Australian filmmaker Dean Francis has never been interested in playing it safe. His latest feature, Body Blow, is a bold and unapologetic neo-noir thriller that draws inspiration from the provocative erotic thrillers of the 1990s while carving out a distinctive identity of its own. Set against the neon-lit backdrop of Sydney’s gay nightlife scene, the…
A new Australian documentary is set to take audiences on a journey from the remote landscapes of Australia to the edge of space, exploring one of humanity’s biggest challenges: can we overcome the limits of our bodies to become a spacefaring species? Outback to Orbit follows astronaut-in-training Celene Shimmen as she undertakes groundbreaking research into…
Brayden Lewtas’ new short film Flathead has been released via the social media star’s Cinema Council YouTube channel. Directed by Lewtas and written by Jesse Bouma, the filmmakers have opted for a direct-to-audience model that is increasingly reshaping independent filmmaking, sharing the film with Cinema Council’s loyal online community which has amassed over 200,000 followers…
Perth writer-director-producer Annabel Maclean and producer Naz Mantoo have announced the crowdfunding launch of darkly comedic horror short, Mr. Big Hands, marking Maclean’s debut in the director’s chair. The campaign earned $10,000 in its first week with pledges open until June 26, 2026, at 12:15am AWST. Mr. Big Hands is a supernatural horror about a…
Stan, in association with BYUtv, the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF), and Screen Australia today announced that the enchanting new family feature film Scales has officially swum into production on the Queensland coast. Set against the picturesque backdrop of coastal Queensland, Scales is an uplifting sun drenched modern mermaid fable exploring self-acceptance, friendship, and the courage it takes to…
Filmmaker Aarushi Chowdhury follows up her recent short film Clown with a new, darkly funny and sharply observed short, Phorid, a story that explores self-help culture, masculinity, and the desperate search for validation. Set within the world of motivational books, social media influence, and personal growth gurus, Phorid follows Blair (Jesse Vogelaar), a struggling self-help…
Today, Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) offers its first look at the 2026 program, announcing 25 films and special events, among them six MIFF Premiere Fund titles, a selection of 17 international and local highlights and special live events, many of which will make their Australian premiere at this year’s 74th edition. Running 6–23 August across Naarm,…
Australians have always had a unique way of speaking. From our slang and laid-back attitude to the unspoken rules that make up everyday life, it can be a difficult culture to understand from the outside looking in. That’s the idea at the heart of How to Talk Australians, the new feature comedy from filmmaker Tony…
Written and directed by Jack Johnston, and starring Sophie Reynolds, Sandy Keayes, Cameron Mighell, Nicholas Vincent and Kira Nelson, Everything Grows in Eden follows a young woman who promises to take her suicidal best friend to an alternative retreat but when their volatile mutual friend joins the trip, an unexpected detour to a local commune…
Imagine a world without cancer… Conquering Breast Cancer is a compelling social impact film that inspires us to do just that. Asking: Can Australia rise to the challenge of conquering breast cancer? In a country where breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the most common cancer among women. Breast cancer is often seen as…
Perth filmmaker Giles Chan’s new short film Interview follows an anxious woman desperately looking for work tries to survive a job interview. Giles Chan was born in Hong Kong and moved to Australia at the age of seven. He studied English Literature at university while writing, directing and producing his first feature film Jellyfish. It played…
A short documentary and original music video created by a group of multilingual young people will launch this Refugee Week on ABC. Developed through a series of arts workshops run by not-for-profit organisation Same Drum in partnership with Healthway and the Intensive English Centre at Aranmore Catholic College, the films celebrate friendship, family and resilience…
The 29th annual Revelation Perth International Film Festival is set to be a journey of sophistication, emotion, new ideas, and change. Boasting a lineup of over 50 features and documentaries and almost 100 short films, this year’s program is all about risk and adventure for the viewer and the creative community of Perth, with many new…
Independent Australian feature film Southerly will premiere on Netflix Australia on 5 June 2026. Written and directed by Gregory McCann, Southerly marks the filmmaker’s feature debut. McCann, founder of Good Grief Pictures and co-founder of Blakground Productions, has spent years developing independent screen projects with a focus on authentic Australian voices, regional communities and character-driven…
Cinema Australia readers and followers have been treated to an exclusive clip from James Branson’s survival nightmare, Bunny, ahead of the film’s screening at the Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival. Set in the aftermath of a climate-collapsed Australia, BUNNY follows a young woman as she roams the ruins of a world she never got to…
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