Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) 2025 announces first 26 films including Palme d'Or winner and Australian premieres.
MIFF has revealed its first program glimpse for the 73rd edition, showcasing 26 films and unmissable events across 18 days of bold programming from 7-24 August. The announcement highlights seven MIFF Premiere Fund titles alongside 17 international and local features set to define the festival experience.
Melbourne International Film Festival 2025 features this year’s Palme d’Or winner It Was Just An Accident by Iranian director Jafar Panahi, bringing the Cannes-awarded revenge thriller to Melbourne audiences among the first worldwide to experience it on the big screen. The film serves as both broadside and real-world triumph against authoritarian oppression.
Special events include Julia Holter: The Passion of Joan of Arc in its Australian premiere, an exclusive live score event reimagining the iconic 1928 French film by Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer. Julia Holter will perform alongside her band, UK composer Hugh Brunt from London Contemporary Orchestra, and The Consort of Melbourne for two nights at Melbourne Recital Centre.
MIFF 2025
- 73rd Melbourne International Film Festival
- Dates: 7-24 August 2025 (18 days)
- Regional program: Bendigo, Ballarat, Castlemaine, Morwell, Geelong, Rosebud, Sale, Shepparton
MIFF Premiere Fund:
- Careless
- First Light
- Iron Winter
- Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke
- One More Shot
- Pasa Faho
- Spreadsheet Champions
Special Events & XR:
- Julia Holter: The Passion Of Joan Of Arc
- When The World Came Flooding In
Australian and International:
- Blue Moon
- Cloud
- Come See Me In The Good Light
- Dreams
- Fwends
- Harvest
- It Was Just An Accident
- Journey Home, David Gulpilil
- Lurker
- Marlon Williams: Two Worlds – Ngā Ao E Rua
- Maya, Give Me A Title
- My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air In Moscow
- Reflections In A Dead Diamond
- Sorry, Baby
- The Ballad Of Wallis Island
- The Baltimorons
- Twinless
MIFF Premiere Fund’s Australian premieres
Local programming spotlights the MIFF Premiere Fund supporting outstanding Australian filmmaking and unique creative voices. Titles include One More Shot by Melbourne director Nicholas Clifford starring Emily Browning and Sean Keenan, Spreadsheet Champions by Kristina Kraskov following young people competing in Microsoft Excel mastery, and Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke, a personal documentary about the comedic legend directed by his daughter Lorin Clarke.
Additional Australian features include First Light by Filipino-Australian photographer James J. Robinson starring Ruby Ruiz and Maricel Soriano, Pasa Faho presenting a quintessentially Melbourne migrant community tale with Nigerian comedian Okey Bakassi, and Iron Winter, the latest documentary from Kasimir Burgess exploring Mongolian steppes and climate change threats.
International highlights and special presentations
International programming features The Ballad of Wallis Island, bringing together UK comedy veterans Tim Key and Tom Basden with three-time Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan. Blue Moon showcases Ethan Hawke as Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart in Richard Linklater’s ensemble portrait featuring Margaret Qualley and Andrew Scott.
Documentary programming includes Marlon Williams: Two Worlds chronicling four years in the artistic process of the beloved Aotearoa musician. Director Ursula Grace Williams balances behind-the-scenes moments with remarkable musical sequences built around Williams’ new waiata compositions, featuring collaborations with Lorde, Aldous Harding and Florence Welch.
Digital offerings and regional expansion
MIFF’s digital platform returns from 15-31 August, continuing one week after the festival concludes through ACMI’s Cinema 3 streaming service. The regional showcase expands across festival weekends 15-17 and 22-24 August with venues in eight regional centres, supported by VicScreen to bring festival highlights beyond metropolitan Melbourne.
The annual MIFF Awards return on 23 August, celebrating cinematic excellence with one of the world’s most significant filmmaking prize pools including the prestigious $140,000 Bright Horizons Award supported by the Victorian government through VicScreen. The full program launches 10 July with tickets available to members from 10 July and general public from 15 July.
Six of the best films at MIFF 2025
It Was Just An Accident – This year’s Palme d’Or winner from Iranian master Jafar Panahi combines pitch-black humour with devastating plot twists. The revenge thriller courageously interrogates state-sanctioned censorship while incorporating real stories Panahi heard from fellow prison inmates.
Julia Holter: The Passion of Joan of Arc – An unmissable live cinema experience combining Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1928 masterpiece with Julia Holter’s spellbinding score performed live at Melbourne Recital Centre. The exclusive two-night event features The Consort of Melbourne and London Contemporary Orchestra’s Hugh Brunt.
Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke – A deeply personal documentary about the antipodean comedy legend, intimately produced by his daughter Lorin Clarke. The tribute weaves together recorded conversations between John and Lorin with television archives, international comedy greats and treasures from over 200 boxes of Clarke’s work.
One More Shot – Melbourne director Nicholas Clifford’s ingenious debut transforms a Y2K house party into an endless tequila-fuelled time loop. Starring Emily Browning, Sean Keenan and Ashley Zukerman, this MIFF Premiere Fund title packs non-stop 90s hits with standout Australian talent.
Marlon Williams: Two Worlds – An engrossing documentary following the beloved Aotearoa artist’s four-year journey creating an album entirely in te reo Māori. Features remarkable collaborations with Lorde, Aldous Harding and Florence Welch alongside intimate behind-the-scenes moments.
Blue Moon – Richard Linklater’s ensemble portrait brings Ethan Hawke as Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart to life on the opening night of Oklahoma! The chamber drama features Margaret Qualley, Bobby Canavale and Andrew Scott exploring fallen stardom and changing musical theatre.
For more information, head here.
