Discoveries from Australia World Cinema

Set in rural Australia and Tuscany in the 1950's, this is the story of two brothers and the bride who - as fate would have it - arrives from Italy betrothed to one yet falls madly in love with the other.

The club buys a talented young player, Geoff, for a record sum of money. The team members do not like their new star and friction develops immediately. Game after game is lost until Geoff begins to realize that there is more at stake than just his own career.

This drama is set in World War II Australia, where an American Marine, Rebel is recuperating from wounds suffered in battle. He is weary of war and is intent on going AWOL and escaping from Australia. He becomes infatuated with a local singer, Kathy and pursues her. Kathy is married and initially is not interested in him, but later begins to love Rebel. Kathy receives a letter advising her that her husband was killed in battle. The local police and the U.S. Military are searching for Rebel as an AWOL soldier. Rebel arranges to escape Austalia by a cargo ship, but eventually allows himself to be arrested in order to keep the local police from arresting Kathy for harboring him

Set in 1962, a young prepubescent boy in rural Australia watches painfully as his best friend and first love blossoms into womanhood and falls for a thuggish rugby player, changing the lives of everyone involved.

Based on the children's novel by celebrated South Australian author 'Colin Thiele' , this is an emotional father and son story about tuna fishing of Southern Blue Fin tuna in South Australia's Port Lincoln fishing district. Accident prone son Snook is forever making mistakes much to the chagrin of his father Pascoe. But when tragedy strikes the fishing boat during a deep sea fishing trek in the Southern Ocean, the boy is called on to become a man in a rites of sea passage to reconcile is past mishaps and save both his father and the ship from certain disaster.

Emotional detective Martin Bullet has shot up a kid in a drug bust gone rotten. Now he must come to terms with his haunted feelings. He starts a new life in sunny yet scummy Sydney, Australia. But his life 'Downunder' soon turns more rotten. Paired with a screaming undercover cop, Jack Moran (described by his colleagues as a 'turd'), Bullet gets caught up in a lousy drug ring involving an 'odd' killer named Mr Earring and an intellectually disabled drug dealer.

A woman struggles with her son's illness and her husband's infidelity, but, after a chance encounter with an Irish sailor and his son, her life is turned upside down in a love story that defies explanation and breaks all the rules.

In Norway a military plane crashes under mysterious circumstances: in his last message the pilot reported many lights falling from the sky. NATO wants to play down the incident, but the famous TV moderator George Abbot and the no less persistent journalist Milker sense a sensational story about UFOs and start snooping around in the area with help of pilot "Bird" McNamara. Inspired by the suspiciously rigorous isolation of the whole area around the crash point and cases of an unknown disease they have a closer look at the military's activities...

A group of students decide to base their media assignment on a local railway museum myth. However, when they trespass the premises after hours, they soon learn that some myths are more than stories.

School captain Ellie is seriously crushing on her rebellious classmate Abbie. Determined to ask her first love to the year 12 formal, Ellie devises a plan to go public with the invitation but before she can go through with it, her dead aunt Tara reappears from beyond the grave. Believing she's been brought back from the dead to be Ellie's fairy godmother, Tara dishes out unwanted dating advice based on her life as an out lesbian in the '80s.

The King is the story of Graham Kennedy, Australia's first and greatest home grown TV superstar. It traces his rise from working class Balaclava kid, through radio, TV, film, and back to TV again. It also tracks Kennedy's personal tragedies - the loneliness, the unrealised ambitions and the terrible pressures of being Australia's first homegrown superstar in the 1950s and 60s.

Can you really get away with murder? Welcome to the world of Katrina, a 19-year-old single mum who's planning to do just that. Katrina lives in a world of petty crime, fast cars, manicures and blow-jobs. A master manipulator of men living at home with her father in suburban Golden Grove, Katrina will stop at nothing to get what she wants - even murder.

In 2015, Roman Catholic priest Rob Galea joined the Australian version of The X Factor but, due to his holy duties, had to withdraw. But this didn't stop him from becoming a widely beloved contemporary Christian singer-songwriter.

In the Summer of 1965 a young man is filled with the life of the idyllic old pearling port Broome - fishing, hanging out with his mates and his girl. However his mother returns him to the religious mission for further schooling. After being punished for an act of youthful rebellion, he runs away from the mission on a journey that ultimately leads him back home.

In the distant future, the human race nears extinction and a new race of beast-like creatures rule the earth. The few surviving people live in the City, a huge protected construction with the ability to travel in both space and time. The City travels back to our time to save humanity...

Rex is a loner, and when he's told he doesn't have long to live, he embarks on an epic drive through the Australian outback from Broken Hill to Darwin to die on his own terms; but his journey reveals to him that before you can end your life, you have to live it, and to live it, you've got to share it.

The romantic myth is exposed for Guy when he is plagued by memories of an old girlfriend on his wedding day.

A con artist escapes a deal gone wrong in New York and winds up in the Aussie outback in a strange town whose inhabitants are an oddball collection of misfits.

Following a near-fatal accident, David Chamberlain makes an unprecedented discovery that will not only determine the fate of his family, but of mankind.

This animated fairy tale for kids tells the classic story of Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up. Determined never to become an adult, Peter stays forever young in a magical word called Neverland, where he leads a band of mischevious kids called the Lost Boys. Unfortunately, Neverland's chief other inhabitant is a pirate named Captain Hook, who would like nothing more than to put a permanent end to Peter's fun.

Driving cross-country to a job interview, Colin takes a short cut and comes across a fatal road accident. One of the drivers, Jina, is shaken but unhurt; the other has been killed instantly. Beside the dead body is a briefcase full of money, which Colin turns in to the local police. But getting out of town proves a nightmare, as Colin's good deed causes a series of bizarre events to unfold.

A groom and his three best men travel to the Australian outback for a wedding.

A compelling personal journey with David Stratton, as he relates the fascinating development of our cinema history. David guides us from his boyhood cinema experience of Australia in England, where he saw the first images of this strange and exotic landscape via the medium of film, to his migration to Australia as a ‘ten pound pom’ in 1963 and onto his present day reflections on the iconic themes that run through our cinematic legacy. All of this reflects a passionate engagement in a uniquely Australian medium. Parallel and at the heart of the series is the story of an industry whose growing pains David has witnessed over a lifetime. Alongside David, the protagonists of this history are the giants of Australian cinema – both behind the camera and in front of it.

Three young women - an Aussie sprinter, a First Nations powerlifter, and a Japanese Paralympic swimmer - navigate love, education and controversy while embedded in the world of elite sport.

Determined to bring honor to her family, Mulan lies her way into the army to protect her father.

On 9th of November 1983 two Australians, Kevin Barlow and Geoff Chambers were arrested at Penang Airport in Malaysia carrying 179 grams of Heroin. A crime which in Malaysia carries a mandatory sentence of death... Dadah Is Death (A Long Way From Home) is the true story of Barbara Barlow's desperate attempt to save her son from the Hangmans rope - a courageous effort that involved impassioned pleas to President Reagan, The British Prime Minister, and even the Pope. By July 1986 this international struggle had seemed to reach a hopeless conclusion and all that was left was a mother's love for her son.

Sinbad, armed with rumors of ancient gold, finds himself sneaking into the desert camp of the evil sorcerer Al-Jibar. Hidden among the many relics is an ivory scroll case containing the logs of the pirate Captain Minos, which will lead Sinbad to the golden head of the Colossus of Rhodes.

Maggie Diggins, a wombat turned Wonder Woman, unintentionally becomes the city's superhero after she begrudgingly saves a rookie superhero sugar glider from certain doom.

Two estranged brothers who are reluctantly reunited in their remote hometown at their father's funeral, become the target of an extortion scam at the hands of a gang of violent local thugs.

Bob is a car nut who's oblivious to his wife Sue's need for some amorous action and Barry's (his gay neighbor) unrequited affections. When Sue mistakes the legs sticking out under her hubby's car for Bob's and decides to take action, who can tell where events will lead?

A rag-tag group of treasure hunters travels into the bush in search of a legendary stash of gold. The gang is soon roped into a world of danger, lies and betrayal.

When a terrorist attack hits Sydney releasing a highly contagious virus into the population, Detective Leyla Nassar must race across the city and find the culprits while the Deputy Premier Pamela Laird battles power hungry politicians eager to use the catastrophe for their own nefarious means.

On an isolated cattle farm, a couple experimenting with biotechnology have their lives upended when they discover a disturbing presence on their property.

Two friends facing homelessness resort to sabotage at a rental inspection.

Ashburn Waters Campgrounds is forced to close its gates when a series of unexplained deaths occurs, but some campers sneak in when they fail to book a campsite elsewhere.

Psycho Joe loves one thing: fast cars! When he gets a job at a local supermarket, Joe meets fellow "petrol head" Dazey, who quickly becomes his idol and best friend. Soon after, Joe falls for Savina, a goth girl who practices black magic. But Savina has already fallen for Dazey and will do anything to get him -- including using Joe's feelings for her. In true Shakespearean fashion, this trio race down the road to tragedy.

Detective James Quinlan has left his alcoholic wife, sprouting a bloom of insecurity, anger and self-motivation within him to expose the corrupt police force that surrounds him. He abandons his straight life to join his partner Detective Church in order to get on the inside of the circle of double-agents. He secretly sides with a reporter and an Internal Affairs lawyer to expose them to the press.

It's been a long time since Caine, Bronson, Angus and Wendell—aka ‘The Chain Breakers'—escaped a torturous Vietnamese POW camp. They now find themselves sharing a new prison, The Hogan Hills Retirement Home for Returned Veterans. Each of the boys has an unrealised dream they want to achieve, so they band together to devise a plan to escape their new hell. But the rules of engagement have changed. In fact, they can’t even remember what they were—and that’s half the problem.

Southerly follows Ada, a young and impulsive musician who flees Melbourne's 2020 lockdown for a coastal property in rural NSW. There, she meets Josh, a washed-up musician living across the road. Sensing an opportunity to reclaim what has already been a disappointing year, Ada persuades the reluctant Josh to help her record music.Through uneasy collaboration and shared isolation, Ada and Josh are forced to challenge each other as well as themselves, ultimately finding the opportunity for the change they both need.

Fresh off the plane and in need of money, two Finnish backpackers find themselves the latest batch of “fresh meat” sent to work as barmaids at the only pub in a remote Australian mining town.

The story of notorious Australian bank robber Brendan Abbott, who according to the myth, sent postcards to authorities hot on his trail while on the run across the country.

In a time of chaos and tyranny, the once great nation of England teeters perilously on the brink of mass revolution. After the merciless Sheriff of Nottingham orders a brutal attack on his family, a young man named Robin swears bloody revenge on the men responsible, vowing to restore freedom to those trapped under the realm’s oppressive rule. Advised and mentored by the reclusive magician Merlin, Robin and his right-hand man Lancelot recruit a deadly team of exiled fighters and skilled mavericks to rally the villagers for an explosive all-out assault on the Crown’s castle.

Placid Lake has always been different. As an odd fish in a sea of mediocrity, his brilliant ideas are bound to get him into more trouble than success. So when he finds himself flying off the school roof and breaking every bone in his body on graduation night, Placid decides to make a bid for the elusive normal life. To his parents' horror, he gets a normal job.

When Detective Bennett O'Mara finds a chocolate wrapper on a strangled girl, it leads him to enigmatic chocolatier Juliana Lovece. Just as this perceptive woman gets under his hardened skin, he suspects she may be at the centre of an increasing murder count.

When John Doe is convicted of being a vigilante serial killer, a vigilante group named 'Speak for the Dead' emerges in support of John's cause—elevating the debate about justice versus vengeance.

The true story of Irish outlaw Daniel Morgan, who is wanted, dead or alive, in Australia during the 1850s.

At 17, Ella and Reece share an awkward kiss at a chaotic party. Each year, they cross paths again - in parks, bedrooms, carparks - as they grow from teens to young women. Told through raw, improvised "a year later" snapshots, the film captures love's pull through time, change, and the moments we can't let go.

In the future of 2010, three young Americans, Quentin, JT and Amy are visiting Shanghai, when they get shanghaied by mysterious Mr. Smith and taken to Flatland, a place where past and present meet, literally. The only way out for them is to agree to fight Khan for him, an evil ancient warrior who lives through his reincarnations and could destroy the world if not stopped in time. Coventry and Jagger help him, while encyclopedic Linda helps Smith in his 4,000 year quest to stop him. Smith has an alter ego, a wise Shanghai nightclub owner known as Uncle, who gives advice to those who need it.

Brett Sprague is a violent and psychopathic man, who is released on parole after serving a sentence for assault. As he returns to his family house and we watch him and his brothers, Stevie and Glenn, for the next 24 hours, it becomes clear this day will not end well.

A young Aboriginal couple brings home their second baby. What should be a joyous time takes a sinister turn, as the baby's mother starts seeing a malevolent spirit she is convinced is trying to take her baby.

In the future, a health nut and his tag-along girlfriend become trapped in a drive-in theater that has become a concentration camp for outcast youths.

Doctors and Nurses is a gimmick film, a down under age reversal trick in the style of Alan Parker's 'Bugsy Malone'. A bunch of kids play the game of Doctors and Nurses - of the inoffensive dress-up kind - tending a bunch of adults suffering from a variety of ailments.

Belle’s unconditional love for Travis is put in question when Travis’ mental health grows darker. Travis is diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder which burdens their connection but not their endearment. The relationship is at a fork on the road. They have one last attempt to rekindle their relationship and decide if love is enough to stay.

A reserved man in need of a job, Carl Fitzgerald finds employment at a Greek restaurant. Upon meeting waitress Sophie, Carl begins dating the attractive woman. Though it seems things are improving for Carl, an unexpected situation leads to the death of Mustafa, a shady coworker, and Carl must figure out how to cover up the incident. Unsure of what to do, Carl enlists the help of his buddy, Dave, to get rid of Mustafa's corpse.

When a baby kangaroo gets accidentally swept up in a jewelry heist, she becomes separated from her mother for the first time in her young life. Alone and frightened, a worldly teenage girl Ella, who also knows the pain of losing her mother, discovers her and nurses Joey back to health. However, when Joey is falsely implicated in the robbery, Ella has to work quickly to reunite her with her mother before shes either captured by the bumbling jewel thieves or taken into custody by a determined detective hot on their trail.

Prisoner Joe writes a letter to his brother Dan about wanting to be with family at Christmas, lamenting how he can't make the gravy for the roast and how much he misses everyone. Based on the iconic Australian song by Paul Kelly.

On the night of the 1969 federal election, Don Henderson invites a group of friends to celebrate a predicted Labor Party victory, much to the dismay of his wife, Kath. The Hendersons and their nine guests drink, joke, make love, and fight, all while coming to terms with their individual struggles in life.

A group of elite soldiers sent to infiltrate and extract the lead science team from Pine Gap, Australia's top secret underground military compound, after it comes under attack from unknown forces. The mission is compromised when they encounter a young woman with no memory of who she is or how she came to be there. As they try to escape, the group quickly discovers all is not as it seems and the facility has become a testing ground for something far more sinister.

It is 1888, and London is in the grip of one of the most gruesome and mysterious crime sprees in history. Under extreme pressure from the Royal family, the head of Scotland Yard assigns its top man to the grisly case.

A backup singer gets stranded in a small coastal town after losing her job in a band. She winds up in a caravan park only to encounter, by accident, the teenage daughter she deserted following her husband's death.