KT 121: Festival de Fabulist
A highly anticipated update from KT’s Festival Attache, from Cannes to the Como.
Words by Andrew Tabacco
One of the morals that famed Grecian storyteller Aesop frequently explored in his fables was the perils of greed. For example, he once spoke of a countryman who grew tired of his prized goose only laying one golden egg per day. In a moment of impulse, he gutted the bird to get to its supply of eggs faster - only to find no extra golden eggs and his goose dead.
Although the concept of a film festival might be unimaginable for a man who operated some 600 years before Jesus rose to prominence, the current state of the film festival scene in Australia could read like one of Aesop’s fables. A more contemporary spin on the moral issue of the proliferation of film festivals in Australia might go something like this: with more film festivals than films actually worthy of being shown, it may soon come to pass that no films of real quality are seen at all.
I’ve only visited the Croisette twice, but in the 12 months between my first and second visit, I’ve found the public obsession with that petite festival has grown exponentially. This is most likely a by-product of the cinematic arms race that is the US distribution companies clamouring to buy the winner of the Palme. In the last few years, potentially starting with the explosion of Parasite in 2019, articles about distribution deals and standing ovations have become part of the regular discourse. It’s even gotten to a stage where distributors and studios are more culturally relevant than the auteurs they promote. This year, you can hardly escape news about Neon buying literally every acclaimed film in Competition or Mubi, flush with some deeply problematic new money, loudly buying everything else up all over social media and your phone’s internet news page (that might just be an Android thing). To make matters worse, Charli XCX was all over Letterboxd flaunting her presence at the Lumiere. Like Kamala the year before, Cannes is Brat. But despite the faux prestige that is synonymous with attending the festival, the actual filmic offerings oddly mirror our own festival landscape both in content and mass.
Do you ever flick through one of those A6 French Film Festival programs and wonder what films like Riviera Revenge, Love Boat or In the Sub for Love are? Just like our beloved showcase of Francophone cinema, Cannes and the other big festivals (to a lesser extent Berlin) are home to some of the worst films in the world - think the latest Wes Anderson film, or the festival’s opening night film, Amélie Bonnin’s culinary musical, Leave One Day (keep an eye out for it at the next AFFF).
With 8 strands in official selection and 3 more parallel strands, not to mention the little-known, and I don’t think properly official“Seniors strand” which hosted three antipodean films and was eventually won by Perth-set film He Ain’t Heavy, considered by this humble festival attaché one of the worst films they’ve ever seen - no wonder the greatest festival in the world struggles for consistently excellent content.
The same goes for Melbourne, which between January and the time of writing here, has hosted at least 16 film festivals. If there aren’t enough quality films that warrant one festival, it’s unfeasible to expect all 16 festivals to deliver strong content.
But going back to Aesop, he once told a story about a thirsty crow, a pitcher of water and some pebbles. Like the crow who fastidiously dropped pebbles in the pitcher to raise the water level, the persistent discerning cinemagoer will be able to quench their cinematic thirst at most of these festivals with a little persistence and ingenuity.
Not including Cannes or the Sydney Film Festival, the festivals I attended in 2025 were the Persian Film Festival, the Alliance Française French Film Festival, and the Monster Fest Weekender in March. In direct contradiction to my earlier thesis, I loved all the films I saw at these festivals, which ranged from the slightly confusing Iranian thriller The Witness to Melville’s simply breathtaking and little-known French Resistance thriller Army of Shadows. A person’s view of a festival is shaped by what they watch; and if you went to Cannes and saw only Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, or the Palme-winning new Jafar Panahi film, It was Just an Accident and to a lesser extent Oliver Laxe’s explosive raver-mystery Sirat, you would be remiss to think that it was one of the best Cannes to date. But those that watched the Aussie shark film, Dangerous Animals in Director’s Fortnight or the French war propaganda film 13 Days, 13 Nights might’ve headed to Nice with less of a glow.
The same applies to the hundreds of festivals on offer here. At the Monster Fest Weekender at Cinema Nova, I only watched I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, which I loved—so by extension, I loved the festival. Had I stuck around on that fateful day in March and also watched RoboCop 2 and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, it might have been a very different story.
Although your average RSL Michelle is most likely to be interested in only the big films from that buzzy French festival during May and will have a blast when they see their first Panahi film at MIFF this year and proclaim how great the dissident filmmaker has always been. Maybe the magic of kino I constantly search for in my writing is actually found back in early May at the Como, where 200 Iranians and I had a blast at the Persian Film Festival’s closing night screening. Or in March at one of the French Film Festival’s 200 screenings, of Riviera Revenge?
I bet Aesop has a fable about being content with what you have.
Back to the real world now and I acknowledge that I haven’t spoken about a single film that will be coming to our screens over the next 6 months, but in a way, I don’t think that matters. As people say, it’s Joachim Trier Summer somewhere, so go watch all the big films from Cannes; think the new Panahi, Trier, Reichardt and of course, Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague at your local festival or cheap day at your favourite cinema and make sure to tell everyone you know how great they all are.
That said, try to watch Raoul Peck’s Orwell 2+2 = 5, Bi Gan’s Resurrection and Nadav Lapid’s simply incredible satire Yes when they come to Melbourne. I’d also strongly recommend Athina Tsangaris’s Harvest and Dea Kulumbegashvili’s Georgian abortion drama April if they too brace our shores in the coming months.
NB: The author was gifted Fables of Aesop According to Sir Roger L'Estrange, with Fifty Drawings by Alexander Calder for his 29th birthday and would strongly recommend it.
LISTINGS
THU 03 JULY - WED 09 JULY (A-Z by Cinema)
Notable Screening:
The Most Feared Skin (Filmoteca)
Joel Calero, 2023
Screening Thursday 6:30pm Words by Digby from last week!
Unknown Pleasures: Salt Suck Showcase
(Q&A with Rex Woods, moderated by Digby)
Screening at TPH Tuesday 8th
New Films in Release
The Shrouds
David Cronenberg, 2024
Screening at all cinemas, from Thursday
Festivals:
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
Until July 31, visit their site for more info!
Tribute to Nigel Buesst: Presented by Unknown Pleasures
Nigel Buesst, Various
Screening Sun 6 (FREE)
Double Vision (Film/Performance)
Thu 3 Jul from 7.30pm
Honeysmack, Jani Ho and Cyberthon screenings
Fri 4 Jul from 7.30pm
Tom Hall and mHz
Sat 5 Jul from 7.30pm
Penelope Trappes, Peter Knight and Aviva Endean, and Dogmilk Films
Focus on Queer 中文 Cinema
East Palace, West Palace
Zhang Yuan, 1996
Screening Thu 2 & Wed 9
Spring Fever
Lou Ye, 2009
Screening Saturday 5
Queering the Chinese Diaspora: Shorts selected by the Beijing Queer Film Festival
Various directors, 2024
Screening Saturday 5
The River
Tsai Ming-liang, 1997
Screening Friday 4
Happy Together
Wong Kar Wai, 1997
Screening Wed (SOLD OUT) & Sun 6
Saving Face
Alice Wu, 2004
Screening Tuesday 8
The Last Year of Darkness + Panel Discussion
Ben Mullinkosson, 2023
Screening Mon 7
Matinees
Every Little Thing
Sally Aitken, 2024
Screening Fri, Sat, Sun
Dìdi
Sean Wang, 2024
Screening Wednesday 9
MDFF: Docs Down Under (Presented by Dogmilk)
11 AFW filmmakers
Screening Wed 2 - Sun 6 (6-9pm) at Library at the Dock.
The Shrouds
David Cronenberg, 2024
Screening Daily
Fire and Ice
Ralph Bakshi, 1983
Screening Sat 05 at 2pm
Conan the Barbarian
John Milius, 1982
Screening Sun 06 at 2pm
The Dark Crystal
Jim Henson & Frank Oz, 1982
Screening Sun 29
BBBC CINEMA (GALLERYGALLERY BRUNSWICK)
The Bullfighter and the Lady
Bud Boetticher, 1951
Screening on Sunday 6
Highway Happiness
Ken Camp, 1984
Screening on Monday 7
THE CAPITOL
NAIDOC Week Screening - Wash My Soul in the River’s Flow
Philippa Bateman, 2021
Screening Tuesday 08
Lovesick
Hsu Fu Hsiang 2025
Screening Daily
Lilo & Stitch (Chinese subtitles)
Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders, 2002
Screening Friday
How to Train Your Dragon (Chinese subtitles)
Dean DeBlois, 2025
Screening Mon & Tues
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Christopher McQuarrie, 2025
Screening Sunday
No screening this week
No screening this week
WHIFFY WATERS Scented Cinema Event Screenings
POLYESTER (M) Fri: 7.15pm
HAIRSPRAY (PG) Sat: 4.30pm
FEMALE TROUBLE (R18+) Sat: 7.00pm
In the Rear View
Double Feature: CASABLANCA + THE MALTESE FALCON
Michael Curtiz, 1942 + John Huston, 1942
Screening Tuesday 7
Strange Days
Kathryn Bigelow, 1995
Screening Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun & Wed
The Doom Generation
Gregg Araki, 1995
Screening Wed, Thu, & Mon
My Beautiful Laundrette
Stephen Frears, 1985
Screening Thu - Mon
What The Fest
The Thing
John Carpenter, 1982
Screening Thu, Sat & Wed
The Vanishing
George Sluizer, 1988
Screening Monday 8:40pm
The Holy Mountain
Alejandro Jodorowsky, 1973
Screening Friday 9:20pm
The Piano Teacher
Michael Haneke, 2001
Screening Sunday 4pm
Scala!!!
Jane Giles & Ali Catterall, 2023
Screening Sunday 10:25am
Enter the Void
Gaspar Noé, 2009
Screening Friday 1:25pm
Crash
David Cronenberg, 1996
Screening Sunday 9pm
Chinese Film Week
Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force
Wuershan, 2025
Screening Thursday 6:30pm
The Dumpling Queen
Andrew Lau, 2025
Screening Friday 6:30pm
New Release
The Shrouds
David Cronenberg, 2024
Screening Daily
Make it Look Real
Kate Blackmore, 2024
Screening Daily (Nova excl)
The Wolves Come Out at Night
Gabrielle Brady, 2024
Screening Daily
Jane Austen Wrecked my Life
Laura Piani, 2024
Screening Daily
28 Years Later
Danny Boyle, 2025
Screening Daily
Materialists
Celine Song, 2025
Screening Daily
Bring Her Back
Danny Philippou & Michael Philippou, 2025
Screening Daily
The Phoenician Scheme
Wes Anderson, 2025
Screening Daily
Universal Language
Matthew Rankin, 2024
Screening Daily
Wilding
David Allen, 2023
Screening Daily
The Surfer (Read our review)
Lorcan Finnegan, 2025
Screening Daily
The Salt Path
Marianne Elliott, 2024
Screening Daily
The Wedding Banquet
Andrew Ahn, 2025
Screening Daily
Sinners
Ryan Coogler, 2025
Screening Daily 9 (excl Sun)
Tinā (Mother)
Miki Magasiva, 2025
Screening Daily
Last days of every other film, probably, see calendar
DOGMILK DEGUSTATIONS
Featured in Double Vision at ACMI
Presenting AFW’S Docs Down Under
No screening this week
GAY24 (Bar Flippy’s)
No screening this week
No screening this week
To see all events, click here.
California Split
Robert Altman, 1974
Screening Thursday 7pm
The Most Feared Skin (Filmoteca)
Joel Calero, 2023
Screening Thursday 6:30pm
General Release
The Shrouds
David Cronenberg, 2024
Screening Daily
Jurassic World: Rebirth
Gareth Edwards, 2025
Screening Daily
F1
Joseph Kosinski, 2025
Screening Daily
28 Years Later
Danny Boyle, 2025
Screening Daily
Materialists
Celine Song, 2025
Screening Daily
The Phoenician Scheme
Wes Anderson, 2025
Screening Daily
Sinners
Ryan Coogler, 2025
Screening Daily
PALACE BALWYN / BRIGHTON / COMO / KINO / PENTRIDGE / MOONEE PONDS / WESTGARTH
General Release
The Story of Souleymane
Boris Lojkine, 2024
Screening at Palace cinemas only
The Shrouds
David Cronenberg, 2024
Screening Daily
Jane Austen Wrecked my Life
Laura Piani, 2025
Screening Daily
Materialists
Celine Song, 2025
Screening Daily
Riviera Revenge
Ivan Celberac, 2024
Screening Daily
M3GAN 2.0
Gerard Johnstone, 2025
Screening Daily
The Phoenician Scheme
Wes Anderson, 2025
Screening Daily
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Christopher McQuarrie, 2025
Screening Daily
Bring Her Back
Danny and Michael Philippou, 2025
Screening Daily
Sinners
Ryan Coogler, 2025
Screening Daily
& some other blockbusters.
Between shows.
Until next time.
THE MELBOURNE CINÉMATHÈQUE (ACMI)
DEEP DIVE: The Restlessly Inventive Work of Dirk de Bruyn
Homecomings
Dirk de Bruyn, 1987
Screening Wed 09 7pm [Preceded by Re-Vue (2017)]
+
Telescope
Dirk de Bruyn, 2012
Screening Wed 09 from 9:10pm [preceded by Flinders (2024)]
Unknown Pleasures: Salt Suck Showcase (Q&A with Rex Woods, moderated by Digby)
God Speed (2016, 23 mins), The River (2018, 23 mins), Where the Platypus Live (2020, 28 mins), Pelican Girls (2021, 17 mins) and Moment of Being (2023, 13 mins.
Screening Tuesday at 8:30pm
28 Years Later
Danny Boyle, 2025
Screening Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon & Wed
Materialists
Celine Song, 2025
Screening Fri, Sat & Sun
Swing Girls
Shinobu Yaguchi, 2004
Screening Thu (Sold Out) & Wed
The Night of the Hunter
Charles Laughton, 1955
Screening Sat & Mon
Y Tu Mamá También
Alfonso Cuarón, 2001
Screening Saturday 8:30pm
One to One: John and Yoko
Kevin Macdonald & Sam Rice-Edwards, 2024
Final screening Sunday
Wisdom of Happiness
Philip Delaquis, Barbara Miller, Manuel Bauer, 2024
Screening Sunday
UNKNOWN PLEASURES @ Thornbury Picture House
Salt Suck Showcase (Q&A with Rex Woods, moderated by Digby)
God Speed (2016, 23 mins), The River (2018, 23 mins), Where the Platypus Live (2020, 28 mins), Pelican Girls (2021, 17 mins) and Moment of Being (2023, 13 mins.
Screening Tuesday at 8:30pm