The Gold Coast Film Festival (GCFF) unveils their fantastic program with 4 World, 11 Australian and 4 Queensland Premieres along with the return of SIPFEST: Shorts in Paradise in this year’s festival, April 30 to May 11, 2025, at HOTA, Home of the Arts.

Included in the 12-day festival are some incredible events featuring the Gold Coast Film Festival Awards Gala including the Chauvel Award, Women in Film Lunch, Script to Screen, Emerge! Student Shorts Gala and two jam packed industry events alongside Red-Carpet screenings, and filmmaker Q&As.

The Red Carpet will be rolled out for Opening Night on Wednesday April 30 from 5:30pm for the Australian Premiere of The Ballad Of Wallis Island, a Sundance Film Festival favourite directed by James Griffiths and starring Tim Key, Tom Basden, and Carey Mulligan.

Closing out the festival on Sunday May 11 from 5:30pm is the World Premiere of Blue Horizon where you will walk the Red Carpet with stars Pete Murray (the musicians first feature film), David Cook, Damian McCoy and Chantal Elyse along with writer and director, Gold Coast’s own Josh Hale.

Excitingly, GCFF brings our beloved Gold Coast singer, songwriter, and television personality, Peter André, back home to walk the Red Carpet at the World Premiere of Jafaican.

In his first lead role in a feature film, the Benowa State High graduate’s bold new comedy-drama Jafaican is packed with heart and high stakes. André stars as Gazza, a small-time crook desperate to raise £35,000 for his gran’s care. When he stumbles upon a risky tip, Gazza hatches a daring plan — mastering Jamaican culture in just 21 days to pull off an audacious fraud spanning London and Jamaica.

The 90s pop star André, who gained fame with hits like “Mysterious Girl” and “Flava”, both reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart, will also treat guests to a pop-up mini concert as he performs the title track of the film prior to the screening.

In 2025, we see the return of our Festival Ambassador and Gold Coast local, Lincoln Lewis and this year, we invite you to walk the Red Carpet with cast and crew at the World Premiere of his latest feature film, Hagar’s Hut also starring Kasey Chisholm and directed by Stephen Osborne.

This gripping drama follows Skye, a young girl escaping abuse, who finds refuge in the wild where she meets the mysterious Xan. As reality blurs with illusion, Hagar’s Hut delivers a powerful tale of resilience and survival.

Award-winning star of film, television, and theatre, Erik Thomson will walk the Red Carpet at the Queensland premiere of Kangaroo Island, joined by director Timothy David.

Starring Rebecca Breeds as struggling actress Lou Wells, the film follows her reluctant return to Kangaroo Island at the urging of her estranged father, Rory (Thomson). As family tensions rise and long-buried secrets emerge, Lou discovers that no matter how far you go, home is always part of you.

Writer, director, producer and actress Jane Larkin’s powerful film The Edge has its World Premiere, starring Australian Powerlifter Lily Riley and Japanese Paralympic Swimmer, Mei Ichinose also joining us on the Red Carpet.

Set in the world of elite sport, the film dives deep into themes of friendship, heritage, sexuality, and morality, offering a gripping and emotional portrayal of life in and beyond competition.

Inspired by true events, the Australian Premiere of My Eyes will be supported by the filmmakers on the Red Carpet and followed by a Q&A session. This deeply moving family drama stars Adam Garcia (Coyote Ugly, Bootmen) and Tsu Shan Chambers (Suka, Remnant), delivering a powerful story about the strength of unconditional love followed by an exclusive in-cinema Q & A.

Ever wanted to go behind the scenes of the Australian Open and see what goes into becoming a coveted ball kid?   GCFF has the Australian Premiere of Ballkids where you follow the sweaty, teary and ultimately triumphant journey of the country’s best ball kids as they progress through local and national trials and after, an insightful Q&A with the filmmakers.

Celebrating bold Australian storytelling, the Gold Coast Film Festival proudly hosts the Australian Premieres and Red Carpet Galas of My Tai, Carnal Vessels, and Carmen & Bolude. These powerful films showcase diverse voices, compelling narratives, and fearless filmmaking, each bringing a unique perspective to the big screen. With star-studded premieres and exclusive filmmaker appearances, these must-see events promise an unforgettable celebration of homegrown talent.

Documentary storytelling is a vital part of cinema, offering powerful insights into real life stories, cultures, and issues. The Gold Coast Film Festival is proud to showcase a compelling selection of documentaries, including the Australian Premiere of  7 Beats Per Minute, following freediving champion Jessea Lu who nearly died during a world-record attempt, and Pavements, about the iconic 90s indie band which appears to be just another music documentary, until it doesn’t.

Queens Of Concrete, follow three teenage girls as they pursue Olympic history in Skateboarding, The Haka Party Incident which prompted the nation to confront systemic racism and investigate change for a better and more equal partnership between Pakeha and Māori along with The Cigarette Surfboard, and Architecton, from master documentarian Victor Kossakovsky.

The Gold Coast Film Festival proudly showcases a diverse selection of international films that celebrate storytelling from around the world. This year’s programme features Cottontail (UK, Japan), a heartfelt journey of grief and tradition; Funny Birds (France), a charming cross-generational comedy; and Irena’s Vow (Canada, Poland), a powerful true story of courage during World War II.

Tickets are on sale now to all Opening and Closing Night Red Carpet Galas and  our incredible featured events through www.gcff.com.au and tickets to the full program for GCFF will be available from Thursday April 3.

Crocodile Dundee: The Encore Cut

Directed by Peter Faiman
Featuring Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, David Gulpilil and John Meillon

The legendary Mick “Crocodile” Dundee returns to the big screen. Crocodile Dundee: The Encore Cut, features a meticulous restoration, considered edits, and an Atmos soundtrack, and will be shown for the first time ever in stunning 4K, in an exhilarating visual experience of the Australian outback and our Aussie hero, Mick Dundee. Audiences old and new will thrill at every adventure, share a heartfelt laugh, and enjoy the infectious charm of Mick Dundee, in the encore of Australia’s most iconic film ever.

The Cigarette Surfboard

Directed by Ben Judkins

An impassioned surfer, Taylor Lane, creates a functional surfboard with 10,000 littered cigarette butts collected from California beaches. The Cigarette Surfboard takes Taylor around the world to learn from professional surfers who are working to protect and restore the health of the ocean through science, education, art, business and political activism. Inspired by this global cast of characters (including Jack Johnson, Cliff Kapono, Easkey Britton and Mikey February), Taylor returns home to California and uses the Ciggy Boards to generate uproar on the environmental, human health, and economic impacts of cigarette butts.

The Edge

Directed by Jane Larkin
Starring Jane Larkin, Lily Riley and Mei Ichinose

Three young women – an Aussie sprinter, a First Nations powerlifter, and a Japanese Paralympic swimmer – navigate life, love, education, and controversy in the competitive world of elite sport. In this dramatic feature film, three young women navigate life, love, education, and controversy while deeply embedded in the world of elite sport. The Edge is an honest and gritty portrayal of female athletes in the pool, the gym, and on the track, exploring not only their sports, but morality, friendship, heritage, and sexuality.

Ballkids

Directed by Scott Baskett
Narration by Celia Pacquola

Follow the sweaty, teary and ultimately triumphant journey of the country’s best ballkids as they progress through local and national trials. 420 ‘ballkids’ are selected from a field of thousands of applicants – each desperately hoping to be part of the Australian Open. Being there is like winning the lottery for these tennis keeners, but instead of luck they earn the prize through intense training regimes and delivering almost perfect performances. The ‘ballkid’ trials are conducted in Melbourne annually, with interstate and international hopefuls expected to travel if they want to be taken seriously. But selection is only the first hurdle. Once at the Australian Open, all 420 ‘ballkids’ vie to make it onto centre court and, eventually, earn the prestige of being chosen for the biggest stage of them all – the men’s and women’s grand final. Each with their own internal struggles, they must overcome heat, long hours, new found independence and an ever increasing demand for perfection.

Kangaroo Island

Directed by Timothy David
Starring Adelaide Clemens, Rebecca Breeds and Erik Thomson

Lou Wells (Rebecca Breeds) has hit rock bottom. After a promising start to her acting career in Hollywood, out of the blue, her talent agency says they’re “just not excited by her anymore” and promptly drops her. Truth is, Lou Wells isn’t excited about Lou Wells either. Broke and aimless, she reluctantly accepts a ticket from her estranged father, Rory (Erik Thomson), to return home to South Australia’s ruggedly beautiful Kangaroo Island. But what was meant to be a time for reconciliation turns complicated when years of sibling tension and unexpected family secrets resurface. Lou soon discovers that no matter where you end up, home never leaves you.

Carmen and Bolude

Directed by Michela Carattini and Maria Isabel Delaossa
Starring David Collins, Susan Ling Young, Olivia Vasquez

Best friends Carmen and Bolude must travel from NYC to Sydney, Australia, where they have ten days to collect 100 ‘welcomes’ so that Bolude’s traditional Nigerian father will agree to let her marry an Australian. Inspired by real events. From the moment they meet, Bolude, the dutiful daughter of a Nigerian diplomat, and Carmen, a self-made vigilante mestiza, share an unbreakable sistership. Attempting to define themselves amidst American identity politics, light-skinned Carmen acknowledges only her Latin heritage, and Bolude embraces Western values over Nigerian roots. Sure to change everything, is Bolude’s engagement to white, Australian Tommy. Bolude finally braves telling her traditional father, Akin, only two weeks before the wedding. Hurt she has not chosen a Nigerian, Akin responds with an ultimatum: he will only give his blessing if she can follow tradition and get 100 Australians from 100 villages to welcome her. The two women fly to Australia and set off on the wrong side of the road to find Sydney’s ethnic “villages”.  Along with welcomes, the uproarious light of Australian culture forces them to confront their identity choices – and their diverging paths. In connecting with her Nigerian identity, she tries to attract the number of welcomes she needs, but loses Carmen in the process who is finding out about her own Australian heritage. Can Bolude find the answers to harmonise living in Australia with Tommy, serving her community in Nigeria, and keeping Carmen in the family?

Christmas Keepsake

Directed by Colin Budds
Starring Deanne Claire Anderson and Courtney McAllister

Tom, a devoted Father, and his daughter, Grace, make the big move from the sunny land of Australia to the quaint US town of Ashbury Grove. While exploring her new backyard, Grace finds a mysterious time capsule, containing the guide to a perfect family Christmas. Grace tasks herself with finding the owner of the time capsule and ropes Tom into the investigation. During the investigation, Tom and Grace grow close to Elizabeth and her Mother April, the owners of the local bakery. It is eventually revealed that Elizabeth is the owner of the time capsule, which brings up happy but also difficult memories of her late father. Tom grows especially close to Elizabeth and it becomes apparent that there is something real between them, but it is up to Elizabeth if she can open her heart to someone. Will Grace and Tom be able to have the perfect family Christmas? And will Elizabeth and Tom ever reveal their feelings for one another?

My Eyes

Directed by Angela How
Starring Tsu Chambers, Adam Garcia, Eduardo Avila Sanchez, Kieu Chinh and Nia Rush

When Optometrist Alana discovers her daughter has a rare inherited eye disease, she must look into her past to realize her vision for the future. A judo athlete with a vision impairment halfway across the world may hold the answers she is searching for, but old truths threaten to derail the mission and Alana’s marriage. Can she save her daughter’s sight without losing everything else she holds dear? Inspired by true events and starring Adam Garcia (Coyote Ugly, Bootmen), Tsu Shan Chambers (Suka, Remnant), two-time Paralympic champion Eduardo Ávila Sánchez and Kieu Chinh (The Joy Luck Club, The Sympathiser), My Eyes is a heartfelt family drama about the power of unconditional love.

Pavements

Directed by Alex Ross Perry
Featuring Stephen Malkmus, Scott Kanberg and Joe Keery

An examination of the iconic 90s indie band, Pavements appears to be just another music documentary, until it doesn’t.A prismatic, narrative, scripted, documentary, musical, metatextual hybrid, the film intimately shows the band preparing for their sold-out 2022 reunion tour while simultaneously tracking the preparations for a musical based on their songs, a museum devoted to their history and a big-budget Hollywood biopic inspired by their saga as the most important band of a generation.

Carnal Vessels

Directed by Angus Kirby
Starring Arnijka Larcombe-Weate, Dylan Stumer and Brent Dunner

Two friends swap bodies the moment they fall in love and are thrust on different sexually charged adventures as each other over one long, hot weekend. Two friends – the chronically unemployed, aimless Liv and cemetery groundskeeper Alex – find themselves in an in-between, undefined space when they start sleeping together. But when they fall in love, they swap bodies, and soon find out more than they should about each other. Their budding relationship in chaos, Alex attempts to sabotage things with the other guy he finds out Liv is seeing, only to find that he’s lovely, and begins to question his own sexuality. Liv, meanwhile, horrified at the idea of being Alex and having to work, visits her wealthy mum and ends up realising her own independence. But just as things seem to be working out, external forces threaten Liv and Alex’s budding relationship in macabre ways they cannot expect.

Hagar’s Hut

Directed by Stephen Osborne
Starring Zarlia Chisholm and Lincoln Lewis

Hagar’s Hut embarks on a journey through the complexities of psychological trauma and that of the lines it often blurs between reality and fantasy. Hagar’s Hut follows Skye, a young girl fleeing from the clutches of abuse inflicted upon her by her psychiatrists, who seeks solace in the untamed wilderness. There, she encounters Xan, a mysterious figure whose motives and identity remain shrouded in enigma. As Skye navigates the delicate balance between truth and illusion, Hagar’s Hut unfolds as a suspenseful exploration of resilience and survival.

Queens Of Concrete

Directed by Eliza Cox
Featuring Hayley Wilson, Ava Godfrey and Charlotte Heat

Cinema Australia Podcast #115 | Eliza Cox

Queens of Concrete is a seven-year journey following three talented young skateboarders—Hayley (14), Ava (13), and Charlotte (9)—each with dreams of representing Australia at the Olympic Games. Nationally recognised as top competitors in their age groups, these girls are strong contenders. However, as childhood naivety fades, their Olympic ambitions evolve into a tale of resilience, triumph, and self-discovery. Navigating life lessons, heartbreak, betrayal, a global pandemic, and pressure beyond their years, they emerge with a deeper understanding of themselves and their aspirations. Ultimately, Queens of Concrete celebrates their enduring spirit and the hopeful realisation that, despite life’s unpredictability, they have grown into strong young women who have each found their own path forward.

My Tai

Directed by Hannah Smith
Starring Tracie Filmer, Warwick Comber, Brittany Bell

Tai and his lifelong friend Noah, along with bar manager Maeve and the staff of “McCluskey’s,”learn that insurance won’t cover the rebuilding of their beloved bar after hearing about an incoming cyclone! Determined to give the bar a proper send-off, they plan one last Cyclone Party to bid it farewell. Unbeknownst to Tai, Noah has secretly decided to leave the island to study medicine, a plan Tai uncovers by accident. Tai’s lifelong obsession is to create the perfect cocktail, and live up to his grandfather’s legacy. He’s spent years trying to replicate it but has never succeeded. With time running out and Noah on the verge of leaving for medical school, Tai must finally craft the perfect drink he’s always dreamed of making. In doing so, he hopes to convince Noah to stay and face the future together.

Blue Horizon

Directed by Josh Hale
Starring David Cook, Damian McCoy, Pete Murray and Chantal Elyse

When a successful musician is facing jail time, he is forced to re-evaluate his way of life after a chance meeting with another troubled soul. Blue Horizon tells the story of Maris Le Marcus, a famous and privileged musician, who maintains a selfish and carefree lifestyle of excess: girls, drugs and trouble. He is void of trust and refuses to let anyone grow close to him due to his difficult upbringing. After a brush with the law due to some poor life choices, he finds himself obligated to perform community service at a wellness centre for people living with disabilities. There he meets a resident named Douglas, a reclusive man with severe Cerebral Palsy. When Maris finds out they were both orphaned and raised in state care, a friendship forms that sets them on a path to change both of their lives for the better.

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