Great cinema doesn’t just tell stories—it invites us to see the world through someone else’s eyes.
The Malaysia International Film Festival 2025 (MIFFest), now entering its 8th edition under the theme ‘INFINITY’, returns this year as a beacon of cinematic discovery. Set for 19–27 July 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, MIFFest showcases 62 striking films from 48 countries and 43 languages, inviting local audiences to engage with a boundary-pushing selection of both international and Malaysian works. At its heart, MIFFest aims to bridge the gap between global and local streams of cinema—fostering dialogue, celebrating artistic excellence, and spotlighting fresh voices in filmmaking. Managed by the Jazzy Group, the event aligns with the Malaysia Golden Global Awards (MGGA), acknowledging exceptional storytelling while supporting the growth of Malaysia’s film culture.
The price for the ticket to join this theatrical experience is RM49.99 for an unlimited screening. However, if you own a Hong Leong Bank card, the price of the ticket is lowered down towards RM39.99. As for the students, they’re able to redeem one complimentary ticket per screening while extra tickets cost RM15 each. Now, about the movies, with over 62 films to choose from, you must be wondering what are some worth a watch, right? Hence why todays spotlight will be about these 10 films at MIFFest that deserve your time and attention!
Ninavau follows a Kadazan woman who returns from West Malaysia to her devout, Catholic family in Sabah for her sister’s wedding — only to confront the emotional shock of revealing her conversion to Islam. The delicate rhythm of her journey explores identity, faith, and familial bonds in an intimate setting. Filmed in Kadazan and Malay, Ninavau showcases the Kadazan Dusun community and their traditions. Ranging from wedding customs to familial rituals, it offers viewers a rare glimpse into Sabah’s cultural heartland.
The story of the movie also uncovers aspects about ones belonging and acceptance. As Ninavau gently unpacks her journey, we’re then drawn into her inner conflicts. The fact that she has to balance love for her family with her newfound faith makes for an emotionally resonant viewing experience. Being the opener for Malaysian International Film Festival, Ninavau sets an intimate yet profound tone and also is spotlighted for bringing new voices and stories from less represented parts of Malaysia.
Transamazonia (Closing Film)
Transamazonia is a visually enthralling eco‑thriller directed by Pia Marais, starring Helena Zengel as Rebecca, a teenage “miracle healer” and daughter of an American missionary living in the Brazilian Amazon. The plot revolves around Rebecca who is considered to be a girl healer after she survived a plane crash. Things start to escalate when her fame attracts flocks towards her father who’s on a mission deep in the Amazon Jungle. As this happens, Rebecca and her father gets dragged towards an escalating conflict. Transamazonia immerses viewers in the Amazon’s lush, mystical environment, with cinematography that treats the rainforest almost like a living character—capturing everything from damp foliage to sunlit canopies that earns its spot in the MIFFest .
The film’s visuals and sound design draw you into the wild soul of the Amazon which gives you an experience that extends beyond mere observation into felt immersion. The movie also has timely themes with it exploring conflicts between missionaries, loggers, and indigenous communities, it resonates deeply with global conversations on environmental justice, spirituality, and colonial legacy. Transamazonia offers its viewers a sensory journey towards rainforest culture, an ethical enquiry into power and faith, as well as an invitation to reckon with global ecological and moral issues.
All That’s Left of You (Competition)
All That’s Left of You is a sweeping, intergenerational family saga from writer‑director Cherien Dabis that spans 75 years from the Nakba-era displacement of 1948, through protests in the late 1980s, and into contemporary times. It centers on the Palestinian Hammad family: Sharif who is played by Adam/Mohammad Bakri, his son Salim, played by Saleh Bakri, and grandson Noor, whose protest against Israeli soldiers becomes a catalyst for exploring collective and personal trauma. The plot begins when a Palestinian teen gets involved into a West Bank protest which led his mother to recounts the family story of hope, courage and relentless struggle that led to this fateful moment.
Dabis, the director, mostly focuses on unfolding a vast number of historical canvas in this project of his. Ranging from the orange groves of Jaffa, refugee camps of the West Bank, checkpoints, as well as hospital corridors while carrying the story of intimate familial dynamics. What makes the film compelling is the balance between personal and political roots which adds up to the film’s emotional impact in deeply human terms. The movie is also bold enough to tackle large social issues while maintaining other personal stakes being dealt by the family. All That’s Left of You also focuses on themes of inherited trauma from the loss of land to humiliation and grief.
Soft Leaves (Competition)
Directed by a Belgian-Japanese director Miwako Van Weyenberg, Soft Leaves is a tender coming-of-age film that follows an 11-year old girl who goes by Yuna as she navigates a fractured, multicultural film. The film begins with an idyllic father–daughter bond that’s disrupted when her father falls into a coma. Her Japanese mother returns to Belgium, bringing along a half-sister and Yuna grapples with identity, loyalty, and belonging. What makes Soft Leaves visually attractive is through the use of delicate, nuanced, storytelling. Van Weyenberg employs a slow, observant style to capture small moments like the wind rustling through trees or a bird’s flutter that symbolize memory and emotional shifts.
The film also portrays its rich cultural duality at the intersection of Belgian and Japanese cultures. You can see the difference of the 2 cultures through the use of language, family rituals, and the stark contrast in daily rhythms and customs. Soft Leaves is also considered to be quite the slow burn kind of movie and gets you deeply invested with Yunas journey, making every nuance and silence resonate emotionally. The visual poetry is also something worth noting with cinematography by Tristan Galand captures everyday moments with lyrical grace. From gentle lighting to natural scenery, elevating the ordinary into moments of quiet beauty.
To a Land Unknown (Competition)
Debuting the fictional story by Danish-Palestinian director, Mahdi Fleifel, To a Land Unknown is a gripping, emotionally charged road‑thriller set in the heart of modern exile. The film follows cousins Chatila and Reda, Palestinian refugees stranded in Athens, scraping by with scams to raise money for forged passports bound for Germany. When Reda loses their funds to addiction, Chatila takes drastic measures, posing as smugglers and taking hostages in order to salvage their dreams and sense of dignity. The film poses a hybrid of documentary realism and thriller tension thru Fleifels older works such as A World Not Ours, the film uses gritty 16 mm cinematography and poignant naturalism to immerse viewers in the characters bleak reality, while building real suspense as their desperation escalates.
The film also doesn’t have any sort of heroes or villains but depicts human desperation that can push people into morally grey or destructive choices. To a Land Unknown also shows cultural dispora through the reveals of refugee camp roots, Greek street-life, Arabic-Greek-English code-switching that paints a textured portrait of diasporic Palestinian existence in Europe. The film also feels rather relatable through its use of themes such as displacement, addiction, loyalty, and survival that gives details towards the Palestinian exile.
Grande Maison Paris (A‑Lister)
Directed by Ayuko Tsukahara, Grande Maison Paris is a sumptuous Japanese-French drama that revolves around Takuya Kimura who takes on the role of Chef Natsuki Obana. The plot of the story focuses on Chef Natsuki Obana who leaves his beloved homeland, Tokyo, towards the land of love, Paris, to not only open a restaurant but aiming to be the first Asian chef to earn three Michelin stars in France. What makes it compelling is how the representation of culinary artistry on screen. With the film being supervised by real-world three-star chef Kei Kobayashi, the film choreographs every dish like art. It’s stunning food cinematography captures textures, flavors, and kitchen rituals that immerse the senses.
Like the movies listed before this, the movie also carries themes of cross-cultural tension and growth. In the film, Obana struggles with the clash of cultures and ambitions due to how he is set in a French culinary world that’s traditionally insular. Grande Maison Paris also carries rich character dynamics alongside Obana including sous-chef Rinko and pâtissier Yuan that brings familial camaraderie, conflict, and evolving leadership to the forefront. Essentially, another language the movie shows is through the use of food. Each plating scene, kitchen rhythm, and gala dinner transports viewers directly into the visceral world of haute cuisine.
What Does That Nature Say to You (A‑Lister)
What Does That Nature Say to You is the latest project done by Korean auteur Hong Sang-Soo that is a deceptively simple drama about a poet meeting his girlfriend’s family that unfolds as a richly layered exploration of life, art, and the cultural nuances embedded in rural Korea. It has a fortright slice-of-life storytelling by how Hong turns a seemingly mundane visit with tiny moments, gentle humor, and casual banter, into a quietly profound journey. As the day progresses, the natural rhythm of conversation reveals deeper truths about identity, ambition, and relational dynamic. The film also has this blurred aesthetic which mirrors this inner world. The shots were taken with low-res, intentionally soft visuals, the cinematography reflects the poetic uncertainty of the protagonist, Donghwa, encouraging viewers to experience life from his introspective, somewhat fuzzy viewpoint.
It also blends aspect of humour with an emotional punch by the observation of change in Donghwas’ character. As Donghwa indulges in drinks and digs deeper into his beliefs, the film amplifies humor, social awkwardness, and tension, which is a trademark Hong Sang-soo cocktail that balances comedic warmth with a dramatic sting. What makes this movie interesting is also due to its philosophical reflection on art and life through Donghwa’s poet ideals and rejection of material comforts spark reflective dialogues about the value of artistic pursuit, personal integrity, and simplicity in Korean society.
Memori (Malaysian Dispatch)
Representing our beloved Motherland, Memori is a Malaysian film that dives into the realm of psychological drama. Memori by Emir Ezwan brings a sharp, surreal edge to this year’s lineup. Set in a remote village, the story revolves around a woman who returns to her childhood home only to find that memories from her past begin to manifest in physically impossible and eerie ways. Doors appear where they shouldn’t, voices echo from nowhere, and time folds back on itself. As she searches for answers, the boundaries between reality and memory begin to dissolve. The strength of Memori lies in its dreamlike atmosphere—Ezwan, known for Roh, continues to use horror-inflected visuals to explore the subconscious.
Cinematographer Saifuddin Musa creates a washed-out, humid aesthetic that reflects the oppressive weight of repressed trauma. But beneath the thriller structure, Memori is ultimately a story about reconciliation—with the past, with loss, and with oneself. It taps into traditional Malay beliefs about spirits, memory, and fate, connecting deeply with Malaysian folklore while experimenting with modern psychological storytelling. For audiences who love mind-bending narratives with cultural layers, Memori is a must-watch.
Taste of Freedom (MIFFest x EUFF)
A quiet but powerful entry in this year’s MIFFest, Taste of Freedom comes from Burmese filmmaker Thiri Tin. Set in a rural village on the outskirts of Yangon, the film follows a young woman named Htet Htet who begins selling homemade mohinga by the roadside after her brother is imprisoned for participating in protests. What starts as a way to survive quickly becomes a symbolic act of defiance, as her food stall transforms into a safe haven for locals looking for comfort, conversation, and a small taste of hope. What makes Taste of Freedom stand out is how it wraps political resistance in something as ordinary as food. There’s something deeply human in how the film captures the quiet rituals of boiling broth, slicing lemongrass, and serving noodles with a side of warmth.
Through these small acts, the film paints a picture of resilience, especially in communities where expression is tightly controlled. The pacing is slow and grounded, allowing room for silence and the tension that comes with it. With every bowl served, Taste of Freedom reminds us that sometimes the simplest things—a recipe passed down, a meal shared—can carry the loudest messages. It’s a film that doesn’t shout, but it definitely speaks.
The Devil’s Bath (MIFFest x EUFF)
Brace yourself — The Devil’s Bath is no typical period drama. Directed by Austrian duo Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala (Goodnight Mommy), this chilling tale is set in 1750s rural Austria and follows Agnes, a young woman slowly unraveling under the weight of religious pressure, isolation, and a loveless marriage.
Rather than leaning on gore or jump scares, the horror here is psychological — built through eerie silence, muted tones, and oppressive interiors. The title itself refers to an old belief in spiritual cleansing through death — a grim concept that hangs over the film like a fog.
As Agnes’s cries for help go unheard, her descent becomes inevitable. What’s most disturbing isn’t what happens, but how society responds: with control, fear, and silence.
This is a slow, haunting watch. But for those who appreciate horror grounded in historical reality, The Devil’s Bath is a sobering portrait of how women’s suffering has long been misunderstood — or ignored.
One Festival, Countless Stories
The best films don’t end when the credits roll—they live on, in thought, in feeling, in us.
So there you have it—10 films that don’t just entertain but linger. Stories that echo memory, rebellion, and quiet connection. That’s the beauty of the Malaysian International Film Festival. It’s not just a showcase of cinema; it’s a space where cultures meet, emotions unfold, and stories—big or small—find their voice. Whether you’re following a Kadazan homecoming in Ninavau, crossing continents in Transamazonia, or sitting at a roadside noodle stall in Taste of Freedom, each film has something to say—and something worth hearing. If you’re looking for more than just popcorn flicks, MIFFest 2025 is your chance to experience cinema that moves you, challenges you, and stays with you. Don’t just scroll past the line-up. Show up. Watch something new. Get lost in a story. We hope this guide helps you discover a film that speaks to you. Till next time—take it easy.
You May Like : Ready for Summer Sonic? Your 2025 Bangkok Festival Guide from Malaysia
