The Reykjavík International Film Festival (RIFF) returns in full force in 2025, presenting an initial selection of ten titles that promise to leave a mark. From September 25 to October 5, the Icelandic capital will once again become the epicenter of vibrant, provocative, and deeply human cinema, with stories coming from all corners of the world.

This year’s edition offers a fascinating mix of daring debuts, established auteurs, and unforgettable narratives, ranging from intense thrillers to poetic documentaries. These first ten titles offer a preview of the bold and innovative spirit that characterizes RIFF.

The first 10 confirmed films:

Sorry, Baby – Eva Victor
Acclaimed director Eva Victor presents a dark drama with comic undertones about Agnes, a young professor in rural Massachusetts who faces the aftermath of a sexual assault. Told in nonlinear chapters, the film weaves humor, resilience, and emotional subtlety into a moving portrait of trauma, friendship, and healing.

The Blue Trail – Gabriel Mascaro
Brazilian filmmaker Gabriel Mascaro delivers a visual ode to rebellious aging with this hallucinatory journey through the Amazon. The story of 77-year-old Teca, who defies the Brazilian government in a quest for freedom, becomes a visually dazzling anthem of resistance and vitality.

All That’s Left of You – Cherien Dabis
An emotional epic spanning decades, centered on a Palestinian couple whose participation in a protest in the West Bank will change the course of their family. Cherien Dabis builds a story of hope and courage in the face of adversity.

Queens of the Dead – Tina Romero
Tina Romero, daughter of the legendary George A. Romero, reinvents the zombie genre with a terrifying comedy starring Brooklyn drag queens who fight off the undead with high heels, glitter, and fierce attitude.

Sirât – Óliver Laxe
In southern Morocco, a young woman disappears during a rave. Her father and brother embark on a spiritual journey through the desert. Óliver Laxe delivers a sensory and minimalist film about grief, reunion, and the transcendent.

Eleanor the Great – Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson makes her directorial debut with a heartwarming story: Eleanor, 94, moves to New York after losing her best friend and accidentally joins a support group for Holocaust survivors, forging an unexpected intergenerational friendship.

Late Shift – Petra Volpe
A nurse in a Swiss surgical ward struggles to maintain control during a chaotic night shift. Petra Volpe constructs a high-tension drama that pays tribute to those who work under constant pressure in the healthcare system.

Teenage Life Interrupted – Åse Svenheim Drivenes
From Norway, an intimate and reflective documentary that follows two doctors attempting to treat teenagers with unexplained illnesses. A meditation on invisible pain and society’s struggle to understand the unknown.

The Mastermind – Kelly Reichardt
Set in 1970s Massachusetts, the story of a carpenter planning an art heist unravels in this subtle and restrained film by Kelly Reichardt, exploring the fragility of aspirations and the consequences of amateurism.

Magic Farm – Amalia Ulman
Argentine director Amalia Ulman returns with an absurd comedy starring Chloë Sevigny. A media crew traveling to the wrong country by mistake triggers a series of comedic misadventures and sharp critiques of the entertainment industry.