52nd Telluride Film Festival Unveils Lineup

Presented by the National Film Preserve each year over the Labor Day Weekend, the 52nd Telluride Film Festival unveiled its official program selections of over sixty feature films, short films, and revival programs.

Each year the festivals pays tribute to individuals whose artistry has significantly contributed to the art of cinema. The 2025 Silver Medallion will be presented to Oscar-nominated writer/director Noah Baumbach (with JAY KELLY); Oscar-nominated actor/writer/director Ethan Hawke (with BLUE MOON, HIGHWAY 99 A DOUBLE ALBUM); and award-winning Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi (with IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT). Programs will include a compilation of clips, an on-stage interview and a screening of the recipient’s new work.

Emmy- and Academy Award–winning producer and filmmaker Ezra Edelman, acclaimed for his Academy Award–winning documentary O.J.: MADE IN AMERICA is this year’s Guest Director, and keeping with tradition, has curated a special selection of films. The selections include ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN (d. Alan J. Pakula, U.S., 1976), MALCOLM X (d. Spike Lee, U.S., 1992), NETWORK (d. Sidney Lumet, U.S., 1976), RASHOMON (d. Akira Kurosawa, Japan, 1950), and THE INSIDER (d. Michael Mann, U.S., 1999).

TFF annually celebrates a hero of cinema who preserves, honors, and presents important, meaningful films. British Producer Tessa Ross will be recognized with the Festival’s Special Medallion, at the presentation of BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER.

“It is almost impossible to detect themes across culture at the moment given the absolutely fractured nature of our world,” remarks Festival director Julie Huntsinger. “Certainly, filmmakers are talking about myriad subjects. At Telluride though, there always seems to be a thread of beautiful humanism in the stories told and this year is no different. At the heart of every one of them is the essence of humanity that is profoundly illuminating and beautiful, even if they’re also heartbreaking. We’re thrilled with what these filmmakers are sharing and proud to welcome back some old friends as well as new voices. Long live cinema, long live the theatrical experience.”

This year’s Festival runs Friday, August 29 through Monday, September 1, 2025.

SHOW

A PRIVATE LIFE (d. Rebecca Zlotowski, France, 2025)

ASK E. JEAN (d. Ivy Meeropol, U.S., 2025)

BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER (d. Edward Berger, Hong Kong/Macau, 2025)

BLUE MOON (d. Richard Linklater, U.S./Ireland, 2025)

BUGONIA (d. Yorgos Lanthimos, U.K., 2025)

COVER-UP (d. Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus, U.S., 2025)

EVERYWHERE MAN: THE LIVES AND TIMES OF PETER ASHER (d. Dayna Goldfine, Dan Geller, U.S./U.K., 2025)

GHOST ELEPHANTS (d. Werner Herzog, Angola/Namibia/U.S., 2025)

H IS FOR HAWK (d. Philippa Lowthorpe, U.K./U.S., 2025)

HAMLET (d. Aneil Karia, U.K., 2025)

HAMNET (d. Chloé Zhao, U.K., 2025)

HIGHWAY 99 A DOUBLE ALBUM (d. Ethan Hawke, U.S., 2025)

IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU (d. Mary Bronstein, U.S., 2025)

IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT (d. Jafar Panahi, Iran/France/Luxembourg, 2025)

JAY KELLY (d. Noah Baumbach, Italy/U.K./U.S., 2025)

KARL (d. Nick Hooker, U.K., 2025)

LA GRAZIA (d. Paolo Sorrentino, Italy, 2025)

LOST IN THE JUNGLE (d. Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Juan Camilo Cruz, U.S./Colombia, 2025)

LUMIÈRE, LE CINÉMA (d. Thierry Frémaux, France, 2024)

MAN ON THE RUN (d. Morgan Neville, U.S., 2025)

NOUVELLE VAGUE (d. Richard Linklater, France, 2025)

PILLION (d. Harry Lighton, U.K., 2025)

SENTIMENTAL VALUE (d. Joachim Trier, Norway/France/Denmark/Germany, 2025)

SHIFTY (d. Adam Curtis, U.K., 2025)

SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE (d. Scott Cooper, U.S., 2025)

SUMMER TOUR (d. Mischa Richter, U.S., 2025)

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (d. Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, David Schmidt, U.S., 2025)

THE BEND IN THE RIVER (d. Robb Moss, U.S., 2025)

THE CYCLE OF LOVE (d. Orlando von Einsiedel, U.K./India/Sweden, 2025)

THE HISTORY OF SOUND (d. Oliver Hermanus, U.S., 2025)

THE MASTERMIND (d. Kelly Reichardt, U.S., 2025)

THE NEW YORKER AT 100 (d. Marshall Curry, U.S., 2025)

THE RESERVE (d. Pablo Pérez Lombardini, Mexico/Qatar, 2025)

THE SECRET AGENT (d. Kleber Mendonça Filho, Brazil/France/Netherlands/Germany, 2025)

THIS IS NOT A DRILL (d. Oren Jacoby, U.S., 2025)

TUNER (d. Daniel Roher, U.S./Canada, 2025)

URCHIN (d. Harris Dickinson, U.K., 2025)

Short Films

ALL THE EMPTY ROOMS (d. Joshua Seftel, U.S., 2025)

ALL THE WALLS CAME DOWN (d. Ondi Timoner, U.S., 2025)

LAST DAYS ON LAKE TRINITY (d. Charlotte Cooley, U.S., 2025)

SALLIE’S ASHES (d. Brennan Robideaux, U.S., 2025)

SONG OF MY CITY (d. David C. Roberts, U.S., 2025)

Backlot

ALL I HAD WAS NOTHINGNESS (d. Guillaume Ribot, France, 2025)

CAROL & JOY (d. Nathan Silver, U.S., 2025)

CHAPLIN: SPIRIT OF THE TRAMP (d. Carmen Chaplin, Spain/U.K./Netherlands, 2024)

EARTH TO MICHAEL (d. Nico López-Alegría, ZZ, U.S., 2025)

ELIE WIESEL: SOUL ON FIRE (d. Oren Rudavsky, U.S., 2024)

KING HAMLET (d. Elvira Lind, U.S./Denmark, 2025)

MEGADOC (d. Mike Figgis, U.S./U.K., 2025)

SHOOTING (d. Netalie Braun, Israel, 2025)

THE GOLDEN SPURTLE (d. Constantine Costi, U.K./Australia, 2025)

THEIR EYES (d. Nicolas Gourault, France, 2025)

Special Screenings and Festivities

CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS 3D 2025: Restoration and Recreation (d. Werner Herzog, France/Canada/U.S./U.K./Germany, 2010)

LEARNING TO FLY (d. Max Lowe, U.S./France/Switzerland/Italy/China/Hong Kong, 2025)

STEAL THIS STORY, PLEASE! (d. Carl Dean, Tia Lessin, U.S., 2025)

4K restoration of THE GOLD RUSH (d. Charles Chaplin, U.S., 1925)

The New Yorker At 100: A Gallery Exhibition, a curation of cinema-inspired cover art and cartoons from The New Yorker’s iconic archives

Festival Poster Signing with Daniel Clowes

Truth Be Told: Journalism and Filmmaking in the 21st Century, a Special Panel presented by Turner Classic Movies

Behind The Lens: AI and Filmmaking, presented by Google

The SHOW App, sponsored by CRITERION

Audi Drive Experiences, all weekend