From genre-defying documentaries to riveting international dramas, this year’s best films offer bold storytelling, political urgency, and unforgettable performances. Whether you’re programming for a public library, classroom, or community screening, these films represent the most thought-provoking and artistically impressive titles of 2025 so far.
The Strike
A searing exposé of California’s Pelican Bay State Prison, The Strike chronicles the largest hunger strike in U.S. prison history. Through intimate interviews with incarcerated men and stark archival footage, the film uncovers how solitary confinement became an extrajudicial punishment—inflicted for minor infractions like drawing or reading the wrong book. With cinematic storytelling and deep investigative rigor, the documentary reframes solitary confinement as a human rights issue rooted in racism, bureaucracy, and cruelty.
This is a vital film for any institution teaching criminal justice, sociology, or ethics. The Strike stands out not only for its subject matter but for its filmmaking: stunning, skillful, and unsettling in all the right ways. Libraries seeking titles for social justice collections or contemporary American history will find this an essential acquisition.
Read the full review of The Strike here.
Mapantsula
Filmed in secret under apartheid-era South Africa, Mapantsula follows Panic, a streetwise petty criminal caught in a political sweep. While detained, he reflects on his actions, relationships, and role in a larger movement. Blending romance, crime drama, and revolutionary politics, the film is a landmark in African cinema—gritty, honest, and hauntingly relevant.
A triumph of guerrilla filmmaking, Mapantsula belongs in every world cinema or political film collection. Its combination of stylistic experimentation and raw social commentary makes it powerful for both classroom use and general viewing. Especially in a time of renewed global resistance movements, this restored classic finds new resonance.
Read the full review of Mapantsula here.
Glue Trap
A couple’s quiet getaway turns unexpectedly sinister in Glue Trap, a genre-bending indie that begins as a relationship drama and ends in a moment of sharp, surreal horror. What begins with a dead mouse in a glue trap slowly unravels into something much darker as an unexpected guest disrupts the weekend. It’s a slow burn, yes—but one that ends in real flames.
Glue Trap is for film lovers. Its deliberate pace, visual precision, and use of light and shadow make it a standout in the indie horror and drama categories. Libraries and universities looking for titles that challenge genre conventions will find this a clever, cerebral, and satisfying watch.
Read the full review of Glue Trap here.
Asog
Set against the devastation left by Typhoon Yolanda, Asog blends fiction and documentary as trans performer Jaya and a former student journey across the Philippines in search of healing, justice, and dignity. Their quest weaves together queer identity, land theft, and grief in a road trip film like no other—funny, raw, and heartbreakingly real.
Asog is both Pride programming gold and a gem for documentary film courses. Its genre-defying approach makes it a strong pick for discussions on climate justice, LGBTQ+ issues, or post-colonial filmmaking. Few films this year have matched its courage or creativity, making it one of the most rewarding—and teachable—titles of 2025 so far.
Read the full review of Asog here.
Grasshopper Film
Anhell69
Director Theo Montoya mourns the loss of a generation in this experimental hybrid docu-fiction. After the overdose of his film’s lead actor, Camilo, Montoya turns the camera inward, capturing Medellín’s underground queer punk scene in a dreamlike, often tragic tribute. It’s a film about death, defiance, and the ghosts of unrealized futures.
Anhell69 is not an easy watch, but for institutions collecting queer cinema, Latin American film, or experimental media, it’s a masterpiece. Montoya crafts something wholly unique—part eulogy, part mirror, part scream into the void. For advanced film studies, queer theory, or cultural anthropology classes, this is essential viewing.
Read the full review of Anhell69 here.
Dark Star Pictures
Riley
Jake Holley stars as Dakota Riley, a high school football star struggling with identity, masculinity, and desire. When performance anxiety in his relationship sparks deeper internal questions, his carefully constructed life begins to unravel. Riley captures the painful, confusing limbo of coming out in small-town America with powerful understatement.
A stunning debut feature from Benjamin Howard, Riley offers an intimate portrait of repression and the toxic mix of sports culture and homophobia. Ideal for high school and college collections focusing on teen mental health, LGBTQ+ issues, or gender norms, this film invites vulnerable, important conversation. Its cinematography and structure also make it great for film studies programs.
Read the full review of Riley here.
Good Docs
The Forgotten Occupation: Jim Crow Goes to Haiti
Alain Martin explores the U.S. military occupation of Haiti (1915–1934) through a personal and historical lens in this genre-blending documentary. Framed as a letter to his late grandfather, the film examines Haiti’s modern struggles through the weight of colonial history and intergenerational trauma.
The Forgotten Occupation is educational filmmaking at its finest—rich, textured, and deeply moving. It should be on the radar of educators teaching U.S. foreign policy, Caribbean history, or race relations. Public libraries with strong nonfiction collections will also find this to be a standout title that demands repeat viewing and reflection.
Read the full review of The Forgotten Occupation here.
At Video Librarian, we’re proud to highlight films that push boundaries and uplift unheard voices. These Editor’s Choice selections represent the best of what 2025 has brought us so far—and we’re just halfway through the year. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled this December when we publish our official Best of the Year roundup.
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