The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), established in 1952, is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious film festivals. Held annually in Melbourne, Australia, MIFF showcases a diverse range of films from around the globe, including feature films, documentaries, shorts, and animation. It serves as a platform for both emerging and established filmmakers, offering a unique opportunity to experience cutting-edge cinema. MIFF plays a crucial role in the cultural landscape by promoting the art of filmmaking and fostering a vibrant film community.
Shepparton, a vibrant town in the heart of Victoria's Goulburn Valley, is an exciting new host location for the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) screenings. Known for its rich cultural heritage and dynamic arts scene, Shepparton provides an ideal backdrop for celebrating cinema. The town offers a mix of modern amenities and picturesque landscapes, making it a welcoming destination for film enthusiasts. Hosting MIFF screenings in Shepparton enhances the town's cultural offerings and provides locals and visitors with access to world-class films and unique cinematic experiences. All screenings will be held at Village Cinemas Shepparton.
Shepparton is one of eight regional towns that will host screenings of films selected by MIFF.
Screening Details
Memoir of a Snail - Friday, 16 August, 6.30pm
Sarah Snook voices alongside Kodi Smit-McPhee, Magda Szubanski, Eric Bana, and Jacki Weaver in Adam Elliot's stunning claymation feature, which won Annecy’s Cristal Award for Best Feature Film.
Grace Pudel (Snook) finds joy in her snail collection, romance novels, and guinea pigs despite her chaotic life. After their mother’s death and their father’s passing, Grace and her twin brother Gilbert (Smit-McPhee) are separated by child services. Grace, isolated and depressed, retreats into hoarding until she befriends Pinky (Weaver), an outrageous octogenarian.
This hand-crafted stop-motion wonder from the creator of Mary and Max is a unique coming-of-age tale set in 1970s Australia. Memoir of a Snail, supported by the MIFF Premiere Fund, is a poignant reminder that life's turmoil may force us into our shells, but a little bravery can help us break free.
Kneecap - Saturday, 17 August, 4pm
A Belfast hip-hop trio stars as themselves in this rowdy biopic, blending their fictional origins with their real-life crusade to protect the Gaeilge language. Adopting the stage names Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí, low-level drug dealers Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh and Naoise Ó Cairealláin team up with schoolteacher J.J. Ó Dochartaigh to form Kneecap. They become unlikely figureheads for the civil rights movement to save the Irish language while dealing with cops, paramilitary groups, and the aftermath of The Troubles.
After witnessing their performance, writer/director Rich Peppiatt persuaded the group to star in their own film, with Michael Fassbender joining as Móglaí Bap’s father. Winner of an Audience Award at Sundance, Kneecap is reminiscent of The Commitments and Trainspotting, celebrating the trio's raucous spirit, their defense of Gaeilge, and the fragile state of many indigenous languages today.
I Saw the TV Glow - Saturday, 17 August 6.30pm
Brigette Lundy-Paine and Justice Smith star as teen outsiders whose obsessive pop-culture fandom causes rifts in their realities.
In the pre-internet 1990s, high schoolers Maddy (Lundy-Paine) and Owen (Smith) form a bond over The Pink Opaque, a supernatural teen TV series. They share slumber parties and swap VHS tapes, escaping into a world of psychic connections and battles against the Midnight Realm. As their fandom deepens, they blur the lines between reality and fiction.
Director Jane Schoenbrun, known for We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, explores technology and art as lifelines for outsiders. This film interweaves themes of gender, queerness, and identity, with music by Caroline Polachek and yeule, and pop-culture cameos by Phoebe Bridgers, Snail Mail, and Fred Durst. Nostalgic and unpredictable, I Saw the TV Glow is set to be one of the most talked-about films of the year.
Left Write Hook - Sunday, 18 August, 4pm
For eight survivors of childhood sexual abuse, a groundbreaking program that combines boxing and creative writing becomes a journey of recovery, transformation, and friendship.
At Mischa’s Boxing Central, the Left Write Hook program, led by coach and academic Donna Lyon, offers more than physical strength. Participants Nikki, Dove, Pixie, Gabrielle, Claire, Julie, and Lauren learn to box and turn their darkest pasts into poetry, reclaiming their life narratives. What starts as an eight-week commitment extends to 18 months as the women bond and share their work, breaking the silence and shame to reassure others they’re not alone.
Supported by the MIFF Premiere Fund, Shannon Owen’s documentary invites viewers to witness these women's stories, embracing radical acceptance and creative vulnerability. Left Write Hook powerfully depicts how trauma resides in memory and muscle, showcasing the healing found in solidarity and fearless storytelling.
Queens of Concrete - Sunday, 18 August, 6.30pm
Three Australian girls pursue success in competitive skateboarding while navigating adolescence without handrails.
In 2016, skateboarders Hayley (14), Ava (13), and Charlotte (9) aim to represent Australia at the Olympics. Recognized as top competitors in their age groups, they are excited by the news that skateboarding will debut in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Supported by the MIFF Premiere Fund, Queens of Concrete follows their seven-year journey, including preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Eliza Cox’s documentary captures the physical and emotional demands of training, coach relationships, and high-stakes events. As they face successes and setbacks, Hayley, Ava, and Charlotte navigate the challenges of growing up, discovering who they are and what they want from life.
Bookworm - Friday, 23 August, 6.30pm
Elijah Wood stars as a wayward but well-meaning dad in this magical father-daughter quest set in the New Zealand wilderness.
Following her mother’s hospitalization, 11-year-old bibliophile Mildred is left in the care of her estranged father, a washed-up illusionist. To lift her spirits and engage her imagination, he takes her camping in the New Zealand forest to seek out the mythical Canterbury Panther, hoping it will help heal their family. However, unexpected forces seem determined to find them first.
Director Ant Timpson reunites with his Come to Daddy (MIFF 2019) star Wood for his second feature film. Wood, known for his roles in the Lord of the Rings films, is joined by young actor Nell Fisher, who brings a delightful blend of curiosity and bookish charm to Mildred. Timpson crafts a fantastical coming-of-age odyssey inspired by the wonder he felt as a child in the 1970s. Appealing to both young and young-at-heart audiences, Bookworm is a charming throwback to that decade’s films, like The Dove and The Sea Gypsies, telling a vibrant story about an unbreakable bond.
Magic Beach - Saturday, 24 August, 12.30pm
Ten animators bring Alison Lester’s beloved children’s book Magic Beach to the screen, creating a magical blend of live action and animation destined to become a family favorite.
As children hear Lester’s enchanting words, they slip into spellbinding worlds of dream and whimsy. Now animated in various styles – traditional 2D, claymation, stop-motion, and more – it captivates a new generation while evoking wonder in those already familiar with the story. From undersea adventures and tales of salty smugglers to sandcastle wars, seaweed monsters, and a dog’s dream of ‘sausage fish,’ everyone will find their own fantastical adventure.
First published in 1990, Lester’s rhyming ode to imaginative play has touched countless Australians, from wide-eyed kids to parents who’ve read it countless times. To adapt it for the screen, Robert Connolly (Paper Planes, MIFF 2014; Balibo, MIFF 2009) enlisted ten of Australia’s top animators – Susan Danta, Pierce Davison, Jake Duczynski, Emma Kelly, Simon Rippingale, Marieka Walsh, Eddie White, Lee Whitmore, Kathy Sarpi, and Oscar nominee Anthony Lucas. Supported by the MIFF Premiere Fund, Magic Beach delivers an incandescent take on a revered Aussie classic, offering widescreen delight.
Inside - Saturday, 24 August, 6.30pm
Guy Pearce stars in this prison-set portrait of institutionalisation and salvation – the feature debut from Short Film Palme d’Or winner Charles Williams.
When Mel Blight (Vincent Miller) is transferred from juvenile detention to a maximum-security adult jail, he shares a cell with one of Australia’s most infamous inmates, Mark Shepard (Cosmo Jarvis). Seizing an opportunity, hardened inmate Warren Murfett (Pearce) recruits Mel to kill Mark, who has a contract on his head. As Warren nears parole and a reunion with his son Adrian (Toby Wallace), the relationships among the three men grow more entangled and intimate. Who can make amends for their crimes, and who is beyond saving?
Executive-produced by Thomas M. Wright and supported by the MIFF Premiere Fund, Inside is the impressive first feature from filmmaker Williams, whose drama All These Creatures won the Short Film Palme d’Or at Cannes. Shot in Melbourne and regional Victoria, the film showcases a trio of powerhouse performances – from Miller in his debut role, to a transformative turn from Jarvis, to Pearce conveying both hope and hopelessness as a prison lifer – and poignantly examines the complex interplay between incarceration, rehabilitation, and remorse.
Thelma - Sunday, 25 August, 2pm
A 93-year-old grandma's mission – and she chooses to accept it – is to reclaim her money from scammers by any means necessary in this delightful crowd-pleaser.
Thelma Post, stubbornly living alone in Los Angeles after her husband's death, is duped by an anonymous scammer into mailing $10,000 to "pay her grandson Danny's bail." Determined to get her money back and prove her independence, Thelma teams up with her old friend Ben and his tandem electric scooter for a daring plan.
Improv-comedy veteran Josh Margolin wrote his directorial debut as a revenge fantasy inspired by his grandmother's experience with fraudsters. The film showcases Oscar nominee June Squibb (Nebraska), who, at 94, performs her own stunts, and features Blaxploitation legend Richard Roundtree (Shaft) in his final role. With Parker Posey and Malcolm McDowell rounding out the cast, Thelma is a rollicking action-movie parody full of low-key delights, including a hearing aid-turned-spy earpiece and a humorous hacking scene. Margolin crafts a film that refuses to patronize older people, delivering an ode to lifelong dignity and determination that's both defiant and raucous.
Copa 71 - Sunday, 25 August, 6.30pm
Think the global surge in interest in women’s football is a recent phenomenon? This eye-opening documentary will make you think again.
Millions of Australians cheered on the Matildas during the 2023 Women’s World Cup, with two billion people worldwide tuning in to the FIFA-run contest that saw Spain victorious. Many view this as a recent triumph over ingrained sexism, proving there’s a huge audience and respect for the game, regardless of gender. But did you know that an unofficial Women’s World Cup tournament was held in Mexico back in 1971? This event was a massive success, capturing hearts and minds globally and introducing fans to new heroes—until FIFA intervened, erasing their glory from the record.
Executive-produced by Venus and Serena Williams, with Serena narrating, Copa 71 features the women who competed in 1971, like Carol Wilson, alongside today’s stars such as Brandi Chastain and Alex Morgan. Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine’s vibrant account, packed with incredible archival footage, celebrates this pioneering event and exposes the misogynistic forces that tried to block it, writing these trailblazers back into history.
Ticket Information
To book tickets call Village Cinemas on 1300 555 400, drop into the box office on Stewart Street or purchase via their website.
Adult: $22.00
Child: $19.00
Senior Citizen: $17.50
Concession: $21.00
Become a Vrewards Member for discounts on tickets and snacks at the candy bar.
Local Tips
Dinner and a Show
Village Cinemas is ideally situated between Fryers Street, the CBD’s food precinct, and Maude Street. It’s within walking distance of numerous cafes, pubs, and restaurants, allowing you to easily turn your moviegoing experience into dinner and a show.
The Food Store
A cozy spot offering a variety of dishes, from breakfast options to hearty lunches, perfect for a quick meal before or after the screening. The Food Store is conveniently located a five minute walk from Village Cinema on Fryers Street.
Noble Monks
Known for its great coffee, delicious meals, and relaxed atmosphere, it's an ideal place for a casual dining experience. Noble Monks is located on Maude Street and open Fridays and Saturdays until late, just what you need for a pre- or post-movie meal and on Sundays until 3pm, perfect for a pre-movie lunch.
Okami Japanese
Go easy on the popcorn and save room for an all you can eat dinner experience at Okami Japanese Restaurant. Open until 10.30pm on Friday and Saturdays and 9.30pm on Sundays, it’s the perfect cultural experience before or after a film and only a two minute walk from Village Cinema.
The Aussie
For a classic pub meal that’s just a short walk away from Village Cinema, the Aussie Hotel is a great choice. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, they have free live music every Saturday night, live DJs every Friday and Saturday night and Karaoke every Friday night from 9pm.
Shepparton Brewery & Side Hustle Distillery
Open Friday and Saturdays until late, Shepparton Brewery & Side Hustle Distillery are just a six minute walk from Village Cinema. Grab a beer or gin and tonic and a plate of food and settle in to discuss the great film you’ve just seen.
Augustus Gelatery
If you’re too full of popcorn after your movie to go out for dinner, but you want to keep the good times going and maybe you could go for a sweet treat, Augustus Gelatery is located on Maude Street, just a six minute walk from Village Cinema. Grab a scoop (or two or three, there’s so many to choose from!) and plan which MIFF film you want to see next.
Further Reading: Flavours of the World
Transportation
Bus
Bus Route 1, 3 and 7 - Get off at Stewart Street/Corio Street (3 minute walk)
Bus Route 2 - Get off at Fryers Street/Corio Street (3 minute walk)
Bus Route 4 - Get off at Nixon Street/Corio Street (8 minute walk)
Bus Route 5 and 6 - Get of at Shepparton Bus Interchange/Maude Street (7 minute walk)
Mooroopna - Shepparton Bus - Get off at Fraser Street/Wyndham Street (3 minute walk)
Parking
Free parking is available next to Village Cinema off Stewart Street.
Multi-level parking is available off Stewart Street for a fee ($2 flat rate on Saturdays and Sundays)
Off street parking available on Fryers Street, Corio Street, Maude Street. Ticketed until 5.30pm Monday to Friday and noon on Saturdays. Free parking on Sundays.
Attending MIFF in Shepparton offers a unique blend of world-class cinema and small-town charm. You'll enjoy cutting-edge films in a friendly and accessible setting, with the convenience of Village Cinemas located amidst a variety of cafes, pubs, and restaurants. This combination creates an ideal opportunity to turn your movie outing into a full experience of dining and entertainment. Don't miss the chance to be part of this cultural celebration in Shepparton—it's a fantastic way to enjoy top-notch films in a welcoming community.
For more information, check out the 2024 MIFF Program here and the MIFF website here.
