The 36th Stockholm International Film Festival took place from 5 to 16 November 2025 in Stockholm, Sweden. The festival opened with Eagles of the Republic by Tarik Saleh. The theme of this edition was "Be Kind Rewind" and Germany was this year's 'Focus Country' and had screening of 2025 German drama films Sound of Falling and Miroirs No. 3 by Mascha Schilinski and Christian Petzold respectively and new works by Lauro Cress and Joscha Bongard.
This year's festival was dedicated to the memory of David Lynch, American filmmaker, visual artist, musician, and actor, who passed away on 15 January 2025. The festival honored his legacy through retrospectives, discussions, and curated screenings that highlighted his impact on cinema and the people.
The winners were presented on 14 November 2025 during the award ceremony at the Rigoletto cinema. This year's Bronze Horse for Best Film went to Slovakia's Oscar submission Father, by Tereza Nvotová. The festival officially closed on 16 November with Die My Love by Lynne Ramsay.
Jury
Stockholm Competition Eva Åkergren, Swedish producer (jury chair) David Dencik, Swedish-Danish actor Mikael Marcimain, Swedish film and television director
Stockholm Documentary Competition Sara Rüster, works at Swedish Film Institute and is responsible for the launch and festival distribution of Swedish documentaries Brynhildur Þórarinsdóttir, Icelandic-Swedish producer Kasia Syty, philologist, cultural journalist, and translator
Short Film Competition Lia Hietala is a Swedish film director and screenwriter Elis Monteverde Burrau, poet, playwright, artist Julia Thelin, screenwriter and director
FIPRESCI jury Leonardo Goi, a film critic and columnist for MUBI Notebook. Stephen “Spling” Aspeling, a South African film critic, script consultant, and radio presenter Julia Finnsiö, a Swedish film critic
TV4 Rising Star Award Simon Norrthon, Swedish actor, jury chair Lisa Rosengren Lagercrantz, Film & TV Producers Association Jan Göransson, Head of Press, Swedish Film Institute Adam Lundgren, Swedish actor Celie Sparre, Swedish actress
Official selection Opening and closing films English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)Opening filmEagles of the Republic Tarik Saleh Sweden, France, Denmark, FinlandClosing film Die My Love Lynne RamsayUnited States
Stockholm Competition The following films were selected for the main international competition:
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)Alpha Julia Ducournau France, BelgiumDJ Ahmet Georgi M. Unkovski North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia, CroatiaEgghead Republic Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja Sweden Father Otec Tereza Nvotová Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland Forastera Lucía Aleñar Iglesias Spain, Italy, Sweden Hijraهجری Shahad Ameen Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, United KingdomIf I Had Legs I'd Kick YouMary BronsteinUnited States Left-Handed Girl 左撇子女孩 Shih-Ching Tsou Taiwan, France, United States, United Kingdom The Little Sister La Petite Dernière Hafsia Herzi France, Germany Lucky Lu 幸福之路 Lloyd Lee Choi Canada, United States Perla Alexandra Makarová Austria, Slovakia Pillion Harry Lighton United Kingdom, Ireland The President's Cake Hasan Hadi Iraq, United States, Qatar Reedland Sven Bresser Netherlands, Belgium The Secret Agent Kleber Mendonça FilhoBrazil, France, Germany, NetherlandsSorry, BabyEva Victor United StatesSound of Falling Mascha Schilinski GermanyTrain DreamsClint Bentley United StatesWhere the Wind Comes FromTunisia, France, Qatar
Stockholm Documentary Competition The following films were selected for the documentary competition:
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) 2000 Meters to Andriivka 2000 метрів до Андріївки Mstyslav Chernov Ukraine, United StatesAfterlives Kevin B. Lee Belgium, France, GermanyAll I Had Was NothingnessJe n'avais que le néant – "Shoah" par LanzmannGuillaume RibotFrance An American Pastoral Une pastorale américaine Auberi Edler FranceAndré Is an Idiot Tony Benna United StatesBelow the CloudsSotto le nuvoleGianfranco Rosi ItalyCover-Up Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus United StatesThe Golden Spurtle Constantine Costi Australia, United KingdomILOVERUSS Tova Mozard Sweden Letters from Wolf Street Listy z Wilczej Arjun Talwar Poland, Germany Orwell: 2+2=5 Raoul PeckFrance, United StatesRemake Ross McElwee United StatesThe Stringer Bao Nguyen United StatesZodiac Killer Project Charlie Shackleton United States, United Kingdom
Masters The following films were selected in the Masters section (most experienced directors and profiled voices from the world of films):
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Die My Love Lynne RamsayUnited StatesGhost ElephantsWerner HerzogUnited States The Mastermind Kelly ReichardtUnited States, United KingdomMiroirs No. 3 Christian Petzold Germany No Other Choice 어쩔수가없다 Park Chan-wook South KoreaPeter Hujar's DayIra Sachs United States, Argentina, Spain, United Kingdom, GermanyThe Smashing MachineBenny SafdieUnited StatesThe StrangerL'ÉtrangerFrançois OzonFrance Two ProsecutorsДва прокурораSergei LoznitsaLatvia, France, Germany, Netherlands, Romania, LithuaniaYakushima's IllusionL'Illusion de Yakushima Naomi Kawase France, Japan, Belgium, Luxembourg
Open Zone The following films were selected in the Open Zone section (FIPRESCI award):
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Babystar Joscha Bongard Germany The Blue Trail O Último Azul Gabriel Mascaro Brazil, Chile, Mexico, NetherlandsEagles of the Republic Tarik Saleh Sweden, France, Denmark, Finland Ky Nam Inn Quán Kỳ Nam Leon Le Vietnam The Message El mensaje Iván Fund Argentina, Spain, UruguayMile End Kicks Chandler Levack Canada The Sun Rises on Us All 日掛中天 Cai Shangjun ChinaThe Things You Kill Alireza Khatami France, Canada, Poland, Singapore, Turkey Two Seasons, Two Strangers 旅と日々 Sho Miyake Japan What Marielle Knows Was Marielle weiß Frédéric Hambalek Germany
Icons The following films were selected in the Icon section (where the biggest stars shine the brightest):
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)AnemoneRonan Day-LewisUnited Kingdom, United StatesThe Ballad of Wallis Island James Griffiths United KingdomBlue Moon Richard Linklater United States, Ireland Christy David Michôd United States The Last Viking Den Sidste Viking Anders Thomas Jensen Sweden, DenmarkEternity David Freyne United StatesIs This Thing On? Bradley Cooper United States, United KingdomJay Kelly Noah Baumbach United States, Italy, United KingdomJimpa Sophie Hyde United States, Australia, NetherlandsKiss of the Spider Woman Bill Condon United States, MexicoLate Fame Kent Jones United StatesRebuilding Max Walker-Silverman United StatesRental Family Hikari United States, Japan
American Independents The following films were selected in the American Independents section (America as seen through the most independent of filmmaking eyes):
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)The Baltimorons Jay Duplass United StatesEast of Wall Kate Beecroft United StatesFior Di Latte Charlotte Linden Ercoli Coe United States, ItalyLurker Alex Russell United StatesMad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)Joel Alfonso VargasUnited StatesMagic Farm Amalia Ulman United States, Argentina, United KingdomOmaha Cole Webley United StatesPlainclothes Carmen Emmi United States, United KingdomSplitsville Michael Angelo Covino United StatesSunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake) Sierra Falconer United StatesTwinless James Sweeney United States
Discovery The following films were selected in the Discovery section (stories from debuting directors):
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Before/After Avant/Après Manoël Dupont BelgiumCaravanKaravan Zuzana KirchnerováCzech Republic, Slovakia, Italy The Devil Smokes (and Saves the Burnt Matches in the Same Box) El diablo fuma Ernesto Martínez Bucio Mexico Impatience of the Heart Ungeduld des Herzens Lauro Cress Germany Little Trouble Girls Kaj ti je deklica Urška Djukić Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, SerbiaThe Plague Charlie Polinger United States, Australia, Romania Silent Rebellion À bras-le-corps Marie-Elsa Sgualdo Belgium, France, SwitzerlandSugarland Isabella Brunäcker Austria Vanilla Vainilla Mayra Hermosillo Mexico
Twilight Zone The following films were selected in the Twilight Zone section (Innovative, terrifying and twisted genre films):
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) The Book of Sijjin and Illyyin Kitab Sijjin & Illiyyin Hadrah Daeng Ratu IndonesiaHoney BunchMadeleine Sims-Fewer, Dusty MancinelliCanadaMārama Taratoa Stappard New Zealand, United KingdomMother of Flies John Adams, Zelda Adams, Toby Poser United StatesMother's Baby Johanna Moder GermanyThe Python Hunt Xander Robin United StatesRabbit Trap Bryn Chainey United States, United KingdomReflection in a Dead Diamond Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, FranceTinsman Road Robbie Banfitch United States The Virgin of the Quarry Lake La Virgen de la Tosquera Laura Casabe Argentina, Mexico, Spain
Stockholm Series
English title Original title Creator(s) Network Production countrie(s)The Death of Bunny Munro Isabella Eklöf Sky Atlantic United KingdomThe Narrow Road to the Deep North Justin Kurzel, Shaun Grant Prime Video Australia Popular Problems Populära problem Ernst de Geer, Sissela Benn SVT1 Sweden We Come in Peace Vi kommer i fred Mani Maserrat-Agah, Jens Jonsson TV4 Sweden
Short Film Competition
Nordic Shorts Sorry I'm Late (But I Brought A Choir) (Dette er ikke en fest (det er en vinkveld)), Håkon Anton, Norway Closed Oysters Can't Speak, Leonard Rääf, Denmark, Italy Fish Out of Water Maybe in March, Mikkel Bjørn Kehlert, Denmark My Name Is Hope, Sherwan Haji, Finland
Short Film Program: Bodies Bodies Bodies Skin on Skin by Simon Schneckenburger Agapito by Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero The Body by Louris van de Geer Unsold Copies by Stefan Koutzev
Short Film Program: Faces Places When The Geese Flew by Arthur Gay Baozhda by Keran Abukasimu The Loneliness of Lizards by Inês Nunes I'm Glad You're Dead Now by Tawfeek Barhom
Awards
Bronze Horse Best Film: Father by Tereza Nvotová Best Director: Mascha Schillinski for Sound of Falling Best Actor: Harry Melling for Pillion Best Actress: Shih Yuan Ma for Left-Handed Girl Best Screenplay: Dusan Budzak and Tereza Nvotová for Father Best Debut: Hasan Hadi for The President's Cake Best Cinematography: Evgenia Alexandrova for The Secret Agent Best Documentary: 2000 Meters to Andriivka by Mstyslav Chernov Best Short Film: Skin on Skin by Simon Schneckenburger
Stockholm Achievement Award Alexander Skarsgård, Swedish actor
Visionary Award Benny Safdie, American filmmaker and actor
FIPRESCI Award Best Film: No Other Choice by Park Chan-wook
Nordic Shorts Competition Best Short Film: Sorry I'm Late (But I Brought a Choir) by Håkon Anton Olavsen
TV4 Rising Star Award Nils Wetterholm Stockholm Film Critics Award Stig Björkman, Swedish writer and film critic Peroni 0.0% Audience Award Egghead Republic
References
External links