On November 3, 1954, Ishirō Honda’s Godzilla stomped its way into history with its incredible storytelling and visual effects. Celebrate the 70th anniversary of this film at ACMI with the monstrous celebration, GodzillaFest. Expect a stacked range of free and ticketed activities, including films, talks, trivia, videogames and even an after-hours Halloween bash. GodzillaFest will take over ACMI from Thursday October 31 to Sunday November 3.
GodzillaFest at ACMI
There’s activities and events to suit every interest at this celebration for the iconic kaiju. Find Godzilla hidden throughout ACMI’s exhibition, The Story of the Moving Image, craft an origami creature to take home and take on the beast by playing vintage videogames and limited-edition pinball. Pose for a photo in a tokusatsu-inspired miniature city and learn more about Godzilla and his impact on filmmaking in a series of free talks.
“Godzilla is one of the most recognisable screen icons of the 20th century, appearing in 38 films and countless comic books, TV shows, videogames and advertisements spawning the kaiju genre,” said ACMI Director & CEO Seb Chan. “ACMI’s celebration of the undisputed King of Monsters gives fans, old and new, a fun look into Godzilla‘s enduring legacy on filmmaking, and our social and cultural imagination.”
Across the festival, ACMI will screen five key films in their cinemas. See the original 1954 production, as well as Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974), Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), Shin Godzilla (2016) and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021).
Visit ACMI after-hours for their Halloween Monster Bash. Have fun with DJs, Godzilla-inspired craft from Kitiya Palaskas, pop-ups, food and playable vintage videogames.
Another evening event to check out is the Godzilla Movie Marathon & Trivia. Hosted by comedian Alex Hines, you’ll see three Godzilla films, with trivia rounds between screenings. Movies on the line-up include the 1954 film, Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) and Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971).
Some of these activities are free, while others are ticketed. See what’s on here.