YIFF 2025 announces lineup: ‘Secret of a Mountain Serpent,’ ‘Dalit Subbaiah – Voice of the Rebels,’ and more to be showcased

The Yellowstone International Film Festival (YIFF) has unveiled its lineup for the 2025 edition. The film festival, which will take place in Mumbai from November 13 to 20, will showcase over 100 films, including Indian and international feature films, short films, documentaries, queer cinema and short documentaries.

The entries will be evaluated by a panel featuring filmmakers Nicholas Eliopoulos and Marta Cunningham, acclaimed actor and singer Alison Fraser, and award-winning producer Mariana Méndez Alejandre.

This year’s highlights include international titles making their Indian and Asian premieres, like Caravan by Zuzana Kirchnerová, Têtes Brûlées by Maja Ajmia Zellama, I’ve Seen All I Need To See by Zeshaan Younus, Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day by Ivona Juka and Aisha Can’t Fly by Morad Mostafa. 100 Sunset by Kusang Kyirong, Thinestra by Nathan Hertz, and Aurora by Raintolk and Andres Maimik will mark their Asian premieres.

Notably, the film festival will also celebrate the best of Indian indie cinema, with titles such as Secret of a Mountain Serpent by Nidhi Saxena, Chewing Gum by Abhay Sharma, and Kaisi Yeh Paheli by Ananyabrata Chakravorty.

In the documentary segment, YIFF 2025 will screen titles such as Dalit Subbaiah – Voice of the Rebels by Gridaran MKP, Saints and Warriors by Patrick Shannon, Arushi Nigam’s Dream Factory, and Untouchable: Laughing Out Caste by Manjeet Sarkar and Mike Noone, among others.

In a statement, Tushar Tyagi, Founder of the YIFF, said, cinema is one of the few art forms that speaks a language everyone understands. “This year’s lineup reflects that belief and that film has the power to connect cultures, challenge perspectives, and remind us of our shared humanity,” he added.

Anshika Singh, Festival Director, said, “We’ve curated a program rooted in merit and inclusivity, spotlighting films that rarely find theatrical space due to their form, scale, language, or politics. Our goal is to create a democratic platform where under-seen films meet engaged audiences.”

YIFF 2025 will be held from November 13 to 20, with PVR Dynamix, Juhu, serving as the main screening venue, along with Gaysi, Veda Kunba, and Veda Blackbox. Masterclasses and discussions will be held across the city.

Feature Film Selections

• Holy Rosita by Wannes Destoop (Belgium – Asian Premiere)
• Aurora by Rain Tolk, Andres Maimik (Estonia – Asian Premiere)
• Caravan by Zuzana Kirchnerová (France – Indian Premiere)
• A Mother, a Son, and a Murder by Ananyabrata Chakravorty (India – Asian Premiere)
• Thinestra by Nathan Hertz (United States – Asian Premiere)
• Chewing Gum by Abhay Sharma (India – Asian Premiere)
• Secret of a Mountain Serpent by Nidhi Saxena (India)
• I’ve Seen All I Need to See by Zeshaan Younus (United States – Indian Premiere)
• Sheness by Manuraj Dubey (India)
• 100 Sunset by Kunsang Kyirong (Canada – Asian Premiere)
• Têtes Brûlées by Maja Ajmia Zellama (Belgium – Indian Premiere)
• Aisha Can’t Fly Away by Morad Mostafa (Egypt – Indian Premiere)
• Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day by Ivona Junka (Croatia / Poland / Canada / Cyprus / Bosnia and Herzegovina – Indian Premiere)
• The Second Coming Act 1: The New for the Old by Jean Carlos Díaz Sepúlveda (Puerto Rico – Asian Premiere)

Feature Documentary Selections:

• My Missing Aunt — Juyeon Yang (Republic of Korea) — Indian Premiere
• Dalit Subbaiah – Voice of the Rebels — Gridaran MKP (India) — Indian Premiere
• Untouchable: Laughing Out Caste — Manjeet Sarkar, Mike Noone (India) — World Premiere
• Village of Bastards — Amritansh Shukla, Uday Thakur (India) — Asian Premiere
• Fear and Now — Liat Ron (United States) — Asian Premiere
• Trans and Pregnant — Ramon Te Wake (New Zealand)
• Saints and Warriors — Patrick Shannon (Canada) — Indian Premiere
• Negative Remorse — Shankar Goud (India)
• Dream Factory — Aarushi Nigam (India) — Asian Premiere