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International Documentaries

Visually stunning, gripping, prize-winning, controversial, mesmerising and genuinely crowd pleasing: it’s all there in the 2019 International Documentary lineup.

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The Amazing Johnathan Documentary

The bizarre, hilarious and totally twisted tale of a magician; and the attempts by one increasingly puzzled filmmaker to document his end-of-life story.

American Factory

A fly-on-the-wall account of what happened when a Chinese company opened an American factory – a fascinating, inadvertently funny look at cross-cultural misunderstanding.

Anthropocene: The Human Epoch

A visually stunning cinematic essay on the human race’s devastating impact on the earth by the trio behind multi-award-winners Manufactured Landscapes and Watermark.

Apollo 11

50 years after Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon, the epic story from lift-off to touchdown is told using never-before-seen footage from July 1969.

The Brink

US filmmaker Alison Klayman takes on the challenge of documenting controversial figure Steve Bannon in the year following his departure from the White House.

Buddha in Africa

The poignant story of a Malawian boy raised in a Buddhist orphanage, torn between his motherland and opportunity, as he struggles to retain his cultural identity.

Capital in the 21st Century

Film adaptation of French economist Thomas Piketty's ground-breaking global bestseller of the same name: an eye-opening journey through wealth and power.

The Edge of Democracy

A brilliantly assembled documentary, simultaneously personal and political, that looks at Brazil’s tumultuous recent history through the lens of the filmmaker’s memory.

Hail Satan?

A thoroughly entertaining, even mischievous, documentary on the new and controversial rise of Satanism in the USA – advocating for religious freedom that mocks the status quo.

Halston

Frédéric Tcheng (Dior and I, SFF 2014) turns his camera on iconic fashion designer Halston, tracking his hedonistic rise in ’70s New York to his crashing fall.

Honeyland

Winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2019, Honeyland is a sumptuous, poetic and funny portrait of a female beekeeper in the remote Macedonian countryside.

Just Don't Think I'll Scream

A haunting, mesmerising ode to lost love composed entirely of hundreds of movie clips, narrated with dreamlike intensity by French filmmaker Frank Beauvais.

The Kleptocrats

A true-life political scam that plays out like a Hollywood movie, complete with stars, villains and billions of dollars! A jaw-dropping documentary on Malaysia's 1MDB scandal.

Leftover Women

In China, if you’re a woman, over 27 and still single you are considered ‘leftover’. In this eye-opening film we meet three women on their quest to find a life partner.

Maiden

The gripping story of the first all-female crew to take on the male-dominated Whitbread Round-the-World yacht race: inspiring and remarkably relevant in this Time’s Up era.

Meeting Gorbachev

Werner Herzog’s fascinating conversations with the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, illuminate a political legacy that still resonates today.

Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen

A fascinating portrait of trailblazing Māori filmmaker, Merata Mita (reportedly the first Indigenous woman to direct a feature), crafted with love by her youngest son.

Midnight Family

This award-winning doco takes a frenetic night ride through Mexico City with one of the many rough-as-guts private ambulances hustling for trade in the dysfunctional megalopolis.

Midnight Traveler

The documentary of the Fazili family’s search for a safe haven has moved audiences worldwide and won prizes at Berlinale, San Francisco, Sundance and Thessaloniki film festivals.

The Miracle of the Little Prince

The nature of language and culture, in particular the world's disappearing indigenous languages, is explored through Antoine Saint-Exupéry's classic book, The Little Prince, in this captivating documentary.

Monrovia, Indiana

Multi-award-winning documentarian Frederick Wiseman’s 44th film captures life in a small Midwestern town post-Trump: “a real-life American horror story”.

Nothing Fancy: Diana Kennedy

The doyenne of Mexican cooking – best-selling author Diana Kennedy - and the cuisine she adores are the subjects of this prize-winning documentary.

On the Inside of a Military Dictatorship

This engrossing film attempts to unravel the complexities of power in Aung San Suu Kyi’s homeland; tracing Myanmar’s problematic transition from military rule to democracy.

One Child Nation

The underreported consequences of China’s One-Child Policy are exposed in this utterly compelling documentary. Grand Jury Prize winner, Sundance 2019.

Picture Character

Emojis are an international language, crossing cultural and linguistic boundaries. But how does an emoji go from an idea to an international phenomenon?

Reason

Winner of IDFA’s prestigious Best Feature Length Documentary prize, Anand Patwardhan’s latest is an epic exploration of the battle between faith and reason in today’s India.

School of Seduction – Three Stories from Russia

In Putin’s Russia, women invest in workshops that purport to teach the skills necessary to seduce wealthy men. Award-winning filmmaker Alina Rudnitskaya follows three graduates.

Sea of Shadows

The dramatic battle to save a tiny whale from extinction off the Mexican coast, as greed and corruption stymie environmentalists. Audience Award winner, Sundance 2019.

Shooting the Mafia

The life and powerful work of gutsy Italian photojournalist Letizia Battaglia is captured in this bold documentary from prizewinning UK filmmaker Kim Longinotto.

Talking About Trees

The love of cinema pervades this Berlinale Audience Award winner: the story of four Sudanese filmmakers determined to bring an old movie theatre back to life in difficult times.

Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts

Behind the scenes with ‘Skinny Legend’ Trixie Mattel, the RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 3 winner who’s very serious about drag, and very serious about being funny.

Untouchable

The rise and public fall of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein: with accusations going back 30 years, how did he get away with his deplorable behaviour for so long?

Up the Mountain

Exquisitely framed like the paintings it features, this meditative work about an artist, his community and mountain village in China documents a fast-disappearing way of life.

The Wandering Chef

The belly-warming story of a celebrated Korean chef and forager, who crafts meals that unite people, providing sustenance, comfort and joy to those he meets on his travels.

What Will Become of Us

Sir Frank Lowy – Holocaust survivor, Sydneysider and founder of shopping giant Westfield – reflects on his past as he considers his future in retirement.

XY Chelsea

A compelling new (and freshly poignant) insight into the world of military whistle-blower Chelsea Manning, as she leaves prison and endeavours to start a new life.

Wed 5 at 6:15pm Dendy Newtown

The Amazing Johnathan Documentary

The bizarre, hilarious and totally twisted tale of a magician; and the attempts by one increasingly puzzled filmmaker to document his end-of-life story.

Wed 5 at 6:45pm Event Cinemas George St 5

Anthropocene: The Human Epoch

A visually stunning cinematic essay on the human race’s devastating impact on the earth by the trio behind multi-award-winners Manufactured Landscapes and Watermark.

Wed 5 at 8:15pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 1

The Kleptocrats

A true-life political scam that plays out like a Hollywood movie, complete with stars, villains and billions of dollars! A jaw-dropping documentary on Malaysia's 1MDB scandal.

Thu 6 at 10:00am State Theatre

The Miracle of the Little Prince

The nature of language and culture, in particular the world's disappearing indigenous languages, is explored through Antoine Saint-Exupéry's classic book, The Little Prince, in this captivating documentary.

Thu 6 at 2:20pm State Theatre

Buddha in Africa

The poignant story of a Malawian boy raised in a Buddhist orphanage, torn between his motherland and opportunity, as he struggles to retain his cultural identity.

Thu 6 at 6:30pm Event Cinemas George St 5

Halston

Frédéric Tcheng (Dior and I, SFF 2014) turns his camera on iconic fashion designer Halston, tracking his hedonistic rise in ’70s New York to his crashing fall.

Thu 6 at 6:30pm Dendy Newtown

Just Don't Think I'll Scream

A haunting, mesmerising ode to lost love composed entirely of hundreds of movie clips, narrated with dreamlike intensity by French filmmaker Frank Beauvais.

Fri 7 at 1:45pm State Theatre

One Child Nation

The underreported consequences of China’s One-Child Policy are exposed in this utterly compelling documentary. Grand Jury Prize winner, Sundance 2019.

Fri 7 at 6:45pm Dendy Newtown

Midnight Family

This award-winning doco takes a frenetic night ride through Mexico City with one of the many rough-as-guts private ambulances hustling for trade in the dysfunctional megalopolis.

Fri 7 at 8:30pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

Meeting Gorbachev

Werner Herzog’s fascinating conversations with the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, illuminate a political legacy that still resonates today.

Fri 7 at 8:45pm Event Cinemas George St 5

Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts

Behind the scenes with ‘Skinny Legend’ Trixie Mattel, the RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 3 winner who’s very serious about drag, and very serious about being funny.

Sat 8 at 10:00am Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

Monrovia, Indiana

Multi-award-winning documentarian Frederick Wiseman’s 44th film captures life in a small Midwestern town post-Trump: “a real-life American horror story”.

Sat 8 at 12:15pm Event Cinemas George St 5

Meeting Gorbachev

Werner Herzog’s fascinating conversations with the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, illuminate a political legacy that still resonates today.

Sat 8 at 12:45pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

The Brink

US filmmaker Alison Klayman takes on the challenge of documenting controversial figure Steve Bannon in the year following his departure from the White House.

Sat 8 at 2:15pm Event Cinemas George St 5

Sea of Shadows

The dramatic battle to save a tiny whale from extinction off the Mexican coast, as greed and corruption stymie environmentalists. Audience Award winner, Sundance 2019.

Sat 8 at 2:45pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

The Edge of Democracy

A brilliantly assembled documentary, simultaneously personal and political, that looks at Brazil’s tumultuous recent history through the lens of the filmmaker’s memory.

Sat 8 at 4:00pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 1

The Miracle of the Little Prince

The nature of language and culture, in particular the world's disappearing indigenous languages, is explored through Antoine Saint-Exupéry's classic book, The Little Prince, in this captivating documentary.

Sat 8 at 4:05pm Event Cinemas George St 9

Up the Mountain

Exquisitely framed like the paintings it features, this meditative work about an artist, his community and mountain village in China documents a fast-disappearing way of life.

Sat 8 at 4:15pm Hayden Orpheum Cremorne

Maiden

The gripping story of the first all-female crew to take on the male-dominated Whitbread Round-the-World yacht race: inspiring and remarkably relevant in this Time’s Up era.

Sat 8 at 7:10pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

Nothing Fancy: Diana Kennedy

The doyenne of Mexican cooking – best-selling author Diana Kennedy - and the cuisine she adores are the subjects of this prize-winning documentary.

Sun 9 at 1:45pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 1

Reason

Winner of IDFA’s prestigious Best Feature Length Documentary prize, Anand Patwardhan’s latest is an epic exploration of the battle between faith and reason in today’s India.

Sun 9 at 2:15pm Event Cinemas George St 5

Maiden

The gripping story of the first all-female crew to take on the male-dominated Whitbread Round-the-World yacht race: inspiring and remarkably relevant in this Time’s Up era.

Sun 9 at 2:30pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

Talking About Trees

The love of cinema pervades this Berlinale Audience Award winner: the story of four Sudanese filmmakers determined to bring an old movie theatre back to life in difficult times.

Sun 9 at 4:00pm The Ritz Cinema Randwick

Halston

Frédéric Tcheng (Dior and I, SFF 2014) turns his camera on iconic fashion designer Halston, tracking his hedonistic rise in ’70s New York to his crashing fall.

Sun 9 at 4:30pm Event Cinemas George St 3

One Child Nation

The underreported consequences of China’s One-Child Policy are exposed in this utterly compelling documentary. Grand Jury Prize winner, Sundance 2019.

Sun 9 at 4:45pm Event Cinemas George St 5

What Will Become of Us

Sir Frank Lowy – Holocaust survivor, Sydneysider and founder of shopping giant Westfield – reflects on his past as he considers his future in retirement.

Sun 9 at 6:15pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 1

Shooting the Mafia

The life and powerful work of gutsy Italian photojournalist Letizia Battaglia is captured in this bold documentary from prizewinning UK filmmaker Kim Longinotto.

Sun 9 at 6:30pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

American Factory

A fly-on-the-wall account of what happened when a Chinese company opened an American factory – a fascinating, inadvertently funny look at cross-cultural misunderstanding.

Sun 9 at 6:45pm Dendy Newtown

Sea of Shadows

The dramatic battle to save a tiny whale from extinction off the Mexican coast, as greed and corruption stymie environmentalists. Audience Award winner, Sundance 2019.

Sun 9 at 8:45pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

The Brink

US filmmaker Alison Klayman takes on the challenge of documenting controversial figure Steve Bannon in the year following his departure from the White House.

Mon 10 at 9:30am State Theatre

Apollo 11

50 years after Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon, the epic story from lift-off to touchdown is told using never-before-seen footage from July 1969.

Mon 10 at 12:15pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

Honeyland

Winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2019, Honeyland is a sumptuous, poetic and funny portrait of a female beekeeper in the remote Macedonian countryside.

Mon 10 at 2:00pm The Ritz Cinema Randwick

What Will Become of Us

Sir Frank Lowy – Holocaust survivor, Sydneysider and founder of shopping giant Westfield – reflects on his past as he considers his future in retirement.

Mon 10 at 2:00pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

Up the Mountain

Exquisitely framed like the paintings it features, this meditative work about an artist, his community and mountain village in China documents a fast-disappearing way of life.

Mon 10 at 4:00pm Event Cinemas George St 5

Untouchable

The rise and public fall of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein: with accusations going back 30 years, how did he get away with his deplorable behaviour for so long?

Mon 10 at 4:15pm Dendy Newtown

Picture Character

Emojis are an international language, crossing cultural and linguistic boundaries. But how does an emoji go from an idea to an international phenomenon?

Mon 10 at 6:30pm Event Cinemas George St 5

Hail Satan?

A thoroughly entertaining, even mischievous, documentary on the new and controversial rise of Satanism in the USA – advocating for religious freedom that mocks the status quo.

Tue 11 at 6:15pm Event Cinemas George St 3

American Factory

A fly-on-the-wall account of what happened when a Chinese company opened an American factory – a fascinating, inadvertently funny look at cross-cultural misunderstanding.

Tue 11 at 6:30pm Dendy Newtown

XY Chelsea

A compelling new (and freshly poignant) insight into the world of military whistle-blower Chelsea Manning, as she leaves prison and endeavours to start a new life.

Tue 11 at 6:45pm Event Cinemas George St 9

Anthropocene: The Human Epoch

A visually stunning cinematic essay on the human race’s devastating impact on the earth by the trio behind multi-award-winners Manufactured Landscapes and Watermark.

Tue 11 at 8:30pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

On the Inside of a Military Dictatorship

This engrossing film attempts to unravel the complexities of power in Aung San Suu Kyi’s homeland; tracing Myanmar’s problematic transition from military rule to democracy.

Wed 12 at 11:45am State Theatre

The Edge of Democracy

A brilliantly assembled documentary, simultaneously personal and political, that looks at Brazil’s tumultuous recent history through the lens of the filmmaker’s memory.

Wed 12 at 6:15pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 1

Reason

Winner of IDFA’s prestigious Best Feature Length Documentary prize, Anand Patwardhan’s latest is an epic exploration of the battle between faith and reason in today’s India.

Wed 12 at 6:15pm Dendy Newtown

Just Don't Think I'll Scream

A haunting, mesmerising ode to lost love composed entirely of hundreds of movie clips, narrated with dreamlike intensity by French filmmaker Frank Beauvais.

Wed 12 at 8:20pm Dendy Newtown

School of Seduction – Three Stories from Russia

In Putin’s Russia, women invest in workshops that purport to teach the skills necessary to seduce wealthy men. Award-winning filmmaker Alina Rudnitskaya follows three graduates.

Thu 13 at 3:55pm State Theatre

Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen

A fascinating portrait of trailblazing Māori filmmaker, Merata Mita (reportedly the first Indigenous woman to direct a feature), crafted with love by her youngest son.

Thu 13 at 6:15pm Event Cinemas George St 5

Capital in the 21st Century

Film adaptation of French economist Thomas Piketty's ground-breaking global bestseller of the same name: an eye-opening journey through wealth and power.

Thu 13 at 6:15pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

Buddha in Africa

The poignant story of a Malawian boy raised in a Buddhist orphanage, torn between his motherland and opportunity, as he struggles to retain his cultural identity.

Thu 13 at 6:30pm Dendy Newtown

Untouchable

The rise and public fall of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein: with accusations going back 30 years, how did he get away with his deplorable behaviour for so long?

Thu 13 at 6:40pm Event Cinemas George St 9

Midnight Traveler

The documentary of the Fazili family’s search for a safe haven has moved audiences worldwide and won prizes at Berlinale, San Francisco, Sundance and Thessaloniki film festivals.

Thu 13 at 8:30pm Dendy Newtown

Hail Satan?

A thoroughly entertaining, even mischievous, documentary on the new and controversial rise of Satanism in the USA – advocating for religious freedom that mocks the status quo.

Fri 14 at 6:00pm Event Cinemas George St 9

Maiden

The gripping story of the first all-female crew to take on the male-dominated Whitbread Round-the-World yacht race: inspiring and remarkably relevant in this Time’s Up era.

Fri 14 at 6:15pm Dendy Newtown

School of Seduction – Three Stories from Russia

In Putin’s Russia, women invest in workshops that purport to teach the skills necessary to seduce wealthy men. Award-winning filmmaker Alina Rudnitskaya follows three graduates.

Fri 14 at 6:30pm Dendy Newtown

Capital in the 21st Century

Film adaptation of French economist Thomas Piketty's ground-breaking global bestseller of the same name: an eye-opening journey through wealth and power.

Sat 15 at 9:30am State Theatre

Honeyland

Winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2019, Honeyland is a sumptuous, poetic and funny portrait of a female beekeeper in the remote Macedonian countryside.

Sat 15 at 10:15am Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

Talking About Trees

The love of cinema pervades this Berlinale Audience Award winner: the story of four Sudanese filmmakers determined to bring an old movie theatre back to life in difficult times.

Sat 15 at 12:00pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

Monrovia, Indiana

Multi-award-winning documentarian Frederick Wiseman’s 44th film captures life in a small Midwestern town post-Trump: “a real-life American horror story”.

Sat 15 at 12:00pm Event Cinemas George St 5

Leftover Women

In China, if you’re a woman, over 27 and still single you are considered ‘leftover’. In this eye-opening film we meet three women on their quest to find a life partner.

Sat 15 at 12:45pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 1

Midnight Family

This award-winning doco takes a frenetic night ride through Mexico City with one of the many rough-as-guts private ambulances hustling for trade in the dysfunctional megalopolis.

Sat 15 at 2:00pm Event Cinemas George St 5

Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen

A fascinating portrait of trailblazing Māori filmmaker, Merata Mita (reportedly the first Indigenous woman to direct a feature), crafted with love by her youngest son.

Sat 15 at 2:00pm Casula Powerhouse

Apollo 11

50 years after Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon, the epic story from lift-off to touchdown is told using never-before-seen footage from July 1969.

Sat 15 at 4:30pm Event Cinemas George St 9

The Wandering Chef

The belly-warming story of a celebrated Korean chef and forager, who crafts meals that unite people, providing sustenance, comfort and joy to those he meets on his travels.

Sat 15 at 5:15pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 1

Picture Character

Emojis are an international language, crossing cultural and linguistic boundaries. But how does an emoji go from an idea to an international phenomenon?

Sat 15 at 6:15pm Hayden Orpheum Cremorne

What Will Become of Us

Sir Frank Lowy – Holocaust survivor, Sydneysider and founder of shopping giant Westfield – reflects on his past as he considers his future in retirement.

Sat 15 at 6:35pm Event Cinemas George St 3

Halston

Frédéric Tcheng (Dior and I, SFF 2014) turns his camera on iconic fashion designer Halston, tracking his hedonistic rise in ’70s New York to his crashing fall.

Sun 16 at 10:00am Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 1

On the Inside of a Military Dictatorship

This engrossing film attempts to unravel the complexities of power in Aung San Suu Kyi’s homeland; tracing Myanmar’s problematic transition from military rule to democracy.

Sun 16 at 10:15am Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

Shooting the Mafia

The life and powerful work of gutsy Italian photojournalist Letizia Battaglia is captured in this bold documentary from prizewinning UK filmmaker Kim Longinotto.

Sun 16 at 12:15pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

Midnight Traveler

The documentary of the Fazili family’s search for a safe haven has moved audiences worldwide and won prizes at Berlinale, San Francisco, Sundance and Thessaloniki film festivals.

Sun 16 at 1:45pm Hoyts Entertainment Quarter 15

Apollo 11

50 years after Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon, the epic story from lift-off to touchdown is told using never-before-seen footage from July 1969.

Sun 16 at 2:15pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 2

Nothing Fancy: Diana Kennedy

The doyenne of Mexican cooking – best-selling author Diana Kennedy - and the cuisine she adores are the subjects of this prize-winning documentary.

Sun 16 at 2:15pm Dendy Newtown

The Kleptocrats

A true-life political scam that plays out like a Hollywood movie, complete with stars, villains and billions of dollars! A jaw-dropping documentary on Malaysia's 1MDB scandal.

Sun 16 at 2:30pm Event Cinemas George St 4

Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts

Behind the scenes with ‘Skinny Legend’ Trixie Mattel, the RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 3 winner who’s very serious about drag, and very serious about being funny.

Sun 16 at 4:15pm Event Cinemas George St 5

The Amazing Johnathan Documentary

The bizarre, hilarious and totally twisted tale of a magician; and the attempts by one increasingly puzzled filmmaker to document his end-of-life story.

Sun 16 at 4:40pm Dendy Opera Quays Cinema 1

Leftover Women

In China, if you’re a woman, over 27 and still single you are considered ‘leftover’. In this eye-opening film we meet three women on their quest to find a life partner.

Sun 16 at 6:30pm Event Cinemas George St 9

The Wandering Chef

The belly-warming story of a celebrated Korean chef and forager, who crafts meals that unite people, providing sustenance, comfort and joy to those he meets on his travels.

Sun 16 at 6:45pm Event Cinemas George St 3

XY Chelsea

A compelling new (and freshly poignant) insight into the world of military whistle-blower Chelsea Manning, as she leaves prison and endeavours to start a new life.

Mon 17 at 6:15pm Dendy Newtown

Midnight Family

This award-winning doco takes a frenetic night ride through Mexico City with one of the many rough-as-guts private ambulances hustling for trade in the dysfunctional megalopolis.

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