Across twelve spectacular days, the Swedish event will showcase premieres, uncover cinematic gems, and welcome guests from around the world, celebrating the art of film in all its forms.

The 36th Stockholm International Film Festival (5–16 November) promises twelve dazzling days filled with discoveries, premieres, and international guests, celebrating the power and variety of world cinema. Dedicated to the memory of David Lynch, the late master who inaugurated the first edition in 1990, this year’s event will honour his legacy through screenings, talks, a “Lynchified” Bio Skandia, and a Lynch-o-mania party.

Opening with Tarik Saleh’s political thriller Eagles of the Republic – the final chapter of his Cairo trilogy starring Fares Fares – the festival will present 135 films and TV series from around the globe. The selection balances newcomers and acclaimed auteurs, from Richard Linklater’s moonlit romance Blue Moon (featuring last year’s Achievement Award winner Ethan Hawke) to Daniel Day-Lewis’s return to the screen in Anemone, helmed by his son Ronan Day-Lewis.

Among the world cinema highlights, Park Chan-wook’s biting satire No Other Choice (Eojjeolsuga eobsda) will screen as this year’s Centrepiece, whilst the Closing Gala will spotlight Lynne Ramsay’s Die, My Love, starring Jennifer Lawrence, whose performance is already generating Oscar buzz.

The festival’s Spotlight: Be Kind Rewind explores contemporary nostalgia and the cultural memory of analogue media. Standout titles include Alex Ross Perry’s video-store doc Videoheaven; Ross McElwee’s deeply personal Remake; and Ira Sachs’s Peter Hujar’s Day, starring Rebecca Hall and Ben Whishaw.

This year’s Focus Country: Germany highlights contemporary voices from the nation’s thriving arthouse scene, including Christian Petzold’s Mirrors No. 3 (Miroirs No.3), Cannes Jury Prize winner Sound of Falling (In die Sonne schauen) by Mascha Schillinski, and debut features such as Lauro Cress’s Impatience of the Heart (Ungeduld des Herzens) and Joscha Bongard’s Babystar.

Music reverberates across the programme, from the revealing documentary It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley to Sweden’s own Egghead Republic, Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja’s quirky punk sci-fi drama, and Jennifer Lopez’s bold, musical reinterpretation of Kiss of the Spider Woman.

The Stockholm Competition features bold new voices and festival veterans alike. Julia Ducournau returns with her body-horror thriller Alpha, Eva Victor examines romantic power games in Sorry, Baby, and Sean Baker, last year’s Bronze Horse winner, produces Left-Handed Girl. In documentaries, new works by non-fiction veterans, such as Werner Herzog’s Ghost Elephants, Laura Poitras’s Cover-up, and Raoul Peck’s Orwell: 2+2=5 round off the line-up.

The festival also expands its industry focus with the launch of Stockholm Nordic Shorts, a new competitive section championing emerging Nordic short film makers. Meanwhile, Stockholm Series brings episodic storytelling to the big screen, showcasing Isabella Eklöf’s The Death of Bunny Munro, Ernst De Geer’s Popular Problems (Populära problem), and Justin Kurzel’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North.

Among the festival’s distinguished guests, Alexander Skarsgård will receive the Stockholm Achievement Award for a career that bridges Hollywood and European arthouse, while Benny Safdie, in town with The Smashing Machinestarring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, will be honoured with the Stockholm Visionary Award.

Finally, the TV4 Rising Star Award continues to spotlight the next generation of Swedish talent, with nominees Josef Kersh, Adja Sise Stenson, Nils Wetterholm, Clara Christiansson Drake, and Ella Rae Rappaport competing for a Cannes-bound prize celebrating artistic promise.

Watch this space.

Stockholm Industry Days 2025 is supported by Nordisk Film & TV Fond.