Sydney Film Festival unveils 2025 competition packed with Cannes-bound titles

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'It Was Just An Accident'

Source: mk2 Films

‘It Was Just An Accident’

Sydney Film Festival (June 4-15) has revealed the full programme for its 72^nd edition, including a 12-strong competition lineup dominated by features set to premiere at Cannes.

The festival has selected 201 films from 70 countries, which includes 17 world premieres, and has added the iconic Sydney Opera House as a screening venue this year, joining the State Theatre and cinemas across the city.

The opening film has been set as Together, written and directed by Australian filmmaker Michael Shanks and starring Alison Brie and Dave Franco. The domestic drama with a supernatural twist premiered at Sundance, where it proved the commercial hit of the festival and saw Neon close a lucrative worldwide deal.

The film will also play in competition at Sydney, which will screen several titles fresh from Cannes. These include Palme d’Or contenders It Was Just An Accident by Jafar Panahi, Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind, Carla Simon’s Romeria and Kleber Mendonca Filho’s The Secret Agent.

Also set to travel from the Croisette to Sydney are Directors’ Fortnight titles Mirrors No. 3 by Christian Petzold and Sorry, Baby by Eva Victor; Un Certain Regard selection My Father’s Shadow by Akinola Davies Jr.; and Cannes Premiere film The Love That Remains by Hlynur Pálmason.

Further contenders include Sundance titles All That’s Left Of You by Cherien Dabis and audience award-winner DJ Ahmet by Georgi M. Unkovski, alongside Berlin Silver Bear winner The Blue Trail by Gabriel Mascaro.

They will compete for the A$60,000 ($39,000) Sydney Film Prize, which will be decided by a jury led by Australian filmmaker Justin Kurzel.

Ten features will compete for the Documentary Australia Award of A$20,000 ($13,000), which also grants the winning film eligibility for the Academy Awards. The selection includes world premieres of Jordan Giusti’s Floodland; Kriv Stenders’ Joh: Last King of Queensland; Journey Home, David Gulpilil; Chadden Hunter’s The Raftsmen; and Yaara Bou Melhem’s Yurlu | Country.

Further documentaries in the running comprise Jennifer Peedom and Alex Barry’s Deeper; Constantine Costi’s The Golden Spurtle; Gabrielle Brady’s The Wolves Always Come at Night; Songs Inside; and Kurzel’s debut documentary Ellis Park.

Additional highlights from the programme include Dag Johan Haugerud’s Berlin Golden Bear-winner Dreams (Sex Love), The Life of Chuck starring Tom Hiddleston, Amy Wang’s SXSW-winner Slanted and Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon.

There will also be retrospectives such as Jafar Panahi: Cinema in Rebellion, comprising all 10 of the Iranian filmmaker’s features; Elaine May: Urbane Legend, centred on the influential US director’s four cult classics; and a focus on acclaimed Indian documentarian Nishtha Jain.