The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is gearing to light up screens across Naarm and its surrounds from Thursday 7 August to Sunday 24 August, for its 73rd edition. They've dropped a "First Glance" at the 2025 program, and it’s the much-needed distraction from Melbourne’s wintery days we’ve been waiting for.
This initial announcement gives us a peek into 26 films and events, including seven MIFF Premiere Fund titles and 17 international and local highlights, many of which will be Australian premieres.
What’s On At MIFF For 2025 So Far:
- Jump To Special Events You Can’t Miss
- Jump To International & Australian Highlights
- Jump To Top Australian Talent In The MIFF Premiere Fund
We've taken the hard work out of it and short-listed what we reckon are the must-sees so far, but if you want to check out all the announced events, you can head to the MIFF website.
The full programme will drop Thursday 10 July, so stay tuned for all the upcoming deets.
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From immersive VR documentaries centred around life during natural disasters to intriguing Cannes-awarded revenge thrillers, here’s your guide to the standout events you won’t want to miss.
Special Events You Can't Miss
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Julia Holter: The Passion of Joan of Arc
File this one under 'utterly unmissable'. Experimental composer Julia Holter will bring the iconic 1928 silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc to life with a brand new live score. Holter will perform alongside her band, UK-based composer Hugh Brunt (London Contemporary Orchestra), and a local ensemble in a stirring reimagining of Carl Theodor Dreyer’s haunting masterpiece. Tickets for this one are already on sale here.
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When the World Came Flooding In
This one’s not just a film, it’s an experience. When The World Comes Flooding In will make its world premiere at MIFF 2025 as an immersive installation and VR documentary. Centred on personal, deeply human stories of living through natural disasters, this cutting-edge project blends documentary storytelling with interactive tech to place you right in the emotional eye of the storm. Expect to be moved, challenged, and completely transported.
International & Australian Highlights
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It Was Just An Accident
Straight from Cannes, It Was Just An Accident is the highly anticipated film by Iranian master director Jafar Panahi and it’s shaping up to be one of the most intriguing entries at MIFF this year. Peppered with real stories of fellow prison inmates, Panahi has crafted a darkly humorous and suspenseful revenge thriller that speaks against authoritarian oppression. MIFF audiences will be among the first in the world to experience it on the big screen. Definitely one for your 'do not miss' list.
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The Baltimorons
Jay Duplass's directorial debut, The Baltimorons, is hopeful and heart-warming. Co-written with lead actor Michael Strassner, who based the film’s setup on his own experiences, this one's a feel-good crowd-pleaser. It’s set against dreamy, snow-covered Baltimore and backed by a jazz holiday soundtrack that’s basically serotonin in film form.
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Fwends
Having made waves at Berlinale, Sophie Somerville’s (linda 4 eva, MIFF 2023) first feature-length film lands in Melbourne for its Victorian Premiere. Fwends follows estranged mates stumbling their way through Melbourne’s laneways in a feels-filled ode to the bittersweet, weird, and beautiful terrain of young adult friendship. If you’ve ever been 20-something and lost in this city, literally or figuratively, this one will hit.
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Lurker
From the mind of Alex Russell (The Bear, Beef), Lurker is a thrilling debut that gives All About Eve and Ingrid Goes West vibes with a shot of Saltburn obsession. A razor-sharp take on celebrity, envy, and fixation. It’s tense, twisted, and totally made for the big screen.
Top Australian Talent In The MIFF Premiere Fund Lineup
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Spreadsheet Champions
Don’t glaze over at the mention of spreadsheets — this wildly unexpected doco is equal parts suspenseful and heartwarming. Spreadsheet Champions tracks six young guns as they compete in the ultimate test of... Microsoft Excel skills. Think big dreams, fierce formulas, and all the spreadsheet drama you didn’t know you needed. Just trust us.
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One More Shot
Y2K kids, this one’s for you. Step into a tequila-soaked, turn-of-the-century time loop with One More Shot — the feature debut of Melbourne filmmaker Nicholas Clifford. Set during an end-of-millennium house party that refuses to end, this wild ride stars a stacked cast: Emily Browning, Sean Keenan, Ashley Zukerman, Aisha Dee, and Elias Anton. Packed with non-stop 2000s bangers and chaotic energy, this is a nostalgic trip through the chaos of youth, hangovers, and the desperate desire to escape déjà vu.
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First Light
Masterfully composed and soul-stirring, First Light is the feature debut of Filipino-Australian photographer James J. Robinson, and it’s a haunting beauty. Shot in the lush highlands of northern Luzon, this slow-burn crime drama weaves together spiritual questions and earthly corruption. With standout performances from Ruby Ruiz and Maricel Soriano, this one’s a contemplation on power, faith, and what lies in the shadows.
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Pasa Faho
Say hello to the suburbs like you’ve never seen them on screen. Kalu Oji’s debut feature, Pasa Faho, is a heartfelt slice-of-life story. Starring Nigerian comedy legend Okey Bakassi and newcomer Tyson Palmer as a father and son navigating everyday joys and challenges in Melbourne’s African-Australian community. It’s intimate, moving, and quietly funny — a love letter to identity, migration, family and the ways we all fit into the city’s bigger picture.
See the full "First Glance" lineup here.
Image credit: MIFF | Supplied
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