From gritty homegrown dramas to nostalgic docos of bygone eras, these epic 7 films are just the tip of the St Kilda Film Festival iceberg.
You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to which flicks you’re going to hit up at this year’s St Kilda Film Festival. The 2025 iteration of the festival, unfolding from Thursday, June 5 to Sunday, June 15, offers a catalogue of films as diverse and creative as Australia is itself. Once again, the St Kilda Film Festival cements itself as the epicentre of the country’s short film industry.
The festival’s more than 150 films are organised into 34 carefully-curated sessions, each adhering to a chosen theme. From coming of age stories to vintage film formats, the sessions cover a wide range of ideas and identities, offering something for every kind of cinema-goer.
St Kilda Film Festival
- June 5 to June 15
- The Palais Theatre, St Kilda Town Hall, South Melbourne Market and the Astor Theatre
- Over 150 films across 34 sessions
- More info here
Check out our gig guide, our stage guide, our festival guide, our live music venue guide and our nightclub guide. Follow us on Instagram here.
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If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by the epic program at this year’s St Kilda Film Festival, fear not. Below, you can find seven films that you absolutely can’t miss out on, as well as a further seven sessions to check out.
Unspoken directed by Damian Walshe-Howling
- Showing at International Perspectives – Part 1
- June 7
- Tickets here
Australia has garnered a reputation in its cinematic offerings for its gritty stories, and Unspoken is no exception. Set in 1979 Sydney, this short film follows the story of Croation-born Marina as she grapples with her romantic relationship with an Australian boyfriend, provoking questions of identity, family, belonging and survival. Unspoken speaks to the migrant experience in a city that is boiling with tension and volatile politics.
See Me: A Film About Redro Redriguez directed by Nathan Woods
- Showing at Documentary Showcase – Part 2
- June 15
- Tickets here
Just six months before his passing, filmmaker Nathan Wood sat down with musician, sound engineer and friend Redro Redriguez. This touching short documentary explores the life, music, art and character behind David ‘Redro Redriguez’ Whip, who was a legend of the Naarm music community and now immortalised by his friend in this slice of nostalgic reminiscence. As a long-time sound engineer at Cherry Bar, it was bringing a slew of musicians from the city and down to the Mornington Peninsula that sparked the treasured friendship between Redro and Nathan.
Fence directed by Samantha Alexis Laughton
- Showing at First Nations Women in Film and Brave New Worlds – Part 3
- June 8 and June 13
- Tickets here
Director Samantha Alexis Laughton stuns with this story of identity, freedom and spiritual connection. Fence is a narrative short film that explores the turning point of a young woman’s captivity on a remote cattle station that she has survived on since birth. After meeting a new mysterious figure on the cattle station, the young woman discovers an ancient inner strength, leading her to question a means of escape from behind the fence she has always lived.
Re-Imagining Our Futures: Birthing directed by Kimberley Benjamin
- Showing at First Nations Women in Film
- June 8
- Tickets here
This spectacular documentary, directed by Kimberley Benjamin, takes to task the Western medical healthcare system. Re-Imagining Our Futures follows Nyikina and Jabbir Jabbir woman Kalinda Palmer as she explores traditional birthing practices with the help of her Elders. Through connecting to these long-held practices that have been used for millennia, Kalinda is able to re-imagine a future brings tradition along with it.
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Born to Hustle directed by Grace Anna Cardona
- Showing at Moving Portraits
- June 9
- Tickets here
Emma Addams – the head-honcho behind Naarm label Heart of Bone – was born to hustle, and director Grace Anna Cardonna is out to document it. This chaotic whirlwind of a doco worms its way right to the core of who Emma is and how she manages to conduct the magic that she does. The answer: ADHD, no sleep and too much Coke Zero. Already picking up an award here and there, Born to Hustle is certainly a film that captures our current times.
RAGE directed by Renee Kyprioti
- Showing at Opening Night, Turning Points, Shifting The Gaze and Made In VIC – Part 1
- June 5, June 9, June 14 and June 15
- Tickets here
Often thought of as a forgotten subculture in Naarm’s history, RAGE is a snapshot that proves that the Sharpie subculture didn’t just exist, but thrived. A tango between the present day and the past, this film centres around Julie-Mac and her memories of being a part of the Sharpie gangs in her formative years. This chaotic ride of a film is as heartfelt as any trip down memory lane, crystallising in just 10 minutes the importance of community in teenage years.
Unstoppable directed by Jack Byrnes and Marcus Porcaro
- Showing at Opening Night and Shot To Thrill
- June 5 and June 8
- Tickets here
This gripping dramatic short film will have you on the edge of your seat for the entire 14 minutes. UNSTOPPABLE tells the story of a paraplegic ex-defence contractor who takes on a gang of masked intruders who are out for his blood. Directed by Jack Byrnes and Marcus Porcaro, UNSTOPPABLE is an exploration of strength, self-belief, adaption and survival, and isn’t one to miss.
Plus, seven spectacular sessions to check out
But wait – there’s more! If you’re wanting to choose which St Kilda Film Festival event to hit up based on the session’s theme, read on for our seven top picks.
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First Nations Women in Film
- June 8
- Tickets here
This year’s St Kilda Film Festival marks the festival’s largest First Nations line-up so far, and what better way to catch some of these stories than at the First Nations Women in Film session. In addition to the four essential films on show, there’ll also be a post-screening First Nations Women Film Panel facilitated by Tasha James.
The Edge of Seventeen
- June 9
- Tickets here
We’ve all been there, and now these filmmakers are heading back. Across six films, a plethora of experiences will be explored through humour, insight, love and energy in this collection of tales of teenage years. The Edge of Seventeen will also be followed by a filmmaker Q&A.
Festival Mixtape at the Market
- June 12
- Tickets here
If you’ve never been to the St Kilda Film Festival’s South Melbourne Market session, this year’s a better time than any. Seven sensational films will transform the market into a cinematic heaven, with food and drink stallholders there to keep you satisfied. There’ll be a mix of genre and style across this session of films, so it’s the perfect taste of a little bit of everything the festival has to offer.
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Under the Radar
- June 12
- Tickets here
Under the Radar is the St Kilda Film Festival’s Youth Short Film category, showcasing filmmakers under the age of 21. Rest assured, the kids aren’t just alright – they’re also brilliant at creating slices of cinema well beyond their age. This session will also be followed with a Q&A with the young filmmakers.
Analogue Experience
- June 14
- Tickets here
In an ever-evolving world of technology, this collection of seven filmmakers are opting for the magic of a bygone era. In this session, you’ll find some of the best filmmakers embracing analogue formats and creating stories that not only speak to the beauty of the medium, but also its everlasting power. You can also expect a filmmaker Q&A after this session.
Shifting the Gaze presented by WIFT Vic
- June 14
- Tickets here
Shifting the Gaze is exactly what it sounds like. Thanks to Women in Film and Television Victoria (WIFT Vic), female and gender-diverse filmmakers are taking centre stage. This collection of films present a plethora of stories, all of which hit right to the core. Shifting the Gaze won’t only be followed by a filmmaker Q&A, but also a dash of casual networking in the Filmmaker Lounge too.
Made in VIC Part 1 & 2 presented by VicScreen
Across two spectacular sessions, Made in VIC will present a platform for Victoria’s own filmmakers to present their cinematic masterpieces. Featuring a variety of stories, genres and mediums, Made in VIC will give you a taste of some of the phenomenal talent that is coming out of the state.
For more information on the St Kilda Film Festival, head here.
This article was made in partnership with St Kilda Film Festival.
