Glasgow Film Festival To Open With World Premiere Of ‘Tornado’ Starring Tim Roth, Jack Lowden & Kōki; Lineup Unveiled​on January 21, 2025 at 11:31 am

The 21st edition of the Glasgow Film Festival will open on February 26 with the world premiere of John Maclean’s survival thriller Tornado, starring Tim Roth, Jack Lowden, Takehiro Hira and Kōki.

The festival, which runs through March 9, unveiled its lineup this morning which features another 11 world and European premieres, as well as an In Conversation talk with Glasgow native James McAvoy. The event will close with the world premiere of Scottish documentary filmmaker Martyn Robertson’s Make It To Munich.

Tornado is set in the rugged landscape of 1790’s Britain as the eponymous character (played by model-songwriter Kōki) finds herself caught in a perilous situation when she and her father’s travelling puppet show crosses paths with a ruthless criminal gang led by Sugarman (Roth) and his ambitious son Little Sugar (Lowden). In an attempt to create a new life, Tornado seizes the opportunity to steal the gold from the gang’s most recent heist and fights to escape a violent demise. Lionsgate UK will release on May 23.

A story of willpower and scientific ingenuity, Make It To Munich was shot in the run-up to Euro 2024. It follows Ethan Walker, a promising teenage footballer from Aberdeenshire who, just months into a football scholarship at a U.S. university, suffers life-threatening injuries in a road traffic accident. Aided in his recovery by pioneering Glasgow surgeon Professor Gordon Mackay, Ethan decides to cycle from Hampden to Munich for Scotland’s opening match against Germany in Euro 2024 – just nine months after his accident. He is accompanied on the epic quest by Gordon, Tartan Army foot-soldier Stephen Collie and Robertson.

World premieres also include Hill from Alex Holmes about Formula 1 racing champion Damon Hill, and the first episode of Amazon Studios’ Fear.

UK premieres will include Ralph Fiennes and Juliet Binoche reuniting in The Return; Jessica Lange and Ed Harris in Jonathan Kent’s adaptation of Long Day’s Journey Into Night; Vicky Krieps in New Zealand ghost story Went Up The Hill; and Luckiest Man In America, starring Paul Walter Hauser, Walter Goggins, David Strathairn and Shamier Anderson.

For the full Glasgow Film Festival 2025 program, click here.

GFF25 marks CEO and Film Festival Director Allison Gardner’s final festival, after more than 30 years.