Sydney Film Festival is back this year – and it’s not just for the so-called ‘adults’! From June 5-16, share your love of cinema with the whole family across Hollywood hits and exciting local Aussie family features screening across Sydney, including Randwick’s very own iconic Ritz Cinema.
Experience the wonders of the iconic State Theatre with the Australian premiere of Despicable Me 4. We’ve also heard a rumor that some Minions will be appearing on the red carpet to cause some mischief! Don’t miss the World Premiere of 200% Wolf, with an all-star local Aussie cast – plus more homegrown animated features, with the marvelous and magical My Freaky Family based on the hit kids book The Floods screening on the June long weekend. Plus laughs aplenty when a sloth family open a fast-food restaurant in The Sloth Lane.
Then join Korean filmmaker Kim Hye-Young present their film It’s Okay! – the moving female-led Korean film with a joyous dance finale. And don’t miss Rachel House, star of Thor: Ragnarok and Hunt for the Wilder people presenting her new uplifting film The Mountain, from executive producer Taika Waititi.
Tickets are selling fast – so bring the kids, explore the Family program and book now!
DESPICABLE ME 4
Following the 2022 blockbuster phenomenon of Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, the biggest animated franchise in movie history is back. This time, Gru (Steve Carell), the world’s favourite supervillain turned Anti-Villain League agent, has a new son, and the youngster is intent on tormenting his dad. Worse, Gru must face a new bad guy in Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Sofia Vergara), and the whole family is forced to go on the run. Kristen Wiig and Steve Coogan are among the returning cast in this hilarious adventure from the best in the animation business.
Catch this exclusive Australian premiere at the State Theatre for one day only. Tickets are selling fast!
200% WOLF
Making its World Premiere in Sydney is the latest gem from Flying Bark, the animation studio behind Maya the Bee (SFF 2018). Freddy belongs to a werewolf family and needs to prove himself to his elders if he wants to be taken seriously. Stumbling upon some old runes, he accidentally conjures powers from a cheeky moon sprite, Moopoo. Now Freddy must help Moopoo get back to the moon and restore the cosmic order. Enlisting the help of friends Batty and Hamish, Freddy must trick an outcast sorceress, exploiting her magical powers to get Moopoo home. A journey of self-discovery and friendship, this much anticipated sequel to 100% Wolf is a World Premiere – featuring a voice cast of local Aussies Ilai Swindells (Bay of Fires, SFF 2023) and Samara Weaving (Chevalier, SFF 2023), plus comedians Jennifer Saunders and Akmal Saleh.
IT’S OKAY!
In her moving directorial debut, Kim Hye-young tells the story of teenager In-young (Lee Re), who finds herself alone and homeless after the death of her mother. In the midst of her grief, she must also fight to keep her scholarship at a competitive dance academy. Tensions rise as the year’s final performance gets closer and their perfectionist teacher Seol-ah (Jin Seo-yeon) demands impossibly high standards from all the girls. When Seol-ah discovers In-young squatting at the dance academy one night, things take a surprising turn for both women. A joyous dance finale is bound to send you home happy!
Don’t miss an exclusive presentation and Q&A from It’s Okay! filmmaker Kim Hye-young at Dendy Newtown, on Saturday 15 June!
MY FREAKY FAMILY
Spend your long weekend at the Ritz with a magical adaptation of The Floods children’s books. This animated feature with a stand-out voice cast – including Evanna Lynch (Harry Potter), Richard Roxburgh and Miranda Otto – is full of thrills, spills, and spells. Betty Flood finds her wacky family embarrassing and wishes her magical mum could at least try to act more normal. But Betty is just realising that she has magical gifts of her own. When a dark power kidnaps her family, she must harness her magical abilities to rescue them. Will her newfound powers be strong enough to save the day? Magic, music, and marvellous adventures await.
THE SLOTH LANE
12-year-old sloth Laura (voiced by Teo Vergara) is devastated when a storm destroys her family’s restaurant and forces them to relocate from the peaceful countryside to the big city. The sloths take only their prized family recipe book with them – and an old van. They open a food truck, and soon business is booming. There’s just one problem. Famous entrepreneur Dotti Pace (Leslie Jones) – a cheetah with big ambitions and a failing fast-food chain – is determined to buy their family business. When the sloths decline to sell, Dotti resorts to nefarious tactics to steal their family legacy. Can Laura stop her before it’s too late? Great Aussie voice talent including Dan Brumm (Uncle Stripe in Bluey) and Remy Hii (Spider-Man: Far From Home) bring this charmer to life!
THE MOUNTAIN
The fearless and determined Sam is a young Maori girl on a mission to win her battle with cancer. She hopes to find strength under the watchful eye of Taranaki Maunga, or Mountain, and so embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. Sam meets some ragtag misfits along the way – the lonely yet adorable Mallory, hoping to find friends, and the fierce Bronco, a runaway from a father who is too busy to notice him. As they go off-the-beaten track, trekking through spectacular New Zealand landscapes, the trio learn the magic of adventure and true connection.
Join filmmaker Rachel House as she presents her film at the Festival!
