Hidden Gems at BFI London Film Festival 2025
The BFI London Film Festival is back this October, running from the 8th to the 19th, and it’s bringing with it a staggering range of films from across the globe. Everyone expects the big names—Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein , Yorgos Lanthimos’s Bugonia , or even the much-anticipated Bruce Springsteen biopic—but what’s really exciting are the under-the-radar titles that might not have the star power of a red-carpet premiere, yet carry the kind of stories that linger long after the credits roll.
Take Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value , for example. It’s a family drama that already caused a sensation at Cannes, earning a nineteen-minute standing ovation. Trier reunites with his The Worst Person in the World star Renate Reinsve, alongside Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning, in what is being whispered about as another modern classic. Then there’s The Testament of Ann Lee , a bold musical retelling of the life of the 18th-century zealot who founded the Shakers. Amanda Seyfried takes the lead in what has been described as a sweeping, emotional epic.
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For audiences seeking something daringly different, Bi Gan’s Resurrection offers a surreal cinematic journey through film history itself. It’s the sort of picture that defies simple explanation, but promises unforgettable images. Equally unpredictable is Oliver Laxe’s Sir'st , a rave-fuelled road trip movie that blurs genres so wildly it’s best experienced with no expectations at all—especially on the towering IMAX screen.
Closer to home, Cornish filmmaker Mark Jenkin presents Rose of Nevada , a ghostly time-slip sci-fi carried by George MacKay and Callum Turner. With its windswept atmosphere and vintage aesthetic, it continues Jenkin’s reputation for hauntingly original cinema. On the other end of the spectrum lies The Secret Agent , a tense Brazilian thriller set during the violent final years of dictatorship, directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho and starring Wagner Moura in a nail-biting role.
Documentary lovers are not left out. Cover-up shines a spotlight on Pulitzer-winning journalist Seymour Hersh, offering rare insights into decades of fearless reporting. In contrast, The Voice of Hind Rajab is an emotionally devastating docudrama that retells the real-life ordeal of a Palestinian child trapped amid conflict—a film that left Venice audiences in stunned silence.
There’s also space for powerful new voices. British-Nigerian director Akinola Davies Jr delivers My Father’s Shadow , set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s 1993 coup, combining intimate family drama with political unrest. And to close the festival in style, Julia Jackman’s 100 Nights of Hero promises a lush, queer-coded medieval fantasy packed with stars, from Emma Corrin to Felicity Jones, and even pop star Charli XCX making her on-screen debut.
So while the headlines will focus on the big-ticket premieres, the real treasures may be found in these less-hyped gems. That’s the joy of a festival like this—you never know which film will stay with you for years to come. Tickets are already on sale, and if past editions are anything to go by, seats will vanish quickly. If cinema at its most adventurous is what you’re after, these are the stories to seek out.
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