Europa! Europa Film Festival returns with its most ambitious program yet
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17.01.2025

Europa! Europa Film Festival returns with its most ambitious program yet

Europa film festival
Words by Staff Writer

Forget holiday trips to Europe, take a trip to the cinema. Europa! Europe is bringing the very best of European cinema to Aussie screens.

The beloved Europa! Europa Film Festival is gearing up for its fourth edition, bringing a fresh wave of European cinema to Melbourne and Sydney screens from February 12 to March 12, 2025.

This year’s program boasts an impressive lineup of 44 films from 26 countries, showcasing everything from arthouse darlings to box office smashes.

Europa! Europa

  • February 12 to March 12
  • Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn
  • Classic Cinemas, Elsternwick
  • Ritz Cinemas, Randwick

Explore Melbourne’s latest arts and stage news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

French comedy A Little Something Extra will kick off opening night festivities. The film, which dominated the French box office with over 10 million admissions, follows an unlikely pair – a jewel thief and his son – who find themselves at a summer camp for young adults with disabilities. Director Artus’s decision to cast non-professional actors in supporting roles has earned widespread praise for bringing authenticity to the screen.

The festival’s centrepiece gala offers something special: the world premiere of Once Upon My Mother, a vibrant 1960s-set French film chronicling a mother’s remarkable journey to help her son overcome physical disability.

Among the headline films, Julie Keeps Quiet promises to be a conversation starter. The Belgian-Swedish-French co-production, backed by the legendary Dardenne brothers, delves into the aftermath of misconduct allegations at an elite tennis academy. Meanwhile, Italy’s Another End brings together an impressive international cast including Gael García Bernal, Renate Reinsve, and Bérénice Bejo in a sci-fi tinged exploration of grief and technology.

Comedy fans are in for a treat with Germany’s Everything’s Fifty Fifty, which nabbed Best Direction at the Munich Film Festival, and Love Boat, a French farce featuring cinema icons Daniel Auteuil and Sandrine Kiberlain. For those seeking weightier fare, Spain’s Academy Award submission I Am Nevenka tackles a landmark #MeToo case, while Ukraine’s U Are the Universe blends sci-fi elements with contemporary themes of identity and survival.

The festival also includes a special retrospective celebrating François Truffaut, featuring pristine 4K restorations of four classics including Shoot the Piano Player and The Soft Skin.

Artistic Director Spiro Economopoulos describes this year’s program as their “boldest yet,” emphasising how each selection reflects the essence of European storytelling while celebrating the connections that bind us together.

Melbourne screenings will take place at Classic Cinemas in Elsternwick and Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn, while Sydney film lovers can catch the action at Ritz Cinemas in Randwick.

Check out the entire program for Europa! Europa here.