The Fox
Opening Night Gala + Q&A
Cloddish foxhunter Nick (Jai Courtney) is cruising blissfully through life until his modest plans are upended when he finds out his new fiancée Kori (Emily Browning) is cheating on him... with her best friend’s husband (Damon Herriman).
One night, with his life in disarray, Nick catches a talking fox who promises that a magical pit in the forest can fix all his problems. The jilted lovers team up, planning to end the affair and turn Kori into Nick's "perfect wife". Predictably, the beastly behaviour begins.
With fantastic animatronic animals including the titular trickster fox (Olivia Colman) and a foul-mouthed, chicken-driven magpie (Sam Neill), and with a supporting cast played by a who’s-who of Australian actors and comedians, Dario Russo’s The Fox is an audaciously Australian, darkly funny and refreshingly new cinematic folktale.
Join us before the screening for our Opening Night Gala, kicking off the Festival with music, canapes, cocktails from Ambrosia Distillery, beer from KAIJU! and wines from Babich Wines.
And followed by a Q&A with director Dario Russo
Screening at Dendy Cinemas
Wednesday Oct 21 | 7:00pm
I Love Boosters
Australian Premiere
The Velvet Gang are a group of women "boosters", shoplifting and reselling designer clothes to the community at a discount, and they have fashion mogul Chrissie Smith (Demi Moore) in their crosshairs. It’s community service. Fashion. Forward. Filanthropy.
Boots Riley’s latest is a hyper-coloured, hyper-stylized, absurdist satire of modern consumption culture. Stacked with a killer ensemble cast including Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Eiza González, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter and Don Cheadle, it's one you don’t want to miss!
Screening at Dendy Cinemas
Friday Oct 23 | 8:30pm
Poster Boy: Becoming Zyzz
Panel Discussion: Storytelling For Change
Fifteen years after the tragic death of Zyzz, 19-year-old Aziz Shavershian, comes a documentary about his meteoric rise to online fame in the early years of internet culture. Azizz’s online persona garnered him intense admiration and opposition, as his hyper-confident, hyper-masculine, body-focused posts and videos tracked his transformation from an awkward, shy teenager to the leader of the ‘Aesthetics Movement’.
Told through an expertly woven collection of archival footage, home videos, and intimate interviews with his brother, Said "Chestbrah" Shavershian, and his close friends at the time, we see the positive and darker impacts of fitness culture and body image on Zyzz and other young men’s lives, in a conversation increasingly relevant today.
Join us following our FREE screening of Poster Boy for a panel discussion about how film can open up space for tough discussions. We’ll explore new resource How to Talk About Poster Boy, a first-time conversation guide on the issues in the film produced by The Man Cave to support parents and carers in starting conversations with the boys and young men in their lives, and where we go from here.
Screening at Dendy Cinemas
Saturday Oct 24 | 1:00pm
Whistle
Q&A
Prepare to fall in love with your new favourite subculture: the world of competitive whistling. Produced by the Whistling Diva, Carole Anne Kaufman, the Master of Music competition is the biggest whistling competition in the world, and the captivating Carole Anne’s determination for its success and recognition borders on obsessive.
We also meet the passionate and somewhat eccentric competitors from around the world, quickly investing in their journey, ignited by their incredible and unique talents.
Charming and funny, but never punching down, this rollercoaster of highs and lows, wins and losses, is a joyous peek behind the curtain and a highly entertaining watch.
Join us following the October 24 screening for a Q&A with director Christopher Nelius.
Screening at Dendy Cinemas
Saturday Oct 24 | 6:00pm
Boss Cat
Q&A
Sonja, a young woman living with Down syndrome, finds her world upended when her mother dies unexpectedly. With the loss of her mother’s support, Sonja’s independence also rapidly disappears as her controlling grandmother plans the next steps for her and her sister’s (Julia Savage) lives that are anything but ideal.
Then Sonja meets Hakim, who shares her love of krump dancing, inviting her to join his group and meet the local dance community, and to channel her feelings into her dancing.
Olivia Hargroder is luminescent as Sonja, pushing against social judgements, seeking her independence, and finding herself amongst her community. Clay-Smith’s debut feature is joyous, compassionate, empowering, and will leave you buzzing.
Followed by a Q&A with Director Genevieve Clay-Smith and Production Designer Natalie Beak.
Screening at Dendy Cinemas
Sunday Oct 25 | 12:45pm
AFTRS Presents: Directing & Designing Boss Cat
Accessible Filmmaking Masterclass
In conversation with AFTRS’ Production Design Discipline Lead Natalie Beak (Boss Cat, We Are Still Here, Dead Europe), director Genevieve Clay-Smith will discuss her extensive experience in accessible filmmaking and both will offer industry insights into their process for inclusive practice and on-set application.  
Screening at Dendy Cinemas
Sunday Oct 25 | 3:30pm
Closing Night Celebration
We are working hard to secure a special selection for our Closing Night event, to be announced soon.
Be sure to stay in touch via the Dendy Cinemas newsletter and the Capital Film Festival socials for an announcement...
It’ll be worth the wait!