Leiden International Film Festival

11 days of premieres, special screenings, parties, and more: that’s the Leiden International Film Festival. Founded in 2006, it has now grown into one of the most important festivals in the Netherlands. The 20th edition of LIFF will take place from October 9 to October 19, 2025. Once again, you can look forward to films from all over the world, ranging from arthouse gems to blockbusters, and everything in between.

For twenty years, the Leiden International Film Festival has been showcasing a wonderful selection of films that, if we may say so ourselves, are all worth discovering. Premieres of hidden gems that no one knows yet, indies we’ll be talking about for years to come, and award-winning crowd-pleasers from major international festivals.

The 20th edition of LIFF once again focuses on the three pillars that have made the festival what it is today, each with its own competition:

• Independent (independent films, American Indie Competition)

• Emerging (the filmmakers of the future, First Feature Competition)

• Extraordinary (beyond extraordinary, Bonkers! Competition)

That’s LIFF: presenting the best films (first) in the Netherlands—and doing so without making things overly complicated.

Science Saturaday: Dark Waters
In Dark Waters, a lawyer uncovers the disturbing truth behind a series of unexplained deaths and the involvement of a powerful corporation. With an introduction by Tamara Meijer from Toxys. Toxys is a biotechnology company focused on developing and conducting animal-free toxicity tests to assess the safety of new medicines and chemical substances. Tamara works as a scientist on the development of innovative lab tests that identify harmful properties of substances—without the use of animal testing.

Time: 11:00 – 13:21
Date: 18 October
Location: Biopartner 1

Science Saturday: Gattaca
In Gattaca, Ethan Hawke stars as a man who defies all expectations in a society obsessed with genetic perfection.

Time: 14:00 – 16:01
Date: 18 October
Location: Biopartner 1

Science Saturday: Philidelphia
Top actors Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington deliver powerful performances in Philadelphia as two lawyers, one living with AIDS, who take on a prestigious law firm in a groundbreaking AIDS discrimination case. With an introduction by Violette Defourt, CEO of Rapidemic.

Time: 16:30 – 18:50
Date: 18 October
Location: Biopartner 1

For more information, check the website!