Every year brings forth a trove of stories, visions, and narratives that encapsulate the diverse and dynamic spirit of Australia. As the founder and editor of Cinema Australia, I  immersed myself in over 80 new Australian films released this past year via film festivals and general releases.

In this comprehensive feature, I invite you to join me on an exploration of the ever-evolving landscape of Australian storytelling, as witnessed through the lens of these compelling cinematic offerings. From the bustling urban landscapes to the serene beauty of the outback, from intimate character studies to grand-scale epics, the spectrum of Australian cinema continues to captivate and surprise.

Join me as we celebrate the vitality of Australian cinema and the remarkable talent that shapes its narrative. This feature is a tribute to the filmmakers, actors, and storytellers who continue to elevate and redefine Australia’s cinematic landscape.

Did you see a films this year that’s not on this list? Let us know about them via the comments below.

Audition Tape 13

Written and directed by Mathew J. Wilkinson
Produced by Mathew J. Wilkinson and Jodi Ritchie
Starring Ella Morris, Ian Callahan, Jemmah Rattley, Willian Rodrigues, Laura-Rose Harrington, Hailan Yang, Kayla Ursini and Martin Robinson

Where you can see it Google Play, YouTube Movies and disc.

Directed by, Matthew J Wilkinson, this psychological-thriller explores sexual improprieties within the film industry. Auditioning is a daunting process. Even more so when you’re looking for that big break. Michael is a no-budget film maker looking to cast for his latest romantic comedy. Yet his intentions might not be anything to laugh about until a lone Actress shows up at his door to question his true motives. Confronting and triggering with a squeamish sense of adult film, Audition Tape 13 is everything horrifying about Independent filmmaking

Australia’s Open

Directed by Ili Baré
Produced by Charlotte Wheaton, Nick Batzias, Virginia Whitwell

Where you can see it ABC iView January 8. Host your own cinema screening via FanForce.

Every January, the Australian Open commands global attention, but when off-court drama steals the show, Australia itself becomes part of the spectacle. Australia’s Open charts the tournament’s rise as it inadvertently reveals Australia’s divisions to the world. Through telling archive, compelling play and heavy-hitting interviews, Australia’s Open captures the poetry and power of the tournament… because at the Australian Open, there is always more than a game at stake.

The Big Dog

Written and directed by Dane McCusker
Produced by Jessica Murphy and Claudia Shepherd
Starring Julian Garner, Felicity Price, Asha Boswarva, Michael Monk, Dilroop Khangura, James Fraser, Lloyd Allison-Young, Rupert Reid and Mark Gadaleta

Where you can see it Apple TV

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #105 | Dane McCusker

An intelligent yet cheeky comedy from recent AFTRS masters graduate and up and coming talent to watch Dane McCusker, The Big Dog centres on Richard Morgan, a stockbroker, suburban family man – and secret findom addict.

On the morning of his son’s graduation party, Richard discovers his dominatrix has cleaned out all of his bank accounts including the money for the graduation present – a new car. Now over the course of one Saturday, he must try and recover the money without his wife discovering his secret life. 

Julian Garner (Top End Wedding) stars in a superb performance as stockbroker Richard Morgan, and Felicity Price (Wish You Were Here) plays his unsuspecting wife Kelly. Michael Monk stars as son Sam and Asha Boswarva as the findom worker and struggling psychology student with good intentions.

Following the ultimate demise of Richard’s all too familiar character, The Big Dog is a well crafted, incredibly funny slapstick comedy reflective of The White Lotus and Death at a Funeral.

Birdeater

Directed by Jim Weir and Jack Clark
Written by Jack Clark
Story by Jim Weir and Jack Clark
Produced by Stephanie Troost and Ulysses Oliver

Where you can see it TBA via Umbrella Entertainment

Our coverage Read out interview with Jim Weir and Jack Clark

A bride to be is invited to her own fiancé’s bachelor party, but when uncomfortable details about their relationship emerge, the night takes a feral turn.Featuring an ensemble cast of young talent including Shabana Azeez and Mackenzie Fearnley.

The Boat With No Name

Directed by Phil O’Brien and Jeffery Baxter
Written by Phil O’Brien
Starring Bella Baxter Timmy Burarrwanga and Valerie Dhamarrandji

Where you can see it General release TBA

A small community tries to start their own business in the hope of making enough money to employ their own School Teacher.

Bring Him to Me

Directed by Luke Sparke
Written by Tom Evans
Starring Barry Pepper, Jamie Costa, Sam Neill, Rachel Griffiths, Liam McIntyre and Zac Garred

Where you can see it Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Microsoft, YouTube Movies, Google Play, Telstra TV Box Office, Fetch and disc

Under orders from a ruthless crime boss, a getaway driver must battle his conscience and drive an unsuspecting crew member to an ambush execution. There is a long drive ahead.

Bromley: Light After Dark

Directed by Sean McDonald
Featuring David Bromley Yuge Bromley and Kate Ceberano

Where you can see it General home release TBA

Bromley: Light After Dark is a rousing exploration of life, love and creativity. David Bromley found that art appeased the voices in his head and helped him find beauty in the world, so he made the life-changing decision to commit his whole being to something meaningful. With intimate access to the world of this prominent Australian artist, we peel away the layers of anxiety, phobias and suicide survival, whilst embracing the humour and energy that is ever-present.

David’s journey is not complete without his wife Yuge and it’s through this powerful partnership that we witness firsthand the fragility of David’s world and state of mind. As the Bromley’s live their authentic lives, interviews with friends, critics and musicians add perspectives and insight on the creative process, mental health, and commercialisation of art. Ultimately this is a love story for the ages and a rousing exploration of life and creativity. As David himself says, “art saved my life”. But that’s just the beginning of this story…

Burn Gently 

Directed by Sensible Antix

Where you can see it SBS On Demand

Our coverage Interview: Antony Attridge AKA Sensible Antixx

The history of hip-hop in Australia, exploring the impact of breakout artists, the public response to the genre, its entry into mainstream consciousness in the 1990s and how the artform became a medium for social commentary.

The Cape

Directed by Justine A. Rosenthal and Michael Ware

Where you can watch it Stan

The disappearance of a father and son in a tropical Australian bayou of crocodiles and mangrove swamps unravels a dynastic alliance between formidable fishing clans.

Carmen

Directed by Benjamin Millepied
Written by Alexander Dinelaris Loïc Barrère and Benjamin Millepied
Produced by Mimi Valdes
Starring Melissa Barrera and Paul Mescal

Where you can see it Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Microsoft, Google Play, Telstra TV Box Office, Fetch and disc

Starring Melissa Barrera & Paul Mescal, Benjamin Millepied’s Carmen is a gritty modern day tale, with a majestic score by Nicholas Britell, and dream-like dance sequences that evoke magic realism. The story follows a young and fiercely independent woman who is forced to flee her home in the Mexican desert following the brutal murder of her mother, another strong and mysterious woman.

Carmen survives a terrifying and dangerous illegal border crossing into the US, only to be confronted by a lawless volunteer border guard who cold-bloodedly murders two other immigrants in her group. When the border guard and his patrol partner, Aidan—a Marine with PTSD—become embroiled in a deadly standoff, Carmen and Aidan are forced to escape together. They make their way north toward Los Angeles in search of Carmen’s mother’s best friend, the mercurial Masilda and owner of La Sombra nightclub – a sanctuary of music and dance. Carmen and Aidan find both solace and their unwavering love for each other in the safety of Masilda’s magical refuge, but time is running out as the police hunt closes in.

 

The Carnival

Directed by Isabel Darling

Where you can see it General release TBA

Go on an epic road trip with the Bells, a sixth-generation carnival family, as they haul their convoy of trucks, rides and workers from Batemans Bay to Darwin and back. The Carnival captures the intimate moments of the sixth-generation carnival family, the Bells, as they haul their convoy of trucks, rides and workers from Batemans Bay to Darwin and back.

Filmed over seven years, their journey includes pandemic shutdowns, bushfires, persistent rain and rising fuel costs – with a dwindling economy thrown in. The close-knit family battles not only to keep Australia’s oldest show on the road, but ultimately to keep their carnival legacy alive.

Christmess

Written and directed by Heath Davis
Produced by Daniel Fenech
Starring Steve Le Marquand, Darren Gilshenan, Hannah Joy and Nicole Pastor

Where you can see it Binge

Our coverage Read our chat with Hannah Joy | Cinema Australia Podcast #107 | Heath Davis

A once famous actor is now performing as Santa Claus in a mall because of his alcohol addiction. After accidentally meeting his estranged daughter he seeks help for his recovery in order to win his daughter’s forgiveness.

Danielle Laidly: Two Tribes

Written and directed by Julie Kalceff and Sam Matthews
Produced by Alison Kenter
Featuring Danielle Laidley and Donna Leckie

Where you can see it Stan

Explores former AFL star Danielle Laidley’s extraordinary life, utilising personal archival material including photos, journals and videos showcasing the highs – and lows – of becoming the remarkable and resilient woman she is today.

Damage

Written and directed by Madeleine Blackwell
Produced by Madeleine Blackwell, Sharon Cleary and Peter Thurmer
Starring Ali Al Jenabi and Imelda Bourke

Where you can see it In cinemas from February 2024

Ali drives a cab with another man’s license and relies on GPS to find his way around a city he doesn’t know. His passenger, Esther, is an old woman who does not remember where she is going.

 

The Dark Emu Story

Directed by Allan Clarke
Written by Allan Clarke and Jacob Hickey
Featuring Bruce Pascoe

Where you can watch it ABC iView

A thought-provoking documentary that charts the impact of Bruce Pascoe’s Dark Emu – the book that challenged Australia to rethink its history and ignited a debate that continues to rage. Winner of Walkley Award for Excellence in Australian Journalism.

Disconnect Me

Written and directed by Alex Lykos
Produced by Janette Lakiss, Alex Lykos and Peter Maple
Featuring Alex Lykos, Gil Ben-Moshe, Janette Lakiss and James Morcan

Where you can see it General home release TBA

Disconnect Me focuses on Alex, who experiments with disconnecting from his smartphone and social media for 30 days. How will this impact his life both personally and professionally? In the grand scheme of things, how does this affect you?

Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story

Directed by Paul Goldman
Written by Sara Edwards, Paul Goldman and Bethany Jones
Featuring Jimmy Barnes, Garbage and Dave Grohl

Where you can see it Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Microsoft, Google Play, Telstra TV Box Office, Fetch and disc

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #101 | Paul Goldman

The wild ride of maverick entrepreneur Michael Gudinski who defied convention and revolutionised the Australian music industry.

Elect Lincoln

Written, directed and produced by Lincoln Cook

Where you can see it General home release TBA

Fed up with the state of Australian politics, Australian independent senate candidate Lincoln Cook, sets out on a fact finding mission to Aotearoa NZ. In search of real leadership, a new style of politics and new policy ideas. Lincoln interviews leaders from across the political spectrum, as he follows Jacinda Ardern’s re-election campaign during the 2020 outbreak of Covid-19.

Frank and Frank

Written and directed by Adam Morris
Produced by Ian Hale, Adam Morris and Suzanne Worner
Starring Myles Pollard, Trevor Jamieson and Rebecca Leafe

Where you can see it Currently screening at Kookaburra Outdoor Cinema in Mundaring, Perth. General home release TBA.

Our coverage Interview: Myles Pollard

The new philosophical dramedy, also known as Frank and Frank (or the Valley and the Walrus: Ruminations on the Mystery from Soup to Nuts), follows Frank 1 (Myles Pollard), a faith and finance guru who heads to the country to present at a regional conference only to find out his wife (Rebecca Leafe) is thinking of leaving him.

As his life unravels, he finds comfort in his new neighbour Frank 2 (Trevor Jamieson), an itinerant artist, bon vivant and serial womaniser who just might save his life or ruin it completely once and for all.

Frank and Frank is writer and director Adam Morris’ sophomore feature film following his highly-regarded debut, Edward and Isabella. The film is produced by Ian Hale, Adam Morris and Suzanne Worner and features music by Drapht, Nick Cave, Steve Pigram, The Waifs, Kris Nelson and Mardae Selepak.

Flyways: The untold journey of migratory shorebirds

Directed by Randall Wood
Written by Alex Barry, Suzanne Smith and Randall Wood
Produced by Rebecca Mcelroy and Randall Wood
Narrated by Mia Wasikowska

Where you can watch it General home release TBA

With the world’s migratory shorebirds and their epic Flyways under threat, scientists, in search of a smoking gun, race to map their journeys. Shorebirds fly thousands of miles each year along ancient and largely unknown migratory routes called Flyways.

Species travel from feeding grounds in the southern hemisphere to breeding grounds in the Arctic regions and back again, flying up to nine days non-stop without food or water. They are the world’s greatest endurance athletes and their navigational skills on these marathon migrations are as extraordinary as they are mysterious.

Ford v Holden

Directed by Serge Ou and Martin Baker
Written by Serge Ou, Martin Baker and Stephen Waller
Produced by Ruby Schmidt
Narrated by Shane Jacobson

Where you can see it Apple TV

Narrated by Shane Jacobson, Ford v Holden is a feature-length documentary that explores the decades-long competition between two of Australia’s most iconic car brands: Ford and Holden. From the early days of the automobile industry to the present, FORD V HOLDEN delves into the history, technology and culture of these rival companies and their impact on the Australian psyche and automotive landscape.

 

The Fort

Directed by Carly-Anne Kenneally and Jess Kenneally
Written by Jess Kenneally
Produced by Carly-Anne Kenneally, Jess Kenneally and Leanne Tonkes

Where you can see it General release TBA. Host your own screening via FanForce.

Our coverage Interview: Jess Kenneally and Carly Anne Kenneally

A young mother travels to her son’s imaginary world to cope with the reality of her abusive relationship.

Get Free

Directed by Daniel Widdowson
Written by Amanda Giles and Craig Giles
Produced by Craig Giles and Amanda Giles
Starring Kaitlyn Boyé, Ana Thu Nguyen and Shane Emmett

Where you can see it Host your own cinema screening via FanForce

Following a disastrous day at the hospital, intern Kaylee parties with her glamourous friends to drown her sorrows. She thinks she has met Mr Right, (Jordan) and goes back to his luxurious hotel. Little does she realise that her friends were drugged and sold by Jordan’s associate while she was enjoying a night of bliss. The next morning, Kaylee is horrified when she discovers Jordan’s computer displaying the night’s catch of young girls. She’s then drugged and shipped off to Jordan’s soundproof basement to keep her quiet. After forging a weapon from a cymbal, she stabs Jordan and breaks free.

Vince and Mel head up the criminals who are taking young women and children. They have been grooming Bree and Debbi for a few months and are ready to seize the opportunity when it presents. These predators find it easy to coerce Debbi as she is blinded by the glitz and glamour of free drugs and expensive clothes. Streetwise Bree is repulsed by the idea and tries to run. She accepts her fate when Vince threatens her family which includes capturing her little brother. Bree agrees to one ‘date’.

Bree’s parents report the abduction to the police… Lynn pleads with Ayesha for help, who is over-run by the demands of a busy Police Station; they almost come to blows. Sargent Marley empowers Ayesha to chase down the criminals and she acts quickly to reconcile differences with Lynn. Police do find Bree before she is harmed but her friend Debs is not so fortunate.

The Giants

Written, directed and produced by Rachel Antony and Laurence Billiet
Featuring Bob Brown

Where you can see it Apple TV, YouTube, DocPlay, Telstra TV Box Office, Vimeo, Prime Video and disc

Our coverage Interview: Laurence Billiet and Rachael Antony

The Giants explores the intertwined fates of trees and humans in this cinematic portrait of environmental folk hero and gay icon Bob Brown who took green politics to the centre of power. From a seedling to forest elder The Giants interweaves Bob’s story with the life cycle of the ancient trees he is fighting for.

The hidden life of the forest is brought to life by cameras rigged high in the tree canopy, immersive point cloud animation generated from 3D tree scans, and thought-provoking insights by the likes of David Suzuki and Merlin Sheldrake.

Drawing on Bob’s lifetime of activism, from the Franklin to the Tarkine, The Giants ignites an urgent conversation about the right of the Forest to exist and challenges the audience to write the next chapter.

Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism

Directed by Nick Kozakis
Written by Alexander Angliss-Wilson
Produced by Tony Coombs, Lauren Simpson and Timothy Whiting
Starring Georgia Eyers, Dan Ewing and Tim Pocock

Where you can watch it Fetch, AppleTV, Google Play, Prime Video and disc

Our coverage Interview: Nick Kozakis | Interview: Dan Ewing | Cinema Australia Podcast #104: Georgia Eyers

Lara is a woman tormented, torn between science and faith. Pushed by her husband to seek treatment from a congregation of zealots, a ruthless exorcist will try to save her soul by putting an innocent woman through hell.

The Greatest Surf Movie in the Universe

Directed by Vaughan Blakey and Nick Pollet
Written by Nick Pollet
Produced by Blake Northfield
Starring Luke Hemsworth, Mick Fanning, Craig Anderson, Mason Ho, Griffin Colapinto, Jack Freestone, Matt Wilkinson & feat. Kelly Slater

Where you can see it In select cinemas from January 5

10 years from now a virus more deadly and more contagious than anything we’ve ever seen decimates all the world’s living creatures. Facing a total extinction event, a brilliant geneticist named Dr Jonathan Figg discovers a miracle vaccine that is fast tracked into production, saving the final remnants of humanity. Unfortunately, there’s one terrible side effect-the vaccine completely erases all memory of surfing from the human mind.

It’s a strange and abstract time as the World’s Best Surfers stumble blindly into new lives and careers oblivious to the incredible talents they once possessed.

Sensing the total extinction of wave riding, the surf God, Huey, makes a last-ditch effort to save surfing. He scours the globe until, high on a mountain top in Tibet, he finds the one man capable of bringing surfing back from the dead.

With his memory reinstated by Huey, it’s now up to the three Time World Champion Surfer Mick Fanning to recruit a team of the world’s best surfers (including Mason Ho, Griffin Colapinto, Jack Freestone, Craig Anderson and Matt Wilkinson) and restore the glory of surfing back into public consciousness. There’s only one way to do it and that’s to make… The Greatest Surf Movie In The Universe.

Here Be Dragons

Written and directed by Alastair Newton Brown
Produced by Alastair Newton Brown, Nathan Sapsford and Marc Windon
Starring Nathan Sapsford, Slobodan Bestic and Marija Bergam

Where you can see it General release TBA

A war crimes investigator goes to Belgrade to hunt a man whom everybody thought was dead.

House of Inequity

Written and directed by Josh Hale
Produced by Josh Hale, Nicole Leo and Stephen Simmons
Starring Todd Leigh, Parker Little and Brittany Bell

Where you can see it Tubi

A day trip takes a turn for the worse when a group of friends investigate an abandoned house. The nightmare’s quickly become a reality when they are forced to face their own personal fears, and survive a night in The House of Inequity.

I Want to Thank the Academy

Directed by Jonathon James Williams
Written by Daniel Wallner and Jonathon James Williams
Starring Jeff Alan-Lee, Sara Albrecht and Brian Berglund

Where you can see it General home release TBA

Richard Wilken’s is an Australian cattle farmer who moves to Hollywood to chase his unlikely dream of becoming an actor. Along this impossible journey we enter into the heart of Hollywood like never before as Richard helplessly pursues his dreams and moonlights with an unusual job.

Isla’s Way

Written and directed by Marion Pilowsky
Produced by Georgia Humphreys and Marion Pilowsky
Featuring Susan Phillips-Rees and Isla Wakefield Roberts

Where you can see it General release TBA

Our coverage Creative processes, authenticity and connections to real people: Marion Pilowsky writes about her new film, Isla’s Way

From bush mechanic living in extreme isolation to carriage driving legend, 87 year old Isla could be the first and last Australian cowboy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqv1fJiORZo

It Only Takes a Night

Written and directed by Callan Durlik
Produced by Kara Pisconeri, Josh Horneman and Callan Durlik
Starring Eliza Taylor, George Pullar, Arielle Carver-O’Neill and Tom O’Sullivan

Where to watch it Apple TV, Google Play, Telstra TV Box Office, Prime Video, YouTube and Fetch

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #99 Callan Durlik

Four best friends on a wild night end up on a path none of them expected and find it only takes one night to find true love.

John Farnham: Finding the Voice

Jones Family Christmas

Directed by Stef Smith
Written by Tegan Higginbotham
Produced by Richard Kelly and John Molloy
Starring Heather Mitchell, Ella Scott Lynch, Max McKenna, Neil Melville, Nicholas Denton, Dushan Philips

Where you can see it Stan

Grandmother Heather Jones has finally managed to get her family home for Christmas. But before the festivities begin, they receive a fire evacuation order. Now, the family must band together as they rediscover what matters most – each other.Grandmother Heather Jones has finally managed to get her family home for Christmas. But before the festivities begin, they receive a fire evacuation order. Now, the family must band together as they rediscover what matters most – each other.

Kane

Written and directed by Blair Moore
Produced by Blake Northfield
Starring Tammin Sursok, Nathan Phillips, Jake Ryan, Holly Brisley, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor and Clayton Watson

Where you can see it Google, iTunes, Fetch, Foxtel, Telstra, Sky, Amazon TVOD from January 3 and disc from January 7

Benny works for old school crime boss Abe, Abe has multiple personalities and is in a gang war with the notorious Frankie. Kane is the deadliest of Abe’s personalities, the next 24 hours will be a killer. Today is a good day to die.

Kindred

Directed by Gillian Moody and Adrian Russell Wills

Where you can see it ABC iView

A journey into the emotional landscape of family, love and loss of two close friends, both Aboriginal, who were adopted by white families and have connected back with their bloodline families.

The Last Daughter

Directed by Brenda Matthews and Nathaniel Schmidt
Featuring Brenda Matthews Mark Matthews and Mac Ockers

Where you can see it Netflix

Our coverage Interview: Brenda Matthews

Brenda’s first memories were of growing up in a loving white foster family, before she was suddenly taken away and returned to her Aboriginal family.

Decades later, she feels disconnected from both halves of her life. But the traumas of her past do not lie quietly buried. So, she goes searching for the foster family with whom she had lost all contact.

Along the way she uncovers long-buried secrets, government lies, and the possibility for deeper connections to family and culture. The Last Daughter is a documentary about Brenda’s journey to unearth the truth about her past, and to reconcile the two sides of her family.

The Lies We Tell Ourselves

Written, directed and produced by Saara Lamberg
Starring Saara Lamberg, Ezel Doruk, Jane Badler

Where you can see it Lido Cinemas from February 1, 2024. General release TBA.

An eccentric director on the rise travels to Cannes, Berlin, New Caledonia, Australia and England to create her latest art house film and jumps many entertaining hurdles before realizing her vision.

Limbo

Written and directed by Ivan Sen
Produced by Rachel Higgins, David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin

Where you can see it ABC iView, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Prime Video

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #95 | Ivan Sen and Simon Baker

Limbo follows the investigation of a twenty year-old outback cold case murder by jaded detective Travis Hurley.

Lindy Lou

Directed by Anthony Ring
Written by Lisa Bertoldo
Produced by Lisa Bertoldo and Anthony Ring
Starring Lisa Bertoldo, Daryl Heath and Shaun Dreiberg

Where you can see it General release date TBA

A young woman’s life is thrown into turmoil after a tragic loss. Constantly fighting the perils of rural life and the constant criticism and pressure from the media and her family.

Love is in the Air

Directed by Adrian Powers
Written by Adrian Powers, Caera Bradshaw and Katharine McPhee
Produced by Steve Jaggi, Kylie Pascoe and Kelly Son Hing
Starring Delta Goodrem, Joshua Sasse and Roy Billing

Where you can see it Netflix

Our coverage Interview: Adrian Powers

A seaplane pilot flying in the tropics finds herself falling for the man sent to sink her business.

Love Road

Written, directed and produced by Ulysses Oliver
Starring Aileen Beale, Shalane Connors and Ishak Issa

Where you can see it General release date TBA

Our coverage Interview: Ulysses Oliver

A romance road movie tracking the break-down of a relationship across the same terrain but over three different time periods.

Mercy Road

Directed by John Curran
Written by John Curran, Jesse Heffring and Christopher Lee Pelletier
Produced by Alex Proyas, Daniaile Jarry, Gary Hamilton, Michelle Krumm, Penny Karlin and Ying Ye
Starring Luke Bracey Huw Higginson and Toby Jones

Where you can see it Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video

Pushed to the limit and on the edge of sanity, single father Tom learns just how far he must go to protect what matters most to him. His daughter Ruby has been abducted, and to save her, he must carry out a series of tasks as instructed by a disembodied, psychopathic voice on the other side of a phone call. Battling against near-impossible odds, Tom realises that the true ransom demanded of him is a piece of his own soul.

Monolith

Directed by Matt Vesely
Written by Lucy Campbell
Produced by Bettina Hamilton
Starring Lily Sullivan, Ling Cooper Tang and Ansuya Nathan

Where you can see it Apple TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, YouTube and Fetch TV

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #99 Matt Vesely | Interview: Lily Sullivan

This claustrophobic sci-fi thriller follows a disgraced journalist confronted with an unexplained artefact that may not be of this world, but is about to become the centre of hers.

The Musical Mind… A Portrait in Process

Directed by Scott Hicks
Produced by Kerry Heysen
Written by Jethro Heysen-Hicks
Featuring Daniel Johns, David Helfgott and Ben Folds

Where you can see it General home release TBA

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #106 | Scott Hicks

Inspired by the 25th Anniversary of ‘Shine (1996)’, the mysterious world of musical genius of brilliant musicians is explored as well as transformational story-telling, the mystery of prodigy and the impact of music on the brain.

My Darling in Stirling

Written, directed and produced by Bill Mousoulis
Starring Amelie Dunda, Henry Cooper, Tina Crawford, Lisa Boothey, Joshua Blenkiron and Grace Mezak

Where you can watch it General release date TBA

Told entirely through song, My Darling in Stirling recounts the story of Emma, a young girl who, on a spontaneous trip to visit her aunt in Stirling, falls in love with a local boy.

The New Boy

Written and directed by Warwick Thornton
Produced by Cate Blanchett, Lorenzo De Maio, Georgie Pym, Kath Shelper and Andrew Upton
Starring Cate Blanchett, Aswan Reid, Deborah Mailman and Wayne Blair

Where you can se it Google Play, Apple TV Store and Prime Video

Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett stars in this Cannes-selected drama from acclaimed Australian filmmaker Warwick Thornton.

Set in 1940s Australia, the film depicts the mesmeric story of a nine-year-old Aboriginal orphan boy who arrives in the dead of night at a remote monastery run by a renegade nun (Blanchett). The new boy’s presence disturbs the delicately balanced world in this story of spiritual struggle and the cost of survival.

OneFour: Against All Odds

Directed by Gabriel Gasparinatos
Written by Gabriel Gasparinatos, Erin Moy and Joseph Nizeti
Produced by Erin Moy, Sarah Noonan and Jennifer Peedom

Where you can see it Netflix

This documentary traces the meteoric rise of Australia’s first drill rap stars, defiant in the face of police’s efforts to stop them from performing.

Paco

Written and directed by Tim Carlier
Produced by Tim Carlier and Tim Hodgson
Starring Manuel Ashman

Where you can see it General release TBA

The surreal metafictional comic odyssey of a sound recordist in search of his most crucial possession – his radio microphone. When an actress runs away with one of Manny’s microphones he must retrieve it or face dire consequences. Hearing only the sound from Manny’s boom microphone, and the runaway actress’ radio mic, we follow Manny on a treacherous journey through Music Videos, Timetravellers, the dreaded Sound Council and more.

Petrol

Written and directed by Alena Lodkina
Produced by Kate Laurie
Starring Nathalie Morris and Hannah Lynch

Where you can see it SBS On Demand

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #96 | Alena Lodkina

An idealistic film student is drawn into a shadowy and intoxicating world when she befriends an enigmatic performance artist.

The Portable Door

Directed by Jeffrey Walker
Written by Leon Ford
Produced by Todd Fellman
Starring Christoph Waltz, Patrick Gibson, Damon Herriman and Sam Neill

Where you can see it Stan

Paul Carpenter is an intern at a mysterious London firm with unconventional employers, including a CEO who wants to disrupt the ancient magical world with modern corporate practices.

Puzzle Box

Written and directed by Jack Dignan
Produced by Jack Dignan and Morgan Wright
Starring Kaitlyn Boyé, Laneikka Denne, Cassandre Girard, Janelle McMenamin, Matias Klaver and Hazel Pompeani

Where you can see it 2024 release date TBA

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #102 | Jack Dignan

Puzzle Box follows substance abuser Kait (Kaitlyn Boyé) who flees to a house in the woods to self-rehabilitate, while her sister Olivia (Laneikka Denne) joins to document the process. Following their arrival the house’s layout begins to change, trapping them inside an inescapable puzzle box.

Rachel’s Farm

Directed by Rachel Ward and Ljudan Michaelis-Thorpe
Written by Rachel Ward

Where you can see it DocPlay, Apple TV, YouTube, Prime Vide, Fetch, Google Play, Vimeo and Microsoft

Film director and actress Rachel Ward is not the first person you’d expect to join a farming revolution. In this triumphant film, Rachel voyages from wilful ignorance about the ecological impacts of conventional agriculture on her own rural property, to embracing a movement to restore the health of Australia’s farmland, food and climate.

Radio Man

Written and directed by Brad Newland
Produced by Marina Martini and Brad Newland
Starring Mason Hewett, Sascha Turich and Brad Newland

Where you can see it Sunday, January 14 at The Backlot Perth. General release date TBA.

After spending a night asleep in a high-powered radio telescope dish, Jack acquires a unique skill of being able to transmit all types of radio waves in his mind. Prior to this incident Jack is having a bad run, he has just broken up with his girlfriend, lost his job and has no money and is about to be kicked out of his house.

Rainbow Video

Written, directed and produced by Jessie Scott

Where you can see it General release TBA

Our coverage Interview: Jessie Scott

Inspired by Tom Roston’s oral history ‘I Lost it at the Video Store’, this playful feature length documentary uses a deep local focus to show how VHS changed art forever. As the video shop era fades to black, RAINBOW VIDEO delves into the eclectic personal collections and practices of some of Melbourne’s most renowned contemporary media artists. Through lively interviews and site studies of many legendary, now defunct video shops, RAINBOW VIDEO uncovers a secret history of a brief but impactful era. For those of us who grew up in the 80s-we were the video generation.

Born into the video shop era, our youths passed along with it. And although it was a mass pop-cultural phenomenon, artists, filmmakers and weirdos of all stripes also flocked to these places on a Friday night and worked in them (or wished they did). Artists and programmers such as Philip Brophy, Ian Haig, Cassandra Tytler, Xanthe Dobbie, Jean Lizza, Diego Ramirez and Spiro Economopoulos delve into their own libraries, and back catalogues, to talk about how they used video shops: as a direct source of material, as an informal, accessible art school, and as a social space to trade in cultural capital. Against a backdrop of 30 years of constantly shifting technology, RAINBOW VIDEO explores a twin history of indie video shops and libraries in Melbourne, and the underground artists that used them, proving video shops weren’t just a plot point on the historical chart of film distribution, but a crucial period of transition, whose impact lives on.

Rampage Electra

Written and directed by Hassibullah Kushkaki
Produced by Hassibullah Kushkaki and Juan Felipe Sarmiento
Starring Mikayla Levy, James Broadhurst, Fiona Cooper and Vanessa Cobbs

Where you can see it General release date TBA

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #97 | Hassibullah Kushkaki

Hannah Electra has been expelled from five schools in three years. Outcast and labelled dangerous, Hannah is having a hard time understanding why. Hannah’s father has protected her from the truth, but it seems that Hannah is not a kid anymore. As Hannah’s father reveals the truth about her mother, events take place that change Hannah’s life forever.

The Red Shoes: Next Step

Directed by Jesse Ahern and Joanne Samuel
Written by John Banas, Zachary Layner and Peter McLeod
Produced by Jesse Ahern
Starring Juliet Doherty, Lauren Esposito and Joel Burke

Where you can see it Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video and YouTube

When Sam’s world begins to spiral following an unexpected life-changing event, she must confront her emotions and fear to reignite her deep love for dance.

The Rooster

Written and directed by Mark Leonard Winter
Produced by Geraldine Hakewill and Mahveen Shahraki
Starring Phoenix Raei and Hugo Weaving

Where you can see it In cinemas from February 22, 2024

Our coverage Interview: Mark Leonard Winter

When the body of his oldest friend is found buried in a shallow grave, Dan, a small-town cop, seeks answers from a volatile Hermit who may have been the last person to see his friend alive.

The Royal Hotel

Directed by Kitty Green
Written by Kitty Green and Oscar Redding
Produced by Liz Watts, Emile Sherman, Kath Shelper and Iain Canning

Where you can see it Binge

Our coverage Interview: Kitty Green

Backpackers Hanna and Liv take a job in a remote Australian pub for some extra cash and are confronted with a bunch of unruly locals and a situation that grows rapidly out of their control.

Run Rabbit Run

Directed by Daina Reid
Written by Hannah Kent
Produced by Anna McLeish and Sarah Shaw
Starring Sarah Snook, Lily LaTorre and Neil Melville

Where you can see it Netflix

Sarah Snook plays a fertility doctor who believes firmly in life and death, but after noticing the strange behavior of her young daughter, she must challenge her own values and confront a ghost from her past.

A Savage Christmas

Directed by Madeleine Dyer
Written by Madeleine Dyer, Max Jahufer and Daniel Mulvihill
Produced by Madeleine Dyer, Ben McNeill and Daniel Mulvihill
Starring Helen Thomson, David Roberts, Rekha Ryan, Darren Gilshenan, Ryan Morgan, Max Jahufer and Thea Raveneau

Where you can see it Binge

After years of estrangement, trans woman Davina Savage returns home for Christmas. Expecting her transition to be the focus, it’s overshadowed by family secrets and lies which threaten not only their lives – but another Christmas lunch.

Scarygirl

Directed by Ricard Cussó and Tania Vincent
Written by Craig Behenna, Matt Everitt and Nathan Jurevicius
Produced by Nadine Bates, Sophie Byrne, Ryan Greaves and Kristen Souvlis
Starring Jillian Nguyen, Sam Neill, Tim Minchin, Anna Torv, Liv Hewson, Mark Coles Smith, Deborah Mailman and Dylan Alcott

Where you can see it Now available on disc

Our coverage Interview: Jillian Nguyen

When her world is threatened by a loss of sunlight, a young girl must overcome her fears and journey to a fantastical city, save her father from a mysterious scientist and prevent the destruction of her planet.

 

Shayda

Written and directed by Noora Niasari
Produced by Vincent Sheehan and Noora Niasari
Starring Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Leah Purcell, Osamah Sami, Selina Zahednia and Jillian Nguyen

Where you can see it General home release TBA

Shayda, a brave Iranian mother, finds refuge in an Australian women’s shelter with her six-year-old daughter. Over Persian New Year, they take solace in Nowruz rituals and new beginnings, but when her estranged husband re-enters their lives, Shayda’s path to freedom is jeopardised.

Shit

Directed by Susie Dee and Trudy Hellier
Written by Patricia Cornelius
Produced by Jannine Barnes and Eyvonne Carfora
Starring Peta Brady, Sarah Ward, Nicci Wilks, Sam O’Reilly and Madeleine Dyer

Where you can see it General home release TBA

Over one long night of incarceration in a holding cell, Billy, Bobby and Sam reveal their stories, of a lifetime of violence, of abuse, of institutionalisation, told with unsentimental, sometimes comical, often gut-wrenching insight. They’ve done something terrible, but all they’ve got to do is keep it together, to keep their mouths zipped. Sam has fallen apart and become a liability, while Billy and Bobby spend the night trying to hold tight, keeping them solid, a complete three… but life has finally caught up with them. They’re right, they think, they’ll be fine, they think, no-one will discover they’ve committed a dreadful crime. They will stay together. Because what they fear most is to be separated.

Slant 

Directed by James Vinson
Written by Michael Nikou
Produced by Monique Fisher, Tessa Mansfield-Hung, Michael Nikou, Alexandros Ouzas and James Vinson
Starring Michael Nikou, Sigrid Thornton, Ra Chapman, Ryan A. Murphy, Kate Lister, Elle Mandalis and Pia Miranda

Where you can see it General home release TBA

Our coverage Interview: Michael Nikou | Interview: Sigrid Thornton

Melbourne. 1999. Christmas time. In this darkly comic thriller, a career-crazed journalist dredges up the sordid secrets of an infamous socialite after her mysterious disappearance.

Sleeping Beauties

Written and directed by Stuart Simpson
Produced by Intan Kieflie and Judd Tilyard
Starring Intan Kieflie, Jeffery Richards, Mandie Combe

Where you can see it General release TBA

Cahya gets a job as a maid working in an isolated old mansion. Pregnant and a recent widow, she is desperate to reconnect with her husband, opening a doorway to the spirit world. And in doing so, inadvertently awakens the tormented ghosts of her current employer, the previous maids.

Streets of Colour

Written and directed by Ronnie S. Riskalla
Produced by Yolandi Franken and Ronnie S. Riskalla
Starring Rahel Romahn, Veronica Cloherty, Elliott Giarola, Thuso Lekwape, Peter Maple and Athiéi

Where you can see it Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video, YouTube and Fetch

After being blamed for the death of his best friend in a racist street fight. Tez a 25 year old drug dealer loses custody to a son he’s never met. He must now find a way to get his life back on track and get his son before it’s too late.

Suka

Directed by Heidi Lee Douglas
Written by Tsu Shan Chambers and Lily Cheng
Produced by Tsu Shan Chambers
Starring Paul W. He, Jenny Wu and Grace Huang

Where you can see it Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video and Fetch

In Western Sydney where crime gangs rule, the Yang clan’s thirst for power continues to threaten the lives of many. The Dawood family is their only line of defence against them. Wasiya, the Dawood matriarch, stealthily forges alliances to quash the hold of the Yang family – led by their patriarch, Jun– who murdered her husband when she was heavily pregnant.

Sunflower

Written and directed by Gabriel Carrubba
Produced by Zane Borg
Starring Liam Mollica, Luke J. Morgan, Olivia Fildes, Daniel Halmarick and Elias Anton

Where you can see it General release TBA

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #100 | Gabriel Carrubba

A seventeen-year-old boy struggles to understand and embrace his sexuality as he comes of age in the working class suburbs on Melbourne’s edge.

Sun Moon & Thalia

Written, directed and produced by Arnold Luke Carter
Starring Claudia Haines-Cappeau, Grady Swithenbank, Jesse Hislop and Ashton Bolt

Where you can see it General release TBA

After witnessing a star fall to earth, young author Pandora makes a deal with the Moon to use the stars abilities to watch the dreams of people through a window in a room in her mind. One day she finds herself stuck in the room unable to wake up, with a man on the other side of her window in his own dream room, and two mysterious phones to speak through.

Sweet Rhythm

Directed by Dylan Randall and George Burton
Written by Dylan Randall
Starring Prudence Ackrill, Hannah Julii Anderson and Lainey O’Sullivan

Where you can see it General release TBA

Our coverage Dylan Randall fills us in on his new rock ‘n’ roll romance, Sweet Rhythm

Sweet Rhythm is a 1977 Rock N’ Roll, Jazz and Disco inspired musical that follows Jennifer, Dani and Stephanie as they experience the thrills of being in their 20s.

Talk to Me

Directed by Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou
Written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman
Starring Sophie Wilde, Zoe Terakes, Miranda Otto, Joe Bird and Alexandra Jensen

Where you can see it Netflix, Google Play, Apple TV, YouTube, Prime Video and disc

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #98 | Danny & Michael Philippou

When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.

Tennessine

Directed by Amin Palangi
Written by Amin Palangi and Osamah Sami
Starring Osamah Sami, Faezeh Alavi and Robert Rabiah

Where you can see it General release TBA

Our coverage Interview: Amin Palangi

Arash arrives in Australia to reunite with the love of his life, Nazanin. After heading to a cabin in the woods, Arash soon realizes his elusive lover is harboring deep secrets, leading him down a path of self-destruction.

Time Addicts

Written and directed by Sam Odlum
Produced by Tessa Mansfield-Hung, Sam Odlum and Alexandros Ouzas
Starring Freya Tingley, Charles Grounds. Joshua Morton and Elise Jansen

Where you can see it In select cinemas now. General home release TBA

In desperate debt to their volatile drug dealer, best friends, Denise and Johnny, agree to a sketchy job to pay off their last hit – breaking into a decrepit stash house to steal a bag of mysterious drugs. But whilst getting into the house may be easy, escape proves more troublesome, as the pair find themselves trapped inside with a deranged fiend.

With no way out and not one to miss an opportunity, Johnny smokes the new drug and promptly travels into the past, triggering alarming new events in the future. Separated through time, Denise is left alone to confront her past, their dealer Kane’s real identity, and her very own existence.

True Spirit

Directed by Sarah Spillane
Written by Sarah Spillane, Rebecca Banner and Cathy Randall
Produced by Susan Cartsonis, Debra Martin Chase and Andrew Fraser
Starring Teagan Croft, Alyla Browne, Cliff Curtis, Josh Lawson and Anna Paquin

Where you can see it Netflix

The story of Australian teenager, Jessica Watson, the youngest person ever to sail solo, non-stop around the world.

The Survival of Kindness

Written and directed by Rolf de Heer
Produced by Julie Byrne and Rolf de Heer
Starring Mwajemi Hussein, Darsan Sharma and Deepthi Sharma

Where you can see it Fetch, Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #93 | Rolf de Heer

Followed by BlackWoman, who is abandoned in a cage in the middle of the desert. Once she escapes the cage, she walks from desert to mountain to city, to find – more captivity.

This is Going to be Big

Directed by Thomas Charles Hyland
Produced by Catherine Bradbury
Featuring Halle, Josh and Chelsea

Where you can see it General release TBA

Peer behind the curtain as a cast of neurodivergent teens prepare to come of age and hit the stage in their school’s time-travelling, John Farnham–themed musical.

Three Chords and the Truth

Written and directed by Claire Pasvolsky
Produced by Bin Li, Steve Pasvolsky and Ian Sutherland
Starring Jackie Marshall, Maisie Owens, Matthew Heys, Timothy Blundell and Leigh Ivin

Where you can see it Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video

If Angie wasn’t so self-sabotaging, she could have been one of Australia’s leading musicians. Now in her forties, she finds herself terminally ill and alone. She struggles financially and plays in a seedy pub to fund the recording of her final album. When Angie meets Ruby, a teenage runaway, the two form an unlikely bond when Angieteaches her to play guitar and write songs… but as Ruby becomes reliant on Angie, it becomes unbearable for Angie to tell her new young friend that she only has months to live.

Violett

Written, directed and produced by Steven J. Mihaljevich
Starring Georgia Eyers, Angela Punch McGregor, Sam Dudley and Jay Jay Jegathesan

Where you can see it The Backlot Perth January 7, 10 and 13

Our coverage Cinema Australia Podcast #104: Georgia Eyers

A series of strange child disappearances have left the rural town of Miles in a state of disbelief. A sick Mother Sonya, fears unspeakable evil will soon snatch her 11 year old daughter Violett, from her sight.

 

Watandar, My Countryman

Directed by Jolyon Hoff
Written by Muzafar Ali, Jolyon Hoff and Kate Stone
Produced by Muzafar Ali, Jolyon Hoff and Hamish Gibbs Ludbrook

Where you can see it General release TBA

When former Afghan Refugee Muzafar Ali, discovers that Afghans have been an integral part of Australia for over 160 years, he begins to photograph their descendants in a search to define his own new Afghan-Australian identity. Then the Taliban take over Afghanistan and his old country comes calling.

Westermarck Effect

Written, directed and produced by Saara Lamberg
Starring Saara Lamberg, Jayden Denke and Kevin Dee

Where you can see it General release TBA

Sally gave her son Sam up for adoption 20 years ago and when they reunite, they fall passionately in love with devastating consequences.

White Blood

Written, directed and produced by Richard Williams
Starring Arielle Cartwright and Liam Walker

Where you can see it Google Play, YouTube Movies and disc

Written, produced and directed by Williams, White Blood is an intense thriller that explores the complex themes of mental health and toxic relationships, following Betty (Arielle Cartwright) and Mark (Liam Walker), a young couple who plan on acting out a suicide pact during one last romantic trip to a rural cabin, until the mental turmoil slowly turns them against each other. This film, which was produced during the height of the pandemic lockdowns in Australia, features a cast of two and a single location, making for an exceptionally personal viewing experience.

You Me and the Penguins

Directed by Christine Luby
Starring Tammin Sursok, Jason Wilder, Madeleine West, Nick Hardcastle and Martin Dingle Wall

Where you can see it Apple TV

Tilly works at the NYC Animal Discovery Institute, but dreams of getting out of the office and into the field. So, when the Crystal Bay Penguin Centre is threatened with closure, she seizes the opportunity and travels to Australia to save the Centre. What she doesn’t expect, is to fall in love with the Penguins… and their pragmatic keeper Dr. Fletcher Grant.

You’ll Never Find Me

Directed by Josiah Allen and Indianna Bell
Produced by Josiah Allen, Indianna Bell, Jordan Cowan, Christine Williams
Starring Jordan Cowan and Brendan Rock

Where you can see it General release TBA

Our coverage Interview: Indianna Bell & Josiah Allen

Patrick, a strange and lonely resident, lives in a mobile home at the back of an isolated caravan park. After a violent thunderstorm erupts, a mysterious young woman appears at his door, seeking shelter from the weather. The longer the night wears on and the more the young woman discovers about Patrick, the more difficult she finds it to leave. Soon she begins to question Patrick’s intentions, while Patrick begins to question his own grip on reality.