September 25 to October 5
RIFF, the Reykjavík International Film Festival, offers a wide selection of new and independent cinema every year. Recognized as a top destination for international cinema, over the years, illustrious guests have included names like Jim Jarmusch, Mads Mikkelsen, Werner Herzog, and many others. RIFF is also especially exciting because its annual award, the Golden Puffin, is given to new and young filmmakers, so moviegoers know that they’re getting a glimpse into the newest frontiers of cinema.
Every RIFF has a certain emphasis, highlighting a certain topic that the various film offerings approach in their own way. Past RIFFs have featured the ocean, Greenland, climate change, and many other fascinating topics, and we can’t wait to see what this year’s festival will offer!
Special screenings
RIFF has also become known over the years for innovative and memorable screenings. For example, last year included cinematic culinary experience with the film Like Water for Chocolate paired with a menu from the restaurant at the Nordic House as well as cheese and wine tasting paired with the film Shelf Life. Icelandic viking film When the Raven Flies was paired with a performance from post-metal band Sólstafir among other special screenings. What surprising mixes will the festival hold this year?
RIFF 2025 highlights
This year’s RIFF will feature no fewer than 80 films, documentaries, shorts, and more. Here are some highlights of the programme.
Sorry, Baby. Directed by Eva Victor, this comedy drama is about Agnes, a young professor in rural Massachusetts, navigating the aftermath of a sexual assault. Told in nonlinear chapters, the film weaves humor, resilience, and emotional nuance into a powerful portrait of trauma, friendship, and healing.
The Blue Trail. Gabriel Mascaro’s ode to ageing in style carries us along on a trip through the Amazon river to follow 77 year old Teca, rebelling against a Brazilian government that would rather forget her. Shot with vivid visual flair and a sense of abandon, this is an empowering, reinvigorating tale of finding freedom against all odds.
All That’s Left of You. Cherien Dabi’s decade-spanning epic tells the story of a Palestinian couple that finds hope and courage in the midst of a relentless struggle, as they face an extraordinary life decision centered around a West Bank protest that will change their family’s destiny.
Queens of the Dead. More than 50 years after George A. Romero released his seminal masterpiece The Night of the Living Dead, his daughter Tina Romero brings us Queens of the Dead — a riotous horror-comedy in which Brooklyn drag queens and club kids fend off a zombie apocalypse with heels, glitter, and guts.
Going green
Many of RIFF’s themes in recent years have focused on the environment. So it only makes sense that RIFF is also doing its part by going green. Introduced two years ago, RIFF is moving onto an app. Instead of paper schedules and tickets, you can now access everything from informational brochures, show times, trailers, and more from the RIFF app. Simply search for RIFF in the Apple or Google Play stores!
For more information and the full schedule, go to riff.is.
