Written by Hailey Passmore
Thursday 13 February - Day One
Starting off the festival was an unexpected viewing, Kaj Ti Je Deklica (Djukić, 2025), or Little Trouble Girls, in English. This Slovene film tells the story of Lucija, a shy 15-year-old girl who enters prominent Ljubljana’s Catholic high school. Lucija’s mother has conditions for her, if she meets her mother’s expectations, she will be allowed to spend the summer holidays at her aunt’s house in Paris – a dream she has had for years. While at school she receives an invitation to join the school’s prominent girls’ chamber choir, an unexpected surprise as she has never practiced music before. The choir becomes important to her as during one practice she meets the popular second year girl, Ana-Marija and they become friends after an intensive singing weekend at the convent. There is so much shown within the length of the film, and it can bring viewers back to when they were a teenager trying to fit in. My full review of Little Trouble Girls can be seen here: Little Trouble Girls (Djukić, 2025)
Following Little Trouble Girls was a press screening of Minden Rendben (Sós, 2025) or Growing Down in English. This 86-minute film follows Sándor (Szabolcs Hajdu), a widower, who is the only one to witness an accident involving his stepdaughter and youngest son. Proceeding this, he then must decide; does he tell the truth and deal with the consequences? Or does he lie and save his son from juvenile detention? Shot in full film noir, Minden Rendben’s entire length increases the tension felt by the viewer. Carefully crafted cinematography and well-chosen moments to deepen the score, it keeps the audience questioning what will happen by the end. The only place where it lacks, is there are points where it dragged on a bit, which is heavy for such a short runtime.
Before concluding the opening day, a quick trip to the opening night gala red carpet was taken. Members of the jury, German celebrities, and numerous actors began to walk the carpet, greeting fans and talking to the press. The snow was heavy, and the temperature was dropping. It was a beautifully cold opening night.
Friday 14 February - Day Two
With the premiere screening sold out, I thankfully secured a press screening ticket for Hot Milk (Lenkiewicz, 2025). Not enjoyable for some, I found Hot Milk a surprise, perhaps it was mostly due to the impeccable star power of the cast. Adapted from Deborah Levy's 2016 novel of the same name, Hot Milk follows Rose (Fiona Shaw) – a woman who has been unable to walk due to an undiagnosable illness – and her daughter Sofia (Emma Mackey) – who has spent most of her life caring for her mother. The two travel to the town of Almeria on the Spanish seaside to consult with a doctor referred to as the shamanic, Dr. Gomez (Vincent Perez). But as Sofia spends more time on the beach she starts to shed her ambitions, after being trapped by her mother’s illness for all her life. As Rose begins to work more with Dr. Gomez, Sofia becomes more and more infatuated with the mysterious woman Ingrid (Vicky Krieps) who showed up perhaps just when she needed her to. My full review can be read here: Hot Milk (Lenkiewicz, 2025)
The second film of the day was Andreas Prochaska’s Welcome Home Baby (2025). Judith (Julia Franz Richter) is an emergency department doctor in Berlin. All is normal in her life until she inherits a house in Austria from her biological family, the family who gave her away as a child. As she begins to uncover the mystery of her origins, this journey into the past takes her to the utmost dark places in her soul. Once the film commences, it changes from being something original to being reminiscent of Rosemary's Baby (Polanski, 1968). The highlight, however, is Julia Franz Richter, bringing the emotion required for such a role.
Thankfully there were plenty press screenings for this next film, because the public premiere sold out within seconds of tickets being on sale. Closing day two for me at Berlinale, was a press screening of Michel Franco’s Dreams (2025). Dreams marks Franco’s newest collaboration with Jessica Chastain since their first on Memory (2023). In Dreams, Isaac Hernández plays Fernando, a young Mexican ballet dancer. Fernando believes his lover will support him when he chooses to cross the border to pursue his dreams in San Francisco. Within the 95-minute runtime, ambition and love clash with the harsh realities exposed to him and he must face the true nature of their relationship. My full review can be read here: Dreams (Franco, 2025)
Saturday 15 February - Day Three
Bright and early on this fine Saturday morning was the press screening of Ari (Serraille, 2025) at Berlinale Palast. Ari follows 27-year-old student teacher Ari amidst a school inspector’s visit when he collapses. It becomes the last straw, and he quits, but this sends his father into a frenzy kicking Ari out of the house. Alone in the city and filled with emotions, Ari must restore old friendships and work through things in his past. As he visits more friends, he realizes not everyone’s life is as perfect as he believes they were. While Ari is a beautiful French film about dealing with relationships, mental health, and life, it does feel like a typical day-in-the-life film. That being said, audiences can relate to Ari and feel comfort as he ’struggles’ through life until realizing what he has been missing.
Even though the film releases 7th March in the UK, I felt the need to attend the press screening of Mickey 17 (Joon Ho, 2025) at the Berlinale Palast. Pattinson stars as the titular ‘Mickey’, or ‘Mickeys’ in this case, as the film centers around him joining the ‘Expendables’ program. Stuck in an impeccable state of debt with his friend, Berto (Steven Yeun), Mickey signs up to be an expendable on a colony creating mission to the planet Niflheim. The program is there so that when Mickey dies, his body becomes reprinted, and his memories transferred into it. The film begins as the 17th Mickey is about to die. Or is he? Mickey 17 is filled with laughs, dark satire and great chemistry! Everyone Bong Joon Ho fan should run to the cinema once it releases on March 7th, and even those who enjoy science fiction films as well!
I wrapped up my third day of Berlinale by going to the fan area of the red carpet for Dreams. The environment of a red carpet is intense. Fans gather around waiting to see their favourite celebrities, press and paparazzi in their zone waiting to get interviews and pictures of the cast and crew, and film festival staff waiting to greet the film team. As the cast and crew arrived, both Jessica Chastain and Rupert Fiend made their way to the fans. Fiend signed for a great number of fans, while Chastain went up and down every barricade and signed for as many fans as she could before being ushered inside the Palast (where she also signed for fans as well).
Sunday 16 February - Day Four
To save myself from the late 22:00 premiere time of Islands (Gerster, 2025), I attended the 09:30 press and industry screening at the Stage Bluemax Theater. Islands, as you would expect, is set at a luxurious island hotel. Here audiences are introduced to Tom (Sam Riley) the hotel’s tennis coach who fills his spare time with alcohol and sex. Tom’s normal routine is disrupted with the arrival of the Maguire family when he strikes up an unusual relationship with Anne (Stacy Martin), her husband Dave (Jack Farthing), and their son Anton (Dylan Torrell). As tensions grow between Tom and Anne, Tom can’t stop thinking that he’s met her before. Then, when Dave goes missing, Tom and Anne become the police’s number one suspects. The highlight of Islands is Sam Riley, he is in his element and steals the show. As a viewer you are dragged into the mystery and the tension as Tom tries to understand what is going on around him and who these people are.
The second film of the day was queer film from Hong Kong, Queerpanorama (Li, 2025). Based on his own story, Jun Li’s film follows a gay man as he impersonates each prior man he had sex with. Each new hook-up he adopts these new personas. The only way in which he can truly be himself is to pretend to be someone else. The Q&A that took place after the screening cleared up many questions the film conjured. Li explains that most of the cast were either not actors, or first-time actors, and he pulled from the men he used as his examples in the film. Lead actor Jayden Cheung did an impeccable job embodied this strange character; however, the film may not be for everyone as there is much explicit content and is sometimes slow moving.
The world premiere of The Ice Tower (Hadžihalilović, 2025) was held at the Zoo Palast. Starring Marion Cotillard and Clara Pacini, The Ice Tower follows 15-year-old Jeanne (Pacini) as she dreams of escaping the orphanage in this high mountain village and discovering the world. One day, she finally does it and flees to the city of lights, finding warmth in a dark shed. Assuming she is dreaming, the morning after the Snow Queen appears to her – just like the one from the childhood story she tells her young ‘sister’ at the orphanage. It turns out the shed she slept in is a studio where the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, The Snow Queen, is being shot. ‘The Snow Queen’ stars Cristina (Cotillard), who embodies the queen both on and off screen, reigning supreme on set. Jeanne becomes fascinated with this woman, and she worms her way into the film. As she gains Cristina’s trust, Jeanne becomes her protégé and confidante but is unaware of the trap she is stepping into. While there is true infatuation portrayed by Pacini, the film itself is too slow a burn for nothing very interesting to happen. With beautiful shots, and stupendous acting, it is still not enough to allow the film to excel.
Ending the night was the press and industry screening of If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (Bronstein, 2025) starring Rose Byrne. This film is the highlight of the festival for me, the one that has stuck with me since the festival wrapped. Linda (Byrne) is a mother whose life is crashing down around her – literally. She’s attempting to navigate her child’s illness, her absent husband, one of her patients gone missing, and the increased hostilities between her and her therapist. Filled with anxiety that hits audiences, Rose Byrne is finally given a role to suit her talents. My full review can be read here: If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (Bronstein, 2025)
Monday 17 February - Day Five
So grateful to secure tickets to Listening and Empathy: A Conversation with Todd Haynes at HAU1. I find Todd Haynes to be an inspiring filmmaker and human and was very excited when I found out he would be giving a talk at this year’s Berlinale. The focus of the talk was on listening, and how so few filmmakers have understood how crucial listening can be when it comes to powering unforgettable stories.
The Thing with Feathers (Southern, 2025) press screening concluded this Monday’s film slate. Benedict Cumberbatch plays a young father who’s hold on reality shifts after the loss of his wife and a strange presence appears. As he tries to cope with new responsibility with his two sons, this mysterious ‘Crow’ creature (David Thewlis) begins to alter his life. With good elements and some loses, my full review can be read here: The Thing with Feathers (Southern, 2025)
Tuesday 18 February - Day Six
The second last day and my first film was the press screening of Richard Linklater’s newest, Blue Moon (2025) at the Berlinale Palast. Linklater takes audiences to the evening of March 31, 1943, as legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) spirals on the opening night of his former collaborator Richard Rodgers’ (Andrew Scott) hit musical ‘Oklahoma!’. Taking place entirely in the space of Sardi’s bar, audiences watch as Hart breaks down his career, his infatuation with young Elizabeth Weiland (Margaret Qualley) and his hopes for more with Rodgers. Another one of Linklater’s simplistic films, occurring in what feels like real time, Blue Moon is carefully crafted. Blue Moon may be more appealing to audiences with a knowledge of Hart and Broadway. My full review can be read here: Blue Moon (Linklater, 2025)
The world premiere of Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor’s Dreamers (2025) took place at the Zoo Palast today. Written from her own personal experience, Gharoro-Akpojotor’s film follows a story of love and escape at an immigration removal center in the UK. Nigerian woman Isio (Ronkę Adékoluęjo) is caught working without papers and relocated to the Hatchworth Removal Centre. Here she meets Farah (Ann Akinjirin) and learns the importance of love and friendship and understands she may need to put herself first if she can truly ever be free. Gharoro-Akpojotor’s film is truly inspiring and heartbreaking, it is a gorgeous piece of cinema. Following the film, director and cast took to the stage to discuss the film, the filmmaking process, and bonds they built both on and off screen. My full review can be read here: Dreamers (Gharoro-Akpojotor, 2025)
To fill some time, and what sounded like an interesting film, I next watched Shadowbox (Das & Sahi, 2025) part of the Berlinale Perspectives strand. From India, this film follows Maya (Tillotama Shome) as she discovers that her husband Sundar (Chandan Bisht) – an ex-soldier with PTSD – is the prime suspect in a murder investigation. With the help of her teenage son Debu (Sayan Karmakar), the two must go to great lengths to keep the family together. Shadowbox lacks in the fact that it feels somewhat slow and is difficult for viewers to stay interested.
Today’s last film was Late Shift, or Heldin (Volpe, 2025). It amazes me when creatives can take a mundane activity and turn it into a film that has viewers on the edge of their seats. Floria Lind (Leonie Benesch) thinks she is going to have an entirely normal day in the wards of the surgical department, boy was she wrong. Due to a shortage of personnel on this shift, and being the good nurse she is, Floria continues to care for her patients with the upmost care and expertise. Even while she gives it her all, the shift gets away from her and things spiral out of control into one big dramatic outburst. Late Shift is filled with tension and anxiety inducing moments, a most fun watch! It’s like Grey’s Anatomy but with less drama and more anxiety!
Wednesday 19 February - Day Seven
My final day at the 75th Berlinale and I fit in as many films as I could, starting with Mother’s Baby (Moder, 2025). Julia (Marie Leuenberger), a successful conductor, and her partner Georg (Hans Löw) have had to go to a fertility specialist in their search for a child, being offered a promising procedure. Successful in becoming pregnant, is it the childbirth that does not go as planned and her baby is taken from her straight away. Once reunited, Julia believes something to be wrong, feeling strangely distant from the child. Julia has doubts about the child and this causes a strain on her marriage. As the film played out, though the setting and plot changed, the story itself felt all too familiar. A second film from the festival that felt like an adaptation of Rosemary’s Baby.
Space Cadet (San, 2025) is a short 86-minute animated children’s film from Canada, and that was the second film of the day. With no sound, the story is told completely through the animation accompanied by its soundtrack. After her mother is lost in space, Celeste grew up under the supervision of a guardian robot. When she becomes an astronaut and takes her first solo mission, the robot is left alone and wonders what to do now. An adorable premise and lovely animation, Space Cadet is a lovely film definitely made for a child audience.
The final film I watched was Lucio Castro’s After This Death (2025). One of the more disappointing films from the festival, even with having entered it with no expectations. Isabel (Mia Maestro) is a women whose life blows up when Elliot (Lee Pace), the underground musician she began an affair with disappears. Her marriage, already fractured, grows more tense as she has to deal with Elliot’s obsessive fans. Can she get through this, restore her life and her future? While the plot of After This Death seems interesting, after watching the film, there is too much given to the audience, not all of which resolved. Many intersecting and unanswered plots make the film unsatisfying.
It was an amazing experience getting to attend the 75th Berlin International Film Festival as an accredited student. Getting the chance to be apart of the environment at the festival was nothing like any previous festivals I have attended. While the film slate was large, and I only was able to view a small percentage of what was available, only some were disappointing. Overall, Berlinale 2025 was an unforgettable experience and I hope to be able to attend again in the future.
You can also read this article on watchedbyhailey.blogspot.com
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