Awards & Voting
Feature Fiction Films in Competition
Good One
17-year-old Sam joins her dad and his oldest friend on a three-day backpacking trip in the Catskills. While the two men quickly settle into a brotherly dynamic, airing grievances and mid-life crises, Sam observes as the thoughtful “good one”. Against the backdrop of the lush beauty of upstate New York, Sam struggles with her dad’s emotional limitations and slowly becomes disillusioned with her relationship with the two men.
Ink Wash
The debut feature from director Sarra Tsorakidis follows artist Lena (Ilinca Hărnuț) as she recovers from a difficult break up. Commissioned to paint murals during the refurbishment of a luxury brutalist hotel in a Romanian forest, she discovers that the only way out of the woods is by going through them.
In the Belly of a Tiger
An elderly farmer and his family return home to their village after trying to make money in the city, only to find it destitute and ruled by exploitative employers and a hungry tiger. Both the greedy employers and the tiger are protected by the government, but only the death at the hands of one will provide compensation.
Three Days of Fish
Gerrie flies home to Rotterdam, Netherlands to reluctantly reunite with his oddball son, Dick. Written and directed by Peter Hoogendoorn, Three Days of Fish is a witty father-son portrait that was presented in competition at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Went Up the Hill
Jack travels to remote New Zealand to attend the funeral of his estranged mother, where he meets her grieving widow, Jill. But his mother’s spirit returns, inhabiting both Jack and Jill - instigating a life-threatening three-way nocturnal dance.
Feature Documentary Films in Competition
Aquarius
Aquarius is a captivating documentary by Wendy Champagne, delving into the 1973 Nimbin Aquarius Festival. Through rare archival footage and compelling interviews, it showcases how this extraordinary event transformed a community and sparked enduring activism in Australia. A must-see for history and counterculture enthusiasts.
Homegrown
Homegrown follows three alt-right men determined to see Donald Trump re-elected in 2020. As their frustration escalates after his loss, one joins the January 6th Capitol insurrection. This gripping documentary reveals the dangerous consequences of radicalism and the threat it poses to American democracy.
I'm Not Everything I Want to Be
A young female photographer escapes the oppressive forces of Soviet-era Czechoslovakia, using her camera as a means of self-expression and liberation. Told through thousands of mostly black and white still photographs and excerpts from her diary, I’m Not Everything I Want to Be captures the spirit of the times.
Simon and Marianne
Simon and Marianne is a deeply moving documentary that explores love, loss, and the fragility of life. Through stunning cinematography and raw honesty, the film invites us into the final months of a couple confronting terminal illness, leaving us to reflect on what truly matters.
The Wolves Always Come at Night
In this intimate hybrid film, a young nomadic couple in Mongolia are in the midst of their animals’ birthing season when a devastating storm strikes. Forced to leave their home they must adapt to their new life in the city without their animals.
Change Award Films in Competition
Dust to Dust
Only the second Japanese designer invited to Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, Yuima Nakazato is known for his ethereal designs and dressing music stars like Lady Gaga. With his next collection he is driven to merge his artistic vision with green technology. Starting in the landfills of Kenya, he plans a radical reimagining of fashion.
Every Little Thing
Every Little Thing follows retired writer and teacher Terry Masear over a summer as she takes in and rehabilitates injured hummingbirds. Shot with stunning close-ups of the birds against the backdrop of Masear’s storied life, this film is a mediation on human-animal relationships and our capacity for care.
I Am the River, the River Is Me
I Am the River, the River Is Me follows a five-day canoe journey along Aotearoa/New Zealand's Whanganui River, the first river in the world to gain legal personhood. Guided by a Māori guardian, this visually stunning documentary explores the river’s profound impact on Indigenous rights and environmental stewardship.
Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics
All plastic breaks down to become microplastics then drifts in the air, floats in bodies of water and mixes with the earth. Acclaimed science journalist Ziya Tong interviews global scientists, confirming we are all becoming plastic!
Union
Union is an electrifying documentary that captures the intense struggle to unionize Amazon. Following a fired worker’s fight against the corporate giant, the film unveils the power of collective action and the internal challenges that could make or break their movement. A must-see for its raw, inspiring impact.
Short Films in Competition
An Odd Turn
A Buenos Aires museum security guard’s personal and professional life is upended after she predicts a sharp rise in the dollar’s value.
Finding Jia
Watching TV from the back of her parent’s store, 8-year-old Mei yearns for the picture of Australian home life she sees on screen.
Three
A Chinese woman who has moved to live with her daughter tries to keep her daughter’s secrets from her friends.
Hurikán
Hurikán rushes to save his favorite beer stand from closure by fetching a new keg to impress the bartender.
Graduation
Dillon, drunk, texts his English teacher, the beguiling Miss Leventis, the night before high school graduation.
