by Matthew Eeles

2025 saw only a few new films from Australian filmmaking heavyweights. Bruce Beresford’s The Travellers, Justin Kurzel’s Ellis Park and Robert Connolly’s Magic Beach are the only ones that come to mind. (Even though it enjoyed a festival screening, Warwick Thornton’s Wolfram isn’t officially due for release until next year, so I’m saving that one until I can see it on a cinema screen).

Thankfully, this opened the door for an abundance of new films from newly established filmmaking talent, including Glenn Trigg’s Ancestry Road, Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou’s Bring Her Back, Daniel J. Phillips’ Diabolic, Kasimir Burgess’ Iron Winter, Luke Sparke’s Scurry and Primitive War, Jonathan Teplitzky’s Spit, Zak Hilditch’s We Bury the Dead, and Adrian Ortega’s Westgate. All of these names will be making films for years to come, taking the reins from the aforementioned heavyweights and their peers.

In 2025, audiences were introduced to many debut feature filmmakers and their bigger-budget films (i.e. government funded), which made an enviable splash on the international and national festival circuit. These included Zoe Pepper’s Birthright, Chris Broadbent’s It Will Find You (co-directed by Enzo Tedeschi), Kate Blackmore’s Make It Look Real, Nicholas Clifford’s One More Shot and Kalu Oji’s Pasa Faho, among others.

Government funding aside, the films that did most of the heavy lifting this year in terms of quality were those made independently and on micro-budgets. The most impressive of this lot include Paul Evans Thomas’ Within the Pines, Richard Eames’ Skeleton Girls: A Kidnapped Society, Koko Crozier and Lily Lunder’s The Offing, James Robert Woods’ Moonrise Over Knights Hill, Hannah Smith’s My Tai, Adam C. Briggs and Sam Dixon’s A Grand Mockery, James Branson’s Bunny, Angus Kirby’s Carnal Vessels, and Peter Skinner’s Two Ugly People — the best Australian film of the year by a mile.

I’ve been banging on for years about how Australia makes some of the best documentaries in the world, and 2025 was no exception. This year, I was moved by Lorin Clarke’s But Also John Clarke, Sue Thomson’s Careless, Jordan Giusti’s Floodland, Andrew Farrell’s Jimmy Barnes | Working Class Man, Anna Trichet-Laurier’s Nansie, Dawn Jackson’s Pointe: Dancing on a Knife’s Edge, and Yarra Bou Melhem’s Yurlu | Country — a film that floored me.

2025 also saw two films from Kriv Stenders: The Correspondent (which featured on my 2024 list) and Joh: The Last King of Queensland. It would be hard for anyone to disagree that Stenders is this country’s most industrious filmmaker.

Fans of horror were also treated to not one, but three shark horror films: Matthew Holmes’ Fear Below, Kiah Roache-Turner’s Beast of War, and Sean Byrne’s Dangerous Animals — the filmmaker’s first film on home soil since the release of his 2009 cult classic, The Loved Ones.

Speaking of horror, Australia continues to be a powerhouse producer of the genre. It’s exciting to see so many local horror films feature on a few prominent end of year lists. Considering everyone’s taste in horror is often so broad, the films that I could recommend adding to your watch list that I haven’t already mentioned above are Phoenix Raei’s Rotten, Jayden Creighton’s The Matriarch, Addison Heath and Jasmine Jakupi’s Haunted & Devoted, John Balazs’ Freelance, Peter McLeod’s First Moon, and Carnage for Christmas from Alice Maio Mackay, who’s currently making a serious name for herself in the horror world.

A special mention should also go out to two co-productions released this year which I’m happy to claim as Australian films (because they are, don’t argue). Those films are Michael Shanks’ Together, and Lorcan Finnegan’s mind-bender, The Surfer.

Considering all of the above, all of the negative press throughout this year regarding streamer quotas and low box office returns shouldn’t be anyone’s main focus at the moment. We should be celebrating our industry’s success by the amount of films actually being made, and the people who are making them despite the constant challenges to do so. Now that’s something to be positive about.

In the list below, you’ll find every new Australian film I watched in 2025. But before you dive in, don’t forget to check out our 2024 list (I often see films in advance) for films you think I may have missed. I’ve also chosen not to include feature films I watched while on official selection duty as Festival Director of the WA Made Film Festival. These films will be included in my 2026 list.

Happy watching. 

ADVERTISEMENT. Full details about the 2026 Capricorn Film Festival here. 

4 Pages from my Dream Journal

Written and directed by Smithel Dhudala
Produced by Ella Humphreys and Karmen Pei
Starring Allie Helsmans, Devi Nagavalli, Dylan Brown and Damen Samuel Harshit
Four short films based on writer and director Smithel Dhudala’s dream journal with themes exploring love, religion, dreams and memories.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

100% Pure Rage

Written and directed by Haruki Ryles
Produced by Haruki Ryles and Finn J Williams
Starring Kaleb Stokan, Bjorn Weedbrook, Benjamin James Ashmore and Cam Alexander
A disillusioned author’s world explodes when he crosses paths with a masked vigilante and a charismatic ex-convict scheming to take down a doomsday cult.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Abebe – Butterfly Song

Directed by Rosie Jones
Produced by Michael Agar and Jason Byrne
Featuring Namila Benson, David Bridie and Martin Flanagan
An exploration and celebration of the enduring cross-cultural friendship between Papua New Guinea’s most celebrated singer-songwriter George Telek and acclaimed Australian musician David Bridie.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Ancestry Road

Written, directed and produced by Glenn Triggs
Starring Seb Muirhead, Jessica Stanley, Bill Munro, Charlotte Grey, Finn Bertschi, Gillian Unicomb, Anne Cordiner, John X, and Jodie Wolf
When Kevin’s daughter continually goes missing up the back of their Scottish Farm, he builds a road to make life easier. Yet when deceased family members begin arriving in their cars for a visit, everything changes.
Where you can watch it: Apple TV, YouTube, Prime Video, Vimeo on Demand and Google Play

Arranged Love

Written and directed by Sanjane Koneshamoorthy
Produced by Sanjane Koneshamoorthy and Thivviya Ravindranathan
Starring Fatema Khan, Atharv Kolhatkar and Mathew Swift
Dhaventhiran wants to make money, Merunasri wants to make art. He is new to love, she has a broken heart. Their worlds collide when their families and a mutual family friend set them up to (hopefully) marry each other.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Backlash

Directed and produced by Jon Cohen
Written by Jon Cohen and Caleb Tumanako
Starring Elke Hinrichsen, Alyson Rudlin, Lexie Rose and Jesper Stenberg
A group of online gamers must kill each other to survive in a real world death-match based on their computer game after their cyber bullying causes a suicide of a classmate.
Where you can watch it: Apple TV and Amazon Prime

Beast of War

Written and directed by Kiah Roache-Turner
Produced by Chris Brown and Blake Northfield
Starring Mark Coles Smith, Joel Nankervis, Sam Delich, Maximillian Johnson and Lee Tiger Halley
A group of young soldiers, fresh out of boot camp, find themselves stranded on a raft in the middle of the ocean after their ship is sunk by the enemy and must battle for their lives against a giant hungry great white shark.
Where you can watch it: Apple TV, YouTube, Prime Video, Google Play
Our coverage: Read our interview with Beast of War writer and director Kiah Roache-Turner
Read our interview with actor Mark Coles Smith
Go behind the scenes of Beast of War

Birthright

Written and directed by Zoe Pepper
Produced by Cody Greenwood
Starring Travis Jeffery, Maria Angelico, Linda Cropper and Michael Hurst
Cory evicted from his rental, moves back with his pregnant wife, Jasmine. Focusing on his parents’ wealth, he decides to achieve success through unimaginable actions.
Where you can watch it: Birthright will screen at Perth Festival on Friday, 27 February. General release date TBC.
Our coverage: Read our interview with Birthright writer and director Zoe Pepper

Blue Horizon

Written and directed by Josh Hale
Produced by C.J. Barnes, Josh Hale, Zac Loy and Stephen Simmons
Starring David Cook, Damian McCoy, Chantal Elyse and Pete Murray
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.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC
Our coverage: Read our interview with writer and director Josh Hale

Bring Her Back

Directed by Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou
Written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman
Produced by Kristina Ceyton and Samantha Jennings
Starring Billy Barratt, Sally Hawkins, Mischa Heywood and Jonah Wren Phillips
A brother and sister uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother.
Where you can watch it: Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play

Bunny

Written and directed by James Branson
Produced by Taylor Thompson
Starring Kate Wilson, Andy Golledge, Ôntrei, Saxon Cook, Charlotte Chimes and Paul Hughes
In the aftermath of a climate apocalypse, a young woman roams the ruins of a world she never got to grow up in. Supplies are scarce and food is running out. There’s nothing left to hunt. Nothing except other people.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC
Our coverage: Read our interview with writer and director James Branson

But Also John Clarke

Written and directed by Lorin Clarke
Produced by Richard Keddie
Featuring Andrew Denton, Andrew Knight, Anne Edmonds and Ben Elton
Satirist John Clarke’s private chats with daughter Lorin reveal his anti-authority roots and entertainment career insights, contrasting his public persona with his openness at home.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC
Our coverage: Read our interview with writer and director Lorin Clarke

Careless

Directed by Sue Thomson
Written and produced by Adam Farrington-Williams and Sue Thomson
A funny, moving fight to grow old your way, in a world where ageing has become a business, and home is worth fighting for.
Where you can watch it: A full list of cinemas currently screening Careless can be found here.
Our coverage: Read our interview with director Sue Thomson

Carmen & Bolude

Directed by Michela Carattini and Maria Isabel de la Ossa
Written by Michela Carattini and Bolude Watson
Produced by Michela Carattini and Yolandi Franken
Starring Michela Carattini, Bolude Watson, Liam Greinke and Elliott Giarola
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.
Where you can watch it: Netflix, Apple TV, YouTube, Prime Video, Google Play

Carnal Vessels

Written and directed by Angus Kirby
Produced by Mihir Chakrapani
Starring Arnijka Larcombe-Weate and Daniel Simpson
Two friends inexplicably swap bodies after a night of intimacy, and must contend with living as each other while partaking in sexually-charged misadventures over a long, hot weekend.
Where you can watch it: Apple TV, YouTube, Prime Video, Google Play
Our coverage: Read our interview with writer and director Angus Kirby

Carnage for Christmas

Directed and produced by Alice Maio Mackay
Written by Alice Maio Mackay and Benjamin Pahl Robinson
Starring Chris Asimos, Dominique Booth and Betsey Brown
Lola, a true-crime podcaster, returns home for Christmas only to face a vengeful ghost reenacting the murders of a historical killer. With her community at risk, she must confront the town’s buried secrets to stop the slaughter.
Where you can watch it: Shudder

Cuckoo’s Den

Directed by Michael Acland
Starring Chantelle Amos, Christian Andrew, Nehir Hatipoglu and Kloud Milas
Alexander Voronin rules Sydney’s hidden crime world. When Karma strikes, he loses everything-can he rise again?
Where you can watch it: Prime Video

Dangerous Animals

Directed by Sean Byrne
Written by Nick Lepard
Produced by Chris Ferguson, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Mickey Liddell, Troy Lum, Andrew Mason and Pete Shilaimon
Starring Hassie Harrison, Jai Courtney, Josh Heuston and Ella Newton
When Zephyr, a savvy and free-spirited surfer, is abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer and held captive on his boat, she must figure out how to escape before he carries out a ritualistic feeding to the sharks below.
Where you can watch it: Foxtel, Apple TV, Google Play, Binge, Prime Video

Descent

Written, directed and produced by Tracy Bolton
Starring Ashlee McKenna, Tate Bennett, Tracy Bolton and Pyper Stancer
After a traumatic accident, Alex West discovers an abduction in a remote cabin, but as she investigates, her own past and blurred memories make her an unreliable witness.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Diabolic

Directed by Daniel J. Phillips
Written by Mike Harding and Daniel J. Phillips
Produced by Grant Hardie, Vasili Papanicolou, Mark Patterson, Daniel J. Phillips and Silvio Salom
Starring Elizabeth Cullen, John Kim, Terence Crawford and Luca Asta Sardelis
A woman’s hope for a miracle cure turns into a nightmare when she confronts the vengeful spirit of a cursed witch, determined to claim her as a vessel for her evil power.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

The Edge

Written, directed and produced by Jane Larkin
Starring Jane Larkin, Lily Riley, Mei Ichinose and Ryan Wahanga
Three young women – an Aussie sprinter, a First Nations powerlifter, and a Japanese Paralympic swimmer – navigate love, education and controversy while embedded in the world of elite sport.
Where you can watch it: Netflix
Our coverage: Read our interview with writer, director and producer Jane Larkin

Ellis Park

Directed by Justin Kurzel
Written by Nick Fenton and Justin Kurzel
Produced by Charlotte Wheaton, Nick Batzias and Sandra Delpech
Featuring Femke den Haas and Warren Ellis
Legendary Australian musician Warren Ellis takes us on a guided tour through his world and one very special animal sanctuary.
Where you can watch it: Apple TV, YouTube, Prime Video, Google Play

The Ending Goes Forever: The Screamfeeder Story

Directed by Jacob Schoitz
Produced by Joe Woolley
Featuring Tony Blades, Kellie Lloyd, Darek Mudge and Dean Shwereb
In 1991, Screamfeeder formed Australia and went on to not-quite-mainstream success there. The band that charted their own course, and the film is a joy it is to watch – it’s an intimate and revealing story.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Fear Below

Directed by Matthew Holmes
Written by Matthew Holmes and Gregory Moss
Produced by Michael Favelle and Blake Northfield
Starring Hermione Corfield, Jake Ryan, Josh McConville, Jacob Junior Nayinggul and Arthur Angel
A rag-tag team of divers attempting to salvage a sunken car from a river are thwarted by a highly aggressive bull shark.
Where you can watch it: Apple TV, YouTube, Prime Video, Google Play
Our coverage: Read our interview with actor Arthur Angel

First Moon

Written and directed by Peter McLeod
Produced by Tanya Esposito
Starring Lauren Esposito, Julian Curtis, Shannon Ryan and Soren Jensen
A young waitress is abducted by a religious cult, who are hell-bent on curing her from a sexually transmitted werewolf virus – or killing her in the process. Will she escape before the first full moon?/
Where you can watch it: Plex (Free), Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play

Floodland

Directed by Jordan Giusti
Written by Carlie Atkinson, Jordan Giusti and Joseph Nizeti
Produced by Rachel Forbes and Gal Greenspan
Featuring Carlie Atkinson, Judy Atkinson and Harper Dalton
In flood-prone Lismore, Australia, residents face life-changing decisions after devastating floods. A man copes pragmatically, his friend turns activist, and an Indigenous social worker builds a healing center.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Freelance

Directed by John Balazs
Written by Mike Gerbino
Produced by John Balazs, Vikki Blinks and Marlane Ghmed
Starring Nicole Pastor and Jordan Fraser-Trumble
When a down-on-her luck video editor takes on a mysterious, well-paying job cutting snuff films, she is haunted by visions of the people in her videos.
Where you can watch it: Apple TV, YouTube, Prime Video, Google Play

Fwends

Directed by Sophie Somerville
Written by Melissa Gan, Emmanuelle Mattana and Sophie Somerville
Produced by Sarah Hegge-Taylor, Carter Looker and Sophie Somerville
Starring Melissa Gan and Emmanuelle Mattana
Old friends Em and Jessie reconnect for a weekend. Their conversations flow naturally, covering light topics and deep emotions. They represent a generation of resilient young women navigating life’s ups and downs with honesty and humour.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

The Golden Spurtle

Written and directed by Constantine Costi
Produced by John Archer and Rebecca Lamond
In a Scottish Highland village, competitors gather for the World Porridge Championships’ final year under Charlie Miller’s leadership, celebrating tradition and community through the art of perfect porridge-making.
Where you can watch it: Currently in cinema. Check local listings.

A Grand Mockery

Written, directed and produced by Adam C. Briggs and Sam Dixon
Starring Kate Dillon, Sam Dixon, James Louis O’Leary and Fiarrah Poole
Josie’s mundane life changes when mental illness drives him to Queensland’s rainforests. Shot on super-8, this playful diptych shifts from dark comedy to transformation alongside its protagonist.
Where you can watch it: A Grand Mockery will next screen at the Golden Age Cinema & Bar in Sydney on January 31. General release date TBC

Haunted & Devoted

Written, directed and produced by Addison Heath and Jasmine Jakupi
Starring Saya Minami, Whitney Duff, Glenn Maynard, Aaron Gocs and Darren Thao
In the dark streets of Melbourne, vampire Chisuki finds love with fiery empath Isabel. But when death looms, turning Izzy binds them in passion-and hunger. As bloodlust rises, can their love survive the darkness?
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Badlands Rising (Previously Homeward)

Directed by Blair Moore
Written by Blair Moore and Dru Brown
Produced by Brett Kennedy (Flying Billy Kart Entertainment), Dru Brown (Brown Python Pictures), Steve Morris (Gorilla Entertainment), and Anna Kolenko.
Starring Jake Ryan, Hanna Levien, Nathan Phillips, Steve Mouzakis, Jason McDonald, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor and Aaron Glenane
An ordinary bloke embarks on a 19-hour drive home, unaware of being pursued by two unhinged criminals. Once he discovers their motive, his journey turns into a brutal fight for survival.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Imagine

Written and directed by Jack Manning Bancroft and Tyson Yunkaporta
Produced by Leia Alex, Jack Manning Bancroft, Nic Davis, Mark Grentell and Anne Robinson
Starring Stephani Beck, Wayne Blair, Waangenga Blanco and Yolande Brown
15-year-old Kim, struggling with digital overload, is dragged into a magical realm by a mysterious claw. Guided by alien dog Jeff and Aboriginal Elders, they journey across five islands in 24 hours, facing surreal trials and inner demons.
Where you can watch it: In cinemas January 26, 2026.

Iron Winter

Directed by Kasimir Burgess
Produced by Ben Golotta, Chris Kamen and Morgan Wright
In Mongolia’s harsh winter, two friends embark on a daunting mission to protect 2000 horses. Their journey becomes a test of endurance and a fight to keep ancient customs alive amid a changing landscape.
Where you can watch it: You can catch Iron Winter at the Capricorn Film Festival on January 16. General release date TBC
Our coverage: Stay tuned for our interview with cinematographer Ben Bryan

It Will Find You

Directed by Chris Broadbent and Enzo Tedeschi
Written by Chris Broadbent
Produced by Chris Broadbent, Enzo Tedeschi and Helen Tuck
Starring Kylah Day, Luke Ford, Tom Jackson and Aaron Pedersen
Emily’s mother’s pendant awakens a 25-year dormant family curse. Called insane, she must explore her heritage to stop the “Giniirr” spirit before it claims her life and others as payment for ancestral wrongs.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Jimmy Barnes | Working Class Man

Directed by Andrew Farrell
Produced by Anthony Griffis
Featuring Jane Barnes, Jimmy Barnes, Mahalia Barnes, David Campbell and Ruby Rodgers
Rock star Jimmy Barnes rose from Cold Chisel to solo fame in Australia. Despite success, marriage and hit albums, he battled finances, drugs, touring stress, US market struggles and past trauma, ultimately expressing it all in writing.
Where you can watch it: 7Plus, YouTube, Apple TV

Joh: The Last King of Queensland

Directed by Kriv Stenders
Written by Matthew Condon and Kriv Stenders
Featuring Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Matthew Condon, Bob Katter and Richard Roxburgh
A portrait of Queensland’s Joh Bjelke-Petersen (1968-1987), whose controversial rule saw growth and corruption. Through archives and interviews, it reveals parallels with Trump’s era and style.
Where you can watch it: Stan

Journey Home, David Gulpilil

Written and directed by Maggie Miles and Trisha Morton-Thomas
Produced by Rachel Clements, Lloyd Garrawurra, Jida Gulpilil, Maggie Miles and Trisha Morton-Thomas
Featuring Danzal Baker and Hugh Jackman
When Australia’s most renowned Indigenous actor David Gulpilil passes away in South Australia his family struggle against huge logistical challenges to fulfill his final wish, to bury him on his Homeland, over 4,000 kilometres away.
Where you can watch it: Check local listings. General release date TBC
Our coverage: Read our interview with Maggie Miles and Trisha Morton-Thomas

Kangaroo

Directed by Kate Woods
Written by Harry Cripps
Produced by Rachel Clements, David Jowsey, Angela Littlejohn, Trisha Morton-Thomas and Greer Simpkin
Starring Ryan Corr, Lily Whiteley, Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair, Trisha Morton-Thomas, Rachel House and Brooke Satchwell
A heart-warming family comedy about disgraced TV Host, Chris, and a young indigenous girl, Charlie, who work together to rescue and rehabilitate a group of orphaned joeys in a remote Outback community.
Where you can watch it: Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube, Foxtel, Fetch TV, Google Play
Our coverage: Read our interview with Kate Woods

Kangaroo Island

Directed by Timothy David
Written by Sally Gifford
Produced by Leone Cichon, Timothy David, Bettina Hamilton, Peter Hanlon and Daniel M. Rosenberg
Starring Rebecca Breeds, Adelaide Clemens, Erik Thomson, Nicholas Hope and Joel Jackson
A struggling Hollywood actress returns home to Kangaroo Island, confronting the love triangle that tore her family apart.
Where you can watch it: Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube

Lenore

Directed by David Ward
Written by Josie Hess and David Ward
Produced by Madeline Claire French, Nicholas Jaquinot, Riley Sugars and David Ward
Starring Nicholas Jaquinot and Ruby Duncan
When a controversial influencer suddenly disappears, a terminally online sycophant goes hunting for answers, but comes face-to-face with the monstrosity of his own sins.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Love of an Icon: The Legend of Crocodile Dundee

Written, directed and produced by Victoria Baldock and Delvene Delaney
Featuring Delvene Delaney, Paul Hogan, John Cornell and Peter Faiman
An intimate behind-the-scenes glimpse into the chemistry, collaboration and courage inherent in Australia’s most iconic film, and the extraordinary creative partnerships that made it possible.
Where you can watch it: Stan, Google Play, Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube

Make it Look Real

Written and directed by Kate Blackmore
Produced by Bethany Bruce and Daniel Joyce
Staring Kieran Darcy-Smith, Tom Davis, Albert Mwangi, Sarah Roberts and Claire Warden
Intimacy coordinator Claire Warden guides actors through sex scenes on a film set, negotiating the vision of a director, the physical and psychological needs of the performers, and a documentary crew filming her every move.
Where you can watch it: Netflix
Our coverage: Read our interview with writer and director Kate Blackmore

Magic Beach

Directed by Robert Connolly
Produced by Chloe Brugale, Robert Connolly, Liz Kearney and Kate Laurie
Starring Spencer Ellis Anderson, Bigsy, Rylee Chuck and Elliott Hayes
Magic Beach, based on Alison Lester’s book, features nine children and a dog bringing their imaginative imaginations to life.
Where you can watch it: Stan, Google Play, Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube

The Matriarch

Written, directed and produced by Jayden Creighton
Starring Juliette Greenfield, Kate Logan and Scott Nielsen
A thirteen year old girl kills her addict mother’s boyfriend in self-defense, and is subsequently terrorized by her own mother.
Where you can watch it: Apple TV

Moorditj

Directed by Mithun Roy Mukkath
Written by Darryl Dizzy Westrup
Produced by Rod Manikam, Desmond Hew and Mithun Roy Mukkath
Starring Kat Ludley, Liz Narkle and Grace Garnett
Moorditj is a sci-fi drama about a young woman named Rose Clark. She has exceptionally low self-esteem, and lacks confidence, who experienced a not so nice childhood, the type of person considered as a loner. Throughout Rose’s journey, she manages to get in touch with her inner soul and at the end of journey she has become a different woman. Rose exits her journey feeling content, strong and more determined to continue her life. On her return to reality, she immediately makes a start on her new life now carrying the power of the Spirit Woman inside her as a part of her everyday life.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Moonrise Over Knights Hill

Written and directed by James Robert Woods
Produced by Stephanie Jane Day and James Robert Woods
Starring Annelise Hall, Ben Gerrard, Josephine Starte, Luke Jacobz and Nicola Frew
Former high school friends reunite with partners for a luxury weekend getaway. Reminiscing, tensions arise between the men, testing their bonds as the farm-stay caretaker’s troubled relationship threatens to disrupt festivities.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC
Our coverage: Read our interview with writer and director James Robert Woods

Mothers, Lovers & Others

Written and directed by Davo Hardy
Produced by Davo Hardy and Megan Thresher
Starring Davo Hardy, David Charlie, Lindford Gilmour, Axle James and Ahlex Leyva
The interweaving private lives and family dramas of several people who cross paths at an orgy.
Where you can watch it: Available to stream via davohardyfilms.com
Our coverage: Listen to our Podcast interview with writer and director Davo Hardy

My Eyes 

Directed by Pauline Chan and Angela How
Written by Tsu Shan Chambers, Ade Djajamihardja and Angela How
Starring Tsu Shan Chambers, Adam Garcia and Nia Rush
An everyday working mother is forced to confront a past lover in order to save the vision of her only child.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC
Our coverage: Read our interview with writer and actor

My Melbourne

Directed by Arif Ali, Kabir Khan, Onir and Rahul Vohra
Written by Arif Ali, Nazifa Amir, Shivangi Bhowmick, Samira Cox, William Duan, Gregory Francis and Monique Nair
Produced by Mitu Bhowmick Lange and Leanne Tonkes
Starring Arka Das, Arushi Sharma, Kat Stewart, Ryanna Skye Lawson and Jackson Gallagher
The film presents an authentic anthology exploring race, gender, sexuality, and disability through diverse stories by emerging Australian filmmakers.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

My Tai

Directed by Hannah Smith
Written by Jake Ashton
Produced by Nicole Acworth, Jake Ashton, Nicole Leo, Abdul Mateen, Berry Salem and Hannah Smith
Starring Ruben Wilkinson, Graceyn Arkinstall, Jake Ashton, Brittany Bell and Warwick Comber
Two best friends strive to create the perfect cocktail before their bar is demolished by a local cyclone. A mysterious faction stands in their way as they pursue the perfect ingredient.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC
Our coverage: Read our interview with director Hannah Smith

Nansie

Directed and produced by Anna Trichet-Laurier
Featuring Adelaide Miller, Ann ‘Nansie’ Miller and Lucinda Miller
Two sisters are teaching their 87 year old Nana suffering from dementia how to swim, to see if she has forgotten her fears.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

The Offing

Written, directed and produced by Koko Crozier and Lily Lunder
Starring Jaimie Wood, Isabella Mangano, Jacob Pontil-Scala, Milijana Cancar and Isobel Lauber
Neviah, a tormented recluse, and Freya, an enigmatic stranger, embark on a scenic road trip that spirals into chaos. Struggling to outrun the past, their friendship is tested at every turn, with all roads leading to a shocking revelation.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

One Mind, One Heart

Written and directed by Larissa Behrendt
Produced by Michaela Perske
When a historic Yirrkala bark petition is found in Derby, Western Australia, the community begin the ceremony of guiding its journey back to Yolngu Country.
Where you can watch it: SBS on Demand
Our coverage: Read our interview with writer and director Larissa Behrendt

One More Shot

Directed by Nicholas Clifford
Written by Alice Foulcher and Gregory Erdstein
Starring Emily Browning, Sean Keenan, Ashley Zukerman and Aisha Dee
New Year’s Eve 1999. Minnie discovers a bottle of Time Traveling Tequila. Each shot takes her back to the start of the night, giving her a bottle’s worth of shots to change the course of her millennium.
Where you can watch it: Stan
Our coverage: Read our interview with director Nicholas Clifford

Pasa Faho

Written and directed by Kalu Oji
Produced by Mimo Mukii and Ivy Mutuku
Starring Okey Bakassi and Tyson Palmer
A shoe salesman struggles to save his small business and pass on his values to his son.
Where you can watch it: You can catch Pasa Faho at the Capricorn Film Festival on January 17. General release date TBC

Pelverata

Written, directed and produced by Mark Lipkin
Starring Carina Parsons, Charley Hur, Ian Laing and Michael Harris
In Tasmania’s eerie wilds, engineers Misha and Myaree face odd disturbances, fraying their mission. Sanity slips as ancestral whispers of a dark past rise, blurring reality and supernatural, threatening survival in a scarred land.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC
Our coverage: Discover more about Pelverata

Pointe: Dancing on a Knife’s Edge

Directed by Dawn Jackson
Written by Nicholas Dunlop and Dawn Jackson
An intimate portrait of renowned Australian artist, Floeur Alder as she heals herself through dance, after a horrific random knife attack.
Where you can watch it: Currently screening at The Backlot Perth. Screening at the Capricorn Film Festival on January 16. General release date TBC.
Our coverage: Listen to our Podcast interview with director Dawn Jackson

Primitive War

Written and directed by Luke Sparke
Produced by Carmel Imrie and Carly Sparke
Starring Ryan Kwanten, Tricia Helfer, Nick Wechsler and Jeremy Piven
Vietnam. 1968. A recon unit known as Vulture Squad is sent to an isolated jungle valley to uncover the fate of a missing Green Beret platoon. They soon discover they are not alone.
Where you can watch it: Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play, Fetch TV

Pure Scum

Written and directed by Gideon Aroni
Produced by Gideon Aroni, Amelia Nemet and Leigh Schilling
Starring Will Hutchins, Nikita Chronis, Gideon Aroni and Ashleigh-Rose Nicholson
After a drug-fueled car crash, ex-private schoolboys Ayden and Jesse escape into the Melbourne CBD and are plunged into a night of unbridled debauchery and rapidly escalating violence.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Rotten

Written and directed by Phoenix Raei
Produced by Nick Farnell, Monique Fisher, Kate Lister, Phoenix Raei and Anthony J. Sharpe
Starring Anthony J. Sharpe, Nick Farnell, Kate Lister and Daniela Farinacci
A wildlife photographer is bitten by an unknown bug on a remote island and is fighting the clock to cure this flesh eating disease.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Sanctuary Pariahs

Written and directed by Daniel Okoduwa
Produced by Esther Hinga and Daniel Okoduwa
Starring Suzan Mutesi and Hop Dao
The film tells the story of people fleeing the state of nature in the old countries, but within the sanctuary, they are both trapped in the past and frozen in the present – in a sub-city where only those termed pariahs live.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Scurry 

Directed by Luke Sparke
Written by Tom Evans
Produced by Carmel Imrie and Carly Sparke
Starring Jamie Costa and Emalia
Two strangers who find themselves trapped underground when the city is attacked by a monstrous threat. Badly injured with limited resources they must navigate a treacherous, narrowing tunnel in hopes of finding an exit.
Where you can watch it: Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play

Skeleton Girls. A Kidnapped Society

Written and directed by Richard Eames
Produced by Richard Eames and Helena Tay
Starring Alla Malakhitova, Alex Arco, Ashleigh Zinko and Cara McCarthy
A wild indie-punk thriller about a young woman on the run who must survive a news cycle frenzy in order to escape a dangerous plot involving a notorious girl gang.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Signorinella: Little Miss

Written, directed and produced by Jason David McFadden, Angelo Pricolo and Shannon Swan
Featuring Frana Arena, Tina Arena, Olimpia Bortolotto, Marian Haddrick and Allegra Spender
Italian women in 1940s Australia faced family separation when men were sent to internment camps. They persevered alone, later helping rebuild post-WWII lives and influencing Australian culture in fashion, business, and leadership.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Snatchers

Directed by Craig Alexander and Shelly Higgs
Written by Craig Alexander
Produced by Craig Alexander, Sebastian Chan and Denai Gracie
A pair of lifelong friends try to make a quick buck by selling the organs of a fresh corpse but get thrown a curve ball when she wakes up on the operating table.
Where you can watch it: Prime Video

Space/Time

Directed by Michael O’Halloran
Written by Adam Harmer and Michael O’Halloran
Produced by Adam Harmer, Jai Hogg and Michael O’Halloran
Starring Ashlee Lollback, Hugh Parker, Pacharo Mzembe and Haroon Jafarey-Hall
After a fatal test shuts down their project, a disgraced team of scientists resort to criminality to rebuild a forbidden space-bending engine that could save or annihilate the world.
Where you can watch it: Prime Video, Apple TV
Our coverage: Listen to our Podcast interview with Adam Harmer and Michael O’Halloran

Spit

Directed by Jonathan Teplitzky
Written by Chris Nyst
Produced by Greg Duffy and Trish Lake
Starring David Wenham, Arlo Green, Pallavi Sharda, Sofya Gollan, Gary Sweet, David Roberts and Helen Thomson
Ex-con returns to Australia after 20 years, gets detained. He faces old enemies, makes new friends in detention, and teaches his version of Australian mateship while staying ahead.
Where you can watch it: Binge, Foxtel, Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube
Our coverage: Watch our video interview with David Wenham

Stelarc: Suspending Disbelief

Written, directed and produced by Richard Moore and John Doggett-Williams
Featuring Stelarc
Stelarc: Suspending Disbelief explores the works of Melbourne based artist Stelarc, who burst into prominence in the early 1970s with a series of confronting, and outrageous public art performances.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

The Surfer

Directed by Lorcan Finnegan
Written by Thomas Martin
Produced by Brunella Cocchiglia, Robert Connolly, Leonora Darby, James Grandison, James Harris and Nathan Klingher
Starring Nicolas Cage, Finn Little, Julian McMahon and Justin Rosniak
A man returns to the idyllic beach of his childhood to surf with his son. When he is humiliated by a group of locals, the man is drawn into a conflict that keeps rising and pushes him to his breaking point.
Where you can watch it: Stan
Our coverage: Read our interview with director Lorcan Finnegan
Read our interview with actor Justin Rosniak

Together

Written and directed by Michael Shanks
Produced by Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Erik Feig, Tim Headington, Andrew Mittman, Mike Cowap, Max Silva, Julia Hammer
Starring Dave Franco, Alison Brie and Damon Herriman
Years into their relationship, Tim and Millie find themselves at a crossroads as they move to the country. With tensions already flaring, an encounter with an unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love and their flesh.
Where you can watch it: Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube

Tracy

Written and directed by Kostadinos Hatzivalsamis
Produced by Iona Francis
Starring Jack Macmillan, Arthur Murfitt, Alisha O’Brien and Rhyss-Liam Diones
In December of 1974, the unsuspecting citizens of Darwin face the turmoil and tragedy brought upon them by Cyclone Tracy.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC
Our coverage: Read our interview with writer and director Kostadinos Hatzivalsamis

The Travellers

Written and directed by Bruce Beresford
Produced by Michael Boughen, Kelvin Munro and Matthew Street
Starring Luke Bracey, Bryan Brown and Susie Porter
Stephen Seary, a stage designer, returns to Australia to say goodbye to his dying mother. A quick trip descends into chaos, drama, and funny moments as he juggles family tension, past lovers, and returning to Europe for an opera contract.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC
Our coverage: Watch our video interview with Susie Porter

Two Ugly People The

Written and directed by Peter Skinner
Produced by Orla Doyle, Julia Gardell, Dinusha Ratnaweera and Peter Skinner
Starring Michael Sheasby and Cato Ayyar
Two strangers meet by chance in a highway-side motel but as their stay goes on, we begin to wonder if their meeting was by chance at all.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC
Our coverage: Listen to our Podcast interview with writer and director Peter Skinner

Unapologetic

Written and directed by Peter Renzullo
Starring Paul Cozens
Michael, a Doctor who conducts home visits for patients who are too afraid to leave their homes, encounters some unusual situations during his consultations
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

Unboxing

Written, directed and produced by Mitchell Holland
Starring Mitchell Holland, Jess Ciancio, Pauline Grace and Oliver Murdoch
A wannabe streamer becomes the prime suspect in a missing persons case after ordering a mystery box off the dark web, and a series of incriminating evidence continues to be delivered to his home.
Where you can watch it: Prime Video

Vincent

Written and directed by Alan King
Produced by Alan King and Angela Ling
Starring Alan King, Christopher Kirby and Zoe Bertram
An unparalleled, dark comedy that follows reclusive writer, Vincent Tremblay, who suddenly becomes the target of a mysterious and sinister force.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC

We Bury the Dead

Written and directed by Zak Hilditch
Produced by Mark Fasano and Joshua Harris
Starring Daisy Ridley, Brenton Thwaites and Mark Coles Smith
After a catastrophic military disaster, the dead don’t just rise – they hunt. Ava searches for her missing husband, but what she finds is far more terrifying.
Where you can watch it: In cinemas February 5
Our coverage: Listen to our Podcast interview with writer and director Zak Hilditch

Westgate

Written and directed by Adrian Ortega
Produced by Adrian Ortega and Danaë Grieef
Starring Sarah Nicolazzo and Max Nappo
With her debts mounting and the imminent threat of eviction, a single mother has only twenty four hours to turn things around, while attending to her son’s unstable health conditions.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC
Our coverage: Listen to our Podcast interview with writer and director Adrian Ortega
Read our interview with actor Sarah Nicolazzo

Within the Pines

Written and directed by Paul Evans Thomas
Produced by San Quach
Starring Brendan Cooney, Barrie Cotton and Cheryl Douglas
As sound recordist Sam Evans treks through an isolated forest, his mic picks up a sound no one wants to hear while alone in the woods.
Where you can watch it: YouTube, Prime Video
Our coverage: Listen to our Podcast interview with writer and director Paul Evans Thomas

Yurlu | Country

Directed by Yaara Bou Melhem
Written by Yaara Bou Melhem and Maitland Parker
Produced by Yaara Bou Melhem, Tom Bannigan and James Saunders
Yurlu I Country is a vivid ode to Country and an intimate portrait of an Aboriginal elder’s final year as he strives to preserve his culture and heal his homeland, scarred by the worst contaminated site in the Southern Hemisphere.
Where you can watch it: General release date TBC
Our coverage: Read our interview with filmmaker Yaara Bou Melhem