The 2024 Russell Hobbs British Film Festival is returning this November, bringing a showcase of exceptional films from the British Isles to cinemas in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Byron Bay, and for the first time, Ballarat.
The festival promises a stunning selection of dramas, thrillers, comedies, documentaries, and retrospectives, featuring many of Britain’s most admired stars.
In an exciting addition, the newly opened Palace Regent Ballarat will be included in the festival’s national locations, introducing the Palace Cinemas festival experience to the region.
2024 Russell Hobbs British Film Festival
- Melbourne: 6 Nov – 8 Dec, The Astor Theatre, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Penny Lane, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema
- Ballarat: 6 Nov – 8 Dec, Palace Regent Ballarat
- Canberra: 6 Nov – 8 Dec, Palace Electric Cinemas
- Brisbane: 6 Nov – 8 Dec, Palace Barracks, Palace James Street
- Adelaide: 6 Nov – 8 Dec, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas
- Perth: 6 Nov – 8 Dec, Palace Raine Square, Luna on SX, Leederville and Windsor
- Byron Bay: 6 Nov – 8 Dec, Palace Byron Bay
- Sydney: 7 Nov – 8 Dec, Palace Norton Street, Palace Moore Park, Chauvel Cinema, Palace Central
Find Melbourne’s latest film, TV, literature and gaming news here.
The festival is now proudly supported by naming partner Russell Hobbs, the iconic British appliance brand. Dean Hammerton, Brand & Communications Manager, Asia Pacific, expressed the brand’s pride in the collaboration. “Since the day Bill Russell and Peter Hobbs founded Russell Hobbs in Surrey UK, we’ve always done things in a recognisably British way with the goal of making everyday life a little bit easier. As a proud British brand, with a dash of style and history intertwined – we are very excited to support the celebration of British cinema and culture.”
Opening the festival is Steve McQueen’s visually stunning period drama Blitz, a powerful depiction of pivotal moments during World War II in London. Arriving straight from its London Film Festival premiere, Blitz stars Saoirse Ronan, Paul Weller, and newcomer Elliot Heffernen, who plays 9-year-old George.
Closing the festival is the Australian premiere of We Live in Time, a highly anticipated romance featuring Oscar nominees Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. This heart-wrenching film explores how to make the most of the time we have in the world.
Other highlights include Widow Clicquot, a British/French co-production offering an effervescent portrait of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, known as the “Grande Dame of Champagne.” Aylin Tezel’s directorial debut, Falling Into Place, will also have its Australian premiere, telling the tender story of two people who must confront their past after a meaningful encounter on the Isle of Skye.
The festival will also screen Four Letters of Love, starring Pierce Brosnan and Helena Bonham Carter. The film tells a beautiful story of love, destiny, and fate, and the forces that both bring people together and threaten to pull them apart.
The 2024 Russell Hobbs British Film Festival runs from 6 November to 8 December across multiple locations. Full program details and tickets will be available in mid-October.
