The festival’s 16th anniversary kicks off October 16 with ‘Hamnet,’ a powerful story of love and loss
from Focus Features and closes October 25 with the comedy ‘Lost & Found In Cleveland.’ TCFF
will also showcase several lauded awards contenders, including ‘Bugonia,’ ‘Hedda,’ ‘Man on the Run,’ ‘Christy,’ and ‘Rental Family.’
Actors RJ Mitte (‘Breaking Bad’), Vincent Kartheiser (‘Mad Men’), and Jacob Tremblay (‘Room’)
to be in attendance during the 10-day festival, split this year between theaters in St. Louis Park and Edina
Minneapolis (September 19, 2025) — The Twin Cities Film Fest (TCFF), presented by Stearns Bank,
unveiled its 2025 film slate Wednesday, with more than 150 movies set to both screen and stream October
16 – 25 in a split fest and hybrid format. The visual arts celebration, now celebrating its “Sweet 16”
anniversary, is set to return for in-person events and screenings at The Shops at West End’s Marcus West
End Cinemas, and will also expand its programming to Edina via a new partnership with the Edina Mann 4
Theatre at 50 th and France. More than 70 films will simultaneously stream online via the TCFF STREAMS
platform at TwinCitiesFilmFest.org.
TCFF’s 2025 catalog showcases a record number of submissions from filmmakers nationwide, reflecting
the festival’s growing impact and reach. Nearly half of this year’s features and shorts fall under the
acclaimed “HER Series” – films by, for, and about women – while more than 40% highlight powerful
BIPOC voices. Minnesota film talent will also take center stage with both narratives and documentaries,
alongside an exciting partnership with Denver-based Series Fest for a one-of-a-kind ‘Pitch-a-thon,’ where
local creators will present their TV series concepts to a panel of LA-based executives.
“This year we wanted to put a brighter spotlight on the independent spirit,” said TCFF Executive Director
Jatin Setia. “As we celebrate our ‘Sweet 16,’ our programming team went above and beyond in curating
the most diverse slate of independent visions in our history. Independent films give audiences the chance
to discover fresh perspectives and bold storytelling that might never otherwise reach the mainstream.
That’s what makes celebrating them so vital.”
This year’s “TCFF Changemaker Series” will spotlight “Domestic Trauma” as the festival’s key social
issue, featuring several screenings, including the premiere of the Minnesota-made film The Seventh Turn,
directed by Eric D. Howell and co-directed by Marta Milans, on October 25. The film will be followed by
an in-depth discussion featuring local community partner organizations; CornerHouse along with And
Now She Rises.
Focus Features’ film Hamnet, from Academy Award-winning writer/director Chloé Zhao, starring Jessie
Buckley and Paul Mescal, opens the festival on Thursday, Oct. 16. This year’s People’s Choice Award
winner at the Toronto International Film Festival tells the story that inspired the creation of William
Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Hamlet.
This year’s closing night gala will be held on Saturday, Oct. 25, and will celebrate independent cinema with
the feature Lost & Found in Cleveland, a 24-hour slice-of-life vision that follows five people whose paths
cross when an antiques appraisal TV show visits their Midwestern city. The film stars a stellar cast
including Martin Sheen, June Squibb, Jon Lovitz, Stacy Keach, Liza Weil and Santino Fontana. Fontana
will be attending the screening for a post-film discussion.
Between those tentpoles, TCFF’s 2025 Centerpiece will be The Floaters, directed by Rachel Israel, which
follows a struggling musician, Nomi (Jackie Tohn), who accepts a last-resort job from her overachiever
best friend Mara (Sarah Podemski): mentoring the misfit campers known as “Floaters” at their childhood
Jewish summer camp. The film, which also stars Seth Green, Steve Guttenberg and Jonathan Silverman,
will premiere at TCFF on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
Other acclaimed entries in this year’s program: Christy, starring Sydney Sweeney (Oct. 17, Black Bear
Pictures); Hedda, starring Tessa Thompson and Nina Hoss (Oct. 18, Amazon MGM Studios); Man on the
Run (Oct. 19, Amazon MGM Studios); Bugonia, starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons (Oct. 22, Focus
Features); Rental Family, starring Brendan Fraser (Oct. 24, Searchlight Pictures); Belén, starring Dolores
Fonzi (Oct. 25, Amazon MGM Studios); Rosemead, starring Lucy Liu (Oct. 18); Westhampton, starring RJ
Mitte (Oct. 22); The Eagle Obsession, starring William Shatner (Oct. 18, ‘World Premiere’); Go On,
starring Vincent Kartheiser (Oct. 25); Sovereign, starring Jacob Tremblay (Oct. 25); and Good Fortune,
starring Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari and Keanu Reeves (Oct. 16, Lionsgate).
The Raymond J. Christensen Foundation is back as the presenting sponsor of both TCFF documentaries
and educational offerings, including a collaboration with FilmNorth in St. Paul. To: In TCFF’s continuing
push for access and inclusion, and through a collaboration with 3M Foundation, TCFF will host private
daytime screenings of STEM films for underserved youth in our community.
The complete 2025 Twin Cities Film Fest features calendar is listed below. Tickets will go on sale
beginning Sep. 26th. To learn more about the lineup, please visit TwinCitiesFilmFest.org.
Ticket prices range from $10 online to $15 in person. Opening/Centerpiece/Closing/Spotlight film events
will all be $30 with a handful of non-matinee films also available to view at no cost. A Streaming Pass is
available for $60, Silver Pass for $55, Gold Pass for $80, Platinum Pass for $110 and a Spotlight Pass for $125.
———————————————
ABOUT TWIN CITIES FILM FEST
Twin Cities Film Fest (TCFF) is a Minneapolis-based 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization founded by Executive
Director, Jatin Setia. We change perspectives, transform lives, and strengthen our communities by supporting and
spurring on the art of filmmaking. TCFF’s vision is to cultivate immersive experiences that amplify communities of
creation, celebration, and change. To learn more about TCFF, events, film submissions or to donate, visit
twincitiesfilmfest.org.
ABOUT STEARNS BANK
Minnesota-based Stearns Bank National Association is a $3.1 billion, independently-owned financial institution with
locations in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, and over 35,000 small business customers nationwide. Stearns Bank
specializes in nationwide commercial construction lending, USDA and SBA lending, and small business and
equipment financing.
ABOUT MARCUS THEATRES®
Marcus Theatres®, is the fourth largest theatre circuit in the U.S. and currently owns or operates 995 screens at 79
locations in 17 states under the Marcus Theatres, Movie Tavern® by Marcus, and BistroPlex® brands. Marcus
Theatres’ facilities offer the latest amenities and technology in stadium seating, digital sound, innovative food and
beverage concepts and 72-feet-wide UltraScreen DLXs®.
ABOUT MANN THEATRES®
Mann Theatres® is a multi-generational, family-owned movie theatre chain dedicated to bringing people together
through the magic of the big screen. With locations across the Twin Cities and beyond, they create experiences that
are fresh, local, and fun.
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Feature Films + Director/s
A Better Man, Attiya Khan and Lawrence Jackman
A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot, Annie Laurie Medonis
Abigail Before Beatrice, Cassie Keet
Adult Children, Rich Newey
All In: The Saint Paul Public Schools Literacy Journey, Steven Shega
Anxiety Club, Wendy Lobel
Assembly, Rashaad Newsome and Johnny Symons
Battersea, T.J. Sandella
Behind the Rage, Deeyah Khan
Belén, Dolores Fonzi
Between Goodbyes, Jota Mun
Beyond the Ruins, Brady Skye
Bird In Hand, Melody C. Roscher
Blue Zeus, Miranda Winters and Rock Romano
Boy George & Culture Club, Alison Ellwood
Bugonia, Yorgos Lanthimos
Can I Get a Witness?, Ann Marie Fleming
Canoe Dig It?, Samuel Dunning
Christy, David Michôd
Classroom 4, Eden Wurmfeld
Clear Sky, Shawn Clearsky Davis and Michael Del Monte
Color Book, David Fortune
Cotton Candy Bubble Gum, J Pinder
Detour, Demian Alan Mancino
Enongo, Kevin Schreck
Espina, Daniel Poler
Firebreak, Kenzie Bruce
Forward is a Pace, Robin Oroso
Fucktoys, Annapurna Sriram
Go On, Landon Ashworth
Good Fortune, Aziz Ansari
Hamnet, Chloé Zhao
Hazel, Daniel Bielinski
Hedda, Nia DaCosta
Her Fight, His Name: The Story of Gwen Carr and Eric Garner, Brad Bailey
Home Truth, April Hayes, Katia Maguire
I Really Love My Husband, GG Hawkins
If An Owl Calls Your Name, Zaya Benazzo and Maurizio Benazzo
I’ve Seen All I Need To See, Zeshaan Younus
Killing Faith, Ned Crowley
Kukràdjà, Palmer Douglas Durr
Lemonade Blessing, Chris Merola
Lone Wolves, Ryan Cunningham
Looking UP, Elena Neuman
Lost & Found In Cleveland, Marisa Guterman and Keith Gerchak
Magic & Monsters, Norah Shapiro
Man On the Run, Morgan Neville
Micro Budget, Morgan Evans
Missing Pieces, Cameron Andrews
New Jack Fury, Lanfia Wal
Next Life, Tenzin Phuntsog
No Baby on Board, Julia Kots
One Minute Remaining, Colin Sytsma
Outer Edge, Adam Zuehlke
Premarital, Robert Ingraham
Reconstruction Destructed, Monique Linder
Remaining Native, Paige Bethmann
Rental Family, Hikari
Rosemead, Eric Lin
Searching for the Light, Andrés A. Parra
Seeds, Brittany Shyne
She Dances, Rick Gomez
She Runs the World, Perri Peltz and Matthew O’Neill
Silly Little Wounds, Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers
Sovereign, Christian Swegal
Speak., Jennifer Tiexiera
The Doctrine, Gwendolen Cates
The Eagle Obsession, Jeffrey Morris
The Floaters, Rachel Israel
The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo, Michael Walker
The Librarians, Kim A. Snyder
The Most Biodiverse Place in America, John Fiske
The Opener, Jeff Toye
The Quiet Ones, Nicholas Winter
The Ride Ahead, Samuel Habib and Dan Habib
The Seventh Turn, Director Eric D. Howell // Co-Director Marta Milans
The Way We Are, Sarah Rose Larson
Together: Family Recovery, Jess Speight
Trash Baby, Jacy Mairs
Unbroken, Joshua Chen Cavalier
Urban Ed, Wade Wofford
Vida Nueva (New Life), Eliana Reyes
We Are Pyramids, Dr. Tracine Asberry
Westhampton, Christian Nilsson
Where in the Hell, Laramie Dennis
Women in Film in Minnesota, Stefanie Fauth
You Are Not Alone, Marie-Helene Viens and Philippe Lupien
Zurawski v Texas, Maisie Crow and Abbie Perrault
CONTACT: Chad Olson, Nemer Fieger, chad@nemerfieger.com , 952-240-4982
Jatin Setia, Twin Cities Film Fest, jatin@twincitiesfilmfest.org , 651-334-7519
