
Africa & Middle East
Explore thrilling, thoughtful and moving stories from Nigeria, Tunisia, Iran, Palestine and more.

Animation
Discover bizarre dream worlds, homegrown science fiction and touching love stories in this boundary-pushing selection.

Asia Pacific
Immerse yourself in the richness and variety of cinema from across the Asia Pacific. This year’s selection features award-winning films and festival favourites from Indonesia, New Zealand, Japan, India and beyond.

Australian
The world’s largest showcase of Australian cinema returns with a vibrant program of homegrown stories. From drama and comedy to documentary and First Nations filmmaking, see what’s shaping Australian screen culture today.

The Body Is a Battlefield
Travel from the outside world to the physical realm with these moving, deeply intimate documentaries centring the bodily experience of being human.

Bright Horizons
MIFF’s film competition, Bright Horizons, celebrates filmmakers on the ascent, featuring an extraordinary international line-up of first- and second-time filmmakers competing for one of the richest film prizes in the world – supported by VicScreen.

Chantal Akerman: Traces
MIFF presents an expansive survey of the singular Belgian auteur’s films, many of which are newly restored Australian premieres. Celebrating her influential career, this strand of 27 films across 13 sessions places Akerman’s iconic works alongside rarely screened titles – from student shorts to poetic documentaries, and from avant-garde rigour to wry comedy – with a focus on films that MIFF has not presented in recent years.

Crime & Punishment
Encounter darkness and light in these documentaries exploring criminality, courageous quests for justice and stirring tales of redemption.

Critical Condition
MIFF’s Critical Condition series returns to reckon with the idea of cinema as nostalgia, as our internationally attending guest critics host a trio of films and conversations that explore the present through the lens of the past. Each screening will be introduced by a critic and will be followed by a panel discussion.

Doc Visions
Between documentary and fiction lie fascinating works of cinema that reinterpret what reality looks like – offering new perspectives on the world and what film can be.

Documentaries
Real-life stories that illuminate, agitate and captivate. Engaging, thought-provoking and unforgettable, these films prove that truth really is stranger than fiction.

Europe & UK
A survey of Europe and the UK’s most compelling contemporary cinema – featuring acclaimed new works from Athina Rachel Tsangari, Joshua Oppenheimer and Christian Petzold and stellar performances from Tilda Swinton, Carey Mulligan and Caleb Landry Jones.

Experimentations
Expand your understanding of narrative filmmaking with these works from the outer limits of cinema that offer ingenious approaches to sound, sight and storytelling.

Family Films
Feel-good films that spark imagination and joy – perfect for kids, teens and the young at heart.

Galas & Special Events
Lights, camera, action! Celebrate MIFF’s 73rd edition in style with these unmissable special events.

Headliners
Discover new, exciting works from some of the world’s most revered auteurs – including the Dardenne brothers, Richard Linklater, Jafar Panahi and Kelly Reichardt – presented alongside hits from the global festival circuit.

Latin America
Journey across South and Central America through films that pulse with life, imagination and heart.

MIFF Online
Experience a curated selection of highlights from the MIFF program – available to stream online at home, anywhere in Australia. Enjoy a mix of new releases and a selection of free short films.

MIFF Schools
Open to students and viewers of all ages, MIFF Schools presents films that foster curiosity, inspire critical thinking and deepen intercultural understanding.

MIFF Shorts
The much-loved MIFF Shorts program highlights the art of saying more with less. This year’s selection includes animation, documentary, experimental, and Australian and international fiction shorts.

MIFF Talks
Go beyond the screen and get closer to the themes, ideas and talent of MIFF 2025 festival through the festival’s engaging panel and conversation events.

MIFF XR
MIFF’s program of extended reality (XR) experiences – spanning virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) – presents cutting-edge works that push the boundaries of storytelling through full-body immersion.

Music on Film
Always a festival favourite, Music on Film turns up the volume with cinematic explorations of sound, performance and the stories behind the music.

Night Shift
See what’s lurking on the screen after dark. Night Shift is a genre playground of midnight movies, cult curiosities and horror oddities – twisted, terrifying and totally unforgettable.

North America
From breakout indies to star-powered dramas, this strand captures the energy and complexity of North American cinema.