12 Films You Need To See At The Sydney Film Festival

It’s that special season once more.

No, not magpie season. Wait, is it? No, no, not yet. Not again. Please not again. No, it is festival season here in Australia and that can only mean one thing: it is time to kick back and watch something we’ve never seen before at the one and only Sydney Film Festival. SFF has an impressive track record for programming truly high quality pieces of work across a spectrum of filmic categories. Feature narratives, documentaries, shorts, animated features, rockumentaries, comedies, romances, action thrillers - a slew of the goods so good it can be confusing as hell. For that, we offer you twelve films that we stand behind. See you in the seats.

French Girls (2026)

(dir. Hyun Lee)

‘An unflinching and earnest depiction of operational and personal struggle and the absurdity of a troubled industry only becoming more ubiquitous.’

Mia (Mia Kidis) is drifting through life working on construction sites when she’s scouted by a Sydney model agent. Suddenly, she’s making more money than ever while working less – something her boyfriend loves to point out. Mia quietly observes this strange new world of modelling with deep uncertainty. Is this really the life she wants? With one curious turn after another, she finds herself in trouble with the law. Full of insouciance, familiar local talent and gorgeously shot by cinematographer Dimitri Zaunders (The Golden Spurtle, SFF 2025), French Girls is an irresistibly charming, refreshingly perceptive take on societal representations of femininity and the disappointing realities of labour.

Leviticus (2026)

(dir. Adrian Chiarella)

‘Is it a romance? Is it a horror? Yes.’

In a sleepy regional Victorian town, teen boys Naim (Joe Bird, Talk to Me) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen) form a powerful attraction – a sin in their God-fearing, conservative Christian community. When their budding queer love is discovered, Naim and Ryan are subjected to a radical conversion therapy ritual by a mysterious 'healer' (Nicholas Hope, Bad Boy Bubby). A sinister supernatural entity is thereby released, targeting only the boys and taking the form of what they desire most: each other. The astonishingly clever feature debut of award-winning Australian writer-director Adrian Chiarella (Dwarf Planet, SFF Dendy Awards 2021), the film melds coming-of-age romance, supernatural queer horror and a touch of It Follows into its chilling curse narrative. The two young leads Bird and Clausen lend a believable chemistry and tenderness to their roles, making their eventual terror all the more palpable. From the producers of Talk to Me, and bolstered by impressive supporting turns from Mia Wasikowska and Ewen Leslie, Leviticus is an electrifying showcase for Australian screen talent, and a worthy new entry in the canon of homegrown horror.

The Killings at Parrish Station (2026)

(dir. Daniel Nettheim)

‘A real movie lover’s movie that sets a tone for the festival to come.’

In 1987, detectives Georgia Cooke (Wasikowska) and Michael Thorne (Samuel) are called to investigate the bizarre and brutal killings of four scientists at the remote Parrish Research Station. They uncover a complex case involving mania, ritual, and the occult, and Georgia's obsessive truth-seeking spirals, threatening her family, career, and sanity. Thirty seven years later, a chilling new spree of murders pull Georgia (Heather Mitchell) back into this nightmare as she confronts the possibility that the horrors at Parrish Station were never fully buried. Created by Ben Jenkins and directed by prolific film and television director Daniel Nettheim (The Hunter).

Saccharine (2026)

(dir. Natalie Erika James)

‘A unique take on a trodden territory that brings to life (sorry for the pun) a vivid tale that comments on interpersonal as well as cultural norms, expectations, and standards… plus it was scary.’

When medical student, Hana (Midori Francis, Grey's Anatomy), runs into an old friend who has drastically slimmed down since high school, she becomes enticed to take the same weight loss medication. Desperate to gain the adoration of her personal trainer and crush, Alanya (Madeleine Madden, Mystery Road), Hana gets wrapped up in her insecurities and addicted to the drug – so much so, she starts making her own pills. But the main ingredient brings ghastly consequences when Hana is haunted by a horrifying and hungry ghost that grows larger while Hana’s body grows smaller. James's stylish, genre filmmaking is a timely and biting critique of online consumption and body-centric culture.

Tenor: My Name Is Pati (2025)

(dir. Rebecca Tansley)

‘An off-beat approach to an off-beat story about an under utilized and under appreciated art form that is as sentimental as it is masterful.’

Hailed as the new Pavarotti, New Zealand’s Pene Pati is one of opera’s brightest young voices, astonishing audiences worldwide with his unique timbre. Alongside his brother Amitai, they have become unlikely stars of the European operatic stage. In this candid documentary, award-winning director Rebecca Tansley (The Heart Dances, SFF 2019) follows Pene and Amitai as they reflect on their journey from childhood church performances in South Auckland to international acclaim in Paris, London and beyond. Studded with breathtaking performances, the film explores the deep bonds of family and culture that shaped them and their ongoing reconciliation of where those roots sit within the world of opera.

I Want Your Sex (2025)

(dir. Gregg Araki)

‘Gregg Araki directed it. What else do you expect us to say?’

Boyish, bushy-tailed Elliot (Hoffman) can’t believe his luck when he’s hired as the new assistant to provocative, successful contemporary artist Erika Tracy (Wilde). Magnetic, powerful and supremely seductive, Erika is certainly no regular boss, and she soon enlists the eager-to-please Elliot as her sex slave. In way over his head and firmly under Erika’s spell, Elliot must somehow also maintain his relationship with girlfriend Minerva (Charli xcx) and his best friend and housemate Apple (Chase Sui Wonders). A sly, darkly funny take on contemporary sexuality from New Queer Cinema legend Gregg Araki (Mysterious Skin, The Doom Generation), I Want Your Sex is a welcome reminder of his singular, subversive voice.

Steal This Story, Please! (2026)

(dir. Carl Deal, Tia Lessin)

‘As the world falls to shit, this documentary discusses the issues of how we get our information as being as troublesome as the information itself.’

In 1991, Amy Goodman’s life changed forever while reporting on the East Timor independence movement. After witnessing the killing of protestors and being brutally beaten herself, she recognised the power of journalism to create change. Since cofounding Democracy Now! in 1996, that mission has defined Goodman’s fearless reporting – consistently challenging those in power. Unforgettable archival moments include an unexpected call from President Bill Clinton, as she meets him with uncompromising questions. Oscar-nominated directors Carl Deal and Tia Lessin (Trouble the Water) craft a vivid, deeply human portrait, charged with urgency, wit and conviction in an era when truth itself is under siege.

Filipinana (2026)

(dir. Rafael Manuel)

‘Watched to me like aspects of Parasite mixed with a journey of girlhood self-discovery without cliche that bordered on a meticulous musical and set in the Pacific.’

Seventeen-year-old Isabel is a ‘tee girl’ at a lush country club outside Manila, ensuring golf balls are always perfectly lined up for the club’s elite guests. The immaculate grounds and dutiful staff seem utterly alien from Isabel’s home in rural Ilocos, as she observes the resort’s goings-on with intense curiosity. Her attention is particularly drawn to Dr. Palanca, the club’s eccentric president. With the entrancing pace of a hot summer’s day, a mesmerisingly obsessive control of visual language and a sharp eye for social critique, Filipiñana is one of the year’s most exciting debuts from director Rafael Manuel, a mentee of filmmaker Jia Zhangke. Winner, Sundance Special Jury Award for Creative Vision.

The Best Summer (2026)

(dir. Tamra Davis)

‘FUCK yes, Pav.’

An infectiously fun tour diary, The Best Summer unearths a treasure trove of never-before-seen footage from one of the most stacked festival lineups ever to grace Australian shores. Dusting off tapes recovered from her garage while fleeing the recent Malibu fires, director Tamra Davis (Jean- Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child, SFF 2010; Billy Madison) pieces together an electric time capsule of ’90s alternative music legends at the peak of their youthful powers. Featuring candid, frequently hilarious interviews with the likes of Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Kim Deal, Beck, Dave Grohl and Kathleen Hanna, alongside raucous on-stage antics, it’s an all-access pass to a momentous moment in Australian music history.

Jack Johnson: Surfilmusic (2026)

(dir. Emmett Malloy)

‘A documentary that is much more about a good surfer who happens to play music as a famous musician who surfs.’

Born on O’ahu, Hawaii, home of the legendary Banzai Pipeline, Jack Johnson came into the world surfboard in tow. Built from an extraordinary personal archive, alongside Johnson’s own surf film footage, this remarkable documentary is a sun-drenched portrait of restless exploration, where surfing, film and music all flow together. The film captures the community of surfers, artists and filmmakers who helped to carve out Johnson’s path; and the fully lived life he bottled up and poured into his music. Featuring appearances from surf legends, filmmakers and musicians, including Kelly Slater, Gerry Lopez, Ben Harper, and Ben Stiller, with original music by Jack Johnson and Hermanos Gutiérrez.

Jane B. Par Agnes V. (1988)

(dir. Agnès Varda)

‘Feeling much like a two way street, and perhaps only semi-combat, this portrait of Jane Birkin by renowned filmmaker Agnes Varda is a masterpiece.’

When Varda met Birkin their lives were in a similar orbit, as artists and mothers of teenage children. Birkin expressed trepidation about her upcoming 40th birthday and Varda responded by proposing to film her portrait as a gift. Uninterested in crafting the usual biopic full of famous faces and historical pictures, Varda opted to view Birkin through her various roles, from Jeanne d'Arc to Calamity Jane, and even a nod to the namesake Hermès bag she inspired. By exploring Birkin's life through a sideways glance at her filmography, Varda also illuminates her own life. The resulting film is unlike any other biography – unpredictable, insightful and personal; a charming exploration of femininity and identity.

Joybubbles (2026)

(dir. Rachael J. Morrison)

‘Before all of this bullshit Twitter and AI scummery, there was Joybubbles.’

Driven by a desire for connection and a knack for telecommunications, Josef Carl Engressia Jr. – who legally changed his name to Joybubbles – discovers he can disrupt the global phone network and make free calls by whistling a certain frequency. As one of the original ‘phone phreaks’ (among notable peers like Apple founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak), Joybubbles played a crucial role in founding this fascinating subculture. Produced by Sarah Winshall (I Saw the TV Glow, SFF 2024), Rachael J. Morrison’s marvellously entertaining debut doc follows Joybubbles’ unforgettable journey, from his challenging childhood to becoming a world-leading phone hacker, while pursuing his dream of independent living.