Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) has announced the first films from its 21st edition, taking place 26 February to 9 March 2025. The award-winning film festival has revealed the titles in its popular and highly-anticipated retrospective strand, 10 free screenings which give audiences the chance to watch back catalogue classics on the big screen.
For 2025, the retrospective programme’s theme is ‘Our Time is Now: Coming of Age in the Movies’ to tie in with the 21st edition of GFF. Exploring everything from first love to sex, drugs and rock’n’roll, the titles include Elia Kazan’s classic A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) about the tumultuous life of a family in 1900 Brooklyn, told through the eyes of a teenager; Indian masterpiece Pather Panchali (1955), which follows a young man’s journey with his family in search of a better life; and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), starring the late Dame Maggie Smith as an eccentric and liberated school teacher whose ideas of life and love have an influence on her students.
Also included is coming-of-age classic Gregory’s Girl (1981), which exposes all the awkwardness and joy of first love; Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) directed by Amy Heckerling brings together a youthful Sean Penn, Nicolas Cage and Jennifer Jason Leigh as rebellious high schoolers; Boyz N the Hood (1991), about a group of teenagers growing up in South Central LA surrounded by guns, drugs and the violence of everyday life; and Shane Meadows groundbreaking drama This is England (2006) that captures a snapshot of working class England in the early Thatcher years.
The strand is completed with Turkish drama Mustang (2015), which won Glasgow Film Festival’s Audience Award in 2016 and follows five sisters living under their family’s strict rules; Julia Durcournau’s debut body horror Raw (2016), a very disturbing take on growing up; and lastly, Greta Gerwig’s iconic creation, Lady Bird (2017) starring Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet.
Tickets for the free retrospective screenings can be collected from Glasgow Film Theatre’s Box Office on the morning of each screening, which take place at 10.30am during the festival. They cannot be pre-booked in advance.
Allison Gardner, CEO of Glasgow Film and Director of GFF, said: “This year’s retrospective films cover the highs and lows of being a young adult, and all the experiences that go with coming-of-age. As well as classic Scottish titles, Gregory’s Girl and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, there’s drama, comedy, crime and horror in the collection of films. The retrospective screenings are an essential part of Glasgow Film Festival as they offer all audiences, no matter their circumstances, the chance to watch films for free, and to see films as they are best enjoyed: on a big screen with fellow film fans around you.”
Also announced is a wide range of additional merchandise for fans of the festival to snap up ahead of the event taking place. The new lines build on the popularity of the GFF brand and include sweatshirts, T-shirts, tote bags and hoodies.
GFF is delighted to continue its partnership with Teemill, who make the merchandise and support our commitment to minimising the environmental impact of the festival. Teemill make products from natural materials, using renewable energy, and print products on-demand, in the seconds after they are ordered. By producing on demand, they make sustainability an affordable, accessible reality.
GFF is one of the leading film festivals in the UK and is run by Glasgow Film, a charity which also runs Glasgow Film Theatre. Glasgow Film Festival is made possible by support from Screen Scotland and Glasgow Life.
The full GFF 2025 programme will be announced on Tuesday 21 January.