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Blog

Explore our industry news, festival announcements, community features, opinion pieces, and more.
Announcements January 29 2024
Sydney Film Festival announces new First Nations Award proudly supported by Truant Pictures with the world's largest cash prize for Indigenous filmmaking.
Community January 25 2024 by Sydney Film Festival Staff
The Oscar nominations are out, and we were pleased to see 10 SFF-screened films in the mix. However, the discerning tastes of fastidious film lovers always leave room for debate. And debate we shall. These are the SFF team’s top picks of films that weren’t nominated.
Community December 18 2023 by Sydney Film Festival Staff
It’s late December. The house is a mess. Everyone’s exhausted. But from the embers of festive family chaos, a unanimous decision emerges: it’s time for a movie. Stop the petty fights and endless scrolling before it happens, and let the team behind Australia's leading film festival help guide you towards a kind of cinematic satisfaction only possible in those tranquil days before the new year.
Announcements November 21 2023
Sydney Film Festival today announced the ground-breaking appointment of acclaimed First Nations Producer Darren Dale as Board Chair of Sydney Film Festival.
July 24 2023
Relive the highlights of the 70th Sydney Film Festival which took over Sydney screens from June 7 - 18, 2023.
Announcements June 20 2023
The 70th Sydney Film Festival awarded it's largest ever prize pool at our Closing Night ceremony, including the prestigious Sydney Film Prize to Moroccan filmmaker Asmae El Moudir for her film The Mother of All Lies.
June 13 2023
For 70 years, Sydney Film Festival has presented extraordinary cinema from around the world. We look back on the history - and present - of excellent German films at SFF!
May 17 2023 by Richard Kuipers
You’re invited to take a walk on the wild side of contemporary cinema in Freak Me Out, the SFF program strand dedicated to all things weird and strange.
Community March 8 2023
On screen and behind the camera. Some of the women on the SFF team share their film recommendations for this International Women's Day.
Community December 19 2022 by Sydney Film Festival Staff
Seeking some summer viewing recommendations? Our staff offer their picks for that perfect watch whilst you've got your feet up.
Community October 31 2022 by Richard Kuipers
Get ready to scream, sweat and shake with a scare on screen: SFF’s own Freak Me Out programmer Richard Kuipers has offered up ten Halloween spook shows to give you the cinematic shivers!
Announcements September 29 2022 by Sydney Film Festival
We welcome Frances Wallace as our Chief Executive Officer.
Community July 25 2022
Relive the festival fun from SFF this year with a video of some of our favourite moments.
Community June 4 2022
To celebrate World Environment Day, we asked the creatives behind the films shortlisted for our Sustainable Future Award to share their thoughts on the subjects of their films, the filmmaking process and the global climate emergency.
Community May 30 2022 by Richard Kuipers
Whether it’s a dread-soaked hike into horror or a gambol into arthouse strangeness, Freak Me Out is back to thrill, surprise and excite you with offerings from the freaky fringes of motion picture entertainment.
Community May 13 2022
Need some help deciding which films you should see? Let Festival friends Natalie Tran and Margaret Pomeranz talk you through their top picks.
Community April 10 2022
Get to know the life and career of the acclaimed veteran filmmaker at the centre of the first retrospective collection in this year's program, It Takes Time: Ten Films by Frederick Wiseman.
Community October 25 2021
The team behind Anonymous Club share their musical memories from the film and their time with enigmatic singer-songwriter-guitarist, Courtney Barnett.
Community October 25 2021 by Alan Brain, director, The Rumba Kings
The Rumba Kings' director Alan Brain tells us about the songs in the film and Spotify playlist, especially curated for Sydney Film Festival.
Community October 6 2021 by Cody Greenwood, producer and writer, Under the Volcano
Under the Volcano producer and writer Cody Greenwood tells us the stories behind the songs in the film and the Under the Volcano Spotify playlist, especially curated for Sydney Film Festival.
Announcements September 7 2021
Filmmaker Darlene Johnson is the inaugural recipient of the Deutsche Bank Fellowship for First Nations Film Creatives, presented by Sydney Film Festival.
Community September 7 2021
Sydney Film Festival expresses sincere condolences to the family and friends of Valwyn Wishart, Director of the Sydney Film Festival in 1958.
Opinions July 15 2021 by RICHARD KUIPERS
Freak Me Out is proud to return with a quintet of quality motion pictures from the weird and wild side of world cinema. 
Community July 13 2021
Meet Justin Martyniuk, SFF's Program Coordinator and Advisor. Nothing brings Justin more joy than finding the weirdest films to peer pressure people into watching.
Community July 13 2021
Meet Merryana Salem - SFF's Assistant Program Advisor. Merryana is a critic, author, teacher, and all-around professional nerd.
Community July 13 2021
Meet Paul, SFF's Program Consultant. Paul can't get enough of transformational cinema where once the film has finished the world looks different. 
Community July 1 2021
Meet Rebecca McCormack, Screenability Programming Assistant at SFF. Rebecca loves the power film has to move us, and open our minds to different perspectives.
Community July 1 2021
Meet Bridget Ikin, FLUX curator at SFF. Bridget is passionate about the edges, where fiction meets ‘reality’, that marvellous space of friction, where experimentation and authenticity thrive.
Community June 21 2021
Meet Claire Cao, SFF's Assistant Program Advisor. Claire is a writer from Western Sydney and a fan of ghost stories, romance and B-movies.
Community June 21 2021
Meet Paul Matereke, SFF's Shorts Programmer. Paul is obsessed with cinema and its effect on the psyche.
Announcements June 3 2021 by Sydney Film Festival
Sydney Film Festival's Programmers for 2021 have been announced
Announcements February 16 2021 by Sydney Film Festival
After a successful Summer Season at the State Theatre and a sold-out Wong Kar Wai retrospective, Sydney Film Festival today announced that its 68th edition will take place 18-29 August 2021.
Announcements December 21 2020 by Sydney Film Festival
Sydney Film Festival's Summer Season at the State Theatre and Wong Kar Wai Retrospective are currently proceeding as planned, as the Festival will be closely monitoring NSW Health guidelines.
Announcements June 23 2020
A statement from Sydney Film Festival Chair Deanne Weir, CEO Leigh Small and Festival Director Nashen Moodley.
Announcements May 26 2020 by Grainne Brunsdon
Over the coming weeks the 67th Sydney Film Festival will be taking one of Sydney’s showpiece events to audiences at home around the country as it goes virtual and national for the first time. It’s heartening that this has come at a time when we need to be connected, to share stories, more than ever.
Announcements May 26 2020 by Deanne Weir
Welcome to SFF 2020. We are proud to present Sydney Film Festival: Virtual Edition and Awards, delivered entirely online to a national audience for the first time in its 67 years. Albeit not shared together in the dark under the State Theatre chandelier; the Festival will continue to be a lens on the world and times, a trusted guide, a forum for ideas, conversations, community, and change.
Announcements May 4 2020 by Sydney Film Festival
Program launches and sales open 27 May
Announcements February 11 2020 by Sydney Film Festival
Sydney Film Prize Winner Parasite takes home the top gong at the Oscars.
Announcements August 6 2019 by Jenny Neighbour
The festival has received the sad news of the death of Honorary Life Member Joe Petranovic, a much-valued member of the festival board. Joe provided vital support to the projection team as well as being a keen supporter of the festival team.
Community June 26 2019 by Kyle Goldfinch (with intro by Natalia Stawyskyj)
The screenwriter of short film 'Deluge' on his grandfather, dystopian narrative, and what it's like to be a filmmaker with disability.
Community June 3 2019 by Film in Revolt
Kena from Film in Revolt speaks with Finnish director Selma Vilhunen about her latest film Stupid Young Heart screening at this year's Festival.
Announcements June 3 2019 by Sydney Film Festival
With the Festival fast approaching, here's your dose of insider know-how to the first week of films and events.
Community June 3 2019 by Playwave
Creatives from youth arts organisation Playwave share their 2019 Festival highlights
Opinions May 31 2019 by Jenny Neighbour
Head of Programs and Documentary Programmer Jenny Neighbour on Merata Mita and Freda Glynn
Announcements May 28 2019 by Sydney Film Festival
So! Many! Winners!
Community May 28 2019 by Elly Carantinos
For a little post-film entertainment that'll get your heart pumping, we've got you covered.
Opinions May 23 2019 by Helen Cortezano
Hear from the City of Sydney International Student Leadership and Ambassador program's Helen Cortezano on this year's top films.
Industry News May 22 2019 by Jenny Neighbour
Plus films from across the Tasman, this year's Australian documentaries, and wishlists from our Film Advisory Panel.
Opinions May 21 2019 by Felix Hubble
Program advisor and lover of trash cinema Felix Hubble shares his top 10 left-of-field festival picks.
Opinions May 15 2019 by Richard Kuipers
From freaky Frankenstein flicks to hell-raising imaginary friends, here's curator Richard Kuipers' take on Freak Me Out.
Announcements May 10 2019 by Sydney Film Festival
Finding the line-up of more than 300 films overwhelming? Here's how trusted film and arts critics are breaking it down.
Industry News February 20 2019 by Jenny Neighbour
Head of Programs and Documentary Programmer Jenny Neighbour gives the low-down on the local and international film industry.
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