Your First Look At The 2026 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) Lineup

Every August, the Melbourne International Film Festival turns us into a city full of darkened theatres and post-screening debates—and the first taste of the 2026 lineup is promising some juicy conversations, indeed. MIFF is returning from 6 to 23 August for its 74th edition, and we have a sneak peek at what’s ahead thanks to their First Glance program.

Here’s the rundown.

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MIFF Special Events To Book Right Now

Image: Hedwig and the Angry Inch | Supplied

Two headline special events have already been announced for MIFF 2026, and tickets are going to move fast. Award-winning director and playwright John Cameron Mitchell is headed to The Astor for a live commentary screening of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, his genderfluid rock masterpiece that has been restored in 4K for its 25th anniversary. As a one-night-only event, this is MIFF at its best. 

Hear My Eyes: Memento is being presented in collaboration with Arts Centre Melbourne, and pairs Christopher Nolan’s debut thriller with an exciting new live score—to be performed by an artist yet to be announced. 

Australian Cinema at MIFF

Image: Mad Rush | Supplied

The MIFF Premiere Fund co-finances original Australian features that make their debut at the festival, and the lineup is particularly strong this year.

Mad Rush is Maddelin McKenna’s debut, and transforms Melbourne’s iconic city laneways into something sinister as its Gen Z protagonist spirals after receiving a phone call about fraudulent bank activity. Award-winning filmmaker Trevor Graham’s Digby & Camille is a tender, intimate portrait of a couple living with Down syndrome while dreaming of marriage and a home of their own. 

Hot on the heels of the ice hockey phenomenon (thank you, Heated Rivalry and Off Campus), Hard As Puck is a warm, classic underdog sports documentary that showcases Perth’s only para ice hockey team. And finally, Sweet Milk Lake marks debut filmmaker Harvey Zielinski as a bold new voice. He draws on his own experience in this quiet, emotionally precise trans drama, which features Hunter Page-Lochard. 

MIFF will also host a major local drawcard in the world premiere of The Airport Chaplain; a prestige drama series set in Melbourne Airport, and starring beloved Aussies Hugo Weaving and Claudia Karvan.

International Highlights To Catch

Image: Dead Man's Wire | Supplied

MIFF’s international program in 2026 is just as stacked. 

After winning the Cannes Grand Prix, Minotaur marks the long-awaited return of Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev. Sandra Hüller (who was nominated for an Academy Award for Anatomy of a Fall) stars in Rose, and took home the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at the Berlinale this year. 

Aussie Dacre Montgomery stars alongside heavyweights Bill Skarsgård and Al Pacino in the blackly comedic thriller, Dead Man’s Wire (Gus Van Sant), and The Best Summer captures unmissable performances from the Beastie Boys, Pavement, Sonic Youth, and The Foo Fighters at an upstart Australian music festival back in 1995. The footage was discovered in a shoebox during the LA Palisades wildfires, and now you can see it for yourself. 

When Can You Get MIFF 2026 Tickets? 

MIFF 2026 runs from 6–23 August, and MIFF Online extends nationally until 30 August. The full program is set to launch on Thursday 9 July; MIFF members get exclusive pre-sale access from 8pm that evening, while general tickets go on sale Tuesday 14 July. 

Score yourself a MIFF membership and multipass here—we strongly recommend getting in early this year.