The independent student newspaper of the University of Glasgow
Hillhead Review’s top picks from the 2025 Glasgow Film Festival
From Kazakh alpha-males to the harrowing trauma in the mountains of Northwest Tunisia, explore the best of the Glasgow Film Festival.
The Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) opened its doors on 28 February, celebrating its 21st anniversary. Whether an avid fan of "the oldies” or a sucker for hyper-realistic camera work, the GFF has a little something for everyone. This year’s selection features familiar classics, as well as fresh newcomers. Read along to find out about this year’s features and relax in the comfort of your own home.
Crickets, It’s Your Turn!
Psychological thriller, Kazakhstan.
Available on: Mubi
Are you a fan of social commentary? How about intricate analysis on how toxic masculinity enables violence against women? If this sounds like your drink of choice, this Kazakh thriller should be next on your watchlist! Released in 2024, the plot follows a 25-year-old woman Merey who meets the charming Nurlan, only to find out that he’s …dun dun dun… a raging misogynist in disguise.
Referred to by some as the Kazakh Promising Young Woman, this chilling story has been nominated for Best Film at the Locarno Film Festival. If you are sick of the contemporary dating scene, and want to delve deeper into the role that gender norms play in Kazakhstan’s dating crisis, this movie is for you. Make sure to grab your drink, because, trust me, you’ll need it.
This is England
Drama, England.
Available on: Apple TV, Amazon Video
Dreary streets, industrial decay and children drawn into dubious company – these images bring out the infamous setting of Thatcher’s Britain in Shane Meadows’s cult classic. When young Shaun befriends a group of skinheads, they become akin to family. However, tensions ensue as the struggle aggravates between Thatcher’s regime and those oppressed by it.
Having won the BAFTA Award for Best British Film after its release in 2006, this movie portrays a raw image of childhood in 1980s Northern England. So, gather all your friends to give each other buzzcuts and wonky DIY tattoos with The Smiths playing in the background. A bit of advice: don’t invite your Tory friends for this one.
Mistress Dispeller
Documentary, China.
Available on: Apple TV+
Ever needed to hire a professional to break off your partner’s affair? After boyfriends for rent, Mistress Dispeller might be the next most fascinating phenomena in contemporary China. In this 2024 documentary, Elizabeth Lo follows Wang Zhenxi, a woman who works as a professional mistress dispeller to save the marriage of one of her female clients, exploring the simultaneously universal and uniquely-Chinese experience of romantic relationships.
Winner of Best Documentary at Chicago International Film Festival, the emotional intimacy of this movie will strike a chord with both couples, and those happily single. If you fancy immersing yourself in a realistic, if somewhat unorthodox, love story, sit tight and enjoy the journey of the Mistress Dispeller. And if you’re considering getting one…just don’t.
Raw
Horror, France.
Available on: Apple TV, Amazon Video
If you are averse to body horror, skip this one out. However, if you are drawn in by the emerging genre of all-consuming-love-expressed-through-the-metaphor-of-cannibalism, then this movie is right up your alley! Created by French director and screenwriter Julia Ducournau in 2016, Raw is the filmmaker’s debut feature, receiving numerous wins and nominations for its cinematography and screenplay.
The story follows Justine who enters her first year of veterinary college. After being force-fed raw meat during a hazing event, her life begins to spiral, with a new kind of craving awakening inside of her. Strongly recommended to fans of flesh-eating women and bright colours, Raw will take you on a ride like nothing else. Just make sure all your limbs are intact once you’re off…
Red Path
Coming of age, Tunisia & France.
Available on: Mubi
All dark coming-of-age fans – this one's for you! This movie is inspired by the horrifying, real-life jihadist attacks in the Mghila Mountains of Northwest Tunisia. The plot follows two cousins herding cattle in the mountains as they are attacked by a jihadist group. When one of the cousins is murdered, his killers force the survivor to deliver a sinister message to his family.
Awarded the Audience Award by the Vancouver International Film Festival, the movie explores trauma, and is an essential piece in portraying children’s lives affected by conflict. It is both devastating and full of hope for the future. Buckle up as you navigate this story of remarkable resilience and make sure to leave your box of tissues within reach.
Published 16 March 2025