For more than a century, watching a movie has involved staring at either a rectangle or a square. They're the shapes that the silver screen is known for, and the small screen as well. But catch a film at the planetarium and everything becomes circular — which makes fulldome flicks, as they're called, something particularly special. Melbourne Planetarium plays movies on its dome via regular programs — films specifically made to take advantage of the different screening format — and the Melbourne International Film Festival has included fulldome showcases in its annual lineup. But Australia only boasts one film fest that's solely all about hemispherical views. That event: the Dome Under Film Festival, which debuted in 2020, returns to the Victorian capital from Friday, January 30 to Sunday, February 1, 2026. Dome Under Festival's latest outing once again showcases the best new fulldome releases from around the world at Scienceworks. With sessions dedicated to family-friendly titles, astronomy, art, world stories and the future, the program features plenty of highlights — covering everything from Earth's orbit, our place in the Milky Way, the secrets of an Italian forest, Mount Everest, Colombian constellations and a series of mind-bending art films designed specially to be screened on the dome. In total, 39 films from around the world will grace the dome, as handpicked by the Dome Under team. Each one will fill every inch of the planetarium's 16-metre domed ceiling — and play with 5.1 surround sound. Each film will only be screened once, with multiple films organised by theme in each session across the three-day period. This year, the festival will include a competitive section judged by a panel of three experts, awarding films for their storytelling and technical prowess. Warik Lawrance, festival founder and Museums Victoria curator, said, "Fulldome cinema is evolving at an incredible pace, and the Dome Under Film Festival has become a place where that innovation truly shines." Dome Under Fulldome Festival 2026 will run from Friday, January 30 to Sunday, February 1, 2026. For more information or to book tickets, visit the website. Images: 'One Step Beyond', 'Encounters in the Milky Way', 'The Rift' — supplied by Museums Victoria
