From February 2 to 13, across 12 days and nights, Antenna celebrates the very best in non-fiction cinema — once again turning Sydney into a doc-lovers paradise.
50 of the most creative and thought-provoking documentaries from around the globe fill the program, with several international and Australian premieres showcasing the funny to the sobering, the real to the surreal.
From intimate personal stories to political exposés, Antenna promises to have your mind reeling long after the credits roll. Below are some hand-picked highlights for Sydney Film Festival subscribers.
View the full program – which also includes director Q&As, masterclasses and panels with leading international filmmakers – and book your tickets and multi-passes on Antenna’s website now.
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CHARM CIRCLE
With shades of Grey Gardens, Charm Circle is a cinéma vérité portrait of an eccentric New York family navigating the chaos that divides them. Winner of Sheffield DocFest’s Audience Award, it's an amusing and unpredictable personal study on the nature of family.
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A NIGHT OF KNOWING NOTHING
Winner of best documentary at Cannes, this film is an inventive and deeply felt portrait of contemporary Indian youth on the shores of love, art and politics. A bold cinematic work that merges reality with fiction, dreams, memories, fantasies and anxieties.
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ALL LIGHT, EVERYWHERE
This mind-expanding Sundance award winner explores the shared histories of cameras, weapons, policing and justice. As surveillance technologies become a fixture in our life, it interrogates the biases inherent in both human perception and the lens.
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THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOY IN THE WORLD
At Death in Venice’s premiere, Visconti declared 15-year-old star Björn Andrésen “the world’s most beautiful boy”. Now 65, Andrésen opens up about the irresponsible treatment he was subjected to in this devastating meditation on obsession and the cost of fame.
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ABLAZE
Director Tiriki Onus sets out to uncover the mystery surrounding an untitled 75-year-old silent movie with compelling links to his grandfather, the charismatic cultural leader William “Bill” Onus. Is Bill the first ever Aboriginal filmmaker? Ablaze offers an intriguing untold tale of activism, resistance and politically-driven art-making.
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JAGGED
1995 was the year of Alanis Morissette. Her groundbreaking debut album delivered a rawness and emotional honesty that resonated with millions. Jagged gives Morissette the space to reflect on becoming an empowered woman and worldwide phenomenon at just 21.
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TWO MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT
“What if women ruled the world?” Yael Bartana asks in her performative film, where an all-women government of a fictitious country must take a stand on an imminent nuclear threat. A visionary work presenting us an alternative to the macho power discourse.
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THE GIG IS UP
The gig economy is worth over $5 trillion USD globally, and growing. The Gig is Up exposes the true cost of convenience through the stories of workers from around the world employed by companies including Uber, Amazon and Deliveroo.
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VEDETTE
Vedette is a cow. Vedette is a queen. But Vedette is getting old and what does it do to a female when she’s discounted because of her age? Stunningly shot with a fairytale feel, Vedette invites us to look afresh at the animals we usually take for granted.
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THE MONOPOLY OF VIOLENCE
A sometimes shocking documentary about police violence, examining the ways a government can justify brutal acts enacted against its own citizenry. An essential and timely reflection of the police, citizens and state – and the right to rebel.
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