Sydney Film Festival 2020: Virtual Edition

Overview

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, audiences can't flock to the Sydney Film Festival in person this year — so SFF is bringing the movie magic to audiences at home instead. First, it's teaming up with 19 other top fests from around the world to present We Are One: A Global Film Festival, a free ten-day festival that'll be streamed on YouTube. Then, a couple of days after that's all done, SFF is holding its own ticketed online event.

Sydney Film Festival: Virtual Edition will run from Wednesday, June 10–Sunday, June 21, focusing on three of the annual event's popular programming strands: the Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Australian Documentary, the Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films, and Europe! Voices of Women in Film. That means that when you're not spending ten days watching brand new world-premiering Aussie docos from the comfort of your couch, you can check out the best short flicks from emerging filmmakers and the latest features from Europe's talented female directors.

The program will drop on Wednesday, May 27, which is when tickets will go on sale — but, because SFF is moving online for the first time in its 67-year history, cinephiles will be able to buy a ticket and watch virtually no matter where they're located.

SFF will also hand out its usual prizes for Aussie documentaries and Aussie short films — so you'll be watching award-winners, too.

The full program launch and ticket sales for Sydney Film Festival: Virtual Edition begin on May 27.