Get ready for 113 flicks from over 56 countries at the first-ever virtual Melbourne International Film Festival.
While Melburnians are navigating life in lockdown once again, we’re all finding ways to stay entertained at home this winter. And if you need something to brighten up your week, we’ve found an exciting new virtual film festival to add to your diary.
For the first time ever, the Melbourne International Film Festival is going ahead entirely online, delivering an 18-day festival that every Aussie can tune into from home. Running from Thursday, August 6th to Sunday, August 23rd, get ready for MIFF 68½, delivering the 2020 program as a digital film festival.
With over 60 features, four short packages, talks, events and activations all being streamed online, this virtual film festival is set to be one not to miss. The best bit? Regular MIFF attendees will still get to enjoy the festival’s usual format, with an opening night, centrepiece and closing night screenings all going ahead online.
Wondering what to tune into at this festival? Here are some of our top picks:
- First Cow: Opening Night Film (Screening Thurs, Aug 6 at 7pm): directed by Kely Reichardt (Certain Women), get ready to explore the untamed landscape of 19th Century Oregon territory as an odd couple discover friendship and free enterprise on the American frontier.
- Boys State (Screening Sat, Aug 8 at 4pm): the 2020 winner of Sundance’s US Grand Jury Prize for Documentary chronicles an experiment in democracy as teenage boys from Texas compete in a large-scale re-enactment of representative government.
- Corpus Christi: Special Preview Screening (Screening Fri, Aug 14 at 7pm): in this Oscar-nominated thriller about an ex-con impersonating a small town’s priest, faith in God’s mercy and in the penal system are put to the test.
- Wendy: Centrepiece Film (Screening Sat, Aug 15 at 7pm): Beasts of the Southern Wild (MIFF 2012) director Benh Zeitlin’s long-awaited follow-up retells the beloved tale of the boy who wouldn’t grow up, but from the perspective of his headstrong female friend.
- Ema: Closing Night Film (Screening Sat, Aug 22 at 7pm): Gael García Bernal stars alongside newcomer Mariana Di Girolamo in Pablo Larraín’s delirious, intoxicating dance-drama about a couple falling apart after a failed adoption.
Tickets to MIFF’s 2020 virtual program are on sale now. To browse the full program, click here.
