The Brooklyn Film Festival (BFF) returns for its 28th edition from May 30 to June 8, 2025, bringing a bold mix of independent films from across the globe. This year’s theme, “Pause,” invites audiences to reflect, reset and reimagine through cinema.
A Global Celebration of Indie Film
The 2025 festival will showcase 145 films from 34 countries. These films will include 36 world premieres, 17 U.S. premieres, 28 East Coast debuts and 44 New York premieres.
Founded in 1998, BFF is a competitive international festival committed to spotlighting independent filmmakers and establishing Brooklyn as a cinematic epicenter.
Opening Night: A World Premiere Mystery
Kicking off the festival is the world premiere of “This Will Never Work”, a narrative feature centered on a family intervention gone awry. The cast includes Marinda Anderson, Amandla Jahava, Jerimiyah Dunbar, Portia, Usama Siddiquee, Pete Grosz, Ron Canada and Sarah Stiles.
Many cast members will attend the opening night screening on May 30 at 7 p.m. at Windmill Studios in Greenpoint.
Screenings Across Brooklyn and Online
Over 10 days, 42 curated programs will screen at two primary venues. Those venues are Windmill Studios, with 31 programs taking place there, and the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, with 11 programs taking place there.
All films will also be streaming online 24/7 from May 31 through June 8.
Narrative Films in Competition
For the BFF, the featured narrative selections include “Alice-Heart,” a black-and-white coming-of-age story set in Philadelphia; “Difference & Repetition, 2020,” a woman reconstructs memories of a failed marriage in Lima, Peru; “Domestic Animals,” a weekend getaway takes a strange turn when dogs disappear; and “Era,” a young girl navigates life in 1990s Kosovo.
The BFF will also feature additional narratives, including the dark UK comedy “Foul Evil Deeds” and the psychological thriller “I See the Demon.” You can also see “Intruders,” a mystery involving migrant minors; “Mouse,” where a thief forms an unlikely bond with a pen pal; “Stationed at Home,” a Christmas Eve drama; and “The Courageous,” a mother’s search for redemption.
Standout Documentaries
This year’s documentary lineup tackles powerful and timely issues. That list of documentaries includes “Cycle,” which dives into police brutality in America; “Desert Angel,” which is about a migrant’s journey across the U.S.-Mexico border; and “Harkness,” where an avant-garde musician challenges artistic conventions.
Some other impactful documentaries showing at the BFF are “Larry (They/Them),” “Love Chaos Kin,” “Roads of Fire” and “She Cried That Day”, a heartbreaking look at missing Indigenous women.
Online Extras and Sponsors
In addition to screenings, the festival will host virtual events and social media content via Cinesend. Key sponsors for this year’s festival include Brooklyn Film Society, Cinelease, Quebec Government, PRG, AbelCine, Be Electric, MPE and others.
The 2025 ad campaign, developed by creative agency Otherway, supports the “Pause” theme with a new digital trailer and branded visuals.
Tickets, passes, and the full schedule are available now at brooklynfilmfestival.org. Attendees can pick up passes on-site once the event begins.
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