Sydney Film Festival (June 4–15) has added nine fresh titles to its 2025 program, including two buzzy Cannes standouts.
Among the highlights are two Special Presentations: “Sentimental Value,” the Grand Prix-winning family drama from Joachim Trier, and “Sirât,” a futuristic rave-fuelled road movie that picked up the Jury Prize and was produced by Pedro Almodóvar.
The new additions will premiere in Australia across the festival, which kicks off this Wednesday, June 4th.
“The Festival starts in just two days, but we think it’s never too late to add the most exciting new films to the Festival, fresh from their international premieres,” said SFF Festival Director Nashen Moodley.
“From sweeping historical epics and urgent political dramas to intimate portraits and unforgettable performances, these films continue our commitment to showcasing the most exciting cinema from around the world.”
“Sentimental Value” sees Trier reunite with “The Worst Person in the World” star Renate Reinsve in an intimate story about the power of art, also starring Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning. Sirât, set in a near-future Morocco, follows a father and son on a wild journey through the underground rave scene as they search for a missing daughter, with a thumping techno soundtrack driving the action.
Also joining the line-up is “Two Prosecutors,” a chilling period piece from Sergei Loznitsa (“In the Fog,” “Austerlitz”) set in Stalinist Russia, and Tarik Saleh’s (“The Nile Hilton Incident,” “Boy from Heaven”) “Eagles of the Republic,” a sharp-edged political thriller that follows an Egyptian movie star caught in a web of coercion.
Filipino auteur Lav Diaz returns with “Magellan,” starring Gael García Bernal as the famed explorer in a visually arresting historical epic. “The Plague,” produced by and co-starring Joel Edgerton, blends coming-of-age drama and horror as a shy boy spirals at summer camp under toxic peer pressure.
Winner of both the Queer Palme and Best Actress at Cannes, “The Little Sister” explores identity and desire through the lens of a French-Algerian woman navigating culture and sexuality. Meanwhile, the Dardenne brothers (“Two Days, One Night”) return with “Young Mothers,” a poignant tale of five young women rebuilding their lives in a Belgian shelter.
Closing out the new batch is “It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley,” a tender new documentary from Amy Berg (“Janis: Little Girl Blue”) that pieces together rare footage and personal accounts to celebrate the late alt-rock icon’s life and enduring legacy.
The full Sydney Film Festival 2025 program is available now at sff.org.au.