It’s been a while between screenings, but Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) is back in 2025, bringing classic and contemporary cinema to unexpected locations across the city.
BIFF returns over four blockbuster days from 27 to 30 November with screenings in the sky and by the river as well as in some of Brisbane’s most beloved cinemas.
Festival Director Sophie Mathisen says BIFF’s packed program is punctuated with prestigious premieres, big-name stars and provocative films.
More than 20 filmmakers will descend on Brisbane for the event, allowing audiences to get up close and personal with industry leaders and pioneers.
“Audiences can experience both new and treasured works as well as immersive experiences celebrating the joy, excitement and escapism of film,” Sophie says.
Returning to BIFF as Festival Patron after nearly two decades is acclaimed Australian film director and Academy Award winner George Miller (Mad Max, Babe, Happy Feet).
Tasked with programming the inaugural Patron’s Pick film, he selected Robert Altman’s 1970 black comedy, M*A*S*H, screening at Palace Barracks on 29 November.
“This movie, so wildly subversive, had a huge cultural impact. It was released at the height of the Vietnam War, yet, slyly, it was set during the Korean War to reinforce its allegorical heft,” George recalls.
“When I saw M*A*S*H one afternoon in 1970, I was so blown away I walked out into the street and turned right back and watched it again. It was the moment I realised I was truly hooked on cinema.”
BIFF’s 2025 program features more than 60-plus films, including 29 Australian premieres, curated to evoke one of six core emotions: Be Delighted, Be Moved, Be Afraid, Be Ignited, Be Challenged and Be Surprised.
We’ve combed the program to curate a handful of highlights across the four-day festival.
Agon
27 November | Howard Smith Wharves
28 November | Palace James Street
The debut feature from Italian director Giulio Bertelli tracks three female athletes as they train for and compete in the fictional Ludoj 2024 Olympic Games in rifle shooting, fencing and judo. Bertelli presents his award-winning film at a red-carpet screening at Howard Smith Wharves, following a panel discussion with five-time Olympian Natalie Cook.
A Life Illuminated
29 November | The Star Brisbane’s Leisure Deck
The Australian premiere of A Life Illuminated is an acclaimed documentary profiling ocean explorer and marine biologist Dr Edie Widder. The Star Brisbane’s Leisure Deck transforms into a shimmering underwater world, complete with an open-air cinema, all-ages Glow Rave, immersive light installations and special performances by Brisbane’s own Dead Puppet Society.
It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley
30 November | South Bank Piazza
An unforgettable closing night event celebrating 30 years of Jeff Buckley’s album, Grace. The evening begins with a screening of Amy Berg’s award-winning documentary It’s Never Over, followed by a once-in-a-lifetime live performance of Grace. Bringing the album to life, track by track, is a stellar lineup of Brisbane’s finest musicians including Asha Jefferies, Jaguar Jonze, Katie Noonan and Tyrone Noonan backed by a five-piece band.
Cricket Dreams
29 November | Reading Newmarket
30 November | Dendy Coorparoo
The inspiring story of nine street children from Delhi who get the chance to compete in the Street Child Cricket World Cup. Cricket Dreams is an uplifting and inspiring story of courage, belief, and dreams, where cricket gives disadvantaged children a chance to belong and a shot at a brighter future.
Flathead
28 November | New Farm Cinemas
A haunting black and white “docu-fiction” about a man in his 70s who, after dealing with illness, loss and addiction, ventures to his childhood home in the regional Queensland town of Bundaberg.
See the complete BIFF program at biff.com.au
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