10 Must-See Movies At Sydney Film Festival 2025
One of life's greatest joys is going to the movies by yourself. Taking your seat by yourself, perhaps giving an air of mystery or intrigue, as you get ready to be the cinephile you truly are.
Letterboxd at the ready, snacks brought from home in a Ziploc bag, emotional support water bottle giving you all the comfort you need.It's a truly liberating experience and I encourage you ALL to do it.
Plus, even if everyone in the cinema is a complete stranger to everyone else, you're all going to laugh, or cry, or scream — or all three — at the same movie you're about to watch.
And there's no better place to condense all these good feels and good vibes into a short space of time than at a film festival.
This year, the Sydney Film Festival has come in swinging with some huge titles I've been dying to see.
It Was Just An Accident
First on the list is the winner of this year's Palme d'Or at Cannes i.e. the big dog movie award of all big dog movie awards. Directed by Iranian director Jafar Panahi, It Was Just An Accident is a thriller that promises to be the ultimate revenge tale...except the key characters aren't sure that they're taking revenge on the right person. It's meant to be equal parts exhilarating, funny, and morally grey — sounds like a must-watch to me.
On Swift Horses
Jacob Elordi hooking up with Diego Luna. Will Poulter hooking up with Daisy Edgar-Jones. It's a romantic drama (obviously) set against the aftermath of the Korean War, so you know it's going to balance that should they/shouldn't they romantic questions with the moral dilemma of wartime servitude.And considering Elordi's fresh off the back of another wartime drama with The Narrow Road to the Deep North, you can be sure he's well and truly in his bag with this one.
Together
It's probably the most anticipated Aussie movie of the year, and it's set to kick off the entire festival with a bang. Starring IRL lovers Dave Franco and Alison Brie, this movie, helmed by Michael Shanks in his directorial debut (!), isn't going to be one for the faint-hearted. Take my warning now — If you watched The Substance last year because everyone was talking about it, only to leave horrified, maybe skip this one.For everyone else, this body horror is opening the festival for a reason. It's going to be a big one, and you're gonna see Dave and Alison like you've never seen them before.
My Father's Shadow
This movie is the first Nigerian film to ever make the Cannes official selection, and now Aussies are getting a chance to watch the drama that's slowly winning audiences over worldwide.One of the best parts of the Sydney Film Festival is that it gives you a chance to see movies you'd probably never be able to otherwise, and My Father's Shadow is the perfect example of that. Following a father and his two young kids as they head into Nigeral's capital Lagos, the kids become exposed to political views that they've never seen in their rural home — and, apparently, all through stunning cinematography.
The Mastermind
If you're anything like me, you probably can't get enough of Josh O'Connor after watching Challengers last year. Now, our boy is booked and busy, and has a slew of movies currently in production, but the one that has me most excited is The Mastermind.It's a heist movie set in the '70s (so completely different to Challengers) and stars Alana Haim (yes, of that HAIM) in her second ever movie role after absolutely killing it in 2021's Licorice Pizza.
Dangerous Animals
A nail-biting, truly Australian horror movie that stars Jai Courtenay as a shark-obsessed serial killer hunting down Zephyr, played by Yellowstone's Hassie Harrison, a Gold Coast surfer to determined to survive the killer's sadistic games.Need I say more???
The Secret Agent
Sometimes you just really need to sink your teeth into a heavy political thriller that really gets your wheels turning.This year, that movie is The Secret Agent, out of Brazil. Set amid the draconian political era of Brazil as last year's Oscar-winning I'm Still Here, this movie follows a guy on the run from the regime, taking on an assumed identity while also looking to reunite with his son. But a wanted man is still a wanted man, so he's going to need to figure something out before he's snatched right back up.And I, for one, can't wait to watch it unfold.
Twinless
Now, Sydney Film Festival's official website says the less you know about Twinless going into it, the better. I'm all for experiencing movies like that (I knew nothing about Everything Everywhere All At Once before attending a preview screening that would ultimately change my life).That being said, here's what we do know. This movie is about a queer bromance, stars Dylan O'Brien, and it's meant to have you peeing yourself with laughter. Sign me TF up.
Eddington
Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Joaquin Phoenix and Austin Butler (!) star in this movie about a fictional town riddled by COVID-19 (!!) in May 2020 directed by the evil genius behind Hereditary and Midsommar, Ari Aster (!!!).While I'm personally not ready for films and TV to depict the pandemic, I know Ari Aster's take is going to be so creative and twisted that I'll have no choice but to sit and watch.
And finally, Fwends
Girl fed up with her Sydney law firm job heads to Melbourne to reconnect with her mate, who is a bit of a space cadet (head's always in the clouds). Seems simple, right?This promises to be a movie that is strictly, above all else, about female friendship. We're gonna watch these two best mates recount office horror stories, break-up tales and whatever else fills their brains as they trawl through Melbourne, and I have a feeling its going to reach so far into our souls and psyche that we won't be able to stop thinking about it long after the credits have rolled.
You can check the full program for the 2025 Sydney Film Festival, and snap up remaining tickets, here.
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