Great Barrington — The 19th annual Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF) announces another blockbuster weekend line-up of films, events, and very special guests. The festival runs from May 29 through June 1 in Great Barrington and Lenox. Marked with strong international programming and an ongoing commitment to presenting the best in independent film, the festival brings together films, filmmakers, industry professionals, and fans for a four-day celebration.
The lineup features 27 documentaries, 23 narrative features, 25 short films, and a free animated-shorts selection for kids. The festival brings stories from 22 countries, including Germany, Afghanistan, India, Ireland, Sweden, France, Iceland, Israel, Nepal, Finland, Canada, Macedonia, the U.K., Spain, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Japan, and South Africa. This year’s festival promises to not only transport film fans to foreign lands but also deliver important, engaging, powerful, and entertaining stories from around the United States. BIFF is also proud to continue their presence at the Lenox Town Hall where films will be presented throughout the weekend. And finally, BIFF will not only present a curated selection of feature films and four short-film slots at the in-person festival, but a selection of films can also be screened virtually. For the complete selection of films and events, please visit BIFF’s website.
“We are honored to be celebrating the remarkable and legendary career of multi-award-winning actor Brian Cox this year. Mr. Cox’s four-decades-long career in theater, television, and film garnered him enough accolades and awards to fill a house… or two!” said BIFF Founder and Artistic Director Kelley Vickery. “We are also thrilled to share an extraordinary line-up of films from near and far, many coming straight from their success at Sundance, including our closing-night film ‘Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore,’ an intimate documentary of Matlin’s meteoric and trailblazing career after winning the Academy Award for Best Actress at the age of 21. One of the things I love most about the BIFF is the diversity of films that our filmmakers bring to the Berkshires. Each year, we curate and present films from around the world to reflect our ever-changing, ever-growing, and ever-hopeful global and local communities. It is my hope that BIFF will inspire our audience with wonder, curiosity, engagement, laughter, and perhaps even a call to action. I continue to be amazed at the amount of inspired filmmaking that is being created, and I celebrate those filmmakers who share their stories and their talent. Independent film is alive and well and coming to the Berkshires!”
THURSDAY, MAY 29 — Opening Night at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington, sponsored by Berkshire Bank: The festival opens with the documentary film “A Man with Sole: The Impact of Kenneth Cole.” With heart and “sole” and unflinching determination, global fashion icon and activist Kenneth Cole has put “cause” before “commerce” for 40 years, igniting social awareness and change. The film features Alan Cumming, Katie Couric, Deepak Chopra, Donna Karan, and Sam Edelman, among others. Kenneth Cole will be joined by Emmy and Tony award-winning director Dori Berinstein for a Q&A on the stage of the Mahaiwe with BIFF board member Mary Mott following the screening before heading next door to the DJ Soren dance party at Number Ten.
Prior to the opening night film, BIFF will present “The Taste of the Biff,” showcasing area restaurants in the Berkshires under the BIFF tent. This dinner-by-the-bite event includes Brian Alberg Catering, Briskette&Birdie, The Elm, Frankie’s Ristorante Italiano, Haven Cafe, JuJu’s, Number Ten, The Old Inn on the Green, The Red Lion Inn, SoCo Creamery, Bliss Crumbs & Coffee, Fuel, After Hours, and Archer Roose Wines. “The Taste of the BIFF” is a foodie festival within the festival!
SATURDAY, MAY 31 — Tribute Night at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center honors multi-award-winning actor BRIAN COX: It is a pleasure and an honor to pay tribute to the legendary Brian Cox, who for many years has worked extensively not only in film but also theater and television. Cox has won two Laurence Olivier Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, two British Academy Scotland Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, two nominations for a British Academy Television Award, and numerous Primetime Emmy nominations and numerous Golden Globe nominations. In 2003, he was appointed to the Order of the British Empire at the rank of Commander. Mr. Cox will be in conversation on the stage of the Mahaiwe with his wife Nicole Ansari-Cox, who is also an actor, director, and producer. The Berkshire International Film Festival is very proud to honor and recognize his legendary and iconic career.
SATURDAY, MAY 31 — BIFF’s popular Tea Talks at the Indigo Room, sponsored by Warrior Trading: This festival-favorite began seven years ago, and this year’s selection includes in-depth conversations with special guests featuring Dana Thomas (“Fashionopolis”), a leading authority in sustainable fashion and international author/writer, in a talk called “Fashioning a Greener Future,” moderated by BIFF board member and programmer Lillian Lennox; “The Director’s Circle” with directors/actors Rashaad Ernesto Green and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, moderated by BIFF advisory board member Greg Rhem; and “Break the Frame” with author Kevin Smokler in conversation with 2025 BIFF women directors, also moderated by Greg Rhem.
SUNDAY, JUNE 1 — Closing Night at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center: BIFF will close with the Sundance hit documentary film “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore.” Matlin became the first deaf actor to win an Academy Award and was thrust into the spotlight at 21 years old. This is an intimate look at her extraordinary life and trailblazing career. The film also features Henry Winkler, Troy Kotser, Aaron Sorkin, and Lauren Ridloff. Marlee Matlin is not alone anymore for yet another reason: She is seen in all her glory.
“Kelley and I are thrilled about this year’s globally sourced program,” said BIFF Film Programmer and board member Lillian Lennox. “We are blessed to have a dedicated team who work tirelessly to bring the very best independent narrative and documentary filmmaking to our audiences, films that offer inspirational new voices and fresh perspectives. We look forward to seeing old friends and new at this year’s festival.”
Passes are on sale now. Single tickets go on sale for REEL Friends of BIFF on Friday, April 25, and to the general public on Monday, April 28, by visiting BIFF’s website.
In addition to the dozens of remarkable films, BIFF will host special events throughout the weekend, including the Juried Prize Award for narrative and documentary filmmaking, free family film screenings, and panel discussions.
The Jury
The BIFF’s 2025 Jury includes distribution guru Josh Braun, director Kent Jones, actors Peter Riegert and Michel Gill, film publicist Laura Sok, and production designer Kristi Zea. In competition are four documentaries and four films in the narrative category. The award will be presented during a brunch on Sunday, June 1, at the Granville House in Great Barrington.
BIFF Filmmakers Summit
In 2025, the BIFF will host its 15th annual Filmmakers Summit, a two-day talent academy for this year’s filmmakers. This diverse, multi-dimensional program of panel discussions, lectures, special events, and breakout sessions is led by known industry professionals. Beginning on Wednesday, May 28, the Filmmakers Summit is a truly unique introduction to the festival for filmmakers. The Filmmakers Summit is sponsored by Mary Mott and Gordon Simmering. Scholarship awards to the Summit are donated by The Frances Davis Fund in memory of Estelle Davis, who really appreciated a good movie.
The 15th annual “Next Great Filmmaker Competition,” created and sponsored by Berkshire Bank, will kick off online voting on Monday, May 1. Voting will continue through May 27, and the winner will be announced at the opening-night presentation in Great Barrington on Thursday, May 29, at the Mahaiwe. The films in competition are: “All The Men I Met But Never Dated,” “Day One,” “Knead,” “We Should Eat,” “Livestreams With Grandmapuzzles,” “My Back Pages,” “Plant People,” and “Threshold.”
BIFF has launched its first annual nexGen Student Film Competition, in collaboration with Love Today Productions. This initiative aims to discover emerging student filmmakers and highlight students’ talents in a festival setting, providing them with mentoring and potential job opportunities in a tough industry. Out of 85 submissions from colleges and universities across the U.S., BIFF proudly introduces the first class of nexGen filmmakers: “Thaw,” directed by Brandon Reed and Emely Marte; “Handwoven,” directed by Mason Cazalet and Dasha Levin; and “Hunch” directed by Hunter Wilson.
