Visions du Réel returns for its 56th edition with a programme featuring 154 films from a record 57 countries. While the representation of women remains broadly similar (39%) compared to 2024, that of mixed-gender co-directions represents 8%, of non-binary people 5% and of men 48%. Among the 129 new films presented, 88 are world premieres and a further 12 are international premieres. 58 debut films, including 28 first features, complete the picture, with no fewer than 31 Swiss (co)productions.
Visions du Réel thus confirms its position as the second most important festival in Switzerland for the launch of new films, and as a key international event for non-fiction cinema.
In addition to the three guest filmmakers already announced, namely Raoul Peck from Haiti, Corneliu Porumboiu from Romania and Cláudia Varejão from Portugal, Visions du Réel will have the honour of welcoming emerging and established talents throughout its ten days, as well as prestigious jury members. The 56th edition will open with the world premiere of the Swiss film Blame by Christian Frei, in the presence of Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, State Councillor Vassilis Venezelos, and Daniel Rossellat, Mayor of Nyon.
The 2025 programme promises to be a rich one, with a wide range of approaches, forms, countries and regions represented. The 129 films, chosen from some 3437 entries – a figure that has risen since last year, which had already seen an increase of over 10% compared to 2023 – testify to the great freedom enjoyed by non-fiction cinema today. No fewer than 57 countries are represented across all the sections, an all-time record that reflects the Festival’s international reach. With their unique and original languages, the films in the 2025 edition investigate various ways of translating reality, defying categorisation and flirting with a very wide range of styles, registers and genres.