Film & TV

7 International Films Showing in PH Cinemas In March 2025

“Flow,” “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” and “Bird” are just some of the standout films that will be available in local theaters, according to the Film Development Council of the Philippines

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Photo from FDCP/Facebook

On January 11, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) revealed via social media that it will be showcasing a carefully selected lineup of celebrated international films of the last year.

Titled “FDCP Presents: A Curation of World Cinema,” the screening is happening this March in select cinemas nationwide. While they’re keeping the full details under wraps for now, movie lovers can expect a thrilling mix of films from around the globe, showcasing everything from fresh indie gems to Golden-Globe award winners. 

FDCP international films screening march 2025
Photo from FDCP/X

The FDCP, under the Office of the President of the Philippines, is a government agency committed to supporting the country’s film industry, while fostering connections between Philippine cinema and the global film community.

Ahead of the March screening, here’s a look at the seven exciting international films coming to theaters as part of the FDCP’s cinematic event.

‘A Traveler’s Needs’

Described as “a comedy of improbable encounters and unlikely language lessons,” A Traveler’s Needs centers around Iris (Academy Award-nominated actress Isabelle Huppert), a French woman who, alone in Seoul and losing money fast, turns to drinking the rice wine makgeolli and to teaching French lessons to make ends meet. However, Iris’ lessons quickly turn into intimate confessions between herself and her students, who are drawn to Iris’ charm and unique way of looking at life.

‘Bird’

Starring Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan, as well as newcomers Nykiya Adams and Jason Buda, Bird is a British coming-of-age drama that focuses on 12-year old Bailey (Adams), who lives with her brother Hunter (Buda) and negligent father Bug (Keoghan) in a squat in northern Kent. While Bug spends his time losing himself in get-rich-quick schemes — the trailer shows him excitedly holding what he calls a ‘drug toad’ that he guarantees will bring in a fortune — Bailey is left to her own devices, struggling to grow up and hold her family together at the same time.

‘Black Dog’

After being released from prison, Lang (Taiwanese actor Eddie Peng) returns to his hometown on the edge of the Gobi desert in northwestern China. As part of a local dog patrol tasked with clearing out the town’s stray dogs ahead of the 2008 Olympics, Lang bonds with a stray. Black Dog offers viewers a quiet reflection on the bond between man and his best friend, as well as an exploration of fate, guilt, and a town running on borrowed time.

‘Dahomey’

This haunting documentary traces the journey of 26 artifacts originally from the Kingdom of Dahomey as they are repatriated from Paris to present-day Benin in West Africa. Dahomey is a film that wrestles with difficult histories as it explores the consequences of colonialism and European interference in a nation that has long been shaped by its complex past. While the documentary highlights the hope that Beninese people feel about the return of the 26 objects, it also demonstrates how many still feel the cultural damage is permanent, since thousands more artifacts remain in France. The documentary shines brightest when the camera shifts to the perspective of one of the objects, referred to as 26, as it narrates its own fear and confusion throughout its journey home.

‘Flow’

Flow follows a solitary cat, known simply as Cat, as they survive a great flood that destroys most of the earth. Seeking refuge on a boat populated by a dog, capybara, lemur, and a bird, Cat must learn how to team up with his unlikely new family despite their differences. With stunning animated visuals of a post-apocalyptic world and a narrative that unfolds without the help of any dialogue, the Latvian animated film is making waves this award season, having already won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Animated earlier this January.

‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’

Ambitious middle-class lawyer Iman (Missagh Zareh) receives a promotion to state investigator for the Iranian government. While the promotion brings with it an increase in income and social status, Iman becomes paranoid amid political unrest in Tehran, Iran. When his gun disappears, Iman suspects his wife (Soheila Golestani) and daughters (Setareh Maleki and Mahsa Rostami) of foul play. The film provides such an unflinching take on the Iranian regime that its director, Mohammad Rasoulof, shot it secretly, without sanction, and was forced to flee Iran in order to finish the film.

‘Young Hearts’

Young Hearts, a Belgian coming-of-age drama, centers around a teenage boy named Elias (Lou Goossens) who falls in love for the first time with his neighbor Alexander (Marius De Saeger). In a remarkable debut, both Goossens and De Saeger deliver a masterful performance that accurately captures the awkwardness and innocence of first loves. Young Hearts explores the tenderness of young love, but also highlights the importance of family, acceptance, and support.

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