The 72nd Sydney Film Festival has unveiled its full program, showcasing 201 films from 70 countries, including 17 world premieres, 6 international premieres, and 137 Australian premieres. The festival will feature screenings at multiple venues, with the Sydney Opera House introduced as a new location.
Festival director Nashen Moodley highlighted 15 films direct from Cannes, including Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident and Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind, along with other key titles like The Life of Chuck starring Tom Hiddleston, debut director Amy Wang’s Slanted, and On Swift Horses featuring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Jacob Elordi.
The festival will open with the Australian premiere of Together, a supernatural domestic drama by Australian filmmaker Michael Shanks, starring Alison Brie and Dave Franco.
The Sydney Film Prize competition, offering AUD60,000 for the most audacious film, will feature titles like The Mastermind, The Secret Agent, Mirrors No. 3, and Sorry, Baby. The Documentary Australia Award will showcase 10 new Australian documentaries, including Floodland, Joh: Last King of Queensland, and Journey Home, David Gulpilil.
The festival will also present retrospectives on Jafar Panahi’s works and Elaine May’s cult classics. Other awards include the $26,000 Sustainable Future Award and the $22,700 First Nations Award, which celebrates global Indigenous filmmaking.
The festival runs from June 4-15, 2025, with additional events like free talks, special screenings with Vivid Sydney, and SFFTV outdoor screenings in Martin Place.
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