WIFF announces full lineup for the 2025 festival

The Windsor International Film Festival has revealed the full lineup for this year’s festival. CTV Windsor’s Stefanie Masotti reports.

The Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF) has revealed the full lineup for this year’s festival.

WIFF 2025 takes place from Oct. 23 to Nov. 2 and includes 231 feature films from 50 countries and over 300 screenings.

“The dedication and enthusiasm from our patrons brings us the energy to make WIFF bigger and better every year. We can’t wait to share over 230 feature films from 50 countries, right here in Downtown Windsor,” says Vincent Georgie, executive director and chief programmer of WIFF.

The complete lineup is showcased on the WIFF website.

Chandler Levack’s sophomore feature Mile End Kicks, will open the Festival, Maxim Derevianko’s Ai Weiwei’s Turandot will be celebrated as the Centrepiece Film, and Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt will close out the 11 days.

Other previously announced films include The History of Sound directed by Oliver Hermanus, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You directed by Mary Bronstein, My Mother’s Wedding directed by Kristin Scott Thomas, No Other Choice directed by Park Chan-wook, The President’s Cake directed by Hasan Hadi, A Private Life directed by Rebecca Zlotowski, and Sentimental Value directed by Joachim Trier.

Additional highlights include Ballad of a Small Player directed by Edward Berger (Conclave) and starring Colin Farrell, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival last month, Christy directed by David Michôd and starring Sidney Sweeney with an Oscar-buzz performance, and Rental Family directed by Hikari and starring Brendan Fraser.

A new partnership from Desjardins is creating access to great movies for students with the introduction of WIFF Next Gen tickets. For only $5, students with a valid college or university ID will be able to attend general WIFF screenings.

“From our community partners, hard-working volunteers, trusting sponsors, and more, the success of WIFF year over year is truly and community effort,” said Georgie.

The opening weekend of the festival will focus on the WIFF Prize in Canadian Film. The nominees for the prize were announced earlier this month at a private event during TIFF. Over the opening weekend, all ten nominees will be shown twice. The winner will be announced on Sunday, Oct. 26, with a free community screening of the winner presented on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

The nominees include Compulsive Liar 2, directed by Émile Gaudreault, The Cost of Heaven, directed by Mathieu Denis, In Cold Light, directed by Maxime Giroux, Lovely Day, directed by Philippe Falardeau, Montreal, My Beautiful, directed by Xiaodan He, Peak Everything, directed by Anne Émond, The Pitch, directed by Michèle Hozer, Shamed, directed by Matt Gallagher, Two Women, directed by Chloé Robichaud, and Where Souls Go, directed by Brigitte Poupart.

WIFF stats:

• 231 feature films
• 50 countries represented
• 25 films in Local 2025 programming
• 62 Francophone feature films
• 141 films from world-leading film festivals
• 62 feature documentaries
• 170 minutes – Length of longest film Dracula directed by Radu Jude
• 4 minutes 44 seconds – Length of shortest film Threads of Yesterday directed by Grace Aileen McLinden

You can stay in touch with WIFF via the festival’s Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, or by signing up to receive WIFF news via email by visiting windsorfilmfestival.com.