Glasgow Film Festival Highlights: Austria Billionaire Killers, Peacock, Poverty

The 2025 Glasgow Film Festival is underway, and one of the highlighted film showcases is “From the Heart of Europe: Austria on Screen.” This cinematic event promises to offer a mix of hard-hitting drama and absurdist comedy to audiences in Scotland. Over 12 days, the festival will feature appearances by stars like James McAvoy, Ed Harris, Jessica Lange, Tim Roth, George MacKay, and Formula 1 star Damon Hill. A total of 92 premieres from 39 countries, including the Austrian showcase, are scheduled for screening.

This year, the festival is shining a spotlight on new cinematic voices and the work of legendary filmmaker Michael Haneke. The Austrian focus will introduce audiences to both emerging talent and celebrated directors. The Glasgow team behind the festival collaborated with the Austrian Cultural Forum in London, the Austrian Film Insitute led by Roland Teichmann, and Austrian Films to curate a diverse selection of films for this year’s event.

“We have been noticing over the past years that Austrian films were really starting to make waves on the festival circuit,” shares Christopher Kumar, the Glasgow Film Festival’s program coordinator. Teaming up with London-based film distributor Curzon to bring renewed attention to films by Haneke, including “Hidden” and “The Piano Teacher,” the festival aims to engage the audience with the rich cinematic heritage of Austria and its contemporary filmmaking talent.

The festival programmers are excited about the wide variety of genres represented in the Austrian showcase. Whether you’re a fan of gripping dramas or quirky comedies, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at the Glasgow Film Festival this year!