71st Sydney Film Festival

71st Sydney Film Festival
Opening filmMidnight Oil: The Hardest Line by Paul Clarke
Closing filmThe Substance by Coralie Fargeat
LocationSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Founded1954
Festival date5–16 June 2024
Websitesff.org.au
Sydney Film Festival
72nd

The 71st annual Sydney Film Festival was held from 5 to 16 June 2024.[1] The festival opened with Paul Clarke's documentary film Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line,[2] and closed with Coralie Fargeat's horror film The Substance.[3]

Overall the festival screened 197 films, including 28 world premieres and 133 Australian premieres.[4]

Juries

The Sydney Film Prize jury was headed by Bosnian filmmaker Danis Tanović.[5]

Official Selection

In competition

The following films were selected for the main international competition:

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
All We Imagine as Light Payal Kapadia France, India, Netherlands, Luxembourg
Dying Sterben Matthias Glasner Germany
Grand Tour Miguel Gomes Portugal, France, Italy
Kinds of Kindness Yorgos Lanthimos Ireland, United Kingdom, United States
Kneecap Rich Peppiatt Ireland, United Kingdom
Marcello Mio Christophe Honoré France, Italy
Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line Paul Clarke Australia
Puan María Alché, Benjamín Naishtat Argentina, Italy, France, Germany, Brazil
September Says Ariane Labed France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, United Kingdom
Sujo Astrid Rondero, Fernanda Valadez Mexico, United States, France
There's Still Tomorrow C'è ancora domani Paola Cortellesi Italy
Viet and Nam Trong lòng đất Minh Quý Trương Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, France, Netherlands
Highlighted title indicates Sydney Film Prize winner.

Special Presentations

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
The Bikeriders Jeff Nichols United States
The Convert Lee Tamahori Australia, New Zealand
Dahomey Mati Diop France, Senegal, Benin
The Dead Don't Hurt Viggo Mortensen Canada, Denmark, Mexico
Despicable Me 4 Chris Renaud United States
A Different Man Aaron Schimberg United States
Green Border Zielona granica Agnieszka Holland Poland, Czechia, France, Belgium
Kid Snow Paul Goldman Australia
Lee Ellen Kuras United Kingdom
The Monk and the Gun Pawo Choyning Dorji Bhutan, Taiwan, France, United States, Hong Kong
My Old Ass Megan Park United States
The Outrun Nora Fingscheidt United Kingdom, Germany
The Pool Ian Darling Australia
Porcelain War Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev United States, Ukraine, Australia
Touch Snerting Baltasar Kormákur Iceland, United Kingdom

Documentary Australia Award

English title Original title Director(s)
Aquarius Wendy Champagne
The Blind Sea Daniel Fenech
Dale Frank: Nobody's Sweetie Jenny Hicks
Every Little Thing Sally Aitken
Mozart's Sister Madeleine Hetherton-Miau
Otto by Otto Gracie Otto
Skategoat Van Alpert
Welcome to Babel James Bradley
Welcome to Yiddishland Ros Horin
You Should Have Been Here Yesterday Jolyon Hoff

Features

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
About Dry Grasses Kuru Otlar Üstüne Nuri Bilge Ceylan Turkey, France, Germany, Sweden
Achilles Farhad Delaram Iran, Germany, France
Alienoid Oegye+in 1bu Choi Dong-hoon South Korea
Alienoid: Return to the Future Euigye+in 2-bu Choi Dong-hoon South Korea
All Shall Be Well 從今以後 Ray Yeung Hong Kong
Armand Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden
Brief History of a Family 家庭简史 Lin Jianjie China, Denmark
City of Wind Сэр сэр салхи Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir France, Mongolia, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Qatar
Cottontail Patrick Dickinson United Kingdom, Japan
Crossing Levan Akin Sweden, Denmark, France, Turkey, Georgia
Daddio Christy Hall United States
Death of a Whistleblower Ian Gabriel South Africa
Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World Nu aștepta prea mult de la sfârșitul lumii Radu Jude Romania
Eephus Carson Lund United States
Essential Truths of the Lake Lav Diaz Philippines
Explanation for Everything Magyarázat mindenre Gábor Reisz Hungary, Slovakia
Ezra Tony Goldwyn United States
Flathead Jaydon Martin Australia
Ghostlight Kelly O'Sullivan, Alex Thompson United States
He Ain't Heavy David Vincent Smith Australia
Hesitation Wound Tereddüt Çizgisi Selman Nacar Turkey, Spain, Romania, France
House of the Seasons Oh Jung-min South Korea
I Saw the TV Glow Jane Schoenbrun United States
In Vitro Will Howarth, Tom McKeith Australia
Kneecap Rich Peppiatt Ireland, United Kingdom
La cocina Alonso Ruizpalacios Mexico, United States
Memory Michel Franco United States
The Moon Is Upside Down Loren Horsley New Zealand
More Than Strangers Sylvie Michel Greece, Germany
Motel Destino Karim Aïnouz Brazil, France, Germany
My New Friends Les gens d’à côté André Téchiné France
My Sunshine ぼくのお日さま Hiroshi Okuyama Japan
One Second Ahead, One Second Behind Nobuhiro Yamashita Japan
Paradise Prasanna Vithanage Sri Lanka, India
Pepe Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias Dominican Republic, Namibia, Germany, France
Problemista Julio Torres United States
Rapture Dominic M. Sangma India
The Rye Horn O Corno Jaione Camborda Spain, Portugal, Belgium
Sasquatch Sunset David Zellner, Nathan Zellner United States
Sex Dag Johan Haugerud Norway
Shambhala Min Bahadur Bham Nepal, France, Norway, Hong Kong, China, Turkey, United States, Qatar, Taiwan
Something Like an Autobiography Mostofa Sarwar Farooki Bangladesh
Stress Positions Theda Hammel United States
Thelma Josh Margolin United States
Toll Pedágio Carolina Markowicz Brazil, Portugal
Unicorns Sally El Hosaini, James Krishna Floyd United Kingdom, United States, Sweden
Veni Vidi Vici Daniel Hoesl, Julia Niemann Austria
Woman Of... Kobieta z... Małgorzata Szumowska, Michał Englert Poland, Sweden

International Documentaries

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Agent of Happiness Arun Bhattarai, Dorottya Zurbó Hungary, Bhutan
Among the Wolves Tanguy Dumortier, Olivier Larrey France, Belgium
Architecton Viktor Kossakovsky Germany, France, United States
Balomania Sissel Morell Dargis Denmark, Spain
The Battle for Laikipia Daphne Matziaraki, Peter Murimi Kenya, United States, Greece
Black Box Diaries Shiori Itō United States, United Kingdom, Japan
Black Snow Alina Simone Denmark, United States
The Bones Jeremy Xido Canada, Germany
The Cats of Gogoku Shrine Kazuhiro Soda Japan, United States
Charmian Clift: Life Burns High Rachel Lane Australia
The Contestant Clair Titley United Kingdom
Copa 71 Rachel Ramsay, James Erskine United States
Ernest Cole: Lost and Found Raoul Peck United States, France
Federer: Twelve Final Days Asif Kapadia, Joe Sabia United Kingdom
The Flats Alessandra Celesia France
Flickering Lights Anupama Srinivasan, Anirban Dutta India
The Home Game Heimaleikurinn Smari Gunn, Logi Sigursveinsson Iceland
A Horse Named Winx Janine Hosking Australia
Ibelin Benjamin Ree Norway
In the Rearview Skąd dokąd Maciek Hamela Poland, France, Ukraine
Life Is Beautiful Al Haya Helwa Mohamed Jabaly Norway, Palestine
Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger David Hinton United Kingdom, United States
Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros Frederick Wiseman France
My Stolen Planet Farahnaz Sharifi Germany, Iran
A New Kind of Wilderness Silje Evensmo Jacobsen Norway
No Other Land Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor Palestine, Norway
Nocturnes Anirban Dutta, Anupama Srinivasan India, United States
Occupied City Steve McQueen United Kingdom, Netherlands, United States
Rewards for the Tribe Rhys Graham Australia
Skywalkers: A Love Story Jeff Zimbalist, >Maria Bukhonina United States
Sugarcane Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie United States, Canada
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui United Kingdom, United States
Wilding David Allen United Kingdom

Late Announce

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Black Dog 狗阵 Guan Hu China
Caught by the Tides 风流一代 Jia Zhangke China
Ernest Cole: Lost and Found Raoul Peck United States, France
Ghost Trail Les Fantômes Jonathan Millet France, Germany, Belgium
The Girl with the Needle Pigen med nålen Magnus von Horn Denmark, Poland, Sweden
Megalopolis Francis Ford Coppola United States
Rumours Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson Canada, Germany
The Seed of the Sacred Fig دانه انجیر مقدس Mohammad Rasoulof Iran, Germany, France
The Substance Coralie Fargeat United Kingdom, United States, France

Freak Me Out

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Cuckoo Tilman Singer Germany, United States
Hear My Eyes: Hellraiser Clive Barker United Kingdom, United States
Hunting Daze Jour de chasse Annick Blanc Canada
KILL Nikhil Nagesh Bhat India
The Moogai Jon Bell Australia
The Paragon Michael Duignan New Zealand
She Loved Blossoms More Yannis Veslemes Greece, France
Wake Up RKSS Canada, France

First Nations

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
The Convert Lee Tamahori Australia, New Zealand
Ellogierdu: The Tundra Within Me Sara Margrethe Oskal Norway
Je'vida Katja Gauriloff Finland
Ka Whawhai Tonu Michael Jonathan New Zealand
The Moogai Jon Bell Australia
The Mountain Rachel House New Zealand
We Were Dangerous Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu New Zealand, United States

Sustainable Future

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
The Battle for Laikipia Daphne Matziaraki, Peter Murimi Kenya, United States, Greece
Black Snow Alina Simone Denmark, United States
The Feast Rishi Chandna India
Grove of Giants Bree Sanders Australia
The Waiting Volker Schlecht Germany
Wilding David Allen United Kingdom

Europe! Voices of Women in Film

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Afterwar Birgitte Stærmose Denmark
Excursion Ekskurzija Una Gunjak Bosnia
Immortals Maja Tschumi Switzerland, Iraq
Je'vida Katja Gauriloff Finland
The Lost Children Michèle Jacob Belgium
A Postcard from Rome Elza Gauja Latvia

Sounds on Screen

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Blur: To the End Toby L United Kingdom
Head South Jonathan Ogilvie New Zealand
Resonance Kate Vinen, Jayden Rathsam Hua Australia

Family

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
200% Wolf Alexs Stadermann Australia
Despicable Me 4 Chris Renaud United States
It's Okay! 괜찮아 괜찮아 괜찮아! Kim Hye-young South Korea
The Mountain Rachel House New Zealand
My Freaky Family Mark Gravas Australia, Ireland
The Sloth Lane Tania Vincent, Ricard Cussó Australia

Nancy Savoca Retrospective

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Bad Timing Nancy Savoca United States
Dogfight
Household Saints
Renata
True Love

Ousmane Sembene Retrospective

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Black Girl La noire de... Ousmane Sembène Senegal
Borom Sarret
Camp de Thiaroye
Ceddo
Emitaï
Guelwaar
Mandabi
Moolaadé
Niaye
Tauw
Xala

Classics Restored

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
The Cars That Ate Paris Peter Weir Australia
Mississippi Masala Mira Nair United States
Peeping Tom Michael Powell United States
Rabbit-Proof Fence Phillip Noyce Australia
Ten Canoes Rolf de Heer, Peter Djigirr Australia

FLUX

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
The Ballad of Suzanne Cesaire Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich United States
Conspiracy Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich, Simone Leigh United States
The Soldier's Lagoon La Laguna del Soldado Pablo Álvarez Mesa Canada
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat Johan Grimonprez Belgium

Screenability

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Good Bad Things Shane D. Stranger United States
Rehabilitating Inez Playford Australia
The Ride Ahead Samuel Habib, Dan Habib United States
The Stimming Pool Benjamin Brown, Georgia Bradburn, Sam Chown-Ahern, Robin Elliott-Knowles, Lucy Walker, Steven Eastwood United Kingdom
Threshold Sofya Gollan Australia
Unstoppable Jack Byrnes, Marcus Porcaro Australia

Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Alone Alex Weight Australia
Besharam! Raghav Rampal
Bong Xi Fa Cai Johnathan Lo
Darwin Story Natasha Tonkin
Die Bully Die Nathan Lacey, Nick Lacey
The Disconnected Pia Derya
The Gay Madeleine Purdy
The Meaningless Daydreams of Augie & Celeste Pernell Marsden
Say Chloe Kemp
This Will Never Last Julia van Oppen, Katrina Lin, Holly May Fletcher

Shorts airing with features

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Dancer Nomin Gantulga Australia, Mongolia
Dream Creep Carlos A.F. Lopez United States
Earwax Jasper Martin Australia
The Feast Rishi Chandna India
First Horse Awanui Simich-Pene New Zealand
Grove of Giants Bree Sanders Australia
It Will Find You Chris Broadbent, Enzo Tedeschi Australia
Lullaby Chi Thai United Kingdom
Meat Puppet Eros V United Kingdom
Mother Tongue Lea Tupu'anga Vea Mafile'o New Zealand
Of the Last Reel in Front of You Yan Geng Australia
Rehabilitating Inez Playford Australia
Tayal Forest Club Laha Mebow Taiwan
Threshold Sofya Gollan Australia
Transylvanie Rodrigue Huart France
Unstoppable Jack Byrnes, Marcus Porcaro Australia
The Waiting Volker Schlecht Germany
Withered Blossoms Lionel Seah Australia

Awards

The following awards were presented at the festival:

  • Sydney Film Prize: There's Still Tomorrow (C'è ancora domani)Paola Cortellesi[6]
  • Documentary Australia Award for Australian Documentary: Welcome to Babel — James Bradley[6]
  • Sustainable Future Award: Black Snow — Alina Simone[6]
  • First Nations Award: First Horse — Awanui Simich-Pene[6]
  • Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films
    • Dendy Live Action Short Award: Die Bully Die — Nathan Lacey, Nick Lacey[6]
    • The Rouben Mamoulian Award: The Meaningless Daydreams of Augie & Celeste — Pernell Marsden[6]
    • Yoram Gross Animation Award: Darwin Story — Natasha Tonkin[6]
    • AFTRS Craft Award: Say — Chloe Kemp[6]
    • Event Cinemas Rising Talent Award: Bridget Morrison, Say[6]
  • Sydney UNESCO City of Film Award: Debbie Lee[6]
  • GIO Audience Awards

References