St Kilda Film Festival 2018

The St Kilda Film Festival rolls into town this week celebrating exceptional Australian cinema. It is your chance to immerse yourself with the established who’s who of homegrown cinema, the rising stars and the otherwise-overlooked talent. Proudly presented and produced by the City of Port Philip, the hand-picked collection of film turns the spotlight on the Australian film industry. Now it’s Milk Bar Mag’s turn to grab the spotlight and shine it on the films you must see.

Opening night shenanigans kick off this Thursday, 17 May, where thousands of attractive folk will descend upon the iconic Palais Theatre. Once there, they will preview of series of thrilling films, including, For Your Sins – a comedy featuring Melbourne darlings Dave Lawson, Michala Banas, Ryan Shelton and Tegan Higginbottom – psychological thriller Grace, gripping drama The Story starring musician Tim Rogers, and the wholly animated Ambulance.

Now in its 35th year, festival director Paul Harris is no stranger to the high calibre of local film. ‘Over the last 20 years I have watched, at a conservative estimate, about 12,000 Australian short films. That is an amazing output and a testimony to the often-overlooked talent pool percolating under the surface of mainstream film culture,’ he remarks. 

Some other programme highlights include Contact, a futuristic look at dating and making a connection, the hilarious Gender Reversed Guitar Shopping, a brilliant womansplaining comedy about a guitar shop overrun by women, or Liz Drives, a horror revolving around two estranged sisters, a narrow country road and cigarettes.

Get involved, get excited, and pat the backs of all those involved, because the St Kilda Film Festival is a cracker of a party this year.

St Kilda Film Festival 2018 
St Kilda Town Hall, 99a Carlisle Street, St Kilda
Thursday, 17 to Saturday, 26 May 2018
stkildafilmfestival.com.au