Words: Lara Pacillo // Main photo: Morgan Sette
Adelaide Film Festival welcomes audiences to surrender to the screens and get lost in the stories from Wednesday October 23 to Sunday November 3.
Within the city’s eclectic cinema theatres, AFF screens features, shorts, and documentaries ranging from coming-of-age anime to psychological thrillers. Both emerging and established talent will be highlighted with films on show from countries around the world.
We won’t lie; this year’s program is big. That’s why we’ve collated 10 selections that have caught our eye >>
Anora
Winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2024, Anora is a thrilling tragicomedy, considered as a modern-day Cinderella story; it is also described as a reimagining of Pretty Woman.
Celebrated filmmaker Sean Baker’s latest work follows the story of a young sex worker, Anora, who impulsively marries the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. Starring Mikey Madison and Mark Eidelstein, the film explores themes of womanhood, power, and love.
Screening: Thursday 24 Oct, Capri Theatre // Saturday 2 Nov, The Piccadilly
Language: English, Russian & Armenian
Country: United States
Runtime: 139 minutes
Moviejuice
Adelaide-based film collective Moviejuice is dedicated to screening, distributing, and celebrating alternative and experimental cinema.
For one night only, the collective presents two debut hour-long features by Australian independent filmmakers. Jordy Pollock’s Wabi Sabi Rendezvous follows the unexpected reunion of two old friends, Monika and Yael, as they navigate themes of heartbreak, art, and fate in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. Audrey Lam’s Us and the Night is a poetic journey through a university library, where two girls bond over tales and secret codes, transforming the space into a cosmic playground of whispers.
There will be a post-screening laneway gig with Adelaide’s Jamie Lena and Maisie B to round out the night.
Screening: Saturday 2 Nov, The Mercury
Language: English
Country: Australia
Runtime: 127 minutes
No Other Land
A multi-award winner at Berlinale, No Other Land is an moving documentary and daring piece of journalism.
Palestinian activist Basel Adra records the mass expulsion of his community in Masafer Yatta iin the occupied West Bank, aided by Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham. aided by Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham. Despite their unequal realities — Basel restricted by military law and Yuval free — the two form a complex bond, engaging in candid conversations while working towards justice.
Filmed with handheld cameras and archival footage, this film captures the despair and resilience of a threatened community.
Screening: Saturday 26 Oct, The Mercury // Thursday 31 Oct, The Piccadilly
Language: Arabic, Hebrew & English
Country: Norway & Palestine
Runtime: 96 minutes
All We Imagine as Light
All We Imagine as Light follows two Mumbai nurses, Anu and Prabha, as they navigate relationship pressures, including long-distance and privacy. The film captures the contrast between Mumbai’s frenetic energy and a peaceful coastal town, where the women escape and rediscover themselves.
The movie marks a historic achievement as the first Indian film in competition at Cannes in 30 years, with director Payal Kapadia becoming the first Indian female filmmaker to win the Grand Prix.
Screening: Saturday 26 Oct, Capri Theatre // Saturday 2 Nov, Palace Nova Eastend
Language: Malayalam & Hindi
Country: France, India, Netherlands & Luxembourg
Runtime: 115 minutes
made in sa
In a celebration of South Australian short filmmaking, a selection of seven South Australian shorts will premiere at Palace Nova Eastend for Made in SA night. Stories range from forbidden love, space travel, youthful indiscretion, the power of wishes, and immigration. A party at Roxies will follow with a complimentary drink and refreshments, in a tribute to local storytelling.
Screening: Saturday 2 Nov, Odeon Star Semaphore
Language: English
Country: Australia
Runtime: 80 minutes
The brutalist
Film Director Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist explores the humanity and artistry behind brutalist architecture. Escaping post-war Europe, Hungarian visionary László Toth arrives in America to rebuild his life when he is commissioned by industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren for a monumental project. As László sacrifices everything for his dream, he discovers the dark cost of his ambition.
Starring Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, Felicity Jones, and Joe Alwyn, The Brutalist has won multiple awards at the Venice Film Festival.
Screening: Saturday 26 Oct, The Mercury // Saturday 2 Nov, Capri Theatre
Language: English, Hungarian, Hebrew, Yiddish & Italian
Country: United States
Runtime: 215 minutes (including intermission)
Went Up the Hill
Brace for a psychological thriller with Went Up the Hill. Jack travels to New Zealand for the funeral of his estranged mother and meets her widow, Jill. Their grief takes a sinister turn as his mother’s spirit returns to possess them both. Trapped in a dangerous nocturnal cycle with no memory of their actions, Jack and Jill must find a way to break free before they are pushed to the edge.
Directed by Samuel Van Grinsven, starring Dacre Montgomery and Vicky Krieps Went Up the Hill is a chilling exploration of grief and possession. For Dacre fans, he’ll be coming along to the premiere screening on Saturday – not one to miss.
Screening: Saturday 26 Oct, The Piccadilly // Sunday 3 Nov 2024, The Piccadilly
Language: English
Country: New Zealand & Australia
Runtime: 99 minutes
The Colors Within
This coming-of-age film is a serene anime, featuring the softest and prettiest colours and soundtrack. In The Colors Within, a trio of sensitive, misfit teenagers each have a secret they’re hiding. Together, they form a band and find the support they need to overcome the pressures of their teenage years. From the director of the acclaimed A Silent Voice, the film beautifully captures the healing power of music and friendship.
Screening: Thursday 24 Oct, Palace Nova Eastend // Saturday 2 Nov, The Piccadilly
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan
Runtime: 101 minutes
Dying
Dying, an award-winning Berlinale film, is a comedy-drama that dives into the portrayal of modern relationships through the fractured Lunies family. Tom, a conductor, navigates his best friend’s depression and his ex’s plea to help raise her child, while his sister Ellen spirals into alcoholism and a chaotic affair. Their family reunion exposes buried secrets, igniting a volatile confrontation.
Directed by Matthias Glasner, Dying balances humour and sadness in an exploration of family dynamics.
Screening: Saturday 26 Oct, The Piccadilly // Sunday 3 Nov, The Piccadilly
Language: German
Country: Germany
Runtime: 180 minutes
I Saw the TV Glow
The much-hyped I Saw the TV Glow is a hallucinatory fever-dream of a film that pays homage to 90s cult TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twin Peaks. The story follows two teens, Owen and Maddy, as they bond over a 90s cult TV show before it is mysteriously cancelled, causing the line between fiction and reality to begin blurring. From celebrated non-binary writer/director Jane Schoenbrun, the film explores themes of teenage queerness and gender dysphoria, with a hypnotic soundtrack by Caroline Polachek and re-recorded 90s indie tracks by artists such as yeule, Snail Mail, and more.
Screening: Friday 1 Nov, Capri Theatre
Language: English
Country: United States
Runtime: 100 minutes
Adelaide Film Festival: Wednesday October 23 to Sunday November 3
The full Adelaide Film Festival program can be viewed online.
