71st Sydney Film Festival explained
The 71st annual Sydney Film Festival was held from 5 to 16 June 2024.[1] The festival opened with Paul Clarke's documentary film Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line,[2] and closed with Coralie Fargeat's horror film The Substance.[3]
Overall the festival screened 197 films, including 28 world premieres and 133 Australian premieres.[4]
Juries
The Sydney Film Prize jury was headed by Bosnian filmmaker Danis Tanović.[5]
Official Selection
In competition
The following films were selected for the main international competition:
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| All We Imagine as Light | | France, India, Netherlands, Luxembourg |
| Dying | Sterben | | Germany |
| Grand Tour | | Portugal, France, Italy |
| Kinds of Kindness | | Ireland, United Kingdom, United States |
| Kneecap | | Ireland, United Kingdom |
| Marcello Mio | | France, Italy |
| Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line | Paul Clarke | Australia |
| Puan | | Argentina, Italy, France, Germany, Brazil |
| September Says | | France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, United Kingdom |
| Sujo | Astrid Rondero, Fernanda Valadez | Mexico, United States, France |
| There's Still Tomorrow | C'è ancora domani | Paola Cortellesi | Italy |
| Viet and Nam | Trong lòng đất | | Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, France, Netherlands | |
Highlighted title indicates Sydney Film Prize winner.
Special Presentations
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| The Bikeriders | | United States |
| The Convert | | Australia, New Zealand |
| Dahomey | | France, Senegal, Benin |
| The Dead Don't Hurt | | Canada, Denmark, Mexico |
| Despicable Me 4 | | United States |
| A Different Man | | United States |
| Green Border | Zielona granica | | Poland, Czechia, France, Belgium |
| Kid Snow | Paul Goldman | Australia |
| Lee | | United Kingdom |
| The Monk and the Gun | | Bhutan, Taiwan, France, United States, Hong Kong |
| My Old Ass | | United States |
| The Outrun | | United Kingdom, Germany |
| The Pool | | Australia |
| Porcelain War | Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev | United States, Ukraine, Australia |
| Touch | Snerting | | Iceland, United Kingdom | |
Documentary Australia Award
| English title | Original title | Director(s) |
|---|
| Aquarius | Wendy Champagne |
| The Blind Sea | Daniel Fenech |
| Dale Frank: Nobody's Sweetie | Jenny Hicks |
| Every Little Thing | Sally Aitken |
| Mozart's Sister | Madeleine Hetherton-Miau |
| Otto by Otto | Gracie Otto |
| Skategoat | Van Alpert |
| Welcome to Babel | James Bradley |
| Welcome to Yiddishland | Ros Horin |
| You Should Have Been Here Yesterday | Jolyon Hoff | |
Features
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| About Dry Grasses | Kuru Otlar Üstüne | | Turkey, France, Germany, Sweden |
| Achilles | Farhad Delaram | Iran, Germany, France |
| Alienoid | Oegye+in 1bu | | South Korea |
| | Euigye+in 2-bu | | South Korea |
| All Shall Be Well | 從今以後 | | Hong Kong |
| Armand | | Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden |
| Brief History of a Family | 家庭简史 | Lin Jianjie | China, Denmark |
| City of Wind | Сэр сэр салхи | | France, Mongolia, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Qatar |
| Cottontail | Patrick Dickinson | United Kingdom, Japan |
| Crossing | | Sweden, Denmark, France, Turkey, Georgia |
| Daddio | | United States |
| Death of a Whistleblower | Ian Gabriel | South Africa |
| Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World | Nu aștepta prea mult de la sfârșitul lumii | | Romania |
| Eephus | Carson Lund | United States |
| Essential Truths of the Lake | | Philippines |
| Explanation for Everything | Magyarázat mindenre | | Hungary, Slovakia |
| Ezra | | United States |
| Flathead | Jaydon Martin | Australia |
| Ghostlight | Kelly O'Sullivan, Alex Thompson | United States |
| He Ain't Heavy | David Vincent Smith | Australia |
| Hesitation Wound | Tereddüt Çizgisi | | Turkey, Spain, Romania, France |
| House of the Seasons | Oh Jung-min | South Korea |
| I Saw the TV Glow | | United States |
| In Vitro | Will Howarth, Tom McKeith | Australia |
| Kneecap | | Ireland, United Kingdom |
| La cocina | | Mexico, United States |
| Memory | | United States |
| The Moon Is Upside Down | | New Zealand |
| More Than Strangers | Sylvie Michel | Greece, Germany |
| Motel Destino | | Brazil, France, Germany |
| My New Friends | Les gens d’à côté | | France |
| My Sunshine | ぼくのお日さま | | Japan |
| One Second Ahead, One Second Behind | Nobuhiro Yamashita | Japan |
| Paradise | | Sri Lanka, India |
| Pepe | Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias | Dominican Republic, Namibia, Germany, France |
| Problemista | | United States |
| Rapture | Dominic M. Sangma | India |
| The Rye Horn | O Corno | | Spain, Portugal, Belgium |
| Sasquatch Sunset | David Zellner, Nathan Zellner | United States |
| Sex | | Norway |
| Shambhala | | Nepal, France, Norway, Hong Kong, China, Turkey, United States, Qatar, Taiwan |
| Something Like an Autobiography | | Bangladesh |
| Stress Positions | | United States |
| Thelma | Josh Margolin | United States |
| Toll | Pedágio | | Brazil, Portugal |
| Unicorns | | United Kingdom, United States, Sweden |
| Veni Vidi Vici | Daniel Hoesl, Julia Niemann | Austria |
| Woman Of... | Kobieta z... | | Poland, Sweden | |
International Documentaries
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| Agent of Happiness | Arun Bhattarai, Dorottya Zurbó | Hungary, Bhutan |
| Among the Wolves | Tanguy Dumortier, Olivier Larrey | France, Belgium |
| Architecton | | Germany, France, United States |
| Balomania | Sissel Morell Dargis | Denmark, Spain |
| The Battle for Laikipia | Daphne Matziaraki, Peter Murimi | Kenya, United States, Greece |
| Black Box Diaries | | United States, United Kingdom, Japan |
| Black Snow | Alina Simone | Denmark, United States |
| The Bones | Jeremy Xido | Canada, Germany |
| The Cats of Gogoku Shrine | Kazuhiro Soda | Japan, United States |
| Charmian Clift: Life Burns High | Rachel Lane | Australia |
| The Contestant | Clair Titley | United Kingdom |
| Copa 71 | | United States |
| | | United States, France |
| | | United Kingdom |
| The Flats | Alessandra Celesia | France |
| Flickering Lights | Anupama Srinivasan, Anirban Dutta | India |
| The Home Game | Heimaleikurinn | Smari Gunn, Logi Sigursveinsson | Iceland |
| A Horse Named Winx | | Australia |
| Ibelin | | Norway |
| In the Rearview | Skąd dokąd | Maciek Hamela | Poland, France, Ukraine |
| Life Is Beautiful | Al Haya Helwa | Mohamed Jabaly | Norway, Palestine |
| Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger | David Hinton | United Kingdom, United States |
| Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros | | France |
| My Stolen Planet | Farahnaz Sharifi | Germany, Iran |
| A New Kind of Wilderness | Silje Evensmo Jacobsen | Norway |
| No Other Land | Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor | Palestine, Norway |
| Nocturnes | Anirban Dutta, Anupama Srinivasan | India, United States |
| Occupied City | | United Kingdom, Netherlands, United States |
| Rewards for the Tribe | Rhys Graham | Australia |
| | Jeff Zimbalist, >Maria Bukhonina | United States |
| Sugarcane | | United States, Canada |
| | Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui | United Kingdom, United States |
| Wilding | David Allen | United Kingdom | |
Late Announce
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| Black Dog | 狗阵 | | China |
| Caught by the Tides | 风流一代 | | China |
| | | United States, France |
| Ghost Trail | Les Fantômes | Jonathan Millet | France, Germany, Belgium |
| The Girl with the Needle | Pigen med nålen | | Denmark, Poland, Sweden |
| Megalopolis | | United States |
| Rumours | | Canada, Germany |
| The Seed of the Sacred Fig | دانه انجیر مقدس | | Iran, Germany, France |
| The Substance | | United Kingdom, United States, France | |
Freak Me Out
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| Cuckoo | | Germany, United States |
| Hear My Eyes: Hellraiser | | United Kingdom, United States |
| Hunting Daze | Jour de chasse | Annick Blanc | Canada |
| KILL | Nikhil Nagesh Bhat | India |
| The Moogai | Jon Bell | Australia |
| The Paragon | Michael Duignan | New Zealand |
| She Loved Blossoms More | Yannis Veslemes | Greece, France |
| Wake Up | | Canada, France | |
First Nations
Sustainable Future
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| The Battle for Laikipia | Daphne Matziaraki, Peter Murimi | Kenya, United States, Greece |
| Black Snow | Alina Simone | Denmark, United States |
| The Feast | Rishi Chandna | India |
| Grove of Giants | Bree Sanders | Australia |
| The Waiting | Volker Schlecht | Germany |
| Wilding | David Allen | United Kingdom | |
Europe! Voices of Women in Film
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| Afterwar | Birgitte Stærmose | Denmark |
| Excursion | Ekskurzija | Una Gunjak | Bosnia |
| Immortals | Maja Tschumi | Switzerland, Iraq |
| Je'vida | | Finland |
| The Lost Children | Michèle Jacob | Belgium |
| A Postcard from Rome | Elza Gauja | Latvia | |
Sounds on Screen
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| Blur: To the End | Toby L | United Kingdom |
| Head South | Jonathan Ogilvie | New Zealand |
| Resonance | Kate Vinen, Jayden Rathsam Hua | Australia | |
Family
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| 200% Wolf | Alexs Stadermann | Australia |
| Despicable Me 4 | | United States |
| It's Okay! | 괜찮아 괜찮아 괜찮아! | Kim Hye-young | South Korea |
| The Mountain | | New Zealand |
| My Freaky Family | | Australia, Ireland |
| The Sloth Lane | Tania Vincent, Ricard Cussó | Australia | |
Nancy Savoca Retrospective
Ousmane Sembene Retrospective
Classics Restored
FLUX
Screenability
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| Good Bad Things | Shane D. Stranger | United States |
| Rehabilitating | Inez Playford | Australia |
| The Ride Ahead | Samuel Habib, Dan Habib | United States |
| The Stimming Pool | Benjamin Brown, Georgia Bradburn, Sam Chown-Ahern, Robin Elliott-Knowles, Lucy Walker, Steven Eastwood | United Kingdom |
| Threshold | Sofya Gollan | Australia |
| Unstoppable | Jack Byrnes, Marcus Porcaro | Australia | |
Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| Alone | Alex Weight | Australia |
| Besharam | | Raghav Rampal |
|---|
| Bong Xi Fa Cai | Johnathan Lo |
| Darwin Story | Natasha Tonkin |
| Die Bully Die | Nathan Lacey, Nick Lacey |
| The Disconnected | Pia Derya |
| The Gay | Madeleine Purdy |
| The Meaningless Daydreams of Augie & Celeste | Pernell Marsden |
| Say | Chloe Kemp |
| This Will Never Last | Julia van Oppen, Katrina Lin, Holly May Fletcher | |
Shorts airing with features
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
|---|
| Dancer | Nomin Gantulga | Australia, Mongolia |
| Dream Creep | Carlos A.F. Lopez | United States |
| Earwax | Jasper Martin | Australia |
| The Feast | Rishi Chandna | India |
| First Horse | Awanui Simich-Pene | New Zealand |
| Grove of Giants | Bree Sanders | Australia |
| It Will Find You | Chris Broadbent, Enzo Tedeschi | Australia |
| Lullaby | Chi Thai | United Kingdom |
| Meat Puppet | Eros V | United Kingdom |
| Mother Tongue | Lea Tupu'anga | Vea Mafile'o | New Zealand |
| Of the Last Reel in Front of You | Yan Geng | Australia |
| Rehabilitating | Inez Playford | Australia |
| Tayal Forest Club | Laha Mebow | Taiwan |
| Threshold | Sofya Gollan | Australia |
| Transylvanie | Rodrigue Huart | France |
| Unstoppable | Jack Byrnes, Marcus Porcaro | Australia |
| The Waiting | Volker Schlecht | Germany |
| Withered Blossoms | Lionel Seah | Australia | |
Awards
The following awards were presented at the festival:
- Sydney Film Prize: There's Still Tomorrow (C'è ancora domani) — Paola Cortellesi[6]
- Documentary Australia Award for Australian Documentary: Welcome to Babel — James Bradley[6]
- Sustainable Future Award: Black Snow — Alina Simone[6]
- First Nations Award: First Horse — Awanui Simich-Pene[6]
- Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films
- Dendy Live Action Short Award: Die Bully Die — Nathan Lacey, Nick Lacey[6]
- The Rouben Mamoulian Award: The Meaningless Daydreams of Augie & Celeste — Pernell Marsden[6]
- Yoram Gross Animation Award: Darwin Story — Natasha Tonkin[6]
- AFTRS Craft Award: Say — Chloe Kemp[6]
- Event Cinemas Rising Talent Award: Bridget Morrison, Say[6]
- Sydney UNESCO City of Film Award: Debbie Lee[6]
- GIO Audience Awards
Notes and References
- Luke Buckmaster, "From mythic creatures to innovative documentaries: 10 films to see at Sydney film festival 2024". The Guardian, 7 May 2024.
- Patrick Frater, "‘Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line’ Rockumentary to Open Sydney Film Festival". Variety, 23 April 2024.
- Sean Slatter, "Coralie Fargeat’s ‘The Substance’ to close Sydney Film Festival". IF Magazine, 29 May 2024.
- Lars Brandle, "Sydney Film Festival Sets 2024 Program". Variety, 8 May 2024.
- Michael Rosser, "Sydney Film Festival reveals 2024 competition line-up". Screen Daily, 7 May 2024.
- Patrick Frater, "Sydney Film Festival: Italian Box Office Hit ‘There’s Still Tomorrow’ Wins Top Prize". Variety, 17 June 2024.
- https://if.com.au/the-moogai-skategoat-take-home-sff-audience-awards/ "‘The Moogai’, ‘Skategoat’ take home SFF Audience Awards"
