Awards season is in full swing, and New Yorkers have the ultimate front-row seats. The Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan is once again hosting the acclaimed MoMA Contenders series, showcasing the most innovative and influential films released over the past year.
From bold studio reimaginings like Frankenstein to the emotionally charged Hamnet and Luca Guadagnino’s tension-filled After the Hunt, this year’s Contenders lineup is stacked with films already generating serious buzz.
Each film selected by MoMA is chosen not simply for acclaim, but for endurance — works the museum believes will matter years from now. It’s the rare series where festival standouts, big-budget powerhouses, and international discoveries sit side by side. Ready to dive into the films everyone is talking about this year?
2025’s most talked-about films
The MoMA Contenders series brings together a curated selection of the year’s most influential releases. And this year’s picks don’t disappoint. Titles like Frankenstein, One Battle After Another, and Sinner anchor the lineup with major awards chatter already building, while films such as The Testament of Ann Lee, Sirât, and Ástin Sem Eftir Er (The Love That Remains) have been gaining momentum among critics and festival audiences.
Whether these films are destined for Oscar gold or long-term cult admiration, they all share one thing: a level of craft that MoMA believes defines the cinematic landscape of 2025.
And while the Contenders series doesn’t officially predict the Oscars, its track record speaks for itself — many titles featured here go on to dominate awards season. Seeing them now feels like getting an early look at the films everyone else will be debating months from today.
How to see the MoMA Contenders in NYC
Screenings run through January 7, 2026, with general admission and member discounts available directly through MoMA. If you want a front-row seat to this year’s most talked-about films before awards-season chatter hits its peak, this is the place to be.
A few notable mentions include:
- Wednesday, Dec 3 • Sentimental Value
- Thursday, Dec 4 • Sirât followed by a conversation with director Oliver Laxe
- Saturday, Dec 6 • After the Hunt
- Saturday, Dec 6 • Ástin Sem Eftir Er (The Love That Remains)
- Sunday, Dec 7 • Sinners
- Thursday, Dec 11 • The Mastermind
- Friday, Dec 12 • Frankenstein
- Tuesday, Dec 16 • Hamnet
- Thursday Dec 18 • Is This Thing On? followed by a conversation with director Bradley Cooper
- Sunday, Dec 28 • One Battle After Another
📅 When: November 1, 2025 – January 7, 2026
📍Where: The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53 Street, Manhattan, NY
🎟️Tickets: Full lineup and tickets available here.
🍿 Can’t make it to the screenings? The full lineup of this year’s most talked-about films is playing across NYC theaters right now.