LUCA GUADAGNINO’S ‘AFTER THE HUNT’, CHLOE ZHAO’S ‘HAMNET’, HIKARI’S ‘RENTAL FAMILY’ TO HIGHLIGHT GALA PRESENTATIONS AT THE 24TH ANNUALSAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

‘Where Culture, Coast and Cinema Collide’, the full Festival lineup announced with (108) in Gala, Narrative, Documentary, Spotlight and Short Selections;
Festival to kick off this year from October 15-19

SAN DIEGO/LOS ANGELES, CA (September 11, 2025): Set against the stunning backdrop of California’s coastline, the San Diego International Film Festival is more than just a film festival — it’s a cultural experience. From international cinema that sparks global dialogue to local stories that reflect the heart of our community, the Festival brings together the best in cinematic storytelling, creativity, and human connection.

This year’s Main Slate showcases an exceptional lineup from 29 countries and 24 world premieres chosen from a record-breaking 3,500 submissions. The selection includes a diverse array of narrative, documentary, shorts and animation. Opening this year’s Festival is the highly-anticipated film, Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt, starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri and Andrew Garfield. (Venice Film Festival). Additional Highlighted Gala Features include,Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal (Telluride Film Festival),HIKARI’s Rental Family starring Brendan Fraser (Toronto International Film Festival) Cole Webley’s Omaha, starring John Magaro (Sundance Film Festival), Marie-Elsa Sgualdo’s Silent Rebellion starring Lila Gueneau and Grégoire Colin (Venice Film Festival), Max Walker-Silverman’s Rebuilding starring Josh O’Connor (Sundance Film Festival) Matthew Shear’s Fantasy Life starring Amanda Peet and Alessandro Nivola (SXSW, Special Jury Award), Elena Oxman’s Outerland starring Asia Kate Dillon (SXSW), Dean Imperial’s Caper, starring Dean Imperial, Kevin Kane, Sam Gilroy (SXSW), Amy Landecker’s For Worse starring Amy Landecker and Bradley Whitford (SXSW).

According to Tonya Mantooth, CEO/Artistic Director, “The San Diego International Film Festival is more than just a film festival — it’s a cultural experience. From international cinema that sparks global dialogue to local stories that reflect the heart of our community, the Festival is pleased to present the best in cinematic storytelling, creativity, and human connection in our beautiful San Diego. Festival attendees will see a strong lineup of diverse voices, bold perspectives and films that spark empathy and conversation. Gathering at the Festival once a year in beautiful San Diego unites storytellers, changemakers and Film Lovers. They will see International standouts, features, thought provoking documentaries, Award-winning shorts, and high-profile studio premieres that will give audiences a first look at some of the year’s most acclaimed films.”

The Opening Night film premiere and party will be held at THE LOT, La Jolla on Wednesday, October 15th. The Night of the Stars Tribute red carpet event will take place at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center in La Jolla on Thursday, October 16th. The San Diego International Film Festival honors some of the film industry’s most accomplished actors, directors and filmmakers. Each year we are proud to present the Gregory Peck Award of Excellence in Cinema with the support of the Peck family. Partial list of past honorees include Laurence Fishburne, Annette Bening, Adrien Brody, Kate Beckinsale, Andy Garcia, Kumail Nanjiani, Heather Graham, Judd Apatow, Regina Hall, Kenny Loggins, Geena Davis and others. Culinary Cinema takes place on Sunday, October 19th and is a perfect recipe for Sunday fun and a dream come true for foodies! Hosted by Shawn Styles from CBS8’s ‘Cooking with Styles’, the ingredients begin with an extravagant nosh at the Capital One Cafe, followed by a cuisine-themed film, Mads K. Baekkevold’s The Chef & The Daruma. The Festival will then continue from October 17^th through October 19th at the AMC14@ UTC Westfield, La Jolla, CA. The most up to date festival information is available at www.sdfilmfest.com.

2025 SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL LINE-UP

Gala and Narrative Competition (22)

100 Liters of Gold, Dir. Teemu Nikki, Finland, Italy, United States Premiere
After the Hunt, Dir. Luca Guadagnino, Italy, USA, California Premiere
Aontas, Dir. Damien McCann, Ireland, San Diego Premiere
Caper, Dir. Dean Imperial, USA, West Coast Premiere
Case 137, Dir. Dominik Moll, France, North American Premiere
Fantasy Life, Dir. Matthew Shear, USA, San Diego Premiere
For Worse, Dir. Amy Landecker, USA, West Coast Premiere
Hamnet, Dir. Chloe Zhao, UK, California Premiere
Hello Mother, Dir. Byambasuren Ganbat, Mongolia, North American Premiere
Lost In Territories, Dir. Nadav Shlomo Giladi, France, Israel, Germany, Italy, World Premiere
Magic Hour, Dir. Jacqueline Christy, USA, San Diego Premiere
Obraz, Dir. Nikola Vukcevic, Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Germany, North American Premiere
Odd Fish, Dir. Snaevar Solvason, Iceland, West Coast Premiere
Omaha, Dir. Cole Webley, USA, San Diego Premiere
Outerlands, Dir. Elena Oxman, USA, Southern California Premiere
Rebuilding, Dir. Max Walker-Silverman, USA, Southern California Premiere
Reeling, Dir. Yana Alliata, USA, West Coast Premiere
Rental Family, Dir. HIKARI, Japan, USA, California Premiere
Silent Rebellion, Dir. Marie-Elsa Sgualdo, Switzerland, Belgium, France, North American Premiere
SUNPHLOWERS, Dir. Dave Byrne, Ireland, United States Premiere
The Fisherman, Dir. Zoey Martinson, Ghana, San Diego Premiere
The Party’s Over, Dir. Antony Cordier ,France , North American Premiere

Documentary Competition (11)

A Quiet Love, Dir. Garry Keane, Ireland, North American Premiere
Desert Angel, Dir. Vincent DeLuca, USA, San Diego Premiere
Lights, Camera, Friendship on the Spectrum – Amelia Island, Dir. Joey Travolta, USA, West Coast Premiere
Matter of Time, Dir. Karen Barzilay, USA, Canada, West Coast Premiere
Rising Phoenix: A New Revolution, Dir. Sheridan O’Donnell, United Kingdom, West Coast Premiere
Room to Move, Dir. Alexander Hammer, USA, San Diego Premiere
Standout: The Ben Kjar Story, Dir. Tanner Christensen, USA, San Diego Premiere
The Chef & The Daruma, Dir. Mads K. Baekkevold, Canada, California Premiere
The Kids Are Not Alright, Dir. Makaela Shwer, USA, San Diego Premiere
Ugo: An Artist at War, Dir. Steve Nemsick, USA, World Premiere

Shorts Tracks Competition (74)

Animation Filmmaking:

Amped, Dir. Vincent Salvano, USA, San Diego Premiere
Blacky The Metal Arm Cat, Dir. Nic Ho, Hong Kong, San Diego Premiere
Blu’s, Dir. Rajesh PK, India, San Diego Premiere
Christopher & the Bug, Dir. Vanessa Esteves, Kevin Micallef, Canada, San Diego Premiere
Creatures of Chaos, Dir. Siddharth Zutshi, Asavari Kumar, USA, Denmark, San Diego Premiere
Forevergreen, Dir. Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears, USA, San Diego Premiere
Goldau, Dir. Roman Kaelin, Switzerland, United States Premiere
I dream about Colorful Earth, Dir. Will Kim, USA, West Coast Premiere
Puggy Huggy, Dir. Sungwon Kim, South Korea, San Diego Premiere
Unstable: A Ponytale, Dir. Lauren Hale, USA, World Premiere

DocuDrama:

Big Bass, Dir. Drew Dickler, USA, San Diego Premiere
Dancing Warrior, Dir. Rachel McDonald, Peter Goetz, USA, West Coast Premiere
Edel Rodriguez: Freedom is a Verb, Dir, Mecky Creus, Adrienne Hall, USA, San Diego Premiere
Hellbent, Dir. Brooklyn Phillips, Sarah Stewart, USA, California Premiere
Keeper of the Cascades, Dir. Maddie Pellman, Grace Galligan, USA, California Premiere
The Opening Address, Dir. Jess Lowe Chaverri, Konwanahktotha Alvera Sargent, USA, Southern California Premiere

Dramedy:

Cherry-Colored Funk, Dir. Chelsie Pennello, USA, San Diego Premiere
DISC, Dir. Blake Rice, USA,San Diego Premiere
I want to go to Moscow, Dir. Sarah Baskin, USA, Southern California Premiere
Randy as Himself, Dir. Margaret Miller, USA, San Diego Premiere
Sienna and the Sit, Dir. Scottie Thompson, USA, San Diego Premiere
The Most Powerful Human on Earth, Dir. Andrew Richardson, United Kingdom, California Premiere

Dramatic Lens:

Ashes Under The Sand, Dir. Richard LePow, USA, West Coast Premiere
Fireline, Dir. Robin Takao D’Oench, USA,San Diego Premiere
Hugh, Dir. Walker Patterson, USA, San Diego Premiere
Kong Kong, Dir. Bochen Gong, China, North American Premiere
The Truck, Dir. Elizabeth Rao, USA,San Diego Premiere

Charmingly Short:

Fireflies in the Dusk, Dir. Jonathan Hammond, USA, San Diego Premiere
Friday Night Flop, Dir. Simon Friedberg, Elliott Gerner, UK, Southern California Premiere
Nonna’s Nude, Dir. Courtney Ulrich, USA, San Diego Premiere
Over, Dir. Duncan Ragg, Anna Phillips, Australia, Southern California Premiere
Sally, Get the Potatoes, Dir. Danicah Waldo, USA, San Diego Premiere
Shaba Daba, Dir. Tony De Niro, USA, San Diego Premiere

San Diego Scene:

Code Red, Dir. Jessica McGaugh, USA, San Diego Premiere
Coulrophobia, Dir. Christopher White, USA, San Diego Premiere
Crane, Dir. Aiden Keltner, USA, California Premiere
Disconnected, Dir. Will Jones, USA, World Premiere
One Handed Fighter, Dir. Matthew Meredith, USA, West Coast Premiere
The Last Ones Out, Dir. Joshua Timpany, USA, San Diego Premiere
The Truth About Susie, DIr. Ty Mabrey, USA, World Premiere
Tides of Tradition: A Brief History of San Diego Commercial Fishing, Dir. Lindsay Bauman, USA, World Premiere

Short & Sweet:

#1 Bad Dad, Dir. Natalie Camou, USA, San Diego Premiere
Crayons, Dir. Alejandro Ansoleaga, USA, San Diego Premiere
Dear Moon, Dir. Robin Lebeau, Ola Mirzoeva, France, World Premiere
Duck Duck Goose, Dir. Sara Balghonaim, Saudi Arabia,West coast / California premiere
Fire at Will, Dir. Morgan Gruer, USA, San Diego Premiere
RISE, Dir. Jessica J. Rowlands, Zimbabwe, San Diego Premiere
Uncle Johnny, Dir. Margaux Susi, USA, San Diego Premiere
Winter Psalm, Dir. Hao Yan ,China, USA, San Diego Premiere

Student Showcase:

bio_LOGIC, Dir. JT Salcido, USA, San Diego Premiere
Echoes of the Wild, Dir. Shaz Bell, New Zealand, North American Premiere
Endowed, Dir. Ben Caplan, USA, West Coast Premiere
GO, Dir. Dusan Brown, USA, San Diego Premiere
Grade A Love, Dir. Jaden Koller, USA, West Coast Premiere
Julie, Dir. Kendra Michelle Marquez, USA, San Diego Premiere
My Father’s Wedding, Dir. Jay McGregor, Canada, San Diego Premiere
On Air, Dir. Colby Barrios, USA, San Diego Premiere
Terroir, Dir. Casey Rogerson, USA, West Coast Premiere
Why Can’t We Just Be Ghosts? Dir. Patrick Jang, USA, San Diego Premiere

Twisted Humor:

Flash Warning, Dir. Allegra Leguizamo, USA, San Diego Premiere
FLOOR, Dir. Jo Bareun, Korea, Republic of, West Coast Premiere
GEMINI, Dir. Naomi Christie, USA, World Premiere
Jael Drives the Nail, Dir. Maddie Dai, UK , United States Premiere
Let’s Settle This!, Dir. Jack Woon, New Zealand, World Premiere
Rubber Ducky, Dir. Alexander Angliss-Wilson, Australia, North American Premiere
Scissor Sleepover, Dir. Nee Kirschman, USA, San Diego Premiere
Toe, Dir. Elly Howard, USA , West Coast Premiere

When Worlds Collide:

After What Happened at the Library, Dir. Syra McCarthy, USA, San Diego Premiere
Five Past Twelve, Dir. Kevin Van Doorslaer, Belgium, San Diego Premiere
Follower, Dir. Ryan Park, USA, South Korea, North American Premiere
PAPER CRANES & BLUE FROG, Chavo, Japan, North American Premiere
Persian Rug, Dir. Lucas Pimenta, Brazil, World Premiere
PUNTER,Dir. Jason Adam Maselle, USA, San Diego Premiere