International Film Festival
Join us as we celebrate 10 years of the World Languages and Literatures International Film Festival! This year's festival theme is “Modern Retellings of Myths and Fairy Tales." 2025 Festival events include opening and closing night receptions, screenings on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the month of February and the first two weeks of March, Q&A sessions with guest directors, a private tour of SMU's film vault, and several pre-screening receptions hosted by various cultural organizations and festival sponsors. Unless otherwise noted, all screenings are FREE and open to the general public and will begin at 5 pm in Caruth 147.
Schedule subject to change. All updates will be published here.
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Tuesday, February 4 6 pm Opening night remarks, reception 7 pm Screening of Los viajes del viento (Colombia, 2009, 1h 57m) |
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Thursday, February 6 Les contes de la nuit (France, 2011, 1h 24m) |
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Thursday, February 13 Big Fish & Begonia (China, 2016, 1h 40m) - 7 PM Screening. Reception at 6:30pm sponsored by the Asian Studies and Asian American Experiences research cluster. Synopsis: A visually stunning fantasy about a young girl from a mystical underwater world who sacrifices her soul to save a boy from the human world. This tale delves into themes of sacrifice, love, and the interconnectedness of life. |
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Thursday, February 20 Eva (Spain/France, 2011, 1h 34m, in Spanish) Synopsis: Set in a futuristic world where robots are part of everyday life, a robotics engineer reunites with his brother’s daughter Eva, who inspires his latest creation. This sci-fi drama explores complex human emotions and artificial intelligence. |
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Tuesday, February 25 The Legend of the Mountain Man (USA, 2008, 1h 42m, in American Sign Language) Synopsis: "The Legend of the Mountain Man," set in Montana, tells the story of a father who decides to send his three children to his parents' ranch for the summer, though he has been at odds with his parents for many years. While there, the children discover a creature that has never been seen or recorded in history books and embark on a heartwarming journey of reconciliation with their estranged family members. "The Legend of the Mountain Man" is a family-friendly story appropriate for viewers of all ages. |
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Thursday, February 27 Undine (Germany, 2020, 1h 31m) Synopsis: A contemporary retelling of the myth of Undine, a water spirit. The film intertwines romance and mystery as Undine seeks love and revenge in modern Berlin, delivering a haunting and poetic narrative. |
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Tuesday, March 4 Tale of Tales (Italy, 2015, 2h 14m, Rated R) Synopsis: Based on the fairy tales of Giambattista Basile, this dark fantasy interweaves three bizarre and magical stories of love, power, and desire. Lavish visuals and complex characters make it a unique cinematic experience. |
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Thursday, March 6 Synopsis: A faithful adaptation of Carlo Collodi's classic tale about a wooden puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy. This film combines magical realism with poignant moments, exploring themes of identity and transformation. |
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Tuesday, March 11 Short film screening of "A Horsey Name" (2020) and Q&A with director, SMU alumna Natasha Fissiak.
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Thursday, March 13
Closing night reception. Screening of "The Master and Margarita" (2024, Russian) at the Angelika Film Center & Q&A with director Michael Lockshin. Registration is limited to the SMU Community and members of the co-sponsoring organizations. Pre-registration is required.
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Tuesday, March 11
2 pm: SMU Film Vault tour. Departs from the Hamon Arts Library. Registration required.
SMU Visitor Parking
Visitors can use self-pay and park locations on campus using or purchase visitor permits by the day as a guest. The Visitor Parking Map is available for download through our website.
The 2025 World Languages and Literatures International Film Festival is made possible thanks to the generous support of its sponsors: SMU Libraries, the G. William Jones Film Collection, Italian Club, French Club, German Club, the DCII Scott-Hawkins Lecture Fund, the DCII Research Cluster on Asian Studies and Asian American Experiences, SMU Middle Eastern & North African Student Association, Fulbright Association-Dallas Chapter.