Sydney, April 2, 2025 – The Sydney Film Festival has offered an exciting first look at its 72nd edition, unveiling a selection of 16 bold and diverse films set to screen from 4 to 15 June 2025. This early announcement sets the tone for what promises to be one of the most dynamic programs in the festival’s history.
Festival Director Nashen Moodley highlighted the diversity and creativity of the early selection. “This first look offers a cross-section of the bold storytelling and distinctive voices that can be found at this year’s Festival. From inventive new Australian work to major prize-winners from the international circuit, these films reflect the ingenuity and diversity of cinema today,” Moodley said.
Spotlight on Australian Talent
Among the Australian premieres is Fwends, the feature debut of Sophie Somerville, a two-time Dendy Award-winner. The film is a lively buddy comedy that explores the complexities of female friendship in the modern world. Also premiering is Lesbian Space Princess, an animated feature and recent Berlin Teddy Award-winner, which follows a queer space mission with a twist of romance and satire.
Filmmaker Kate Blackmore returns to the Festival with Make It Look Real, a thought-provoking documentary on intimacy coordination in the film industry, showcasing the behind-the-scenes challenges of making authentic and respectful screen intimacy.
Global Award-Winners and Star Power
Several international award-winning titles will also feature in the Festival's early lineup. The Blue Trail, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2025 Berlinale, follows a 77-year-old woman on a psychedelic journey through the Amazon. Sundance Audience Award-winner DJ Ahmet captures the coming-of-age journey of a young boy in North Macedonia who finds freedom through electronic music.
Documentaries tackling urgent global issues include Mr. Nobody Against Putin, a Sundance prize-winner that exposes the spread of propaganda in Russian schools, and Farming the Revolution, which chronicles the monumental protest of over 12 million Indian farmers on the outskirts of Delhi.
Big Names and Musical Stories
Adding star power to the mix, Bring Them Down features Barry Keoghan and Christopher Abbott in a tense drama set in rural Ireland. Acclaimed director Joshua Oppenheimer makes his narrative debut with In The End, a post-apocalyptic musical starring Tilda Swinton and Michael Shannon.
Music lovers can look forward to One to One: John & Yoko, Kevin Macdonald’s tribute to John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s legendary 1972 benefit concert. Another musical gem, Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao e Rua – Two Worlds, is an intimate portrayal of the celebrated New Zealand musician recording his first album in te reo Māori.
Festival Circuit Hits and Fresh Voices
From the Venice Film Festival comes Stranger Eyes, the first Singaporean film to compete at Venice, a psychological thriller involving surveillance and grief. On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, from Cannes-acclaimed director Rungano Nyoni, delves into family trauma in Zambia.
Youthful ambition takes center stage in Speak., a Sundance documentary following five American high school orators on their journey to a prestigious public speaking championship. The genre-defying Obex, set in the 1980s, adds a sci-fi twist as a loner enters a video game to rescue his dog.
