestles with mental health and class-based barriers as she tries to turn her poem into a film. Poetic yet gritty, this experimental performance piece weaves together McGordon’s experiences of heartbreak and OCD. World Premiere | Emma McGordon, Chris Neilan | UK | 2026 | 11 mins | English This Love Isn’t Taught Jordan puts his child to bed and heads to a party. He meets a past flame, self-assured Atlanta, and they both feel the pull of old feelings returning. Jordan has decisions to make about love, life and taking a leap with someone who lights up his life. Yorkshire Premiere | Harry Brandrick | UK | 2025 | 11 mins | English Betty St. Clair A fledgling drag queen prepares for a performance, changed at the last minute after the panic of seeing a familiar face in the audience. Surreal shenanigans and support from chosen family help put on a show to remember. Yorkshire Premiere | Syra McCarthy, Kyle Casey Chu | USA | 2026 | 12 mins | English

Rebellion

Leeds City Library · 80 min

The landmark struggle of the Bradford 12 comes urgently to life in this powerful new documentary. In 1981, twelve young Asian men were arrested after preparing to defend their community against an anticipated far-right attack, sparking a major campaign for their freedom. Drawing on remarkable archive footage, first-hand testimony and a collectively staged reconstruction of the trial, Rebellion captures how a community organised in the face of racist violence and fought back. "For me, this film is personal. It has taken me 40 years to tell it, and it is a story of the wounds of my own life, in the scars of my generation, and in the courage of those who stood with us." — Tariq Mehmood, Co-director Content Guidance Contains scenes of racist violence, and racist attitudes and language.

Josephine

Cottage Road Cinema · 119 min

Beth De Araújo's masterful and devastating drama Josephine won the top dramatic grand jury prize and the audience award at Sundance Film Festival In a stunning child performance, Mason Reeves plays 8-year-old Josephine who witnesses a sexual assault in a park while out with her father Damien (Channing Tatum). In the aftermath, while suffering from the effects of the trauma, Josephine seeks to understand what she has witnessed and the part she has to play in the search for justice. "A harrowing, poignant study on the poison of gender-based brutality that rejects sentimentality to challenge our normalisation of female fear." — Stefania Sarrubba, The Skinny Content Guidance Contains scenes of graphic violence or injury, nudity, sex, and sexual violence.

Caity

Vue in the Light · 101 min

On Halloween, 16-year-old Caity juggles a new crush, her father’s sobriety and running the family haunted house in Lindsay Calleran’s outstanding debut. Every October, Caity and her dad transform their home into a beloved local attraction. But when he relapses, Caity faces more than any teenager should, while navigating her own relationship with alcohol and a queer awakening. Led by Chiara Aurelia, with Morgan Spector and Zach Cherry (Severance), this is a tender, beautifully written coming-of-age drama. "It’s truthful and painful, but never too heavy as to be an exhausting watch, thanks in part to the honest, powerful performances of the talented cast." — Cody Dericks, Next Best Picture Content Guidance Contains themes of addiction.

Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 104 min

Four friends reunite when the album they made as pre-teens goes viral 20 years later. In 2000, X-Cetra was formed in a bedroom, pairing raw lyrics with trance beats. Soon forgotten as the friends drifted apart, the album resurfaces online, attracting fans, record labels and a Rolling Stone feature. Now adults, they reunite to record a new song and recapture the unselfconscious joy of their girlhood. Ayden Mayeri’s debut is a celebration of female friendship and never losing your creative spark. "A charming and surprisingly funny look at friendship, creativity, and the weird ways the internet can resurrect the past." — Louisa Moore, Screen Zealots Content Guidance Contains discussion of abuse.

Donkey Princess

Vue in the Light · 90 min

A princess defies her father’s wishes in this boldly original retelling of Charles Perrault’s fairytale Donkeyskin. When his wife dies, the King decides to outlaw love. But when his daughter falls for a merchant, only magic can help her be with the one she loves. Chilean filmmakers Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña blend their animation expertise into live action to create a shape-shifting visual feast. Donkey Princess is a truly unique work that is often magical but never shies away from the darkness of the original tale. "The Chilean duo’s latest only further establishes them as some of the most exciting makers of tangible, macabre visions on the world’s stage." — Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire Content Guidance Contains scenes of graphic violence.

Louis le Prince International Short Film Competition 1

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 91 min

Ambush | Kameen A pop-up techno club in Amman. Inside, Jana’s fresh start is being challenged. Outside, Hasan quietly swallows heartbreak. They are two strangers on opposite sides of the street. A mesmerising portrait of loneliness, longing and resilience in a city in flux. Yorkshire Premiere | Yassmina Karajah | Canada, Jordan | 2025 | 21 mins | Arabic Milk A tooth extraction introduces a watchful child to his mother’s new love. In Milk, tenderness turns grotesque, ordinary gestures uncanny, and love unfolds as a tale equal parts sweet and unsettling. International Premiere | Filippo Marasco | Italy | 2026 | 18 mins | Italian Chica 12-year-old Dadá sets off with her younger brother Tato to deliver a chicken to a local restaurant. But when she discovers Tato's close bond with the chicken, the journey becomes an awakening to vegetarianism, violence, and the power of imaginative play. English Premiere | João Victor Silva, Matheus Malburg | Brazil | 2026 | 14 mins | Portuguese Gloryland A dream of an enigmatic light triggers disappearances, leaving behind glowing human silhouettes. Hazy and experimental, the tale is witnessed in an eden-like allotment garden, where non-human witnesses and rumours of a healer from Mauritius deepen the mystery. International Premiere | Pauline Pichard | Switzerland | 2026 | 13 mins | French "Vaterland" or A Bule Named Yanto When German-Indonesian Yanto returns to Yogyakarta from Berlin, he finds his younger sister belongs more effortlessly than he does. Equally hilarious and heartbreaking, this sharp episodic portrait of mixed-race identity captures the ache of in-betweenness. Yorkshire Premiere | Berthold Wahjudi | Germany, Indonesia | 2026 | 25 mins | English, German, Indonesian

Louis le Prince International Short Film Competition 2

Everyman Cinema Leeds · 92 min

Burn and fade Set amongst a forest full of ghosts, two septuagenarians share their reflections on life, love, and belonging, during an escape from their retirement home. UK Premiere | David Arslanian | France | 2025 | 15 mins | French Sign Language Nobody Barks When Candela accidentally runs over her nephew's dog, she avoids confession by inventing a legend about a dog pilgrimage to a sacred tree. As the lie begins to consume her, this deadpan, absurdist look at folklore asks how far we'll go to protect ourselves. Yorkshire Premiere | Júlia Coldwell Serra | Spain | 2025 | 20 mins | Catalan Surface Tension When competitive swimmer Bulet returns to her hometown in Laguna for a wedding, she finds herself drowning out of water. Blending archival photos and underwater shots, this retelling of the siren myth explores the inseparable losses of love, land, and lineage. UK Premiere | The Serrano Sisters | Philippines | 2025 | 17 mins | Tagalog As a Cure Sifting through expansive sand dunes, a girl searches for her identity card to pursue personal artistic desires, a decision that would create a seismic shift within her family and future. UK Premiere | Dorothea Sing Zhang | China, UK | 2026 | 17 mins | Mandarin Chinese The Spectacular Death of Prisca On her daughter’s wedding day, an overprotective mother finds herself catapulted into the chaotic world of an old Nollywood film. As she embarks on a mission to rescue her daughter, what unfolds is a high-energy, entertaining love letter to Nollywood cinema. European Premiere | Kaelo Iyizoba | Nigeria | 2026 | 23 mins | English Content Guidance Contains discussion of discrimination.

Like a Fortress

Hyde Park Picture House · 83 min

In this raw and deeply intimate film, Lou Colpé turns the camera on her own experience of grief following the sudden loss of her partner. Returning to the home they shared, she finds refuge in its familiar spaces as life quietly continues around her. Told through on-screen text and gentle observations of friends, objects and changing seasons, this moving, diaristic documentary transforms the house into a sanctuary of memory and survival. "This intimate, generous documentary accurately depicts what we do to survive until we become able to really live again." — Aurore Engelen, Cineuropa Content Guidance Contains themes of death and grief.

Al Baraneya

Vue in the Light · 84 min

A beautifully realised debut feature from Dutch-Egyptian director Ashgan El-Hamus, Al Baraneya adds one professional actor to a cast of non-professionals for a warm and organic family drama about tradition and modernity. Pregnant Amal lives together with her family in Al Baraneya, a village outside Cairo, surrounded by jasmine fields. When Amal’s cousin Rania visits from Cairo, she captivates Amal and her younger sisters with her modern lifestyle, making them question their future. "This is the kind of film that seems small only at first glance, building in impact as it plays out, lingering long after the close with images and sounds of the laughter that comes from togetherness." — Jay Weissberg, Variety

The Days Off

Vue in the Light · 84 min

Set in near-future Argentina, Lucila Mariani’s beguiling debut is a dreamlike coming-of-age story suspended between the everyday and the otherworldly. As a solar eclipse approaches, lonely 12-year-old Bego spends her summer drawn into an online community devoted to ‘shifting’, entering alternate realities through dreams. Beautifully shot, this tender, ethereal film explores adolescent longing, loneliness and the desire to escape into somewhere or someone else. "A very delicate coming-of-age film in which science fiction, the logic of dreams, and poetic cinema meet." — Shahran Morshed, International Cinephile Society