St Kilda Film Festival is back from June 6 to June 16 for its 40th year with an outstanding selection of some of the top short films from around Australia.
Featuring more than 150 films to be screened across 52 sessions at venues across St Kilda and South Melbourne, festival attendees are given the chance to see some of the best stories from the best filmmakers this country has to offer. From the Opening Night Gala at the beloved Astor Theatre to the First Nations program at neighbourhood-favourite pub The Espy, the range on offer at the festival is guaranteed to provide some incredible movie-watching for anyone and everyone.
You can access the full program to the festival here, but with over 150 films to choose from, we’ve made it a little easier to narrow down the selection with these top films that you can’t miss out on. An eclectic collection of style, genre, tone, and story, these films are as moving and exciting as they are incredibly well made. Taking inspiration from all walks of Australian life, these are just some of the few to see at the St Kilda Film Festival to remind you of the vibrant industry and unique take on storytelling that Australian filmmakers are known the world over for.
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14 in February
- Directed by Victoria Singh-Thompson
Victoria Singh-Thompson is no stranger to a coming of age film. The director’s previous short film Don’t Forget to Go Home was a standout on the festival circuit upon its premiere in 2020, and now her latest short 14 in February is looking to be just as incredible. Telling the story of a hard-of-hearing 13-year-old student’s reality who struggles to process her experiences of the world around her, 14 in February is a quietly haunting watch that will be screening as part of The Edge of Seventeen series on Sunday June 9 and Captioned Mixtape 2 on Saturday June 15.
Babakieuria
- Directed by Don Featherstone
As part of the First Nations program Through the Moving Lens of Protest and Resistance, to be held at The Espy on Saturday 15 June, Tasha James (Manager of Indigenous Collection and Archives for ABC) will be MC’ing a very special session of storytelling celebration. To accompany this event, musician Jungaji will be performing live and director Richard Frankland will be speaking.
As part of the program, renowned mockumentary by director Don Featherstone Babakieuria (1986) will be screening, along with two other short films and a music video. Babakieuria is a satirical short film that uses comedy to retell Australian history and flip the script of colonisation on its head. A film that’s as powerful and shocking as it is stupidly funny, this is a great chance to catch Babakieuria on the big screen for the first time, or revisit an old favourite of Australian cinematic history.
Blame the Rabbit
- Directed by Elena Carapetis
A modern take on the Gorgon myth of the three sisters Medusa, Stheno and Euryale who could turn onlookers into stone in a just a single glance, Blame the Rabbit is a unique exploration of gender, beauty, power, and rebuilding oneself after trauma. This surreal film will keep you guessing and leave you wanting more. You can catch Blame the Rabbit at the Brave New Worlds – Part 2 screening on Sunday June 9.
Distant Space
- Directed by Rohan Jones
A country as known for its innovative storytelling as it is for its out-of-this-world set building, short film Distant Space by Rohan Jones is emblematic of the best parts of Australian cinema. Set around a commercial mining company on Mars, the film explores the story of Robbie Scott as he reckons with humanity and finds himself both morally and physically lost, until a sudden apparition of his daughter provides cause for hope. Screening as part of the Dark Matters series at the festival on Friday June 7, this is a flick you can’t miss.
Room for One More
- Directed by Jesse Vogelaar
You can’t consider Australian cinema without a nod to the outrageously hilarious selection of comedic films that this country has become known for. Short film Room for One More, directed by Jesse Vogelaar and starring certified funny man Josh Glanc, is the perfect pick this festival season if you’re in need of a laugh. On the brink of death, Alex has to make the choice whether to spend his supposed final moments of life either reaching out to loved ones, or pitching his brilliant short film idea. An irreverent giggle, you can see Room for One More at both the Australian Comedy Showcase – Part 1 on Friday June 7 and at the Made in VIC – Part 2 series on Sunday June 16.
View the incredible full St Kilda Film Festival program here.
