Winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes 2024, Anora reimagines Pretty Woman in a thrilling tragicomedy by Sean Baker. Anora, a young sex worker, marries a Russian oligarch's son, only to face his powerful family. Mikey Madison and Mark Eidelstein deliver electrifying performances in this must-see film celebrating womanhood.
Dying, an award-winning Berlinale film, is a searing drama that dives into the complicated relationships of the Lunies family. As the son Tom, a conductor, grapples with his best friend's depression and his ex's request to parent her child, his sister Ellen's struggles ignite a volatile reunion.
Director:
Matthias Glasner
Country:
Germany
Embrace the colour and energy of Mexico and party like Frida and Diego at AFF’s Opening Weekend Gala & Party, following the premiere of the Cannes Film Festival award-winning gangster-trans-musical, Emilia Perez. Starring Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez.
Director:
Jacques Audiard
Country:
France, Mexico, United States
From celebrated non-binary writer/director Jane Schoenbrun (We’re All Going to the World’s Fair) comes the much-hyped I Saw the TV Glow, a hallucinatory fever-dream of a film that allegorises trans-gender experiences while paying homage to 90s cult phenomena such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Director:
Jane Schoenbrun
Country:
United States
Opera is a battlefield. Angelina Jolie received a rapturous standing ovation at Venice Film Festival for her portrayal as opera singer Maria Callas.
Director:
Pablo Larraín
Country:
Italy, Germany, US
A genre-defying examination of the iconic 1990s indie band Pavement that only adds to their mythos. Alex Ross Perry both mocks and idealises the music documentary/biopic, staying true to a band that made a name out of mockery.
Director:
Alex Ross Perry
Country:
United States
The life of influential music producer and singer Pharrell Williams told through LEGO® animation. Piece by Piece invites you turn up the volume on your imagination and witness the evolution of one of music’s most innovative minds. Directed by Oscar-winning documentarian Morgan Neville.
Director:
Morgan Neville
Country:
United States
Director:
Brady Corbet
Country:
United States
Based on the true story of Australian war correspondent Peter Greste’s imprisonment in Egypt in 2013, The Correspondent is a gripping biographical thriller, a story about the brutal war on truth. Join special guests at the AFF 2024 Opening Night Gala to mark the world premiere.
Director:
Kriv Stenders
Country:
Australia
Hear Peter Greste in conversation with Kriv Stenders, director of The Correspondent, actors Richard Roxburgh and Julian Maroun, and the film’s producer and former journalist Carmel Travers – moderated by award-winning journalist Hamish MacDonald.
Country:
Australian director Justin Kurzel points his chilling storytelling lens to domestic terrorism in the US in his latest film featuring Jude Law and Nicholas Holt.
Director:
Justin Kurzel
Country:
Canada
Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore deliver a touching performance as old friends reunited in Pedro Almodóvar’s first feature film in English.
Director:
Pedro Almodóvar
Country:
Spain
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.
Director:
Samuel Van Grinsven
Country:
New Zealand, Australia
Wirltuti Season Launch
Samstag Museum of Art
Event ·
Exhibition ·
Talk
Join us for a drink and music in Fenn Place to celebrate the launch of the Samstag/Adelaide Film Festival Moving Image commissions.
The Correspondent
Opening Night Gala
Feature ·
Fiction
Based on the true story of Australian war correspondent Peter Greste’s imprisonment in Egypt in 2013, The Correspondent is a gripping biographical thriller, a story about the brutal war on truth. Join special guests at the AFF 2024 Opening Night Gala to mark the world premiere.
Three Days of Fish
Feature ·
Fiction
Green Border
Feature ·
Fiction
Look Into My Eyes
Documentary ·
Feature
QuadrilateralSelling Fast
Feature ·
Fiction
The Correspondent and the Global War on Truth
Screen Conversation
Talk
Hear Peter Greste in conversation with Kriv Stenders, director of The Correspondent, actors Richard Roxburgh and Julian Maroun, and the film’s producer and former journalist Carmel Travers – moderated by award-winning journalist Hamish MacDonald.
The Wolves Always Come at Night
Documentary ·
Feature
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.
Crossing
Feature ·
Fiction
In Batumi, Georgia, Lia is looking for her long-lost niece, Tekla. Together with Achi - a bored, wayward youth looking for any escape from his violent household - they travel to Istanbul in search of Tekla. It's here they meet Evrim, a lawyer fighting for trans rights.
The Colors WithinSelling Fast
Animation ·
Feature ·
Fiction
In this serenely beautiful anime with a charming soundtrack, a trio of sensitive, misfit teenagers all have a secret. Totsuko can see others as a colours, Kimi hides she has dropped out of school and Rui does not want to be a doctor. They form a band, and together write the songs and music, which begins to set them free to be themselves.
Anora
Feature ·
Fiction
Winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes 2024, Anora reimagines Pretty Woman in a thrilling tragicomedy by Sean Baker. Anora, a young sex worker, marries a Russian oligarch's son, only to face his powerful family. Mikey Madison and Mark Eidelstein deliver electrifying performances in this must-see film celebrating womanhood.
Every Little Thing
Documentary ·
Feature
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.
Pierce
Feature ·
Fiction
Screen Industry Talk moderated by Sandy George
Screen Conversation
Talk
Animation: Contextualising Australia's Mini-Boom
Screen Conversation
Talk
Homegrown
Documentary ·
Feature
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.
Documentary: Where Real Life and Cinematic Artifice Meet
Screen Conversation
Talk
My Favourite Cake
Feature ·
Fiction
Aquarius
Documentary ·
Feature
Second Chance
Feature ·
Fiction
Emilia Pérez
Opening Weekend Gala & Party
Feature ·
Fiction
Embrace the colour and energy of Mexico and party like Frida and Diego at AFF’s Opening Weekend Gala & Party, following the premiere of the Cannes Film Festival award-winning gangster-trans-musical, Emilia Perez. Starring Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Feature ·
Fiction
Mohammad Rasoulof’s defiant indictment of the Iranian regime focuses on a judge with the power of life and death. However, his comfortable life quickly unravels as he faces a generational revolt in this taut political thriller.
Wake in Fright
Feature ·
Fiction
Wake in Fright, now in stunning 4K, follows a young teachers spiral into terror when he’s stranded in a brutal mining town. Lost in a nightmarish world of gambling, violence, and survival, this gripping Australian classic remains as haunting as ever.
Dig! XX
Documentary ·
Feature
I Saw the TV GlowSelling Fast
Feature ·
Fiction
From celebrated non-binary writer/director Jane Schoenbrun (We’re All Going to the World’s Fair) comes the much-hyped I Saw the TV Glow, a hallucinatory fever-dream of a film that allegorises trans-gender experiences while paying homage to 90s cult phenomena such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The Contestant
Documentary ·
Feature
The unbelievable true story of a Japanese game show contestant left naked, alone and starving in a room for 15 months - unaware he was being broadcast to over 15 million TV viewers a week.
Teaches of Peaches
Documentary ·
Feature
Winner of the 2024 Berlinale Teddy Award, this documentary showcases Peaches' talent, activism and influence. Following the 20th Anniversary tour of her album The Teaches of Peaches, the film features stunning live performances and delves into her beginnings. With interviews from Feist, Chilly Gonzales and Shirley Manson, it celebrates Peaches' revolutionary impact.
Don Dunstan Award Talk: Don McAlpine
Screen Conversation
Talk
Balomania
Documentary ·
Feature
Making Debut Films: Scripts, Risks, Joys and Challenges
Screen Conversation
Talk
A New Kind of Wilderness
Documentary ·
Feature
No Other Land
Documentary ·
Feature
Palestinian activist Basel Adra picks up a camera to document Israel’s mass expulsion of his community in the occupied West Bank. Israeli investigative journalist Yuval Abraham joins him to support his efforts. The unlikely friendship fosters optimism in resistance, while the divide and inequality between their homelands sparks honest late-night conversations.
Triumph
Feature ·
Fiction
Crocodile Tears
Feature ·
Fiction
Dahomey
Documentary ·
Feature
Making Revisions
Documentary ·
Short
Archie Moore in Conversation
Screen Conversation
Exhibition ·
Talk
Dying
Feature ·
Fiction
Dying, an award-winning Berlinale film, is a searing drama that dives into the complicated relationships of the Lunies family. As the son Tom, a conductor, grapples with his best friend's depression and his ex's request to parent her child, his sister Ellen's struggles ignite a volatile reunion.
Make It Look Real
Documentary ·
Feature
A pioneering intimacy coordinator is hired to guide three actors through the process of simulating sex for a new Australian film, Tightrope.
Union
Documentary ·
Feature
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.
Blitz
Feature ·
Fiction
Steve McQueen’s Blitz follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety. George, defiant and determined to return home, embarks on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril.
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
Documentary ·
Feature
One of the most acclaimed and original documentaries of the year, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat explores the events leading to the assassination of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba in 1961. Featuring jazz legends Nina Simone and Louis Armstrong, it intertwines political intrigue with cultural vibrancy, highlighting the era's intense emotions.
Black Box Diaries
Documentary ·
Feature
An audacious documentary weaving together secret recordings and first-person perspective, Black Box Diaries follows Japanese journalist/filmmaker, Shirio Itō, after her allegations of sexual assault are dismissed by Japanese authorities. Refusing to stay silent, Itō writes a tell-all memoir and turns the camera on herself as she investigates her own case.
Australian Shorts
Short
Cordelia, Daughter of the Sea
Fiction ·
Short
Janet Planet
Feature ·
Fiction
Jason is My Dad
Fiction
Luna and The Brain Tuna
Fiction ·
Short
Set Menu
Fiction
The Fix-It Man and The Fix-It Wooman
Animation ·
Short
Tough Love
Fiction ·
Short
Unspoken
Fiction ·
Short
Ink Wash
Feature ·
Fiction
Write a Letter
Documentary ·
Short
All We Imagine as Light
Feature ·
Fiction
Stress Positions
Feature ·
Fiction
Revel in the chaos of the early days of COVID in Theda Hammel’s queer comedy that was a hit at Sundance. Hammel co-stars with John Early (Search Party) to poke fun at the politics of bougie Brooklynites.
The Brutalist
Feature ·
Fiction
Devo
Documentary ·
Feature
With or Without YouSelling Fast
Feature ·
Fiction
With or Without You tells the moving mother-daughter story of Chloe (Melina Vidler) and her free-spirited, alcoholic mother, Sharon (Marta Dusseldorp). When their lives intersect with Dalu (Albert Mwangi), a West African man, they find themselves on a journey of emotional discovery.
Black Dog
Feature ·
Fiction
Nightbitch
Feature ·
Fiction
I'm Not Everything I Want to Be
Documentary ·
Feature
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.
Flow
Feature ·
Fiction
The Pool
Documentary ·
Feature
The Pool, directed by Ian Darling, explores the world’s most photographed pool, Bondi Icebergs. This film beautifully captures the lives of those who gather there, revealing how this iconic space fosters a deep sense of community, connection, and belonging. A visually stunning tribute to the power of shared experiences.
Future Council
Documentary ·
Feature
Filmmaker Damon Gameau (That Sugar Film) takes eight kids on the ultimate road trip across Europe to seek solutions to our greatest ecological challenges. Through heartfelt discussions about eco-anxiety, conversations with CEOs of multinational companies, and playful interactions with nature, both the kids and Damon learn from and inspire one another.
Grove of Giants
Documentary ·
Short
Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger
Documentary ·
Feature
A compelling love letter to cinema, this documentary charts the careers of the quintessentially British directorial duo Powell and Pressburger. Filled with previously unseen archival footage, Made in England is also a moving portrait of its narrator Martin Scorsese, and a heartfelt account of his love of these films.
Boong
Feature ·
Fiction
With inspiration from pop idol Madonna, Boong plans to surprise his mother with a gift, leaving his home in Manipur taking enormous risks believing he can bring back his absent father. Defying borders, racial tensions and school obligations with his best friend Raju, the two boys set out to reunite Boong’s family.
Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics
Documentary ·
Feature
Maria
Feature ·
Fiction
Opera is a battlefield. Angelina Jolie received a rapturous standing ovation at Venice Film Festival for her portrayal as opera singer Maria Callas.
Grand Tour
Feature ·
Fiction
Simon and Marianne
Documentary ·
Feature
Lesbian Space Princess
Feature ·
Fiction
Introverted space princess Saira is unexpectedly dumped by her girlfriend Kiki for being too needy. But when Kiki is kidnapped by the Straight White Maliens, they demand the one thing Saira doesn’t have: the most powerful weapon known to lesbian kind – her royal labrys.
Hanlon Larsen Screen Fellowship: Strega Launch Event
Event
Strega launch event with Peter Hanlon and director Tiah Trimboli.
Drinks available for purchase and a chance to view The Gallery installation before formal introductions from Peter Hanlon, Tiah Trimboli and an AFF representative to share details about the Fellowship and officially open the film.
Free admission, bookings required.
Nocturnes
Documentary ·
Feature
The Horn
Fiction ·
Short
Good One
Feature ·
Fiction
Me & Mazzy Melancholy
Fiction ·
Short
Sasquatch Sunset
Feature ·
Fiction
Boy On Fire
Fiction ·
Short
Finding Jia
Fiction ·
Short
Graduation
Fiction ·
Short
Mars Futures
Fiction ·
Short
Strega
Fiction ·
Short
The Hitcher
Fiction ·
Short
Wishes
Animation ·
Short
Counterpoise
Documentary ·
Short
Counterpoise & Dancing Against the Odds
Documentary
Dancing Against the Odds
Documentary ·
Feature
Dust to Dust
Documentary ·
Feature
Film Concept Lab
Short
AFF Youth Primary and Middle School Shorts
Short
AFF Youth Senior School Shorts
Short
Becoming Filmmakers
AFF Youth Talk
Talk
Hear local filmmakers discuss pathways into making shorts and features films, in this special AFF Youth talk.
The Girl With the Needle
Feature ·
Fiction
In The Girl With the Needle, set in 1919 Copenhagen, Karoline, a pregnant woman, finds work at an adoption agency run by Dagmar. As she delves deeper into the business, she uncovers shocking truths. Directed by Magnus von Horn, this film offers a gripping exploration of morality and survival.
A Daydream with Fini
Short
An Odd Turn
Fiction ·
Short
Lea Tupu’anga / Mother Tongue
Fiction ·
Short
Montsouris Park
Fiction ·
Short
Palestine Islands
Fiction ·
Short
Piece by Piece
Feature ·
Fiction
The life of influential music producer and singer Pharrell Williams told through LEGO® animation. Piece by Piece invites you turn up the volume on your imagination and witness the evolution of one of music’s most innovative minds. Directed by Oscar-winning documentarian Morgan Neville.
The Order
Feature ·
Fiction
Australian director Justin Kurzel points his chilling storytelling lens to domestic terrorism in the US in his latest film featuring Jude Law and Nicholas Holt.
Toxic
Feature ·
Fiction
Sent to live in bleak, Lithuanian industrial town, statuesque 13-year-old, Marija (Vesta Matulytė), stands apart from the town’s other teenagers. She forms a new friendship with resident hustler, Kristina (Ieva Rupeikaitė), enrolling in a local modelling school that pushes girls to physical extremes in the hope of escape.
AFF Youth Gala
Event ·
Short
AFF Youth is an opportunity for South Australian students and young people to experience the power of film, make industry connections, and share their own stories on the big screen.
Songs InsideSold Out
Documentary ·
Feature
A group of incarcerated women sign up to learn an instrument and write their own songs, as part of a unique music program in an Australian prison. The process opens deep scars around trauma and addiction, but can they prove that music has the universal power to heal, even in the complex world of prison? Join Nancy Bates, members of the Songbirds and ASO for a special performance accompanying the world premiere.
A Crab in the Pool
Fiction ·
Short
Alone
Animation ·
Short
Animated Shorts
Short
Budō
Animation ·
Short
Circle
Animation ·
Short
Hurikán
Animation ·
Short
Silent Panorama
Animation ·
Short
The Bleacher
Animation ·
Short
The Car That Came Back from the Sea
Animation ·
Short
Carnage for Christmas
Feature ·
Fiction
We Bury the Dead
Feature ·
Fiction
Writer/director Zak Hilditch delivers a chilling, survival thriller that breathes new life into the apocalyptic zombie genre. Starring Daisy Ridley, (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens), Brenton Thwaites and Mark Coles Smith, We Bury The Dead delivers unexpected twists that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
Bettison & James Award Talk
Art and Culture
Previous Award recipients will gather during AFF to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the award, discuss contemporary issues and offer their unique insights during two illuminating panels.
The Art and Culture panel will be moderated by journalist and film critic Stephen Russell.
I Am the River, the River Is Me
Documentary ·
Feature
Bettison & James Award Talk
Science and Environment moderated by The Guardian
Talk
Previous Award recipients will gather during AFF to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the award, discuss contemporary issues and offer their unique insights during two illuminating panels.
The Science and Environment talk will be moderated by Tory Shepherd, senior journalist from The Guardian.
The Correspondent
Feature ·
Fiction
Based on the true story of Australian war correspondent Peter Greste’s imprisonment in Egypt in 2013, The Correspondent is a gripping biographical thriller, a story about the brutal war on truth.
Emilia Pérez
Feature ·
Fiction
The Room Next Door
Feature ·
Fiction
Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore deliver a touching performance as old friends reunited in Pedro Almodóvar’s first feature film in English.
Moviejuice
Event ·
Feature
Moviejuice presents two debut features by Australian independent filmmakers Audrey Lam and Jordy Pollock, who will be in attendance for a screening at The Mercury, followed by a night of local music.
Us and the Night
Feature
Wabi Sabi Rendezvous
Feature ·
Fiction
Alok
Documentary ·
Short
Goodbye First Love
Fiction ·
Short
Perfect Boy Next Door
Fiction ·
Short
Three
Fiction ·
Short
You can't get what you want but you can get me
Documentary ·
Short
Pavements
Documentary ·
Feature ·
Hybrid
A genre-defying examination of the iconic 1990s indie band Pavement that only adds to their mythos. Alex Ross Perry both mocks and idealises the music documentary/biopic, staying true to a band that made a name out of mockery.
Young Hearts
Feature ·
Fiction
In this charming film set in the Belgian countryside, young Elias falls in love for the first time when Alexandre moves in next door. Anthony Schatteman’s impressive feature debut about queer romance is a sweet and moving film for everyone.
One Mind, One Heart
Documentary ·
Feature
When a historic Yirrkala bark petition is found in Derby, Western Australia, the community begin the ceremony of guiding its journey back to Yolngu Country. The repatriation provides the opportunity to track the long political campaign — through petition, song, dance, campaigning — to keep culture strong and to have a voice for country.
In the Belly of a Tiger
Feature ·
Fiction
Went Up the Hill
Feature ·
Fiction
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.
Kangaroo Island Selling Fast
Closing Night Gala
Feature ·
Fiction
A struggling Hollywood actress returns home to beautiful Kangaroo Island where she confronts some ugly family truths.
The Zone of Interest Sold Out
AFF Film Club
Feature ·
Fiction
Kinds of Kindness Sold Out
AFF Film Club
Feature ·
Fiction
The Substance Selling Fast
AFF Film Club
Feature ·
Fiction
Dust to Dust
Adelaide Fashion Week Premiere
Documentary ·
Feature
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.