Muddy Stilettos


<p>We love a big-budget blockbuster as much as the next popcorn addict, but if you&#8217;re after something smarter and with a lot more edge, indie films are where it’s at. Fresh from the <a href="https://raindance.org/festival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Raindance Film Festival</a> &#8211; the UK’s largest indie film showcase – we’ve handpicked 13 must-watch gems that are already generating serious buzz. From haunting dramas to cool debuts to breakout performances, these are the ones you&#8217;ll want to claim you saw before everyone else caught on.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakwater"><em>Breakwater</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="BREAKWATER Official Trailer (2025) UK Drama Thriller - Raindance Film Festival" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SjJv-9_Xkxg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Kicking off with a biggun&#8217;. <strong><em>Breakwater </em></strong>is making waves for several reasons (killer cast, twisty narrative and an ending that you will not see coming), but also because it is only the second feature length film to come out of Oxford University, (the first was Privilege a whopping 43 years ago, which launched Hugh Grant&#8217;s career!). A dramatic psychological horror, Breakwater follows the burgeoning relationship between university student Otto (one to watch Daniel McNamee), and retired angler John (Shaun Paul McGrath), as they bond over shared trauma. But as their connection deepens, guilt, grief, and ghosts threaten to destroy their fragile bond. Dark, haunting, and cinematically gorgeous, it&#8217;s no surprise it&#8217;s scooped up the most noms at the festival. Wanna know more? Here&#8217;s the <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/film-tv/breakwater-a-haunting-debut-filmed-in-oxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dish</a>. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heavyweight"><em>Heavyweight</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="HEAVYWEIGHT Official Trailer (2025)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZLORLOaM-ZI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>The film, which opened this year&#8217;s festival, was always going to be a <strong><em>Heavyweight</em></strong>, and def one to watch. Dubbed the sports equivalent of <em>Boiling Point</em>, most of the action happens in real time in the 90 minutes leading up to a career-making, or breaking, boxing match (tense doesn&#8217;t even begin to cover it!). <em>Peaky Blinders</em>&#8216; Jordan Bolger leads as wildcard boxer, &#8216;Diamond&#8217; Derek Douglas, alongside Nicholas Pinnock and Jason Isaacs. Gritty and intense, even if boxing movies aren&#8217;t your usual cuppa, it&#8217;s nice to see a different side to the sport and a deconstruction of masculinity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dali"><em>Dali</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2122" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dali.jpg" alt="Dali movie at Raindance Film Festival" class="wp-image-113956" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dali.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dali-424x600.jpg 424w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dali-707x1000.jpg 707w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dali-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dali-1448x2048.jpg 1448w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Like your indies with a side of intrigue and the supernatural? You&#8217;ll want to give <strong><em>Dali </em></strong>a watch. Directed by and starring Mickey Angelov, Dali is a Bulgarian-born, American-raised rapper who is forced to relive his tumultuous past (heartbreak, turbulent upbringing, a life of excess) at the gates to the afterlife, to determine whether he belongs Above, or Below. A brooding and impressive exploration into cultural identity, it&#8217;s no surprise it&#8217;s nominated for four awards, including Best Director and Best Performance in a UK Feature.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lonely-musketeer"><em>The Lonely Musketeer</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="THE LONELY MUSKETEER Official Trailer (2025) Sci-Fi Thriller - Raindance Film Festival" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qe3EaoNutaE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Nominated for Best Film, Actor and Cinematographer at Raindance and scooping up gongs at other festivals, Nicolai Schumann&#8217;s one-location psychological thriller is not messing about. Shot entirely in black and white, <strong><em>The Lonely Musketeer</em></strong> unravels the story of superstar investor Rupert Bauman (<em>White Lightnin</em>&#8216;s Edward Hogg) who wakes up in a locked, windowless room with only his phone to help piece together fragments of his absent memory. Cinephiles will love the camera work, everyone else, prepare to be hooked on this taut, pared-back mystery movie from the get-go. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-two-of-us"><em>The Two of Us</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="THE TWO OF US Official Trailer (2025) Grief, Healing &amp; Hope Documentary" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k_qKcSQzewI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>If you&#8217;ve been loving <em>The Salt Path</em> lately, this heartbreaking yet hopeful documentary will be right up your street. Tim Edwards hit rock bottom after his daughter, Elle, was murdered on Christmas Eve. <strong><em>The Two of Us</em></strong> is his emotionally gruelling journey towards confronting his grief and healing. A journey which took him from John O&#8217;Groats to Land&#8217;s End one step at a time. Joining him was comedian John May, on his road to recovery, their relationship is as rocky as the road they walk on. An emotional rollercoaster, but worth a watch. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-our-father"><em>Our Father</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Our-Father-poster.jpg-copy.jpg" alt="Our Father" class="wp-image-113981" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Our-Father-poster.jpg-copy.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Our-Father-poster.jpg-copy-400x600.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Our-Father-poster.jpg-copy-667x1000.jpg 667w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Aisling Bea makes her directorial debut with<strong><em> Our Father</em></strong>, a searing LGBTQ+ short written by actor-turned-writer, Clare Duffy. Coming with the disclaimer, may contain nuts (Catholic guilt), the film follows a young woman struggling with a secret so it&#8217;s off to the confessional she goes. Beautifully funny, Our Father deftly explores the perpetual conflict between faith, family, and sexuality in a brave 12 mins. Brava.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-corina"><em>Corina</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Corina 2025 - Official Trailer" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4MeomiM1Aao?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Like a Mexican <em>Amelie</em>,<strong><em> Corina</em></strong> tells the story of a young woman who, for the past two decades, has barely left her house other than to go to work. But when she makes a mistake on the job, she is forced to face her fears and embarks on a daring journey in search of redemption. A dazzling Naian González Norvin leads with <em>Ted Lasso</em>&#8216;s Christo Fernández supporting. Packed to the brim with wisdom, courage, and optimism, and who doesn&#8217;t need a bit of that? </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-cell-phone-movie"><em>A Cell Phone Movie</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="A CELL PHONE MOVIE Official Trailer (2025) Raindance Film festival" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m_6PqFah2_E?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Keeping it light, we have Will Sterling&#8217;s meta comedy, <strong><em>A Cell Phone Movie</em></strong>, which follows an out-of-work actor (Sterling) trying to make a movie on his phone, about an out-of-work actor making a movie on his phone. Innovative if a bit DIY (gotta love that indie spirit), Sterling&#8217;s debut feature is packed with humour and a cracking supporting cast. And yes, it&#8217;s shot entirely on a cell phone</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sardinia"><em>Sardinia</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2211" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MV5BZjA5NzliMjYtY2VhZi00MjI2LWFmMDMtMmQ3ZjAxYjljZmM4XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_.jpg" alt="Sardinia" class="wp-image-113978" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MV5BZjA5NzliMjYtY2VhZi00MjI2LWFmMDMtMmQ3ZjAxYjljZmM4XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MV5BZjA5NzliMjYtY2VhZi00MjI2LWFmMDMtMmQ3ZjAxYjljZmM4XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_-407x600.jpg 407w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MV5BZjA5NzliMjYtY2VhZi00MjI2LWFmMDMtMmQ3ZjAxYjljZmM4XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_-678x1000.jpg 678w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MV5BZjA5NzliMjYtY2VhZi00MjI2LWFmMDMtMmQ3ZjAxYjljZmM4XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_-1042x1536.jpg 1042w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MV5BZjA5NzliMjYtY2VhZi00MjI2LWFmMDMtMmQ3ZjAxYjljZmM4XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_-1389x2048.jpg 1389w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>This dystopian short might sound a bit off the wall on paper &#8211; a serious man tries to avoid catching a deadly laughing plague &#8211; but stay with us. Dubbed &#8220;effortlessly original&#8221; by Executive Producer, Patton Oswalt, <strong><em>Sardinia</em></strong> has already been long-listed for an Oscar this year and scooped up the Grand Prize Best Director award at the Rhode Island Film Festival, so it is a must-watch in our book.   </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-row"><em>Row</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="ROW Official Trailer 2025 Survival Thriller   Raindance Film Festival" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BXXIGxG6WkE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>You&#8217;ve been warned, <strong><em>Row</em></strong> is pretty chilling and may induce sea sickness, but a film this nominated (Best UK Feature, Director, Cinematography and Performance), you know it&#8217;s gonna be worth it. When the sole survivor of a World Record North Atlantic crossing is washed ashore on a bloodstained rowing boat, bewildered and exhausted, they are forced to piece together repressed memories and the terror they encountered at sea. Set almost entirely on board a small boat, and with a principal cast of only four (<em>Outlander</em>&#8216;s Sophie Skelton, <em>Plebs</em>&#8216; Bella Dayne, Akshay Khanna, and Nick Skaugen),<em> Row</em> is a skilful, pacey indie which will keep you on the edge of your seat.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-friend-of-dorothy"><em>A Friend of Dorothy</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1473" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MV5BMTkxYmE4ODQtYzA4Zi00MmEzLWI4MmUtOGViN2VkZjczY2NlXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" alt="A Friend of Dorothy" class="wp-image-114010" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MV5BMTkxYmE4ODQtYzA4Zi00MmEzLWI4MmUtOGViN2VkZjczY2NlXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MV5BMTkxYmE4ODQtYzA4Zi00MmEzLWI4MmUtOGViN2VkZjczY2NlXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_-407x600.jpg 407w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MV5BMTkxYmE4ODQtYzA4Zi00MmEzLWI4MmUtOGViN2VkZjczY2NlXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_-679x1000.jpg 679w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Stephen Fry and Miriam Margoyles (we know, enough said really) star in this quirky short about a lonely OAP who becomes friends with a 17-year-old boy (played by the superb Alistair Nwachukwu from <em>Shadow and Bone</em>). Think <em>Harold and Maude</em> but more upbeat, <strong><em>A Friend of Dorothy</em></strong> explores LGBTQ+ themes, loneliness in old age, and intergenerational friendships in a punchy 22 mins! Nominated for Best UK Short, which is not surprising with Mrgoyles and Fry in front of the camera and <em>Ted Lasso</em>&#8216;s Vanessa Whyte and BAFTA-winning production designer Amanda Bernstein behind it.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-love-song-from-hiroshima"><em>Love Song from Hiroshima</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="trailer Lovesong fromHiroshima 60s" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tz54_Hqn3rk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Nominated for Best International Feature, <strong><em>Love Songs from Hiroshima</em></strong> has a touch of <em>Past Lives</em> about it, which can only mean one thing &#8211; you&#8217;re gonna love it. It follows a young couple from Hiroshima, who meet a quirky American tourist and show him around the city. Deftly weaving together stories from the past and the present, the film explores the devastating impact of the atomic bomb. Hopeful, moving, and incredibly powerful. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flamingo-camp"><em>Flamingo Camp</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1446" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-26-at-18.03.07.png" alt="Flamingo Camp" class="wp-image-114026" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-26-at-18.03.07.png 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-26-at-18.03.07-600x578.png 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-26-at-18.03.07-1000x964.png 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>It&#8217;s true crime meets cabaret vibes in Chris Coats&#8217; <strong><em>Flamingo Club</em></strong>, a searing documentary feature about an off-grid squatter town in the California desert, and the tragedy that fractured their vulnerable community. Once a safe space for young, queer, trans anarchists to thrive, quickly descended into the opposite. Coats&#8217; debut records a year in the life of the Flamingo Club, highlighting not just societal narrow-mindedness and police inaction, but also celebrating LGBTQ+ culture. </p>


Festival favourites: 13 indie films everyone will be talking about

You may also like