Welcome to the latest episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast. In this episode, I’m joined by Harvey Zielinski – writer and director of Sweet Milk Lake who also stars in the film as two twin brothers, Jake and Sam. I won’t repeat my adoration for Harvey and his career here, because you can hear a…
Umbrella will release Mockbuster in Australian cinemas on August 27. The wildly entertaining and revealing documentary explores the world of mockbuster filmmaking, with director Anthony Frith joining audiences for an opening week Q&A tour in select cities. Frustrated by a stalled film career and repetitive corporate video gigs, Mockbuster sees Frith brazenly pitches himself to…
I love a film that evokes the same symptoms as a fever dream, or if you’ve dabbled in acid in your past, an acid trip. That’s how I’d describe the feeling of watching Adam C. Briggs’ weird and wonderful new film, Phillip Philadelphia. It’s difficult to put into words exactly what the film is about,…
War doesn’t always end when soldiers come home. The powerful new Australian documentary Invisible Injuries explores the unseen wounds carried long after service and will celebrate its World Premiere at CinefestOZ on Saturday 5 September, before a national and international cinema season. Directed by Western Australian filmmaker Kelly Bergsma, Invisible Injuries follows Australian veteran Andy Fermo as he confronts the invisible wounds…
KDMG has acquired worldwide distribution rights to The Kink, the latest feature from acclaimed Australian actor and director David Field. The farcical black comedy, centred on a bloodthirsty mother who blackmails a washed-up conman into murdering her daughter-in-law, attracted strong interest from several leading independent distributors, with KDMG ultimately securing the global rights after a competitive…
Haven’t You Done Well Productions (HYDW), founded by Aunty Donna, embarks on its first feature film, Crime Casters – a high-octane crime adventure – set to shoot this month in and around Melbourne. Directed by award-winning Max Miller (Aunty Donna’s Coffee Café, Optics), written by Scott Limbrick (At Home Alone Together) and produced by Monique Mulcahy, Austin Hayden and Georgia Mappin. Crime Casters follows Claire,…
One of the great pleasures of my job is getting to watch so many debut feature films from exciting new talent, and right now the Australian film industry is absolutely brimming with it. What makes that even more rewarding is when a debut feature leaves you completely floored by its quality, and that’s exactly what…
VicScreen and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival have joined forces to bring Victoria’s next wave of comedy talent from stage to screen. Following the establishment of the VicScreen Greenlight Award in April, VicScreen and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival have partnered again and are calling on Victorian comedy writers and stand-ups to pitch new narrative…
Filmed in Melbourne, the Stan Original Saccharine with Midori Francis (Grey’s Anatomy) and Australian actors Danielle Macdonald (The Tourist) and Madeleine Madden (The Wheel of Time) will premiere August 13 on Stan. Saccharine follows Hana (Francis), a lovelorn medical student who becomes terrorised by a hungry ghost after taking part in an obscure weight-loss craze: eating human ashes. Following the global success of Apartment 7A (a prequel to Rosemary’s…
Maslow Entertainment has launched the trailer for Tina Arena: Unravel Me, ahead of its world premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival on 12 August and a nationwide cinema release on 27 August 2026. Marking 50 years in the spotlight, Tina Arena: Unravel Me is an intimate and cinematic portrait of one of Australia’s most…
Horses are among the most majestic of creatures. While their immense strength and power have long been exploited throughout Australia’s history, particularly within the racing industry, which carries many negative associations, Professor Juli Coffin has found perhaps the most meaningful use for them: as a therapeutic tool. Through life-changing bonds with wild horses, she helps…
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…
