Centring on the titular tent boxer, this is a stunningly shot, epic drama featuring groundbreaking performances from critically acclaimed director Paul Goldman.

Deeply connected to Australian folklore, tent boxers crisscrossed the vast continent to bring entertainment and excitement to the outback for over 70 years. In 1971, thirtysomething Irish tent boxer Kid Snow is struggling – not just to make ends meet, but with the weight of past mistakes that ended his father’s life and his brother’s promising career. When Kid gets a rare shot at a comeback match, his lifelong goals seem suddenly within reach. But his deepening relationship with Sunny, a single mother and grifter who will do whatever it takes to provide for her son, promises to derail his ambitions.

Showcasing the breathtaking landscape of the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia, and lensed by veteran DOP Garry Phillips, the latest fiction feature from Goldman – who helmed Suburban Mayhem (MIFF 2006) and Australian Rules (MIFF 2002) – is set within the carnivalesque but brutal world of tent boxing, where Aboriginal boxers shared pride of place. It stars renowned British actors Billy Howle and Tom Bateman alongside an outstanding ensemble cast that includes Phoebe Tonkin, Mark Coles Smith, Tasma Walton, Shaka Cook and Hunter Page-Lochard. Michael Karaitiana, who was born and bred in the boxing tent, contributed to ensuring the film’s authenticity, while the score by Peter Knight and Warren Ellis (subject of Ellis Park, MIFF 2024) adds a haunting dustiness. A work of intimate beauty and cinematic sweep, Kid Snow is at heart a story of hope and the redemptive power of love.

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Director Paul Goldman is a guest of the festival and will be in attendance at both sessions of the film.