The Melbourne International Film Festival will present more than 275 screen works as part of the 2025 event, as cinephiles across Melbourne, regional Victoria, and throughout the country online prepare to explore the diverse programme of features, shorts, and XR experiences.
MIFF will once again showcase the best new Australian filmmaking, beloved auteurs, and live-score cinema events like ‘Julia Holter: The Passion Of Joan Of Arc’ and ‘Parasite Live In Concert’, with composer Jung Jae-il, presented by Orchestra Victoria.
“MIFF returns to illuminate the dark depths of Melbourne winter with a globe-trotting array of exceptional cinema, incredible experiences, and the biggest festival celebration of Australian filmmaking on the planet,” Artistic Director Al Cossar says. “With over 275 films across 18 days in cinema, weekend regional expansions across Victoria, and a further week online available at your place, all around Australia, MIFF is an invitation to discover a world of film, and the world on film; to up-res your cinephile credentials, and to binge your way through an epic program brimming with imagination and ideas.”
One of the most anticipated films of the festival calendar, ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ by Mary Bronstein, makes its Australian debut as MIFF’s Opening Night Gala feature film and will also screen as a Bright Horizons Competition film.
The MIFF Premiere With Purpose Gala will screen ‘Prime Minister’ by Michelle Walshe and Lindsay Utz, a documentary chronicling Jacinda Ardern’s tenure as NZ PM. Plus, the beloved Family Gala is back, presenting ‘The Bad Guys 2’ by Pierre Perifel and JP Sans, base on the popular children’s book series by Aaron Blabey.
The MIFF Regional showcase will tour across two festival weekends, with venues in Bendigo, Ballarat, Castlemaine, Morwell, Geelong, Rosebud, Sale and Shepparton.
The MIFF Premiere Fund will present seven new Australian features, including Kasimir Burgess’ ‘Iron Winter’, Kristina Kraskov’s ‘Spreadsheet Champions’, and James J Robinson’s feature debut ‘First Light’, which also screen as part of the Bright Horizons competition.
Headliners at this year’s festival include the Palme d’Or-winning ‘It Was Just An Accident’, by Iranian master director Jafar Panahi; A24-backed dramedy ‘Sorry, Baby’ by Eva Victor, and Richard Linklater’s ‘Blue Moon’’, a portrait of fallen stardom. Plus there are events like Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut ‘The Chronology Of Water’, Kelly Reichardt’s ‘The Mastermind’, ‘The Love That Remains’ from Hlynur Palmason, and ‘The Blue Trail’ from director Gabriel Mascaro.
Internationally, Iraqi filmmaker Hasan Hadi makes a debut with ‘The President’s Cake’, while rural India’s caste divisions erupt into violence in Rohan Parashuram Kanawade’s ‘Cactus Pears’. Plus, Genki Kawamura’s directorial debut ‘Exit 8’ offers a mind-bending journey into regret and redemption, and Americana gets a lyrical makeover in ‘Rebuilding’ from Max Walker-Silverman.
Documentary highlights this year include ‘Mistress Dispeller’ from Elizabeth Lo, ‘Cutting Through Rocks’ from Mohammadreza Eyni, and Sadie Frost’s intimate portrait of the face that launched the Swinging Sixties, ‘Twiggy’.
There’s plenty to check out when it comes to home-grown talent too. The world premiering ‘Signorinella: Little Miss’ follows the unsung contributions of Italian migrant women, from Shannon Swan, who is one of the directors of ‘Lygon Street – Si Parla Italiano’ (MIFF 2013). ‘Yurlu | Country’ is a vivid ode to Country and an intimate, inspiring portrait of a Banjima Elder Maitland Parker’s fight to reclaim his asbestos-tainted homeland. Queer comedy reaches cosmic heights in ‘Lesbian Space Princess’ from Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese. ‘Beast Of War’, from Kiah Roache-Turner, is a world-premiering, gripping blend of wartime drama and monster horror. . . And fermentation meets the undead in ‘Zombucha!’, starring Jackie Van Beek and directed by Claudia Dzienny.
Music lovers can look forward to the likes of ‘Jimmy Barnes: Working Class Man’ from Andrew Farrell, ‘Move Ya Body: The Birth Of House’ from Elegance Bratton, ‘The Extraordinary Miss Flower’ following Australia’s own Geraldine Flower, and Tom J Stern’s documentary ‘Butthole Surfers: The Hole Truth And Nothing Butt’.
Fans of shorts can check out the MIFF Shorts offering, while MIFF XR offers a selection of ‘extended reality’ experiences.
Check out the full programme.
Melbourne International Film Festival is on from 7-24 August.
