The 2018 Sydney Film Festival Program Is Here, So Get Ready To Watch A Whole Bunch Of Movies

Break out those little binoculars that people used in the old days to watch things, because the 65th Sydney Film Festival has dropped their program and it’s huge and exciting and your eyes will probably get tired from watching all those films. Or you could just wear glasses, I dunno.

There’s 326 films from 65 countries in this gargantuan festival, including films from directors like Jafar Panahi, Debra Granik, Wim Wenders, Kevin Macdonald and Spike Lee.

Opening up the festival is New Zealand comedy The Breaker Upperers, starring and written by the hilarious Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami. It follows the exploits of two best friends who run a business breaking-up couples for cash.

Festival director Nashen Moodley announced that six out of 12 of films in this year’s Official Competition films are directed by women filmmakers, which was important in “a year that has highlighted the inequalities facing women across society and in the film industry.”

The European program this year will also focus on celebrating women in film, including presentations from Swedish filmmaker Isabella Eklof and Dutch director Nanouk Leopold. There will also be a hosted discussion with the European Women Filmmakers examining the gender pay gap in the film industry.

There’s also a bunch of Australian films on offer, including Terror Nullius by the art collective Soda_Jerk, which caused a stir after the Ian Potter Cultural Trust withdrew support from the film it helped finance, and the thrillers 1% and A Vigilante.

Ending the whole shebang is the indie comedy Hearts Beat Loud, about an ageing hipster dad forming an unlikely band with his reluctant, talented daughter. Australia’s own Toni Colette stars in it, alongside Parks and Recreation’s Nick Offerman.

Sydney Film Festival full program on sale now. Watch the trailer below and check out their website to see details on the 326 films screening across Sydney June 6-17.