BURNING (2025) Review - Fantasia Fest 2025

Gerald Morris
Aug 10
1 min read

Part mystery, part ghost story, and all atmosphere, Burning was one of the most surprising discoveries of my first Fantasia Fest. Set in a small, gossip-filled village in Kyrgyzstan (with an all-Kyrgyz cast), the film spins the tale of a house fire that’s as much about perception as it is about truth.

The setup is simple: a family’s home burns down under mysterious circumstances. The neighbors whisper, speculate, and point fingers. But instead of giving us a straight answer, the film plays out Rashomon-style, with three entirely different accounts of what happened. Each retelling shifts our loyalties, deepens the mystery, and forces the actors to reimagine their characters from scratch.

It’s a bold narrative gamble that pays off, turning repetition into revelation. The tone and pacing feel closer to the elevated Korean thrillers of Park Chan-wook than a traditional whodunit, with a simmering tension that builds until the final “truth” lands.

Where the film stumbles slightly is in its final reveal, which doesn’t fully land with the same punch as the journey getting there. But that journey — anchored by terrific performances and a visual style that captures both the claustrophobia of a small town and the expansiveness of rumor — is still incredibly satisfying. At Fantasia Fest, where fresh narrative structures thrive, Burning proves that sometimes the best fires are the ones that smolder.