Last month, Sydney Film Festival offered a sneak peek at its 70th anniversary program, which includes Wiradjuri woman Brenda Matthews’s investigation into the Stolen Generation, and a Kiwi comedy about rugby superfans, produced by Taika Waititi. Now the full line-up has been announced.

From June 7 to 18, catch a whopping 239 films from 67 countries – including 37 world premieres, 90 narrative features and 54 documentaries. The line-up showcases everyone from auteur filmmakers and festival winners to up-and-coming directors and cutting-edge documentarians.

Opening the festival is the Australian premiere of The New Boy, directed by Cannes Caméra d’Or winning filmmaker Warwick Thornton (Samson and Delilah, We Don’t Need a Map) and starring Cate Blanchett, Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair and newcomer Aswan Reid. Set in 1940s Australia, the spiritual drama and story of survival follows an orphaned Aboriginal boy taken in by a remote monastery run by a renegade nun. The film comes direct from this month’s Cannes Film Festival, where it will be screening in the Un Certain Regard section.

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Also showing direct from Cannes is Wes Anderson’s newest vision Asteroid City, featuring an all-star ensemble that includes Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johannsson and Jason Schwartzman. Other festival highlights include Charlotte Regan’s dramedy Scrapper, the Grand Jury Prize winner at this year’s Sundance; director Kore-eda Hirokazu (Shoplifters, Broker)’s intense drama Monster; Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear winner Afire; Celine Song’s critically acclaimed romance Past Lives; The Mother of All Lies by Moroccan filmmaker Asmae El Moudir; Australian actress Alice Englert’s directorial debut, Bad Behaviour*, and more.

One film in the official competition will be awarded the $60,000 Sydney Film Prize, given to “a film that demonstrates audacious, cutting-edge and courageous cinema”. Australian films competing for the prize include The New Boy as well as documentary The Dark Emu Story, which explores the legacy and controversy of Bruce Pascoe’s bestselling book Dark Emu, which revolutionised Australia’s understanding of traditional Aboriginal life.

Beyond the cinema screenings, the Sydney Town Hall will once again be transformed into the Sydney Festival Hub. Open to the public every night and on select days, the hub will feature filmmaker talks, free trivia nights and themed parties. Expect a special happy hour, a pop-up bar on weeknights, limited-edition cocktails, and a special archive exhibition celebrating the festival’s evolution over seven decades.

Sydney Film Festival runs from June 7–18. Tickets and flexi passes are on sale now.

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