In Federico Fellini’s awe-inspiring magnum opus, an Italian film director probes his own life and dreams in the struggle to make his new film, despite not knowing what it’s actually about.
After his beloved mother chokes to death on a pistachio, a lonely 40-year old’s intricate plan to take his own life is repeatedly thwarted in this dark comedy.
A young Russian boy blinded in World War One remains on the frontline by listening for enemy planes through giant metal funnels in this sensorial film that merges music and cinema.
Above Us Only Sky is an experimental documentary that questions the surreal logic of serendipitous chance, repetition of events and synchronicity.
One of the earliest full-length films about space travel, presented with new live score by beatboxer Tom Thum.
Road trips usually signify a beginning, but for Isaac and his partner Levi, this is their last chance to spend time together before they part ways.
A showbiz veteran sees his health seriously threatened by his mounting workload and personal failings.
Life imitates art when Julien Goethe directs an unhinged version of An Athlete Wrestling A Python.
A visually stunning and passionate cry against classism and colonialism, Angelo tells the true-life rise and fall of Angelo Soliman on the stage of 18th-century European aristocracy.
A spectacular documentary on the urgent environmental concerns brought about by the devastating transformation of the earth during our so-called ‘age of man’.
The definitive version of Francis Ford Coppola’s storied Vietnam War opus follows a soldier sent to assassinate a rogue colonel.
Celebrating the incredible talent of Asia Pacific filmmaking, the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) will host a gala screening of It Must Be Heaven 2019.
Join us for drinks and a special APSA gala screening of one of the year’s Asia Pacific screen highlights, The Wild Goose Lake 2019.
A sweeping, historical film set in the outback, Australia is Baz Luhrmann’s love letter to the Australian landscape and a romantic epic on the scale of Gone with the Wind 1939.
One of the great British cult films, the restored Babylon remains a potent, dub-infused portrait of life on the fringes in Thatcher-era London.
A young woman laments her teen years, her home town and the death of a friend in this visually surreal mosaic, adapted from renowned American spoken-word poet Olivia Gatwood’s poem of the same name.
An entrancingly idiosyncratic depiction of a man pushed to the edge by the gentrification of his British hometown.
Alice Guy-Blaché, a prolific trailblazer of early cinema unfairly ignored by film history, has her groundbreaking life story told in this revealing documentary narrated by Jodie Foster.
Set amid the devastation of war-torn Leningrad, this powerful post-World War Two tale collected the Un Certain Regard Best Director Award at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.
Set in a struggling housing estate, a teen is taunted by the local drug dealer. When his only friend is bullied into humiliating him, they are forced to confront their own identity and integrity.
Blackwood intertwines spoken word with traditional narrative form, exploring the intricacies of family, self-love, empowerment and, more subtly, the social politics within small-town Australia.
An unprecedented look at the incredible life of Australian Formula One icon Sir Jack Brabham.
Co-presented with the German Consulate Brisbane as part of Brisbane German Week, join us for the Australian premiere of O Beautiful Night 2019.
A lost soul is given a chance for redemption at a local bus stop in this evocative short film.
An actor struggles to connect with her co-star during the filming of a horror movie in this off-kilter satire probing normative ideas of desirability on screen.
Roll credits! Bid farewell to BIFF 2019 with celebratory drinks after the film. Celebrate filmmaking and raise a glass as the winners of the BIFF Short Film Awards are announced.
Prankster documentarian Mads Brügger investigates the suspicious 1961 plane crash in Zambia that killed the then-UN Secretary-General in this politically minded real-life mystery.
Dark Place is an Indigenous Australian horror anthology featuring five twisted and delightfully wicked tales taking on postcolonialism.
A dreamy examination of the ‘Satanic Panic’ of the 1980's, in which a mass hysteria revived supposed memories of cultish sacrifice and ritualistic abuse in people around the world.
In a heated exchange over the merits of their home town, a dissatisfied cocaine dealing real estate agent and a lonely office worker have their own biases exposed.
This exhilarating documentary offers an unparalleled glimpse into the inner sanctum of five competitors from the Bowery Poetry Club in Manhattan as they prepare for the National Poetry Slam.
In a remote Australian town, a misunderstood girl forges a friendship with a wild emu in this beautifully shot and inspiring coming-of-age film.
On the sun-drenched streets of Barcelona, a casual hook-up between two strangers shapes into an erotic, non-linear tale in this intriguing, distinctly adult film on romantic relationships.
A breathless coming-of-age tale of two fierce young women who must draw on their resilience and friendship to be free of their tumultuous home lives.
Join us for a sumptuous, honey-themed dining experience at the award winning GOMA Restaurant, as Chef Doug Innes-Will takes inspiration from the engrossing documentary Honeyland 2019.
In the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo, a young journalist makes the gut-wrenching decision to raise her family amid the chaos. A Cannes 2019 Golden Eye Documentary Award winner.
An atmospheric portrait of a small Québécois community rocked by the death of a young man.
A plus-size male stripper knocks on the wrong door and is thrust into the criminal underworld. His only chance to save the club and himself is to do what he does best . . . dance!
Hugo Weaving stars in this compelling drama about a maverick photojournalist and a refugee who must both reconcile with their pasts when a shocking photograph comes to light.
A young girl trying to escape incessant bullying falls asleep on the bus ride home. She wakes up trapped at an empty bus yard with something lurking outside – something big.
A glimpse into a possible future of human and robotic connectedness made possible through artificial intelligence.
This poetic portrait of one of Europe’s last wild beekeepers explores the tussle between old-world sustainability and new-world progress.
Director Ákos Armont and producer Antony Waddington join us in conversation to discuss the making of their documentary on the life of Australian Formula One icon Sir Jack Brabham.
Don’t miss this fascinating conversation with three filmmakers from Dark Place 2019, a new Indigenous Australian horror anthology.
Jesse King from the Stronger Smarter Institute and respected Indigenous educators share their knowledge and insight on the film.
Join director Liselle Mei and producer Trish Lake as they discuss Mei’s own journey as a filmmaker, from short filmmaking to the world premiere of her first feature-length documentary.
Join producer Daniel Joyce in a conversation about his recent collaboration with filmmaker Selina Miles on Martha 2019.
Following the screening of Measure for Measure 2019, join us for a conversation with critically acclaimed Australian director Paul Ireland.
On the final weekend of the ‘Quilty’ exhibition at GOMA, join us for the new documentary Quilty: Painting the Shadows followed by a conversation with the film’s director, Catherine Hunter.
Join writer, director Samuel van Grinsven as he discusses his bold coming of age film.
Join director Partho Sen-Gupta in a discussion on his critically acclaimed feature film Slam 2018
Australian artist, producer, writer and filmmaker George Gittoes has filmed in some of the world’s fiercest war zones, but Chicago’s south side may be his toughest assignment yet.
Join Australian video artist and filmmaker John Gillies in conversation with Peter McKay (Head of Australian Art, QAGOMA) as he dissects his rich and provocative film Witkacy & Malinowski 2017.
Join Brisbane filmmaker Peter Hegedus as he discusses his latest documentary Lili.
Join producer Rebecca McElroy as she discusses the collaborative process of producing the film Lili.
Able to speak three languages and an apprentice healer within the Arrernte/ Garrwa community in Alice Springs, ten-year old Dujuan is at risk of expulsion from school.
Part florid musical, part artful lecture, In the Jungle joins a scientist in her 1612-day exploration of an unnamed exotic locale.
Palestinian auteur Suleiman, Divine Intervention 2002 and The Time That Remains 2009, returns with a politically oriented comedy that took out the FIPRESCI Prize at this year’s Cannes
In this striking dark comedy, Wasikowska and Herriman play the eponymous Judy and Punch — married puppeteers who hope their act will get them out of town and finally bring them fame and fortune.
Based on a true story, Lili is a compelling documentary that uncovers the incredible story behind why a mother abandoned her child amid the chaos of the 1956 Hungarian revolution.
Premiering at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, Little Monsters takes the zombie comedy to new and absurd heights to deliver a hilarious feel-good film.
ARIA Award-mominated beatboxer Tom Thum brings his uncanny talent to early Russian science fiction classic Aelita: Queen of Mars 1924.
Organist David Bailey takes on one of the slipperiest characters of the early twentieth century, illusionist and stunt performer Harry Houdini in The Grim Game 1919.
Over the Rainbow offers a dreamily mesmerising look at the thread of belief that binds together past and present members of the Church of Scientology.
This shorts film program, is inspired by the documentary Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché
Love Opera provides an inside look at Brisbane’s world-class Lisa Gasteen National Opera School as it prepares a production of Carmen with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
The QEST Careers Fair is an opportunity to speak directly to Queensland practitioners with experience in every screen job you’ve ever heard of.
With fifteen sessions over two days QEST is returning for a second year to inspire new and emerging practitioners who are finding their place in Queensland’s vibrant screen industry.
The second day of QEST will explore the opportunities and experiences of contemporary practitioners, from those building a profile to those with years of experience.
Screen Queensland presents a showcase event that focuses on Respect, Inclusion, Diversity and Equality in the screen sector.
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound spotlights the fascinating and unsung art of creating sound for cinema.
A tender portrait of the long romance between Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen, who inspired Cohen’s beloved songs ‘So Long, Marianne’ and ‘Bird on the Wire’.
On her 35th birthday, a lonely webcam girl decides to go on a date with her teenage neighbour.
Celebrated photographer Martha Cooper’s images of subway graffiti in 1970s New York helped turn ridiculed street art into a global movement.
A tender-hearted take on male friendship in which a kiss changes everything, by French-Canadian film-making tour de force Xavier Dolan.
Hugo Weaving leads a promising young Australian cast in this gritty crime drama set in Melbourne’s council flats.
With an ethereal soundtrack by Dutch pianist Reinier van Houdt, Memento Stella creates a captivating, experience by overlaying and manipulating thousands of pieces of footage of everyday life.
Film documentarian Alexandre O Philippe unravels the complex DNA of Alien 1979 in this ode to Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic.
In Mexico City 45 public ambulances serve a population of over 9 million people, giving rise to a shadow industry of private operators.
A tender and colourful portrait of a man disconnected from the world, and his son's attempt to reach out to him.
Chaos reigns amid a band of teen soldiers in this hallucinatory take on Lord of the Flies from Colombian director Alejandro Landes.
This singular cinematic experience is a raw cry from the heart to the director’s homeland of Lesotho in southern Africa.
Mother’s Little Helpers is an honest and funny exploration of the limits of familial forgiveness as four siblings reconnect to care for their dying mother.
1899 Paris is given a contemporary musical twist in this daring depiction of the infamous, gaudy and glamorous Parisian nightclub Moulin Rouge.
The best way to capture the work and life of one the most important experimental audio-visual artists is through an unconventional documentary style.
Beset by anxiety, a young musician’s fateful encounter with Death himself leads to a neon-saturated journey to the end of the night.
Directors Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang fearlessly peel back the layers of China’s former One Child policy to unearth its tightly held secrets.
BIFF 2019 premieres in style with an opening night red carpet reception. Join industry guests for a night of glamour and entertainment, and see the opening night film before or after the party.
BIFF 2019 premieres in style with an opening night red carpet reception. Join industry guests for a night of glamour and entertainment, and to see the opening night film before or after the party.
Over the Rainbow offers a dreamily mesmerising look at the thread of belief that binds together past and present members of the Church of Scientology.
Acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar offers an emotionally resonant and deeply personal reflection on filmmaking, love and family.
Join journalist and author Trent Dalton, Bangarra choreographer and dancer Yolande Brown and poet Huda Fadlelmawla in a discussion moderated by award-winning playwright Stephen Carleton.
Join our panel as they delve into the tension between the boundless possibilities of artificial intelligence and the ethical questions that affect us all.
Join Kristy Matheson, Dr Mark Ryan and author and critic Dr Alexandra Heller-Nicholas as they explore the zombie trope and the deliciously twisty ways in which different filmmakers revisit this genre.
Join bestselling Australian fantasy author Isobelle Carmody and contemporary artist Emily Floyd, who uses Le Guin’s text in her work, for a conversation about feminist imaginings of the future.
A forbidden romance blossoms in this sumptuous tale of desire from rising French filmmaker Céline Sciamma, winner of the Best Screenplay and the Queer Palm at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.
Quantification Trilogy is a three-part science fiction film that vividly imagines countercultural behaviour at different points in the future, each stage coming closer to our time.
A fascinating exploration of the creative process, Quilty: Painting the Shadows follows one of Australia’s leading contemporary artists.
Stitching 2D and stop-motion animation together, Raymonde or the Vertical Escape is a beautiful tale of a fed-up owl.
In this snappy spoken-word short film saturated in primary colours, a woman recites an unrequited goodbye to her ex-boyfriend's red watch.
Baz Luhrmann's ostentatious style rockets the lovers of Verona into the 20th century in this beloved adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
A woman arrives in an unfamiliar environment and reflects on how she got to be there, using movement to express her emotions.
The friendship of two teenage boys growing up in Australian suburbia is strained after a brutal incident of bullying.
A queer coming-of-age tale, Sequin in a Blue Room follows a ruinously handsome 16-year-old as he scrolls from one anonymous hook-up to the next.
BIFF’s program of short films celebrates the unique craft of short-form filmmaking — a platform for emerging filmmakers that delicately balances the nuanced skill of storytelling and visual language
BIFF’s program of short films celebrates the unique craft of short-form filmmaking — a platform for emerging filmmakers that delicately balances the nuanced skill of storytelling and visual language.
A special shorts program showcasing two films by Pia Borg, the only Australian filmmaker to have their work featured at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.
BIFF’s program of short films celebrates the unique craft of short-form filmmaking — a platform for emerging filmmakers that delicately balances the nuanced skill of storytelling and visual language
BIFF’s program of short films celebrates the unique craft of short-form filmmaking — a platform for emerging filmmakers that delicately balances the nuanced skill of storytelling and visual language
An incredible portrait of fierce young mute woman Sibel, who can only communicate in the unique whistling language of her Turkish village
A hypnotising exploration of artifice and belonging wrap around a narrative that follows a location scout arriving in Coober Pedy to undertake research for an upcoming science fiction film.
The disappearance of a young Palestinian-Australian in suburban Sydney fuels media speculation about her political motivations
Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin’s stylish first feature Strictly Ballroom dazzles audiences with the larger-than-life world of competitive ballroom dancing.
A sumptuously crafted historical mystery from the Academy Award-winning director of Son of Saul 2015.
Playful and poignant, Supa Modo is a charming depiction of the power of community and storytelling in the face of adversity.
Talking About Trees follows four Sudanese film directors as they attempt to revive a cinema culture in a country controlled by a fundamentalist government.
Join our panel as they discuss how works are created, how platforms change the artist audience dynamic and the exciting technology driven storytelling possibilities.
Composer and artist Lawrence English, HTRK band members Jonnine Standish and Nigel Yang and violinist Kyla Matsuura-Miller join chair Ellie Buttrose to talk about how and why sound moves us.
Prolific Australian producers Sue Milliken AO and Andrena Finlay launch their new book on the nuts and bolt of a craft often cloaked in mystery.
This delightful and stunningly shot documentary follows John and Molly Chester on their eight-year journey to turn 200 acres of neglected land into a thriving eco-farm.
A heartwarming and inspiring documentary about a group of cat lovers in New York who are helping turn the tide against the ever-growing stray feline population.
After the super cool vampires in Only Lovers Left Alive 2014, beloved American director Jim Jarmusch turns his attention to ghouls of a less sophisticated variety.
Italian filmmaker Beniamino Barrese turns the camera on his mother, fashion model and feminist Benedetta Barzini, in this intimate portrait of a reluctant subject.
A kaleidoscopic tour of textiles and their passage through the global economy from animator Jodie Mack.
The world of The Great Gatsby, uncompromisingly embraced in this grandiose retelling of F Scott Fitzgerald's timeless story.
A rare screening of The Grim Game, a long-lost film starring Harry Houdini, presented on the 100th anniversary of its original release.
A personal portrait of an intensely private man, The Leunig Fragments offers insights into the creative process of Australia’s most renowned and accomplished cartoonist, Michael Leunig.
The Miracle of the Little Prince is a poetic exploration of how four communities draw on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved novella to preserve their native languages.
A photography exhibition of refugee portraits makes headlines, questioning the authenticity and ethics of art that showcases the hardship of people less fortunate than the artist.
In this true tale, a woman bedridden by a mysterious illness forms an unlikely bond with a forest snail on her nightstand. Together they share a captivating and intimate journey of survival.
Peter Sarsgaard plays a self-taught scientist who helps clients rid their emotional discord by ‘retuning’ their homes in this off-beat American indie.
Hogg’s reflective, semi-autobiographical work is at once an authentic portrayal of a mother-daughter relationship, examining the process of film-making and a deep exploration of burgeoning romance.
Inspired by Vietnamese director Ash Mayfair’s own family history, The Third Wife is a deeply personal and atmospheric period piece.
An incredible insight into Joseph Stalin’s Kafka-esque show trials of the 1930s, encapsulating the power of fake news and its devastating consequences.
With a dream to venture into the human world and evolve into the perfect individual, an amphibious sea creature hopes to overcome the boundaries of her body and transform into a human woman.
Golden Bear-winner Diao Yinan (Black Coal, Thin Ice 2014) returns with a vibrant, rain-slicked neo-noir set in the back alleys of modern China.
A delightful Australia animation featuring the vocal talents of Miranda Tapsell, Ross Noble and Kate Murphy created by Brisbane-based studio Like A Photon.
Tito and the Birds is a vivid and lively Brazilian animation that combines oil paintings and digital drawings to bring life to the world of its ten-year-old protagonist, Tito.
This psychedelic feature by Stephen Broomer presents a trip into the abyss through the manipulation of footage from an early film adaptation of Dante’s Inferno.
An old barbarian and his talking horse embark on a suicidal quest to battle a bridge troll.
‘It’s not the need to make images, it’s that . . . I have curious eyes’, reveals French master director Agnès Varda in this, her final film, which explores her unorthodox approach to filmmaking.
This epic, seven-hour adaptation of the novel War and Peace is an extraordinarily lavish telling of a love triangle between three characters whose stories interweave amid the Napoleonic Wars.
After a career spent documenting war zones, George Gittoes (Soundtrack to War 2005, Snow Monkey 2015) travels to the south side of Chicago, a neighbourhood under siege from gun violence.
When the neighbourhood dog catcher William Page is found wandering the streets disorientated, he is brought back to the local police station for assistance. However, the situation soon disintegrates.
Australian video artist and filmmaker John Gillies presents a bold and engaging experimental work that balances the absurdist with the sensibilities of its two central subjects.
Worlds of Ursula K Le Guin is a warm and insightful portrait of the trailblazing science fiction and fantasy writer.
Winner of the Best Director award at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, Young Ahmed is an incisive drama about religious extremism from the acclaimed Dardenne brothers.
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