Not just Australian films, but homegrown films by female directors lead the first lineup announcement for 2025’s Adelaide Film Festival.
Ahead of its Wednesday, October 15–Sunday, October 26 dates, the South Australian capital’s major annual celebration of cinema has named its initial six titles. Five boast Australian women filmmakers behind the camera, including among the festival’s world premieres.
“The Colleano Heart” and “Edge of Life,” two of three films on the program so far that received support via the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund, will debut at AFF. From First Nations director Pauline Clague, the first focuses on the Colleano circus family and their rise to prominence. “Edge of Life” is the next project from artist and director Lynette Wallworth.
Clague’s documentary charts the Indigenous Colleano family’s journey from outback Australia to international fame, including while battling racism and oppression. It also features octogenarian Molly O’Donnell, an American-born member of the Colleanos, meeting Australian family historian Deb Hescott and exploring the latter’s DNA connection to the family.
Wallworth, who won an International Emmy in 2020 for “Awavena” and received the AACTA Byron Kennedy Award in 2016, puts life’s passage to death at the centre of her new film. Shooting not only in Australia but also in the Brazilian Amazon, she examines Western attitudes to mortality, how two Melbourne doctors are using psilocybin to assist patients at the end of their lives and the role that plant medicines have played in this regard in ancient traditions.
Similarly supported by AFFIF and screening at this year’s festival is “Penny Lane Is Dead,” the feature debut of Mia’Kate Russell. Sophia Wright-Mendelsohn, Bailey Spalding, Alex Jensen, Tahlee Fereday, Ben O’Toole, Steve Le Marquand and Fletcher Humphrys star in the 1986-set horror film, which sports an era-appropriate soundtrack to match, about a beach house celebration getting bloody when a prank goes awry.
Maggie Miles and Trisha Morton-Thomas’ “Journey Home, David Gulpilil,” about Australian acting great David Gulpilil’s posthumous journey from South Australia to the Northern Territory, is adding Adelaide to its festival rounds following berths at Sydney Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, CinefestOZ and Darwin International Film Festival.
Sophie Somerville’s buddy comedy “Fwends,” which picked up the Berlin International Film Festival’s Caligari Film Prize, has also been playing festivals around Australia, with Adelaide its latest confirmed stop.
The sixth title on the festival’s program so far is Jafar Panahi‘s Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or-winner and Sydney Film Prize-recipient “It Was Just an Accident,” which also expands its Down Under festival run after Sydney and Melbourne.
“2025 is shaping up to be a stellar year for the festival and we are immensely proud to be showcasing the work of so many fine Australian women directors,” said Adelaide Film Festival CEO and Creative Director Mat Kesting, announcing AFF’s first films for this year.
“The program will be entertaining, thought provoking and audacious. Cinema is where we can commune and contemplate the world and we can’t wait to welcome audiences at AFF in October.”