Sydney Film Festival 2026 - Film Review - The Rays and Shadows

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The Rays and Shadows is set in the immediate period before and during World War II and is based on the true life story of newspaper publisher, Jean Luchaire and his daughter, Corinne, a French film actress. Luchaire supports peace between France and Germany and becomes a collaborator with the German occupying forces and a member of the Vichy Government until 1945.

The plot: Jean Luchaire (Jean Dujardin) is a failing newspaper publisher who co-sponsors a peace movement with Germany. He befriends Francophile German citizen, Otto Abetz who secures additional finance for Luchaire's newpaper from German Government sources. When WWII breaks out, Abetz is appointed as the Nazi German Ambassador to the Vichy Government and continues supporting Luchaire. Luchaire's daugher, Corrine (Nastya Golubeva) is a rising star in French cinema but as the war looms her opportunities decline due to a diagnosis of tuberculosis and she increasingly becomes dependent on German support for her career. Both she and her father benefit not only from the German occupation of France but from a range of black market opportunities, embassy parties and access to the Nazi administration. The film portrays the seduction of collaboration, power and privilege extensively. After the war, Jean Luchaire, was placed on trial by the French and executed. His daughter Corrine was found guilty of collaboration but deemed to have committed a lower level offence and she spent her final years under the sentence of indignite nationale before dying from tuberculosis in 1950. 

Nastya Golubeva in The Rays and Shadows

The film is expertly photographed with capable actors however with a screening time of over three hours, the film is too long and would have benefitted from sharper editing. Too many scenes are ancillary to the story and neither essential nor useful. Described as a 'sweeping drama', film director and screenwriter Xavier Giannoli could have wielded the red pen on the script and editing room 'scissors' before release.

Run time: 199 minutes

Rating [/10]: 6 out of 10

Recommended for cinema viewing: No. Recommended for streaming or subscription service viewing

Sydney Film Festival 2026 - Film Review - Sheep in the box

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Best described as sweet but very slow, this film by Japanese screenwriter and film director Hirokazu Kore-eda falls within the sci-fi genre covering the very topical issue of AI and robotics in a very human context.

Plot: Set in the near future, couple Otone (Haruka Ayase) and her husband Kensuke (Daigo Yamamoto) are mourning their young son who has died in mysterious circumstances. Turning to an AI/Robotics company, REbirth, they are supplied with a state-of-the-art humanoid replicantion of their lost son, Kakeru (Rimu Kuwaki). Although initially the humanoid has limited communication, over time this interaction improves despite Kensuke's dismissive references to a 'Tamagotchi' or a 'Roomba'. The couple are astonished to discover that memories of their past life with their son are surfacing from the humanoid. Memories that it should not have.

Rimu Kuwaki in Sheep in the box

The film is very slow moving with long scenes containing little activity or dialogue. It's non violent film generally and has elements of sentimentality especially when the humanoid Kakeru links up with other humanoid and human orphan children to depart for a special forest to make a home for themselves. Acting and cinematography meets the professional standard in film-making and its a pleasurable viewing experience although the film is too long at 126 minutes.

Run time: 126 minutes

Rating [/10]: 7 out of 10

Recommended for cinema viewing: Yes

Sydney Film Festival 2026 - Film Review - Gentle Monster

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The subject of child abuse and its' impact on a family is the central focus of Gentle Monster. 

Plotline: Famous concert pianist, Lucy (Lea Sedoux), her husband Philip (Laurence Rupp) and their young son move to the countryside as Philip is suffering increasingly from burnout. They settle in a country house outside of Munich into a calmer life and all seems idyllic until one morning the police arrive and seize Philip's electronic equipment and remove him for questioning. As the film progresses, Lucy questions if she knows the man she married and moment by moment comes to the realisation that Philip is guilty of trafficking child pornography for money. Lucy seeks a way forward to protect her son and herself while Philip continues to try and save the marriage. She initially supports her husband but following his confession to her and mounting evidence including that photos of their own son had been used, it becomes clear to her that the only option is to leave.

The film is tastefully photographed and veers away from sensationalism with measured performances from the cast. The film does have some structural problems. The flashbacks used to portray images of the previous happy family life and Lucy's various concert performances are not seamless but rather muddled, distracting and seemingly dropped into the film. There are various substrata tensions with various characters alluding to other personal issues that appear unnecessary for the overall story itself. 

Lea Seydoux superbly portrays a woman experiencing a range of emotions from shock, devastation, anger to optimism. Catherine Deneuve is cast as her emotionally distant mother who makes it plain that she never approved of her daughter's marriage but provides her with limited but useful support. Writer and film director Marie Kreutzer has created a powerful and morally complex film traversing a highly emotive topic.

Gentle Monster - Lea Seydoux (r)

Run time: 112 minutes

Rating [/10]: 8 out of 10

Recommended for cinema viewing: Yes

Sydney Film Festival 2026 - Film Review - The Invite

 

It's difficult to find a high point aspect of this feature film other than it is just over an hour and half in duration. Viewers looking for a very funny comedy about couples relationships, sex parties, open marriages while avoiding the prodigious use of the "F"word will be disappointed by what appears on the screen.

The plot: The film is set in San Francisco in the apartment of Joe (Seth Rogan) and Angela (Olivia Wilde), best described as two tightly knit individuals with tension in their marriage.  Angela invites their neighbours (Edward Norton and Penelope Cruz) from upstairs over for dinner. The neighbours are  attractive, free spirited individuals who experiment with other relationships in their marriage. This makes for a tension filled evening as the couples dance around meanings and descriptions with each other. 

The Invite

The scenes for the film are various rooms in the apartment where Joe and Angela live, giving rise to the impression that these performances would be better as a live stage theatre production rather than an on-camera effort. In summary, the film largely consists of Seth Rogan venting then subsiding like a volcano, Olivia Wilde trying different versions of wide incredulous eyes, Edward Norton perfecting smirking and Penelope Cruz simply trying to appear sublime and seductive around the chaos. It has the feel of an actor's workshop for experimenting with improvisation rather than a series of refined, sharp repartee responses.

Run time: 107 minutes

Rating [/10]: 5 out of 10

Recommended for cinema ticket: No. Wait for streaming or subscription services for viewing.

Sydney Film Festival 2026 - Film Review - Fatherland

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The return to Germany in 1949 of Nobel Prize winning writer, Thomas Mann is the subject of this first rate directed, acted and photographed film by acclaimed Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski. 

The Plot: Mann (Hanns Zischler) had left Germany in 1933 following Hitler's rise to power and his first visit to his homeland, since the end of WWII, accompanied by his daughter Erika (Sandra Huller), is to receive the Goethe Prize. Photographed in black and white, the film conveys the images of a Germany in ruins with shortages of most consumer items and limited public services. Welcomed warmly by the Mayor of Frankfurt, Mann must contend with threats labelling him as a 'traitor' and 'communist scum' from the wider community. In various social cocktail parties, Mann's former colleagues are at pains to mitigate or deny their cooperation with the former Nazi regime. He will have none of it. Mann also receives an invitation to visit Weimar in the Soviet occupation zone where he is also to receive another Goethe award. His road trip in his black Buick through the zones and finally to Weimar provides a contrast between the US and Soviet occupations.  A personal family loss adds to the pressure of this trip.

Sandra Huller and Hanns Zischler in Fatherland

A film with a profound story of family, loss and guilt in a time of extreme turmoil.

Run time: 82 minutes

Rating [/10]: 10 out of 10

Recommended for cinema viewing: Yes

Sydney Film Festival 2026 - Film Review - Dead Man's Wire

A Gus Van Sant film and based on a true story.

The plotline: In February 1977, failed property developer Tony Kiritsis (Bill Skarsgard) ties a shotgun trigger to the neck of mortgage broker Richard Hall (Dacre Montgomery) and abducts him. Holding Hall as a hostage in his own crumbling apartment, Kiritsis claims to the police and increasing media circus that he has been betrayed in a land deal with Hall's father. Seeking financial compensation and a public apology Kiritsis portrays himself as the little guy whose dream has been stolen by morally corrupt elites. The actions of Hall's father (Al Pacino) to his son's abduction only reinforces that perception. The film essentially follows the abduction seige before finally a negotiated hostage release occurs and Kiritsis is arrested.

The film is well-paced, capably acted drama in a period setting from over 49 years ago. Van Sant is a long-term experienced director with a formidable list of film credits particularly in social commentary/issues stories. 

Dacre Montgomery and Bill Skarsgard in Dead Man's Wire

Run time: 105 minutes

Rating [/10]: 7 out of 10

Recommended for cinema viewing: No. Streaming or subscription viewing.

Sydney Film Festival 2026 - Film Review - Whistle - documentary

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Australian documentary film director, Christopher Nelius has created an entertaining, uplifting and quirky film with 'Whistle'. The documentary follows the preparation and staging of the world's greatest whistling competition held in Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA and includes interviews with key competitors in their own home countries in the UK, US, Spain and Japan. Whistling diva and producer of the competition, Carole Anne Kaufman is on a mission to elevate both whistling as an artform and the standing of this competition and the film captures her efforts from start to finish. It's an eccentric cast of characters altogether.   

This is a professionally produced documentary with excellent editing, pacing and dramatic effects as the competition proceeds, without being overly sentimental. The film leaves the viewer with admiration for musical expertise and dedication of the competitors and the devoted commitment of the event organiser and her volunteers.  

For documentary film lovers, this film is a must-see.

Whistle

Run time: 84 minutes

Rating [/10]: 10 out of 10

Recommended for cinema viewing: Yes

Sydney Film Festival 2026

 
The Sydney Film Festival (SFF) is currently running until 14 June 2026 with up to 18 separate screen venues in operation. With a mix of  all genres of film and including major releases from the international film festivals, this blog will provide a series of film reviews from the SFF over coming days.

Sydney Film Festival 2025 - Film Review - It was just an accident

It was an accident film still

Iranian director and screenwriter, Jafar Panahi has brought an Iranian style road movie to the screen broaching a subject with an intense moral dilemma but one which many people in many conflict zones must confront. What does the a victim of torture do, if the opportunity to take revenge against their tormentor inadvertantly becomes possible ?

This moral dilemma is presented clearly in this film with the story commencing late one night when a worker recognises the owner of a broken down car as being the intelligence agent who had tortured him many years previously when he was arrested for a protest. The worker takes it upon himself to track down the agent and kidnap him with the intention of exacting revenge. Having completed the abduction, the worker finds self doubt creeps into his actions and he then seeks out other victims of the agent (including a soon-to-be-married bride) to verify he has abducted the correct man and then to resolve what to do. The reactions of the different victims who are now confronted with this situation forms the bulk of the film.

Panahi adds some comedic relief to the film in parts which lessens the intensity of the storyline, nevertheless the choice between forgiveness and retribution remains the central focus. As a film maker Panahi has also experienced the power of the Iranian state having his films banned and being imprisoned himself.

'It was just an accident' was awarded the Sydney Prize by the festival jury at the 2025 Sydney Film Festival. The film also won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2025.

Evaluation:

Production values: 9/10

Narrative and direction: 10/10

Cast: 8/10

Sydney Film Festival 2025 - Film Review - Orwell 2+2=5

Orwell 2+2=5 still slide

George Orwell's writings, particularly his diary and his acclaimed books, Animal Farm and 1984 are the focus of this film which seeks to apply the Orwellian observations to current international events. Documentary director and producer, Raoul Peck traverses Orwell's life from childhood to his experiences in Burma (as a colonial policeman), his participation in the Spanish Civil War and the progress of his writing. Current illustrations and examples which support Orwell's warnings (Trump, Musk, Putin and the war on Ukraine etc) are interspersed with quotations. 

The chief weakenss of this film is the seemingly random nature of drawing quotes from different Orwell sources then connecting with a variety of film clips from multiple sources including feature films with no direct Orwell connection. Constantly jumping from his diary to book quotes to film scripts often blurs the examples of the messages being conveyed.  The film has very high production values and has been carefully researched but it lacks a discipline in structural continuity to assist with easy viewing and comprehension.

Nonetheless the central message conveyed is that Orwell's warnings about totalitarianism and authoritarianism was very prescient and remains as relevant today as when he was first published.

Evaluation:

Production values: 10/10

Narrative and direction: 5/10

Cast: 7/10

Sydney Film Festival 2025 - Film Review - The Blue Trail

The Blue Trail - Rodrigo Santoro and Denise Weinberg

 

Screenwriter and Director, Gabriel Mascaro has provided a dystopian alternate fate for older citizens in this Amazon River 'road' movie set only a few years into the future. In this world, older citizens are relocated to a housing colony by the Government upon reaching old age (around 75). Failure to comply with the edict leads to be rounded up by civil authorities and detained before being given care backpacks and loaded onto buses. Wearing of adult diapers is mandatory before departing on the buses. 

Against this reality,  77 year old Tereza (Denise Weinberg) decides she will not be left to this fate and does a runner. She cannot buy any transport tickets for air or boat without the approval of an authorised family member who is designated her guardian (in this case her daughter) so she resorts to finding her own transport. She begins her journey through the Amazon's rivers and tributaries meeting a colourful cast of characters from a skipper (Rodrigo Santoro) of an Amazon smuggling boat (who introduces her to a psychedelic blue liguid from a snail and shows her how to run the boat) to a digital bible-selling woman running her own floating pulpit along the river.   

Mascaro's story is innovative with the stunning imagery of the Amazon as the backdrop. The anti-authoritarion theme is balanced with various playful surprises as Tereza makes good her escape.

Evaluation:

Production values: 10/10

Narrative and direction: 7/10

Cast: 8/10

Sydney Film Festival 2025 - Film Review - Vie Privee

Still from Vie Privee - Jodie Foster 

Described as a "gently comic murder mystery", Vie Privee is more absurdist than funny and somewhat muddled in the construction of the parts that form the storyline. With the well established and experienced principal actors (being Jodie Foster, Daniel Auteuil, Mathieu Almaric and Virginie Elfira) and a half decent story idea, it's surprising the film comes across as patently serious and misses most of the comedic elements, if there are any.  

In terms of the story, psychiatrist Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster) is annoyed that her patient of the past nine years, Paula (Virginie Efira) has failed to appear for her sessions. She is horrified to learn her patient is dead and becomes convinced that Paula's husband (Mathieu Almaric) has murdered Paula. She seeks guidance from a hypnotist and engages her ex-husband (Daniel Auteil) to help investigate her theory.  

Jodie Foster is a very experienced French speaker although she has appeared in a very small number of French language films. Her intensity of presence however is not one that lends itself easily to comedy. Likewise the script does not provide much in the way of comedic relief and only Daniel Auteuil's character has softer dialogue. In general the characters appear more neurotic than amusing throughout the film.

Recommended viewing when perservance is possible.

Evaluation:

Production values: 9/10

Narrative and direction: 6/10

Cast: 8/10

Sydney Film Festival 2025 - Film Review - Mr Nobody Against Putin

Mr Nobody against Putin -  Pavel Talakin

Russian school teacher, Pavel "Pasha" Talakin enjoyed his job teaching at a primary school in the small Russian town of Karabash, famous only for its polluting copper smelter, the largest in Russia. Everything changed when Russia invaded Ukraine and the war began. The Russian state started to increasingly intervene into the curriculum and classrooms promoting nationalism and the war to the dismay of Talakin. Determined to ensure this situation was both documented and opposed, Talakin filmed the events as they occured eventually leading to police surveillance of his activities until he was forced to flee his country. 

His film documents the progressive requirements placed on teachers to recite propaganda against the West and Ukraine, the institution of military training for children and the shock appearance of uniformed Wagner mercenaries to provide weapons instruction to the school children. As the timeline of the film progresses, the sadness of former school graduates being killed in action in the war emerges. This is a heartfelt, sentimental and personal voyage documented by Talakin and serves again to reinforce the tragedy that authoritarian regimes can inflict on their communities.

Often filmed using a handheld camera, the documentary had post production assistance including historical footage added once Talakin reached the West.

Evaluation:

Production values: 9/10

Narrative and direction: 8/10

Cast: 9/10

Sydney Film Festival 2025 - Film Review - The Golden Spurtle

Still from The Golden Spurtle 

An Australian documentary team led by director and screenwriter, Constantine Conti travelled to the Scottish highlands community of Carrbridge to film the annual World Porridge Making Championship and what a charming film has emerged. This is a well-paced, nicely constructed documentary with a clear narrative and progressive action as contestants prepare and then engage in the contest to win the trophy of the Golden Spurtle. Context and background information are neatly woven into the interviews with a collection of colourful eccentric personalities from both the local organising committee and the participants. This documentary is uplifting, funny and a joy to watch.

Evaluation:

Production values: 10/10

Narrative and direction: 10/10

Cast: 10/10

Sydney Film Festival 2022 - Film Review - Fire of Love

Fire of Love

 
Documentary film maker, Sara Dosa, has compiled this portrait of the late vulcanologists, Katia and Maurice Krafft based on thousands of hours of spectacular 16mm footage that the couple shot on numerous volcanoes before their deaths in an eruption near Japan's Mount Unzen in 1991. The Kraffts were prolific in their filming and recording with Katia in particular spending considerable time after expeditions converting their work into books, films and lectures.  They were almost fearless in coming in close proximity to the objects of their study whether it be camping on a solid crust plateau inside an active volcano, rowing in a rubber boat on a lake of sulpheric acid, avoiding flying boulders, standing in the sea close to a small lava flow meeting the ocean or simply cooking eggs in a fry pan on the crust of a slowly cooling lava flow.

The Kraffts were signficant scientists in their field, Katia being a geochemist and Maurice, a geologist, they contributed significantly to understanding volcanoes and how best to measure activity to enable a warning system to be developed ensuring local populations can evacuate before an eruption. They classified volcanoes into two types based on plate tetonic theory: red volcanoes that are less volatile with mainly impressive jets of lava and associated flows located where plates pull apart; and brown volcanoes, usually violently explosive, located where plates grind together.

The footage is both stunning and terrifying with the Kraffts telling their own story on camera or their words are conveyed through the voice of Miranda July as Narrator.

Sydney Film Festival 2022 - Film Review - The Phantom of the Open

Mark Rylance (right) in The Phantom of the Open

Within any major film festival there is always a need for a light hearted absurdist film to be included in the screenings, more so when the story is anchored in true events. This film fits that slot. Based loosely on the real life of would-be tournament golfer Maurice Flitcroft, the story follows the successful effort by Flitcroft, a crane driver, to enter the British Open although he had never played golf in his life. 

With the support of his wife, his disco dancing twin sons and a somewhat dubious co-worker, Flitcroft finds his way through the entry obstacles to enter the competition and produce the worst round in the history of the British Open. The eternal optimist, Flitcroft does not leave this as his sole effort and continues to seek further entry to this World ranked sporting event. The film follows the almost cat and mouse moves between British Open officials and Flitcroft as they try to keep him away from the golfing competition permanently.
 

A highly experienced cast support film director, Craig Roberts to give effect to this 'fact is stranger than fiction' story. Sir Mark Rylance is Maurice Flitcroft, the versatile Sally Hawkins as his wife, Jean, Jonah and Christian Lees are Flitcroft's twin sons (disco dancing being their forte) and Jake Davies as his step son who initially rejects his father's golfing efforts but eventually supports them.   

This is an amusing, light hearted film and a welcome theme in the current serious world.

Sydney Film Festival 2022 - Film review - Navalny

Alexei Navalny with photos of his would-be assassins

Documentary film maker Daniel Roher brings this very topical portrait of Russian Opposition Leader, Alexei Navalny, to the screen and introduces him to a wider international audience than may have been the case otherwise. In 2020 Navalny sensationally survived an assassination attempt by a hit team from Russia's security agency, the FSB using the nerve agent Novichok while he was visiting Siberia. He was able to recover in Germany through the efforts of his wife and international pressure whereupon it was discovered that the nerve agent had been used on him. Russia consistently denied all such allegations.

With the assistance of online investigation agency, Bellingcat, all four agents were completely identified and shown to have stalked Navalny for a number of years. With key contact details sourced by Bellingcat journalist Christo Grozev during this film, Navalny was able to phone each of them direct until one agent, under the impression that Navalny was from within the security service, divulged most of the details of the operation. It's a stunning and breathtaking set of statements captured during the filming. 

Also interviewed in the film are Navaly's wife, Yulia (a key person in her own right) their adult children, his media adviser and his chief-of-staff. Navalny is shown to be a charismatic lawyer who does not shy away from difficult questions and enjoys strong support in Russia. This makes him the key target for Russian president Vladimir Putin who refuses to even mention his name when asked. On arrival back from Germany, Navalny was arrested and sent to a penal colony facing 20 years imprisonment.

Given Putin's autocratic rule in Russia and the war again the Ukraine, this documentary could not be more pertinent. It is a must-see film to better understand the severity of the forces that Putin deploys in Russia.

69th Sydney Film Festival - 2022 - in full swing

 
The Sydney Film Festival has returned in full for 2022 shaking off the effects of COVID-19 and being staged with 14 screens in multiple locations in Sydney including its main venue, the State Theatre with satellite film screenings located at Event Cinemas, Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas, Ritz Cinemas Randwick, Hayden Orpheum Cremorne, Casula Powerhouse and the Art Gallery of NSW.

Full deatils can be found at this link: Sydney Film Festival

Sydney Film Festival 2022 - Film Review - Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis"

Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in Elvis

 
For any film director the prospect of creating a biopic around a cultural icon such as the late Elvis Presley is always a daunting and high risk venture. Will the film do justice to its subject ? Will the legion of Elvis fans accept the representation of 'The King of Rock and Roll' as shown in the film ? Is there a proper balance between the undoubted talent of the man and his ultimate decline ? Australian film director, Baz Luhrmann has made a valiant and generally successful effort with this high production values film which focusses on the ascent of Elvis Presley from his initial performances to becoming a major international star prior to his decline in health and ultimate death in 1977. Presley was only 42 years of age. 

Luhrmann's rumoured $200M budget production was filmed on Australia's Gold Coast with a predominantly Australian cast and crew. As a biographical musical drama there is a strong concentration on the actual Elvis' music and performances many of which were documented events in themselves. Perhaps the most unusual element is the fact that narration in the film and the perspective taken is from the view of Elvis' manager, the controversial Colonel Tom Parker. Parker remains a controversial figure to this day for his financial exploitation of Elvis with seeming control and manipulative restriction of his performances in the United States. 

The key cast members are American actors Austin Butler (as Elvis), Tom Hanks (as Colonel Tom Parker) with the largely Australian cast including Olivia DeJonge (as Priscilla Presley), Helen Thomson (as Elvis' mother Gladys) Richard Roxburgh (as Elvis' father, Vernon) and David Wenham (as musician/singer Hank Snow). 

The final ten or so minutes of the film use archival footage of the real Elvis Presley at the end of his career.

With a running time of 159 minutes, this is a film for those who enjoy the music and style of performance of Elvis Presley. Luhrmann has succeeded in executing a very capable and entertaining production.

Sydney Film Festival 2021 - Film Review - Blue Bayou

Justin Chon - Blue Bayou

A child adopted by a American couple and seemingly a citizen of the country of adoption, the United States, discovers on reaching adulthood that is not the case and deportation back to the country of origin is possible. This extraordinary situation is the subject of Director and screenwriter, Justin Chon's film 'Blue Bayou'. 

Antonio LeBlanc (Chon) adopted as a 3 year old from Korea has spent his entire life in the Louisana bayou country, speaks with the Southern accent and to all intents and purposes is American. He is married to Kathy (Alicia Vikander) and is step-father to her daughter with another child on the way with his wife. The legal system is however unsympathetic and his adopted parents never completed the correct paperwork to confirm his status as a citizen. Antonio hires a lawyer but is unable to effectively mount a legal defence and surrenders to US Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE) for deportation back to Korea, a country with which he has no ties.

Incredibly around 35,000 adoptees could be subject to this legal situation in the US. Adopted in the 1980s and 1990 as small children, on reaching 18 years of age they can be deported if their adopted parents have not applied for US citizenship for them. The end credits of this film show the photographs and identities of people already deported.

The film conveys a strong social message and one which highlights the powerlessness of the individual against a system with rigid application.