The full program for the 74th edition of the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), opening next month, has been revealed.
Organisers have unveiled a sprawling 2026 program featuring more than 300 films, documentaries, shorts and immersive works from around the world.
Running from August 6th-23rd across Melbourne and regional Victoria, with MIFF Online returning nationally from August 14th-30th, this year’s festival will launch with Australian filmmaker Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer’s “Wicker,” following its debut at Sundance Film Festival.
The film stars Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Peter Dinklage, Richard E. Grant, and Australian actor Elizabeth Debicki, and will also compete in the festival’s Bright Horizons Competition, which spotlights first and second-time filmmakers.
The headline program also includes new films from acclaimed international directors including Pedro Almodóvar, Gus Van Sant, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Lukas Dhont and Gregg Araki. Among the anticipated titles are “Dead Man’s Wire,” starring Al Pacino, Bill Skarsgård, and Australian actor Dacre Montgomery, alongside “The Man I Love” starring Rami Malek, and “Wishful Thinking,” featuring Maya Hawke and Lewis Pullman.
Australian cinema also takes centre stage with six new features backed through the MIFF Premiere Fund, including “Mad Rush,” “Sweet Milk Lake,” “Death of a Shaman,” “Hard as Puck” and the documentary “Jebediah: Are We Ok?,” chronicling the Perth rock band’s three-decade career. Other local premieres include “French Girls,” “The Fox,” “Sentient,” “Replica,” and “Wilderness.”
“We’re again thrilled to reveal the full film overload of MIFF’s epic 2026 program! From highly anticipated festival blockbusters to bold new voices, experimentations to a family day at the flicks, MIFF is the maximalist way to enjoy all of what cinema can offer in the midst of a Melbourne Winter. We look forward to welcoming audiences back to the big screen this August,” MIFF Artistic Director Al Cossar said.
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Music also remains a major focus of this year’s program. Among the highlights is the world premiere of “Tina Arena: Unravel Me,” a feature documentary exploring the Australian singer’s five-decade career through new interviews with artists including Céline Dion, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Jessica Mauboy, and The Veronicas. The music strand also features documentaries on Marianne Faithfull, Bill Evans, cult band The Shaggs and the fan community surrounding Grateful Dead.
“Silenced,” from Australian filmmaker Selina Miles, will also play at the festival. The documentary examines the use of defamation law against women who speak publicly, and features contributors including lawyer Jennifer Robinson, actor Amber Heard, former political staffer Brittany Higgins, and Colombian journalist Catalina Ruiz-Navarro, and will screen as this year’s Premiere With Purpose Gala.
This year’s festival also marks the beginning of a new major partnership with Armani Beauty, which will present the new Armani Beauty Cinema Club alongside the MIFF Shorts Awards and the inaugural Talent of Tomorrow Award for emerging filmmakers.
MIFF’s awards program again offers one of the world’s richest prize pools, with more than $300,000 on offer. The Bright Horizons Award, supported by VicScreen, carries a $140,000 prize for an outstanding first or second feature, while audience members will again vote for the Intrepid Audience Award.
Check out the full program here.