We made a list of 20 movies to watch at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, recommended by our writers, from the most anticipated premieres to hidden gems!
The 2025 Tribeca Film Festival is happening soon, and here are the movies to watch there next month! As always, the festival will take place in New York, and the line-up is filled with exciting screenings. To help you choose which films to look our for, we made a list of recommendations, picked by our writers Ben Sears, Emma Vine, Hayley Croke, and Serena Seghedoni. From the most anticipated premieres to lesser known films and hidden gems, here are 20 movies to watch at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 4-15, 2025! Keep scrolling for the list, in alphabetical order, and stay tuned for our reviews!
1. A Tree Fell in the Woods
Spotlight Narrative
Director & Writer: Nora Kirkpatrick
Country: United States
Every year, film festivals are chock full of chamber pieces starring big-time celebrities. A Tree Fell in the Woods features certified stars like Kevin Pollak, Alexandra Daddario, Josh Gad, Daveed Diggs, and Ashley Park as couples stuck together for a New Years Eve trip in the woods. Sometimes the key to finding a hidden gem at a film festival comes down to the resumes of the producers attached, and A Tree Fell in the Woods boasts a number of producers with a long list of respected film credits, like A Star is Born (2018) and Blue Valentine. First-time writer and director Nora Kirkpatrick will bring the laughs and the tension to this small-scale dramedy, which could veer off into any number of exciting directions. (Ben Sears)
2. An Eye for an Eye
Documentary Competition
Directors: Tanaz Eshaghian, Farzad Jafari
Countries: Denmark, Iran, USA
Women’s rights is a pervasive topic in all parts of the world, and has been front and center in many great recent films. The documentary An Eye for an Eye follows a woman in Iran, recently released from prison after being convicted for killing her husband. Under Sharia law, her in-laws are legally allowed to either leave her be, or execute her. Co-director Tanaz Eshaghian previously directed the Oscar-shortlisted short As Far as They Can Run, a fantastically human look at a sub-group of people who are often shunned because of cultural norms. Based solely on its synopsis, An Eye for an Eye sounds like a pot-boiler for social issues that the Western world considers abnormal. (Ben Sears)
3. Billy Idol Should Be Dead
Spotlight+
Director: Jonas Åkerlund
Country: United States
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, Billy Idol is a name that needs no introduction. Known for his iconic platinum blonde hair and punk look, the British rocker gained worldwide fame in the 80s, churning out smash hit songs such as Rebel Yell, White Wedding, and Dancing with Myself. As with many journeys to the spotlight, there’s a much greater story to tell, though. Billy Idol Should Be Dead is an unfiltered, intimate look at the pop star’s career and a darker glimpse behind the scenes into his personal life. Whether you’re a hardcore fan of Idol’s music or just a casual viewer who wants to learn more about the rocker, this looks to be an insightful documentary that you won’t want to miss! (Emma Vine)
4. Boy George & Culture Club
Spotlight Documentary
Director: Alison Ellwood
Countries: USA/UK
Rejoice, fans of British 80s music, because we have another documentary premiering at Tribeca this year that explores the rise of legendary music legends hailing from the UK. Boy George & Culture Club takes an earnest look at Culture Club’s rise to fame and the highs and lows they experienced throughout their career after being propelled into the limelight. The band is most notably known for chart-topping hits such as “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” and “Karma Chameleon”, and I, for one, can’t wait to get a glimpse into how it all began. (Emma Vine)
5. Everything’s Going to Be Great
Spotlight Narrative
Director: Jon S. Baird
Writer: Steven Rogers
Country: United States
Everything’s Going to Be Great is a new family comedy/drama from I, Tonya writer Steven Rogers. Parents Macy (Allison Janney) and Buddy (Bryan Cranston) Smart are local theater managers working to support their two wildly different sons. When circumstances turn strange, they are compelled to move in with Macy’s estranged brother (Chris Cooper). While the move seems temporary at first, it sparks a rehashing of old familial tensions and forces each member of the family to reevaluate both their role in the family and their place in the world.
This is Rogers’ first film after the 2017 smash hit, I, Tonya, for which Allison Janney won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The reunion of these two creative forces, coupled with the new addition of Byran Cranston, puts this film at the top of our most highly anticipated festival debuts. (Hayley Croke)
6. Gonzo Girl
Member Exclusive Event
Director: Patricia Arquette
Writers: Jessica Caldwell & Rebecca Thomas
Country: United States
After her tour-de-force performance on this season of Severance, Patricia Arquette is stepping back into the limelight in a new creative capacity. Arquette will be having her directorial debut at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival with the feature film Gonzo Girl.
Gonzo Girl is an adaptation of Cheryl Della Pietra’s semi-autobiographical novel of the same name that recounts her experience as Hunter S. Thompson’s, the American journalist and author, assistant. Camila Morrone stars as a young writing assistant opposite Willem Dafoe’s aging journalist character. While she is tasked with getting him to complete his newest book, he begins to pull her into his drug-soaked world. (Hayley Croke)
7. Inside
Spotlight Narrative
Director & Writer: Charles Williams
Country: Australia
After winning Best Supporting Actor for The Brutalist at the 2025 AACTA, Guy Pearce returns to our screens in the spotlight narrative feature Inside. The film tells the story of a long-serving inmate named Warren who is tasked with keeping a newcomer to the prison out of trouble. But we know how these tales usually unfold, and it seems that he’s in for a tough ride. Based on the names attached to the project and the trailer alone, this drama/thriller looks like a surefire Tribeca hit. (Emma Vine)
8. K-Pops!
Spotlight Narrative
Director: Anderson .Paak
Writers: Anderson .Paak, Khaila Amazan
Country: United States
R&B singer, songwriter, and producer Brandon Paak Anderson, aka Anderson .Paak, brings his feature directorial debut to Tribeca, which he co-wrote and in which he stars alongside his real-life son Soul Rasheed. K-Pops! tells the story of a musician named BJ (.Paak) who’s in desperate need of a job. One day, an opportunity comes along that might just be what BJ needs to steer his career in the right direction. And so, he’s on his way to South Korea, knowing very little of the language but determined to be at his most charming. But when he learns that his estranged son is a contestant, he will have to face a choice.
Featuring plenty of cameos of recognizable names like Earth, Wind & Fire and iShowSpeed, and with a star-studded cast including Nicole Brown, K-Pops! sounds like a film you don’t want to miss. Tribeca’s Cyrus Cohen website describes it as a love letter to music that explores “the impact of Black culture across genres and borders,” and we can’t wait to find out more. (Serena Seghedoni)
9. Man Finds Tape
Escape From Tribeca
Directors & Writers: Peter Hall & Paul Gandersman
Country: United States
If you’re a fan of Creepypasta stories and supernatural investigation series on YouTube, then Man Finds Tape should be on your radar. Plus, it combines horror and mystery, two genres that, if mastered, can create an edge-of-your-seat, compelling, and suspenseful experience. The narrative centers around a successful YouTuber named Lucas who has gained recognition for his eerie online video series. After uncovering a murder in his hometown through his own footage, he recruits his sister to help uncover the truth behind the sinister crime. This film looks to be a horror lover’s paradise, brimming with intrigue and thrills. (Emma Vine)
10. Oh, Hi!
Spotlight Narrative
Director & Writer: Sophie Brooks
Country: United States
Iris (Molly Gordon) has met the perfect guy. Isaac (Logan Lerman) is funny, he is gorgeous, he is charming, he is emotionally present and he takes initiative. On their first weekend get-away as a couple, Iris could not be more satisfied with how things are going. She thinks they are the perfect couple. That’s until Isaac tells her that they are not, in fact, a couple.
Rising star Molly Gordon and long-time fan favorite Logan Lerman star in Oh, Hi!, a twisted, modern romantic comedy that promises to be one of the most exciting additions to the genre’s zeitgeist. Sophie Brooks takes on the behemoth that is modern dating to try and make an accurate, entertaining and thought-provoking stance on the current state of romance. (Hayley Croke)
11. Relay
Spotlight Narrative
Director: David Mackenzie
Writer: Justin Piasecki
Country: United States
It feels like we haven’t seen Riz Ahmed for a while, so as soon as Relay popped up on Tribeca’s list, I was instantly drawn to the project. The film centers around a man named Ash who protects whistleblowers through a discreet texting service. After taking on a client seeking safeguarding, the pair find themselves tangled up with a group of mercenaries. This action-packed pulse-racing thriller has potential, and is a film I’m eager to see at the festival this year. (Emma Vine)
12. Ride or Die
US Narrative Competition
Director: Josalynn Smith
Writers: Josalynn Smith, Alicia Louzoun-Heisler
Country: United States
Midwesterner Paula (Briana Middleton) dreams of a fresh start in California, but a chance meeting with secret high school crush Sloane (Stella Everett) changes her plane. The two girls develop a strong connection and decide to road-trip across the country, and for a while, everything’s just how they hoped it would be. Soon, things take a strange turn, and their idyllic romantic trip turns into a tense nightmare. In her directorial debut, Josalynn Smith blends genres to bring us a promising queer gem that we’re definitely not going to miss! (Serena Seghedoni)
13. The Scout
US Narrative Competition
Director & Writer: Paula Andrea Gonzalez-Nasser
Country: United States
Location scouts are an undersung but vital part of the filmmaking process, and The Scout follows Sofia, a New York-based scout, played by Mimi Davila, throughout her work day. Davila also acted in Limestone, writer-director Paula Andrea Gonzalez-Nasser’s short film, which bodes well for her comfort in front of the camera. As for the story, the official synopsis offers little details besides a supposedly unexpected turn for Sofia while scouting for a TV show, but it could easily make for an episodic but personal look at New York City and all its hidden quirks. (Ben Sears)
14. She Dances
Spotlight Narrative
Director: Rick Gomez
Writers: Rick Gomez and Steve Zahn
Country: United States
Renowned character actor Steve Zahn has teamed up with director Rick Gomez to write She Dances. The film follows Jason (Zahn), a father who is on the verge of finally achieving his lifelong career goal, which is suddenly interrupted by his obligation to chaperone his daughter’s Southeastern Regional Dance Final.
She Dances is the first movie Zahn has credits on as a writer and he will be acting alongside his daughter, Audrey Zahn, in her film debut. Mackenzie Ziegler also stars in the film: she should fit perfectly in this story that centers the world of dance given her years spent on the reality TV show Dance Moms. (Hayley Croke)
15. Something Beautiful
Spotlight+
Directors & Writers: Miley Cyrus, Jacob Bixenman, Brendan Walter
Country: United States
World renowned pop icon Miley Cyrus is making her Tribeca Film Festival debut with her new visual album, Something Beautiful. The film is a one-of-a-kind pop opera that features 13 new original songs from Cyrus.
Jacob Bixenman and Brendan Walter are long time music video collaborators of Cyrus but this will be the first long form visual album from the trio. While Cyrus is known to push the limits of what is expected of her, this promises to be one of her most daring creative endeavors to date. (Hayley Croke)
16. Sovereign
Spotlight Narrative
Director & Writer: Christian Swegal
Country: United States
Writer-director Christian Swegal’s Sovereign feels like an unfortunately prescient film for our current socio-political climate. Nick Offerman plays the father of Jacob Tremblay, and begins to indoctrinate him to the belief that the government, and all its rules and regulations, are mere suggestions to follow. The last five years in America have seen a disturbing rise in anti-government militias and fringe groups, so a dramatization of small-town paranoia could have far-reaching implications. Though Offerman is best known for his comedic roles, he’s been just as effective with his dramatic work in shows like Devs and The Last of Us. Sporting a deep bench of well-known actors including Dennis Quaid, Martha Plimpton, and Nancy Travis, Sovereign could be an encouraging genre debut for Swegal. (Ben Sears)
17. The Square
International Narrative Competition
Director & Writer: Kim Bo-sol
Country: South Korea
I’m always curious about how North Korea is depicted in film, and The Square offers a unique twist for animation. South Korean writer-director Kim Bo-sol’s debut film explores a relationship between two men, a Swedish ambassador and a Pyongyang traffic officer, which is sure to be full of romantic and geopolitical tension. But when the North Korean goes missing one day, his friend/lover sets out to find him. The film calls to mind Park Chan-wook’s Joint Security Area and, perhaps since The Square is an animated film, there could be some supernatural or metaphysical elements to explore. (Ben Sears)
18. Tow
Spotlight Narrative
Director: Stephanie Laing
Writers: Jonathan Keasey, Brant Boivin and Annie Weisman
Country: United States
Tow is inspired by the true story of Amanda Ogle, an unhoused Seattle based woman seeking unemployement while living out of her 1991 Toyota Corolla. When the car gets stolen and later impounded, Amanda cannot pay the towing company’s fees to get her car back. Not wanting to back down, Amanda devises a plan to get her car back no matter how long it takes. Tow is a story of fighting against an unjust system, reclaiming your sense of worth and learning how to become your own savior.
Starring the always amazing Rose Byrne and boasting an impressive ensemble cast with the likes of Octavia Spencer, Dominic Sessa and Demi Lovato, Tow is shaping up to be one of the biggest films at this year’s festival. (Hayley Croke)
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19. Twinless
Spotlight Narrative
Director & Writer: James Sweeney
Country: United States
The winner of the US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting and the Audience Award: US Dramatic at this year’s Sundance Film Festival is a movie that was much talked about for the wrong reasons. Initially made available by the festival on their digital platform, the film had to be removed due to audiences recording their screens and posting clips of the movie on social media. Here’s hoping the Tribeca Film Festival helps bring James Sweeney’s gem the right kind of attention, as there is so much to like here.
Dennis (Sweeney) and Roman (Dylan O’Brien) meet at a support group for twinless twins and form an unlikely bromance in Twinless, which, based on those early reviews, promises to be as funny and awkward as you’d expect, but also surprisingly dark. (Serena Seghedoni)
20. Yanuni
Gala, Closing Night Film
Director & Writer: Richard Ladkani
Countries: Austria, Brazil, United States, Canada, Germany
The closing night film of Tribeca 2025, is a documentary. Yanuni takes us back to the Amazon, Brazil, in 2009, when a reporter asks a young Indigenous woman to describe her wish for the future. Juma Zipaia replies that she intends to fight “for the indigenous cause.” “My life is going to be one of struggle,” she says, and she’s not wrong. Cut to the present, and Juma is the first woman Indigenous chief of her people in the Middle Xingu, and an environmental advocate. The film, from director Richard Ladkani and producer Leonardo DiCaprio, tells her story, which couldn’t be more timely. (Serena Seghedoni)
More Movies to Watch at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival
- The Best You Can – Spotlight Narrative
- Bird In Hand – US Narrative Competition
- In Cold Light – Spotlight Narrative
- Dead Language – Viewpoints
- Deep Cover – Spotlight Narrative
- Fior Di Latte – Viewpoints
- Happy Birthday – International Narrative Competition
- I Was Born This Way – Spotlight Documentary
- Jimmy & The Demons – Spotlight Documentary
- Lemonade Blessing – US Narrative Competition
- Metallica Saved My Life – Spotlight+
- On a String – US Narrative Competition
- Pinch – International Narrative Competition
- Re-Creation – Spotlight Narrative
- Rosemead – US Narrative Competition
- Sister! – Shorts
- Surviving Ohio State – Spotlight Documentary
- The Travel Companion – US Narrative Competition
- Watch Over Us – Shorts
- Widow Champion – Viewpoints
The 2025 Tribeca Film Festival will take place on June 4-15, 2025.
