The 61^st Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is proud to announce that the 2012 Festival will open with the Australian Premiere of The Sapphires. Australia’s brightest stars and biggest names in film and entertainment will walk the red carpet at one of the most anticipated events on the Australian film calendar.

Festival Director Michelle Carey commented “MIFF is thrilled to be presenting The Sapphires straight from Cannes. Not only is this one of the most anticipated Australian films of the year, a Victorian story and a brilliant filmmaking team, the film will leave audiences on an immense high, ready to kick up their heels at what is sure to be one of the most celebratory parties of the year.”

TIckets are on sale NOW for a series of four all-day script seminars from leading Los Angeles-based developer, writer and lecturer Wendall Thomas who has written and developed projects for companies including Disney, Warners, Paramount, Universal and Showtime and teaches at UCLA's Graduate Film School as well as consulting for the ACE Producing Program in Paris and the New Zealand Film Commission’s Rewrite Workshops.

Presented exclusively to Melbourne by the Melbourne International Film Festival’s MIFF 37ºSouth Market & Accelerator, the four stand-alone Wendall Thomas Talks Scripts seminars run 6th to 9th August inclusive.

The Next Gen program for younger viewers has been announced. Across animation, drama and documentary, these fascinating films sensitively explore issues such as prejudice, war, violence, grief and bullying.

Among the animations are A Letter to Momo, Hiroyuki Okiura’s tale of a young, grieving girl and three michievoud spirits; and ParaNorman, a vividly engaging 3D zombie tale from the makers of Coraline (MIFF 09). The dramas include 11 Flowers, a sensitive portrayal of boyhood set during the Chinese Cultural Revolution; and Kauwboy, a double award winner at the 2012 Berlinale. And in the docoumentary category there's a special coming-of-age double feature; and the controversial must-see Bully, which looks at the issue of schoolyard bullying.

Click here to view the full program.

TIckets are on sale NOW for a series of three Adrian Wootton's acclaimed Illustrated Film Talks, this year focusing on Charles Dickens and Film to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the most screen-adapted author in history. Presented exclusively to Melbourne by the Melbourne International Film Festival’s MIFF 37ºSouth Market & Accelerator and The Wheeler Centre, the 90-minute talks by Wootton (a former British Film Institute and London Film Festival Director) run 17, 18 and 19 August.

Melbourne International Film Festival is a film lovers’ feast, but for those film fans seeking something extra, MIFF Membership delivers. MIFF Members enjoy red-carpet treatment, with an enhanced range of benefits – from discounted tickets to preview screenings.

During the festival, members receive generous discounts on tickets and priority access to all venues, guaranteeing them the best seats in the house. And only MIFF Members have the opportunity to purchase the Festival Passport.

But why wait until the festival to take out membership? Throughout the year, MIFF Members receive concession prices at MIFF cinema partners (including 20% off entry fees at IMAX) and invitations to exclusive preview screenings of the latest art-house films. Become a MIFF Member today, and start enjoying the benefits right away.

Click here for more details.

MIFF 2012 may not be on until August but MIFF eMini gift passes are now on sale, allowing you to treat a film-loving friend (or give a present to yourself).

Recipients of the eMini pass will be able to book 10 sessions online (with a bonus of three sessions before 5pm on weekdays) throughout the 2012 festival.

eMini gift passes are also available with gift voucher artwork, if required.

Click here for full details.

Applications for the 2012 MIFF 37ºSouth Market are now open and close on 20 April 2012. Producers wishing to meet local and international co-financiers during the opening weekend of MIFF can click here to apply!

Australia’s only film co-financing market to occur in the context of a major festival, MIFF 37ºSouth  Market brings the global film financing marketplace to Melbourne in the opening weekend of MIFF – Australia's oldest and largest film festival. 

The exclusive Australian partner of the London Production Finance Market (PFM), MIFF 37ºSouth  Market last year invited a record 44 international and local film co-financiers, including sales agents, distributors and gap funders, to meet with a record 100 selected producers for four days of meetings, screenings, panels and roundtables. 

This month sees MIFF partnering with the Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide Film Festivals to support the national release of ANDY X. Directed and developed by the iconic Jim Sharman (Rocky Horror Picture Show), ANDY X is an audacious 40-minute adventure in modern screen culture, combining song, verse and montage in a playful and original exploration of the legendary artist Andy Warhol.

MIFF is offering Widescreen subscribers a special online preview of the film on Saturday 18 February, prior to its official premiere on the anniversary of Warhol’s death on 22 February. The preview will take place from 8.30pm at www.andyxthemovie.com/preview, followed by an interactive Q&A with Jim Sharman. There is a $6.99 charge for the preview and general public online screenings.

Submissions to MIFF 2012 are now closed.

If you have submitted a film and have an enquiry or you are interested in submitting a film in 2013, please click here.

Thursday 19 January, 7pm
Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens

Looking for something a little different? Moonlight Cinema and Melbourne International Film Festival present a compelling collection of homegrown and globe-trotting shorts from the best of MIFF 2011! We'll be featuring a full program of festival favourites and award winners, including Kevin Funk's darkly comic A Fine Young Man (Best MIFF Short) and Anthony Maras' striking, emotional The Palace (Best Australian Short) – so, from the slapstick to the cerebral, and from the daring to the dramatic, come and enjoy MIFF at Moonlight this summer!

For program details and booking information please click here.

Give your friends the red carpet treatment with a membership to Australia's largest and longest running film festival – MIFF.

MIFF brings Melbourne to life each winter with the latest world cinema, panel discussions, special events and so much more.

Make that special someone in your life feel like a star with membership privileges including:

– Priority entry and generous ticket discounts to the festival

– Exclusive right to buy sought-after Festival Passports (only available to MIFF members)

– Year-round discounted tickets with our cinema partners

– Invitations to free preview screenings held throughout the year

Click here to purchase a MIFF membership for that special someone right now!