Just last month, Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) gave us a little tease about what to expect this year. And now, they’ve released their full program. Back for its 74th year, you can expect some of the hottest films from Cannes, Berlin, Sundance and more across 18+ days. There’s over 300 films to look forward to, spanning features, shorts, XR experiences and special events. MIFF will return to cinemas in Melbourne and regional Victoria from August 6 to 23. Meanwhile, MIFF Online will run across the country from August 14 to 30.
Melbourne International Film Festival 2026 – Full program
Opening the festival this year is Wicker. This tale from Australian-born writer/director Elanor Wilson and partner Alex Huston Fischer stars Olivier Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Peter Dinklage, Richard E. Grant and Melbourne’s own Elizabeth Debicki. Set in a seaside village, this movie follows an unmarried fisherman who orders herself a wicker husband. Both Wilson and Fischer will be in attendance to celebrate the film’s Australian premiere at Hoyts in Melbourne Central.
Meanwhile, the Family Gala will feature the Australian premiere of DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island. This new film follows two best friends (voiced by H.E.R and Liza Soberano), who are transported to a magical island, and learn that their memories of each other will be the cost of getting home. The movie will debut at Hoyts Melbourne Central on August 15.
This year, MIFF have also partnered up with Armani Beauty to create the Armani Beauty Cinema Club, a curated selection of films that reflect a commitment to artistic excellence and cinematic craft. The Armani Beauty Cinema Club Opening Night feature will be the supernatural romcom, Wishful Thinking. Directed by Graham Parkes and starring Lewis Pullman and Maya Hawke, this film won the SXSW Grand Jury Award. It follows the couple as they discover that the ups and downs of their relationship are beginning to warp the world around them. This screening will take place on August 13 at The Capitol.
Meanwhile, the Premiere With Purpose Gala will return on August 11 with a screening of Silenced, a documentary by Selina Miles. In this furious feature, lawyers, activists and survivors grapple with the weaponisation of defamation law to silence women who speak out. This event will take place at The Capitol.
Christopher Nolan’s Memento will be brought to life with a live original score, composed and performed by Michael Cavanagh, drummer of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. See him perform it live at Hamer Hall on August 8 and 9.
More cool stuff
The MIFF XR program will return and celebrate its tenth year. This program pushes the boundaries of storytelling through immersive audio-visual experiences, using virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality. Making its world-premiere is Firestorm, which confronts a near-future Australia, bracing for a probable super El Niño event in 2026/27. Directed by Dennis Del Favero, and presented at the VCA, this experience uses scientific data, a custom machine-learning model and the Unreal Engine to let audiences visualise historical Australian bushfire and adjust weather conditions, watching them escalate under different scenarios.
The Critical Condition screening series will return. Watch Gone to Earth, Portrait of Jason and The Unfaithful Wife, followed by a panel of international guest critics.
The MIFF Talks program will also returning, encouraging a dialogue and deeper engagement with screen culture.
As for food and drink, the Festival Hub at ACMI will be the go-to gathering place. If you’re staying up late after the movie, pop across the road to Wax Music Lounge. MIFF’s Food & Film pairings will return, matching four fine dining destinations with a selection of titles. Participating venues include Cumulus Inc., Supernormal, Saadi and Bossley Bar & Restaurant. There will also be express menus at Elio’s Place, Apollo Inn and Bossley Bar & Restaurant throughout the festival.
To see the full program for MIFF, click here.
