By Trent Lakey
The 17th annual Charlotte Film Festival has come and gone. The 2025 edition featured an array of films and events that drew large crowds of filmmakers and enthusiasts alike. It surpassed my expectations; every screening I attended had a strong turnout. Film festivals often create a heightened sense of exploration, as if they exist in their own space where like-minded people share experiences no one else can. This year’s festival was a prime example, providing a communal space for cinephiles to share what they love and discover new works from around the globe.
The festival opened with the Charlotte premiere of Roofman at the Carolina Theatre, with director Derek Cianfrance on hand for a Q&A, before continuing through the week at the Independent Picture House. I caught Roofman at its encore screening Sunday afternoon, where a vibrant audience filled the theater. The film was in many ways the centerpiece of the festival and the most talked-about title. It was shot in the Charlotte area where the story took place, and many local people who assisted its production attended the screening. Whispers about familiar locations and authentic representations of Charlotte filled the auditorium. Watching it with a hometown audience seemed like a special privilege. The film truly felt like it unfolded just down the street.
Other highlights from my festival experience included Viktor, winner of Best Documentary Feature, and Eleanor the Great, the directorial debut of Scarlett Johansson. Viktor follows a deaf Ukrainian man whose life is upended by war with Russia. The film, with its ravishing black-and-white cinematography, mirrors Viktor’s sensory experience, creating a moving portrait of resilience amid chaos. Eleanor the Great, presented in collaboration with the Charlotte Jewish Film Festival, screened to another sold-out crowd and drew rapturous responses. Laughter rang out throughout the runtime, and the climax left many sniffling or in tears. June Squibb gave a charming performance that alone made the film worth seeing. Another standout was Best Documentary Short winner The Cat Man Eshete, a beautiful and empathetic depiction of a beloved homeless man who cares for stray cats in New York City.
The best gift a festival like this can offer is surprise. In a world when most major films are heavily reported months or even years ahead of release, it is refreshing to walk into a cinema with no expectations. Yet great films can still transcend and defy them, as Roofman did for me. The audience filing out after the screening filled the air with laughter and chatter as the sun began to set. Driving home through Charlotte, I looked out at the streets and felt a resonance with what I had seen on screen. The story felt rooted in the city — helped, of course, by the fact that it did happen here — but can’t that be said for any film we see?
This year’s festival left me with a feeling of kinship toward the stories I encountered. The best we as an audience can do is carry that empathy out into the world.
You can still catch festival favorite Eleanor the Great at IPH! Get your tickets here.