WOW Film Festival 2025: 24 Years of Celebrating Cinema and Storytelling

Starting in Bangor on Friday 21 March, visiting Carmarthen and Fishguard, and concluding with a week of screenings and events in Aberystwyth, WOW continues to champion storytelling that inspires, challenges, and connects.

This year’s festival showcases stories of ‘Peace, Trust, and Resilience,’ exploring the complexities of these ideals—often fragile, sometimes broken, yet always worth striving for. With powerful films that amplify unheard voices, the programme reflects WOW’s dedication to showcasing narratives that ask difficult questions while offering hope and solidarity.

“As an all-female team, we’re honoured to bring fresh perspectives to WOW Film Festival while continuing its legacy as Wales’ longest-running film festival,” says Festival Director Annita Nitsaidou. “Our 2025 programme embraces stories that challenge assumptions, foster understanding, and celebrate resilience. We hope audiences will join us in experiencing these powerful narratives together.”

‘Made in Wales’ Premieres

Among the highlights are Satu, Year of the Rabbit and The Walk, two powerful Welsh productions that are being shown for the first time in Wales. The films’ screenings will be followed by live Q&As, offering audiences a behind-the-scenes look at their creation.

For an extra dose of Welsh talent, a curated program of ‘Made in Wales’ short films will be showcased in Aberystwyth, Bangor & Carmarthen, making this a great chance to enjoy world, UK, and Welsh premieres and meet the next Welsh and Wales-based visionaries.

Inspiring Change Through ‘Ecosinema’

The Festival’s Ecosinema programme takes centre stage this year, featuring UK and Welsh premieres that delve into the pressing environmental issues of our times.

UK premieres include The Waste Commons and The Falling Sky, an immersive and unflinching reckoning that amplifies Yanomami leader Davi Kopenawa’s apocalyptic warnings, pulling us into the world at the Amazonian tribe’s pace.

WOW is also proud to bring the Welsh premiere of the multiple-award-winning The Battle for Laikipia, and present Rave On For The Avon with a live Q&A with the film’s director Charlotte Sawyer.

Women’s Stories In The Spotlight

Women filmmakers are under the spotlight again this year as more than half of the films in the festival programme are made by women from all over the world. From Manuela Irene’s charming Xibalba Monster to the poignant Second Chance by Subhadra Mahajan, WOW champions stories about (and made by) womxn.

A special place in the festival is given to two Palestinian female filmmakers, Farah Nabulsi and Laila Abbas, whose films The Teacher and Thank You For Banking With Us, bring modern Palestine to the big screen. While The Balconettes, presented in partnership with Abertoir Horror Festival, “is a real genre-bender that responds to a culture of misogyny with an incredible rage that’s so vital to our current climate,” according to WOW and Abertoir programmer, Nia Edwards-Behi.

Cuban Focus: Caribbean Tales and Classics at WOW

Brought to the festival by Screen Cuba, Memories of Underdevelopment and A Night With The Rolling Stones will be presented in Aberystwyth as a special back-to-back screening on April 2, with introductions by Dr Guy Baron, an expert in Cuban cinema.

A visit to the Dominican Republic with Johanne Gómez Terrero’s Sugar Island gives audiences the chance to experience more of the Caribbean.

More Festival Favourites from Around the World

The UK premiere of the Turkish film Hakkı, which is currently winning hearts around the international film festival circuit, will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s director. The quirky, truly original cross-cultural comedy Universal Language, which won Audience Awards around the world including the one at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, will close the festival in the very best possible way.

Abercon: A Day for Animation Enthusiasts

Abercon, WOW's inclusive celebration of animation returns to Aberystwyth Arts Centre for its 4th year! This fun, family friendly event, run in partnership with Mencap Ceredigion, has anime themed stalls, games, animation workshops and there's a Cosplay competition!