Not since Heath Davis’ 2023 comedy drama Christmess has an Australian film received as much buzz as James Robert Woods’ The Birthday Trip. From glowing reviews in both independent and commercial media, in print and online, to a slot on Sunrise itself, the buzz for this wild new film is as genuine as it gets. Written and…
Robbie Studsor’s latest short film The Retained has released an official trailer after recently signing with acclaimed international sales agent Radiator IP Sales. The Retained is described as a tense psychological drama that explores the complexities of family, power dynamics and guilt within an idyllic Australian setting. The plot concerns the youngest daughter of a…
Aron Attiwell’s latest short film, In the Doghouse, is now available to stream below. The film follows an incarcerated father (Tristan Balz) who discovers hope and renewal through an assistance dog rehabilitation program, forming a bond with a puppy, and rediscovering what it means to be a parent. In the Doghouse is written and directed…
Melbourne actor, Isabel Dickson is challenging the film industry’s traditional path by making 12 films in 12 months, completely solo. Her self-initiated solo-filmmaking project, IZAFILM, sees the actor-turned-filmmaker writing, directing, performing, producing, shooting and editing 12 original short films, released monthly on YouTube. What has made this project unique and challenging is that Isabel is…
Following a decorated 27-year career as a Navy and emergency services paramedic, Western Australian author, actor and producer Skeeta Newman has announced that his 2025 debut novel, Ghost in the Gears: Beyond the Law, is officially being adapted into a feature film. Produced by Grey Mandate Productions in association with Catalyst Films, Ghost in the…
The debut feature film from Polish-born Australian visual artist and filmmaker Kuba Dorabialski, Agata the Writer, and Australian producer Alex White (Babyteeth) will have its World Premiere in Giornate degli Autori at the 2026 Venice Film Festival. Mia Wasikowska (Leviticus, Club Zero) stars as a Polish-Australian satirical novelist who travels from Sydney to Sarajevo to write a war novel…
Welcome to the latest episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast. On this episode, I’m joined by writer and director Mia’Kate Russell to discuss her very excellent, highly entertaining, violent and bloody cat-and-mouse horror, Penny Lane is Dead. Set in 1986, during a scorching Aussie summer, Penny Lane is Dead follows three best friends who’s celebration…
Western Australian feature film Wreckage will return to the big screen on 30 July for a special charity screening in partnership with Phoenix Support and Advocacy Service, bringing together community leaders, advocates and audiences to raise awareness of domestic and family violence while supporting those affected by it. Following a sold-out screening at the WA…
The Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) has announced a 30th anniversary celebration screening of Scott Hick’s Oscar®-winning Shine as part of an early look at this year’s program. Premiering a brand new 4K digital restoration of the acclaimed film, the story stands the test of time, featuring the stand-out performance from Geoffrey Rush that catapulted him…
Not that long ago, all you’d have to do to avoid being scammed was to trash an email from a Nigerian prince offering a family inheritance. Nowadays, we’re facing increasingly sophisticated and much more convincing scams, like the one at the heart of Maddelin McKenna’s debut feature film, Mad Rush, which is set to premiere…
The 2026 WA Screen Culture Awards were held in Perth last night, paying vibrant tribute to the remarkable talents and accomplishments shaping the captivating world of screen culture in Western Australia. Held at Luna Cinemas Leederville, and hosted by enigmatic WA performance artist and producer, Rose Kingdom-Barron, the WASCAs once again highlighted the amazing achievements…
Australia’s leading and emerging filmmakers will head west from 28 August to 6 September for the 19th CinefestOZ Film Festival, the nation’s largest dedicated celebration of Australian film. Released today, the CinefestOZ 2026 Official Program features more than 100 new feature films, short films and television series, alongside an exciting calendar of unique events hosted in cinemas, galleries, breweries, bars and restaurants throughout Western Australia’s beautiful South West. CinefestOZ CEO Cassandra Jordan said this year’s program celebrates the extraordinary diversity of Australian…
Thanks to our friends at Umbrella Entertainment, we’re giving you the chance to win a double pass to see Penny Lane is Dead. Penny Lane is Dead is the rip-roaring debut feature from writer-director Mia’Kate Russell that blends pitch-black ocker humour, and blood-splattering horror with a distinctly Australian twist. The film follows 17-year-old Penny (Bailey…
Peter Firebrace’s debute feature film, Of Womb, will celebrate its world premiere at the upcoming Melbourne International Film Festival. Three young women have been raised in innocence on a remote, dilapidated homestead, alone with their bedbound, intensely religious mother. Fuelled by a heady brew of existential terror, dogmatic belief and desire to dominate, The Eldest…
Australia remains in the grip of a family, domestic and sexual violence crisis. I won’t go too deeply into the statistics here, but they’re confronting, and as a society, we simply must do better. Considering storytelling has always been one of the most powerful ways to reflect the realities of our society, these issues are…
