“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” starring Rose Byrne, has been announced as the Opening Night film for the 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), with tickets now available for purchase.
The film, directed by Mary Bronstein, will make its Australian premiere after receiving outstanding recognition internationally, including Byrne winning the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at Berlinale.
The prestigious Opening Night Gala is scheduled for Thursday, August 7 at Hoyts Melbourne Central, marking the beginning of three weeks of cinema celebration across Melbourne and regional Victoria. The festival will run until Sunday August 24.
Writer-director Bronstein expressed her excitement about the film’s inclusion, stating: “I am beyond thrilled to be bringing ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ to MIFF. That would have been enough, but I am further honoured and gobsmacked to have been selected to open the festival.” She highlighted the performances of Australian actresses Byrne and Danielle Macdonald, describing Byrne’s work as “soul-shattering” and Macdonald’s as “stunningly raw.”
MIFF Artistic Director Al Cossar praised the selection, describing the film as “urgent, funny and audacious” and expressing pride that “Bronstein’s singular vision will set the start to MIFF’s 18 day immensity of cinema-going.”
“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” features Byrne as Linda, a psychologist struggling to balance demanding clients, caring for a sick child and dealing with a growing hole in her apartment roof. The film also features appearances from Conan O’Brien, Christian Slater, A$AP Rocky and Macdonald, blending anxious comedy with emotional depth as Linda’s life spirals from barely manageable to desperate.
The festival has already announced its First Glance lineup, which includes premieres of seven projects supported by the MIFF Premiere Fund. Notable events include Julia Holter performing a live score for “The Passion of Joan of Arc” at Melbourne Recital Centre and Korean composer Jung Jae-il performing his score for Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” with Orchestra Victoria.
MIFF Regional will return, bringing festival selections to cinemas in Bendigo, Ballarat, Castlemaine, Morwell, Geelong, Rosebud, Sale and Shepparton over the weekends of August 15-17 and August 22-24. MIFF Online will run from August 15-31, providing nationwide access to select festival titles.
The MIFF Awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 23, featuring the prestigious $140,000 Bright Horizons Award, supported by the Victorian Government through VicScreen.
The full MIFF 2025 programme will be revealed on Thursday, July 10. Opening Night Gala tickets are currently available to members and will be released to the general public on Wednesday, July 2. Options include film-only tickets or film and party tickets, which include access to the Opening Night Gala afterparty at the State Library of Victoria.