2025’s Five Best Overlooked Indie Films You Can’t Miss

Watching indie films is a fantastic way to experience cinema. You don’t have the typical formulaic films, rarely superheroes like MCU, but you do have important and often emotional themes. In 2025 the amount of independent cinema projects grew – and both critics and festivals took note. The film festivals in Cannes, Venice, and Toronto now have more indie films than they had just half a decade ago. It’s an exciting time for cinema! 

Five Best Watch Worthy Indie Films of 2025

With 2025 recently wrapping up, now is a perfect time to go back and watch a few treasures from last year. We have selected five standout indie films that you need to watch. We looked at genres like comedy, family drama, ocean horror, and thriller. Here is a list of films that pack in lots of talent but only received a little buzz.

“Left-Handed Girl”

Left-handed people rejoice – because this film is for you! Well, actually it’s more of a look at traditional beliefs versus modern culture. Here we have critically acclaimed director, Sean Baker (“Anora”) and Shih-Ching Tsou, who partnered on this project. 

In this film, a single mother and her two daughters leave their countryside home to move back to Taipei to open a stand in the downtown night market. The youngest daughter (I-Jing, played by a marvelous Nina Ye), who is left-handed, gets schooled by her grandfather on “the devil’s hand.” This leads to uncovering family secrets with some brilliant plot twists and turns. 

“One of Them Days” 

Keke Palmer and SZA are roomies Dreux and Alyssa, respectively. They’re living in their day-to-day when they discover Alyssa’s hot but no good boyfriend has run off with their rent money. Not very nice, but it happens. Needless to say, a wacky adventure – and hilarity ensues.

Written in the same vein as the classic movie “Friday,” this indie film is full of laughs, irreverent comedy, and some engaging storytelling. Admittedly it is not the most creative plot ever conceived, but the comedy and the chemistry between the characters is to be praised. Overall, this is an enjoyable film.

“I Swear”

It’s not very often a motion picture comes along that is touching, creative, and incredibly insightful into a condition like Tourette’s syndrome. This dark comedy and somewhat of a docudrama examines John Davidson, a British man who advocates for Tourette’s awareness. 

Directed by Kirk Jones (“Nanny McPhee”), and starring Robert Aranayo, the film follows the hardships and triumphs that Davidson faced as a youngster and later on in life. Nominated for multiple awards, this film shows a poignant viewpoint. Aramayo earned a British Independent Film Award for his acting endeavors on this project. 

“Dangerous Animals” 

“Sharknado” it’s not, but at first blush, it might feel a little reminiscent of it. Here we have American surfer Zephyr (cool name!) in Australia. She gets abducted by Bruce Tucker, a shark obsessed psycho. Without giving too much away, Zephyr must outsmart and outwit the unhinged Tucker.

The film doesn’t have a huge budget that some horror movies do, nor does it have many big celeb names, but the acting and cinematography are on point. It is 98 minutes of taut thrills mixed with often gratuitous violence. Jai Courtney as Tucker shines as the menacingly Selachii-worshipping killer. 

“It Was Just an Accident”

One of the best indie films of 2025, this thought-provoking story extrudes every ounce of revenge, forgiveness, and redemption. The two main characters, Vahid and Eghbal, dance around issues like identity and guilt. 

Fairly difficult to watch at times, the plot is full of ambiguity but keeps the emotions running high. Every character is different in the way of his or her motivations, but almost all are sympathetic. Acclaimed Iranian director Jafar Panahi won the much-coveted Palme d’Or at Cannes for this revered film. 

Where to Watch These 2025 Gems

Whether you feel like a marine thriller against the beautiful backdrop of Queensland, a bustling Taipei market, or watching a young man bravely navigate Tourette’s, you’ll be sure to find something you like. Check your favorite streamer, such as Netflix, Hulu, or the like to see what’s available. Get a big bowl of buttery popcorn for snacking while you watch; we promise you will not be disappointed.