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MUST SEE MUST BE

photo: Diego Romero

The MUST SEE MUST BE showcases new, often still undiscovered cinema that has captivated us. The name of the section speaks for itself – this is where you’ll find carefully selected films that we truly believe are worth seeing. Among the new releases are works by debut directors, unconventional films that defy genre boundaries, and stories full of surprises.

This year’s MUST SEE MUST BE features numerous premieres and pre-premieres – films that may never enter regular cinema distribution, or only appear for a very limited time. We believe they deserve much more attention!

This year, the selection is exceptionally rich. Each title is a cinematic gem that we are proud to recommend. This is the true essence of auteur and artistic cinema – full of passion, fresh perspectives and distinctive style.

Kafka Jaworska
Director of the BellaTOFIFEST IFF

Queens is a premiere screening of a unique story about two sisters, set in 1990s Peru. They are about to meet their father who they barely know. Lucia is curious; Aurelia is filled with skepticism and fear. Yet their differences pale in comparison to the deep bond they share.

Memoir of a Snail follows Grace Pudel, a shy girl whose greatest passion is collecting eponymous animals. She meets an older woman, Pinky, who helps her understand the value of opening up to the world. It’s a touching tale of friendship and overcoming deeply rooted fears.

The Witness takes viewers to Iran, where a retired dance teacher witnesses a crime. When the authorities fail to act, she begins to seek justice on her own. A premiere screening of a gripping thriller - a story based on Iranian realities.

Soft Leaves is a multicultural story in which geographical distance mirrors emotional separation. Eleven-year-old Yuna learns this the hard way when her mother, originally from Japan, suddenly reenters her life.

The Divine Sarah Bernhardt offers an unconventional portrait of the legendary artist, the charismatic queen of the stage, remembered not just for her groundbreaking roles, but for her remarkable personality.

Rose is The Good Sister. But what about her brother, Samuel? When Rose is summoned to court, she must confront unsettling truths and question everything she thought she knew about him.

In On the Edge, 25-year-old Alexia is a trainee at a psychiatric hospital. Despite warnings from the nursing staff, she forms a close bond with a young patient, blurring the line between professional duty and personal involvement.

Love begins on a ferry where Marianne meets her coworker Tor. Over the course of one night, they discover how thin the line is between openness and running away from intimacy.

What Marielle Knows – that is what everyone wonders when, after a school accident, she gains the ability to read minds. However, that power comes with unexpected consequences.

The Marching Band brings together two brothers who have never met. Thibaut, a terminally ill conductor, comes to help Jimmy win a music competition. Their collaboration becomes the start of a new bond.

U Are the Universe is the story of Andriy, who is trapped on a spaceship after Earth’s destruction. When he receives a signal from Catherine at a distant space station, a desperate fight for survival begins.

Jerzy Antkowiak was once tied to the state-run fashion house during the Polish People’s Republic era. Years later, he recovers its collections, which become the basis for an exhibition at the Central Museum of Textiles. The documentary A jak Antkowiak reveals the behind the scenes of that exhibition.

In Meet the Barbarians, a small town in Brittany agrees to take in Ukrainian refugees in exchange for government support. When it turns out the newcomers are Syrians, the local community must confront its own prejudices.

One of Those Days When Hemme Dies starts with Eyüp’s argument with his boss, Hemme. Eyüp has had enough — of injustice, of everything. But before night falls, something happens that might stop him from taking the worst possible step.

The Young Mother’s Home tells the story of young women sent to a center to learn how to raise their children and grow into adulthood. Each faces her own struggles, and the center’s strict rules only heighten the intense emotions that are hard to contain. The film had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

In Eagles of the Republic, George Fahmy loses it all. The Egyptian cinema icon is forced into state propaganda and must play by others’ rules. The more he complies, the deeper he becomes entangled in a world he can’t escape without consequences. The film won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival.

Edge of the Night follows brothers Kenan and Sinan, torn between loyalty to each other and to their country. One must put the other on trial during a time of political chaos. Their journey through a divided Turkey will change their lives forever.

In Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo, Hassan fights to save his home and beloved dog when the property owner threatens to demolish their place. Navigating the crowded streets of Cairo, he struggles with his own fear and anger.

The program includes:

  1. Queens, dir. Klaudia Reynicke, Switzerland, Peru, Spain, 2024, 104’
  2. Memoir of a Snail, dir. Adam Elliot, Australia, 2024, 94’
  3. The Witness, dir. Nader Saeivar, Germany, Austria, 2024, 100’
  4. Soft Leaves, dir. Miwako Van Weyenberg, Belgium, 2025, 94’
  5. Divine Sarah Bernhardt, dir. Guillaume Nicloux, France, 2024, 98’
  6. The Good Sister, dir. Sarah Miro Fischer, Germany, Spain, 2025, 96’
  7. On the Edge, dir. Guérin van de Vorst, Sophie Muselle, Belgium, 2024, 105’
  8. Love, dir. Dag Johan Haugerud, Norway, 2024, 119’
  9. What Marielle Knows, dir. Frédéric Hambalek, Germany, 2025, 86’
  10. The Marching Band, dir. Emmanuel Courcol, France, 2024, 103’
  11. U Are the Universe, dir. Pavlo Ostrikov, Ukraine, Belgium, 2024, 101’
  12. A jak Antkowiak, dir. Anna Więckowska & Tomasz Ossoliński, Poland, 2024, 74’
  13. Meet the Barbarians, dir. Julie Delpy, France, 2024, 101’
  14. One of Those Days When Hemme Dies, dir. Murat Firatoglu, Turkey, 2024, 83’
  15. The Young Mother’s Home, dir. Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne, France, Belgium, 2025, 105’
  16. Eagles of the Republic, dir. Tarik Saleh, France, Sweden, 2025, 129’
  17. Edge of the Night, dir. Türker Süer, Germany, Turkey, 2024, 85’
  18. Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo, dir. Khaled Mansour, Egypt, 2024, 100’

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