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international film festivals 2025

International Film Festivals for 2025: Dates, Locations & Industry Insights

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Many people think the 2025 film festival season starts and ends with Cannes. While it’s definitely the most famous, it’s not the only one worth checking out. All around the world, there are amazing international film festivals ready to welcome filmmakers, industry pros, students, and movie lovers alike. From Boston to Busan, the top film festivals 2025 will highlight the best in international cinema and documentaries. They’ll also feature cutting-edge animation and powerful stories that give voice to marginalised communities.

International Film Festivals 2025

We’ve compiled a month-by-month guide to help you navigate this year’s must-see festivals. From iconic red carpets to rising indie gems, film festivals 2025 are shaping up to be some of the most exciting yet. Keep reading to discover where and when it’s all happening.

April 2025

May 2025

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December 2025

🎬 Major International Film Festivals to Watch in 2025

Whether you’re a filmmaker ready to submit your next masterpiece or a film lover planning your next big cultural trip, 2025 is packed with unmissable cinema events across the globe. From legendary red carpets in Cannes and Venice to exciting indie showcases in Edinburgh and Busan, here are some of the top film festivals lighting up the big screen this year.

77th Cannes Film Festival | Cannes, France

Dates: May 13–24​

As mentioned earlier, the Cannes Film Festival in the south of France is known for premiering top international films, including arthouse movies, director-led projects, and big-name debuts.

Filmmakers hoping to screen their work at this high-profile event must submit their films through the festival’s online portal. The submission fee depends on the category and format of the film. All that said, the Cannes Film Festival submission deadline for 2025 has already passed.

Tickets for main competition screenings usually cost between €250 and €500, with premiere events costing more.

If you don’t have accreditation, you can still attend some screenings like Directors’ Fortnight and Cinema de la Plage, which are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you want to bag tickets and accreditations for this year’s event, head to the official Cannes Film Festival website toute de suite.​

78th Edinburgh International Film Festival Edinburgh, UK

Dates: August 14–20​

Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city, may have a small population (only a little over 500,000 according to the 2022 census), but it has big ambitions. Why else would it plan five festivals—including the biggest theatre fringe festival on the planet—all in the same month?

Among them is the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Established in 1947, it is one of the world’s longest-running film festivals.

This festival showcases a wide range of cinema, from indie features and documentaries to experimental films. Filmmaker submission fees typically range from ÂŁ25 to ÂŁ75.

Those keen to view the films can pick up tickets priced between £10–£15 per screening. Passes and more details are available on the festival’s official website.

82nd Venice International Film Festival Venice, Italy

Dates: August 27–September 6​

From Black Swan (2010), with Natalie Portman’s stunning Oscar-winning performance, to the visually daring Birdman (2014), and Akira Kurosawa’s groundbreaking Rashomon (1950), which introduced Japanese cinema to the West, Venice has long been the launchpad for cinematic legends. As the world’s oldest film festival, it continues to set the standard.

This year’s lineup is already creating ripples of excitement across the film industry, with highly anticipated titles like Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet and the Leonardo DiCaprio vehicle One Battle After Another on the billing.

Filmmakers hoping to participate in the Venice Film Festival 2025, should expect to pay submission fees of €200 for feature films (rising to €250 after May 31) and €80 for short films (increasing to €100 after April 30). Immersive projects cost €200, increasing to €250 after April 30. World premiere status is required.

If you’re attending as a viewer, individual screening tickets are available through the festival’s official website.

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Toronto, Canada

Dates: September 4–14

TIFF is one of the world’s most important film festivals for a reason: it has launched many careers, especially for indie filmmakers. Notable names include Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows), Rian Johnson (Brick), and Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking, and Juno).

Like many international film festivals, submission fees vary. For Canadian features and documentaries, the fees are CAD $90 (early bird) or CAD $155 (standard). International features cost CAD $120 (early bird) or CAD $155 (standard). Short films and other categories have different fee structures.

If you want to attend as part of the audience, you can get individual tickets or festival passes. Prices depend on the screening and package. For more details on tickets and submissions, visit TIFF’s official website.

Busan International Film Festival | South Korea

Dates: September 17-26

Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is the biggest festival in Asia. It showcases new Asian films and indie movies from around the world. It also serves as a hub for the film industry, featuring events like the Asian Film Market and the Asian Project Market.

Filmmakers can apply for support programmes, such as the Asian Cinema Fund and Asian Film Academy. Applications typically open in March and April. Submission fees and guidelines vary by programme.

For moviegoers, screening tickets range from KRW 6,000 to KRW 10,000. You can book tickets on the official BIFF website.

International film festivals 2025: FAQs

What are the top 10 International Film Festivals 2025?

  1. Cannes Film Festival (France)
  2. Venice Film Festival (Italy)
  3. Berlin International Film Festival / Berlinale (Germany)
  4. Toronto International Film Festival / TIFF (Canada)
  5. Sundance Film Festival (USA)
  6. Locarno Film Festival (Switzerland)
  7. Tribeca Film Festival (USA)
  8. Busan International Film Festival (South Korea)
  9. Rotterdam International Film Festival (Netherlands)
  10. BFI London Film Festival (UK)

How much does it cost to submit a film to a film festival?


Entry fees vary depending on the festival and submission deadline.

  • Short films: Usually $20–$80
  • Feature films: Typically $50–$200. Some of the major festivals like Cannes, Venice, and TIFF can charge up to €250 for late submissions. However, smaller or student-focused festivals often offer free entry.

What is the hardest film festival to get your work into?

The Cannes Film Festival has an extremely selective process, making it the hardest film festival to get into. However, it’s not the only one.

Other highly competitive festivals include the Sundance Film Festival in the US, the Venice Film Festival, and the Berlin Film Festival, which runs in Berlin, Germany, every February.

What are the best film festivals 2025 for students to submit their films to?

BIFF offers strong support for student filmmakers within its programme, while TIFF’s youth initiative showcases films made by and for young people, along with student-focused events.

Students should also consider the Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival, which is the biggest student film festival in the world.

Conclusion

If you are planning to submit to several film festivals 2025, check out the appropriate festival website for submission details. Be aware that many film festival submission deadlines will have already passed or may be imminent.

Also, if you’re a news journalist or media company planning on covering a particular film event, remember that Storytailors can support you with any pre-production requirements you may have.

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