Top 10 Films of 2025 According to Emerit Critics David Katz, Loreta Gandolfi, Rita Di Santo and Latoya Austin!

The year 2025 has been distinguished by exceptional achievements in cinema. At prominent festivals such as Berlin, Cannes, and Venice, a multitude of outstanding films have been showcased. Presented below are the top 10 films of 2025, as chosen by the esteemed critics of FILMNEWSUK.

David Katz Top 10;

Dracula (Radu Jude)

Dry Leaf (Alexandre Koberidze)

Father Mother Sister Brother (Jim Jarmusch)

Marty Supreme (Josh Safdie)

Nino (Pauline Loquès)

One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Resurrection (Bi Gan)

Sirāt (Oliver Laxe)

With Hasan in Gaza (Kamal Aljafari)

Yes (Nadav Lapid)

Loreta Gandolfi Top 10:

Flophouse America (Monica Strømdahl)

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You(Mary Bronstein) 

The Last One for The Road (Francesco Sossai)

Sîrat (Oliver Laxe) 

Two Prosecutors (Sergei Loznitsa) 

The Disappearance of Josef Mengele (Kirill Serebrennikov)

It Was Just An Accident  (Jafar Panahi)

Wild Foxes (Valery Carnoy)

The Night is Fading Away (Ezequiel Salinas and Ramiro Sonzini)

The President’s Cake (Hasan Hadi) 

Rita Di Santo Top 10

The Ice Tower (La Tour de Glace) (Lucile Hadžihalilovič)

One More Show (Mai Saad and Ahmed El-Danaf)

Marty Supreme (Josh Safdie)

One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Sinners (Ryan Coogler)

Hedda (Nina DaCosta)

Goodbye June (Kate Winslet)

Hamnet (Chloé Zhao)

The Mastermind (Kelly Reichardt)

Sentimental Value (Joachim Trier)

Latoya Austin Top 10:

Brief explanations for my top 10 are: 

Sinners  (Ryan Coogler)

Ryan Coogler has skilfully crafted a multi-faceted, multi genre tale which traverses the history of blues music alongside symbolic nods to historical events in 1930s USA. The film has a mesmerising, unique single take scene that generations will talk about for years and also manages to feel personal to many which makes it a standout film for me.

Hamnet (Chloé Zhao)

An emotional tale of love and loss, Hamnet evokes a tour de force performance from Jessie Buckley in this re-enactment of William Shakespeare's early stages as a playwright. It is beautifully shot, which will also mesmerise audiences and create that impact.

Hedda (Nina DaCosta)

Tessa Thompson scintillates in the lead role and is superbly directed by Nia Da Costa in this adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's play. The film has a double impact in being directed by a female film director as well as having a black woman lead actress. It is an impressive watch with engaging dynamics especially between Thompson and supporting actress Nina Hoss.

Souleymane's Story 

This film presents a race against time for a food delivery driver who is also seeking to secure his immigration status. Its behind the scenes presentation of the lifestyle of these seemingly invisible individuals is both impactful and humane.

Seeds (Kaniehtio Horn)

Seeds is a powerful documentary as a directorial debut for Brittany Shyne which highlights the ongoing battle faced by generations of black farmers in the south of the USA. It is an intimate portrait with impactful black and white imagery.

The Voice of Hind Rajab (Kaouther Ben Hania)

Melding real life audio of Hind Rajab's voice during conflict in war torn Gaza is extremely moving, harrowing and compelling. 

My Father's Shadow (Akinola Davis Jr. Wale Davis)

This is a beautiful portrait of the bond between a father and his sons from the perspective of the children. A feature debut which also subtly underpins the political tension during that period to create additional impact.

All That's Left of You (Cherien Dabis)

The film presents a multi-generational tale which draws audiences into the family dynamics whilst simultaneously underlining the surrounding dangers within the occupied west bank in the 1980s. All That's Left of You powerfully highlights the power of protest, within a moving portrait, and its ability to change lives. 

It Was Just an Accident (Jafar Panahi)

It Was Just an Accident excels in presenting a humorous but thought-provoking scenario as a road trip, in Iran, goes awry on a wedding day. The political nuances underpinning the film are compelling with an impressive ensemble and the film never stops requiring audiences to question everything when a man believes that he might have located his former torturor.

Cotton Queen (Suzannah Miraghani)

Developed from a short story, Cotton Queen is a feature directorial debut set in Sudan amongst a village whose livelihood depends on its products from the cotton fields. The film highlights the impact of colonialism and environmental issues as well as subtly highlighting the village rituals that affect its young female protagonist. 

Honourable mentions: The President's Cake, Nouvelle Vague, NLate Shift, Twinless, Sorry Baby, The Long Walk, Hard Truths