Ten Must-See Films at the 2017 Sydney Film Festival

12 days. 288 films. 59 countries. 37 world premieres. The 2017 Sydney Film Festival is almost upon us, and the numbers paint quite the picture. In short: whatever your favourite film genre or style, whichever actors and directors you like, and whichever nation's cinema output you can't get enough, you'll likely find it here. From June 7 to 18, the city's screens will be buzzing. We've called it cinephile Christmas before, and we will again — it's a label that happily sticks for Sydney's biggest annual film event.

Indeed, in his sixth year at the helm, festival director Nashen Moodley has once again spoiled Sydney movie-goers with choices, ranging from Netflix-produced monster movies currently getting Cannes all aflutter, to the first full-length effort made by Afghanistan's first female filmmaker, to cerebral Aussie sci-fi. They're just three of the films on our must-see list, and there's many more where they came from. Grab your flexipass and get booking.

THE LITTLE HOURS

Aubrey Plaza as a nun? We live in a world where a reality TV star can ascend to the highest office in US politics, so of course we live in a world where this can happen too. After director Jeff Baena turned her into a zombie in 2014's Life After Beth, the Parks and Recreation star is getting into the habit in The Little Hours — in the 14th century. Alison Brie and Kate Micucci are also taking the same vow, bringing modern attitudes to medieval times. Dave Franco plays the man they all start lusting over, and the film takes inspiration from The Decameron, so expect sins aplenty.

OKJA

Okja has been receiving ample attention of late. One of the first-ever Netflix-made films to screen in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, it has helped spark waves of debate about the future of cinema — and when it premiered at the festival, the first five minutes were projected at the wrong aspect ratio, prompting boos. Forget all that. And, forget the fact that it'll be available on the streaming platform on June 28. All that matters here is that South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho has made another monster flick following his stellar 2006 effort The Host, it features his Snowpiercer star Tilda Swinton alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano, and it's earning comparisons to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Yep, it's bound to make for quite the closing night.

THE LEVELLING

Winter is coming, and so is The Levelling starring Game of Thrones' Ellie Kendrick. There's tragedy, a homecoming, family struggles and secrets on the agenda here too, but it's safe to say that's about where any similarities between everyone's favourite TV show and this devastating drama end. Kendrick plays a trainee vet who returns to her father's farm under sorrowful circumstances, with her character wading through the fallout and audiences taken through emotionally weighty material. It's the first feature from Hope Dickson Leach, announcing the UK filmmaker as a definite talent to watch.

WOLF AND SHEEP

It's easy to imagine that, one day, someone will make a movie about Shahrbanoo Sadat. Her tale is simply extraordinary: the first female feature filmmaker from Afghanistan, she scored a residency at Cannes when she was just 20, and took out the top Director's Fortnight prize at the fest last year with Wolf and Sheep. For now, though, the results of her efforts makes a firm statement, as she tackles rural village life in her country with both realism and a fairy tale-like approach. It's clearly not the kind of film you see every day, made by a rising star driven to craft a movie that truthfully and candidly depicts the ups and downs of daily life in a country usually seen through war.

THE UNTAMED

It has been a great year for unnerving flicks of the genre-bending kind. Actually, that's an understatement. Colossal, Raw and Get Out have all refused to play by sci-fi and horror rules, and now add The Untamed to that list. The latest effort by former Cannes best director winner Amat Escalante, the creature feature delves into the chaos that arises when a couple come across a mysterious stranger. Sure, it's a premise that sounds incredibly familiar —  even more so when you throw in an isolated cabin, too — but with the flick approaching its exploration of erotic urges with both otherworldly ties and social realism on its mind, expect the unexpected.

SPOOKERS

A word of warning if you're easily scared by creepy costumes: Spookers mightn't be for you. Firstly, the documentary focuses on just those kinds of folks as it steps inside the horror-themed New Zealand amusement park of the same name – yes, the people on screen get paid to play killer clowns and shuffling zombies. Also, SFF is heartily encouraging attendees to get into the spirit of things by following in their footsteps, which is bound to make for a rather lively and fun session. Berlin-born, New Zealand-based filmmaker Florian Habicht isn't known for making standard flicks (as his music doco Pulp: a Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets demonstrated), and this promises to continue the trend.

LADY MACBETH

Another adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth? Actually, no, not at all. Australian director Justin Kurzel did such an amazing job with his Michael Fassbender-starring effort that everyone else should probably give the bard's tragedy a wide berth for a few years; however it isn't even the basis for Lady Macbeth. Adapting the 1865 novel of the same name — which took inspiration from its literary namesake, but spun its own tale — it's the spirit of the famous character that proves important, rather than the specifics. Here, a teenager copes with being sold into marriage to a much older man, and a wily fight for freedom ensues.

IN THE FADE

Headed to Sydney straight from playing in competition at this year's Cannes Film Festival, In The Fade dives into a situation that's sadly all-too-timely: a woman coping with loss after a bomb attack. It's German director Fatih Akin's response to the current state of the world, and with him at the helm, the drama is likely to delve deeply into the emotional impact in a complex and compelling fashion. How the taking of innocent lives leaves an imprint on the ordinary people left behind seems to be his driving question, and one which his star Diane Kruger will help answer. The actress doesn't make many German-language films these days, if you needed another source of intrigue.

MOUNTAIN

Did Sherpa well and truly knock your socks off, or get you itching to leap skyward? Then prepare to scale great heights with Australian filmmaker Jennifer Peedom all over again. With Mountain, the documentarian with quite the knack for capturing towering terrain goes high-altitude once more, this time endeavouring to understand just why we're all so obsessed (and sometimes afraid) with climbing up in the world. There'll be stunning sights, given the subject matter, but also an orchestral feast too. The film is a collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, who provide a score that soars as much as the cinematography. Plus, one of the doco's SFF sessions will feature a live performance at the Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid.

OTHERLIFE

Imagine a drug that expanded your perception of time, but only in your mind. Or, watch OtherLife. Altering people's sense of passing moments in a scenario where seconds in reality feel like days in someone's head sits at the heart of this Aussie science fiction offering — and both the concept and the fact that Australia doesn't make sci-fi that often should pique your interest. So should filmmaker Ben C. Lucas, who previously helmed high school revenge thriller Wasted on the Young back in 2011. It was an ambitious effort, and if his latest shares his blend of bold ideas and stylish execution, we could be in for an inventive treat.

Want more recommendations? We've been excited about a hefty chunk of SFF's program for a while now, so we'll try and keep it brief.

Firstly, check out our glowing thoughts on Call Me By Your Name, A Fantastic Woman, The Other Side of Hope, The Party, On Body and Soul, Spoor, I Am Not Your Negro and God's Own Country, which we saw and loved at Berlinale. Next, take a gander at our eagerness for The Woman Who Left, 76 Minutes and 15 Seconds with Abbas Kiarostami, and Take Me Home from last year's Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival, as well as The Opposition and Nowhere to Hide from this year's Human Rights Arts and Film Festival. There's also Pulse from the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and My Life as a Zucchini from Gold Coast Film Festival, too.

Plus, Ali's Wedding made our most anticipated Aussie films of year list, while The Beguiled and Happy End featured in our rundown of flicks to look out for this year. Ingrid Goes West, A Ghost Story, Step, Patti Cake$, Axolotl Overkill, 78/52 and The Nile Hilton Incident were all on our Sundance wishlist, and Song to Song and Most Beautiful Island made our SXSW picks. Phew.

The 2017 Sydney Film Festival will run from June 7 to 18. To check out the complete program and book tickets, visit the festival website.