Sydney Film Festival 2013

Overview

The Sydney Film Festival in 2013 features a fierce competition field, an extended Sydney Film Festival Hub program and special presentations of some of the most talked-about new films we thought we'd have to wait much longer to see.

This year celebrating its 60th year, the film festival will open with a screening of Mystery Road, the intense newbie directed, written, shot and scored by Ivan Sen (Toomelah) but starring Hugo Weaving, Aaron Pedersen and Ryan Kwanten. "Confident, mature, word-class and compelling – these are words that describe both this wonderful film and this extraordinary festival," said festival director Nashen Moodley.

Weaving will also lead the international panel of judges picking the winner of the SFF Official Competition, which recognises the most courageous and cutting-edge films and comes with a $60,000 cash prize. Hot contenders include Australian Kim Mordaunt's Rocket, winner of the Best First Feature award at the Berlinale and Best Narrative Feature at Tribeca; Sarah Polley's family documentary Stories We Tell; University of Sydney graduate Haifaa Al Mansour's Wadjada, the first feature film shot entirely in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and Nicolas Winding Refn's follow-up to Drive, Only God Forgives, which promises to use Ryan Gosling, violence and synth to some effect (an effect that got it booed at Cannes).

Out of competition you'll find much-anticipated new films as well as surprising wonders from around the world that might never get widely released. A sure highlight (and sell-out) will be the new Michel Gondry confection, Mood Indigo, which stars Audrey Tautou in a romance darkened by illness. If you like your films even more difficult to interpret, you'll be pleased to hear Shane Carruth's follow-up to Primer, Upstream Color, is screening. There's also the decades-coming sequel to Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, Before Midnight, as well as Woody Allen-esque comedy Frances Ha from partners in crime/romance Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig.

TV gets a nod in the Box Set program stream, which will screen HBO Europe's Burning Bush and Japanese broadcaster WOWOW's Penance. Documentaries continue to be a strong suit of the festival, with Vivid co-presentation The Human Scale by cities-are-for-people advocate Andreas Dalsgaard a particular draw. Internet culture is a subject in Downloaded, Kink and We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks, while global grrl bands rock in Miss Nikki and the Tiger Girls and Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer.

Last but not least (and given there's some 190 films in the program, not really last), one of our favourite things, the Sydney Film Festival Hub at Lower Town Hall is back, and now open until midnight daily from June 6-14. This is the place to meet, imbibe and get some feeling back into your legs after a movie marathon. It's also the place to see Jeff Desom's exciting installation Rear Window Loop, which we raved about a few weeks ago. A VHS party, trivia night, fake film press conference, Cinema Burlesque and movie future forecast are among the other interactive and instructive events on the bill.

The Sydney Film Festival runs from June 5-16 in a corridor of venues throughout the city as well as the Hayden Cremorne Orpheum. Tickets are available now from the festival website, as is the full program of films and special events.

Still sifting through the program? Check out our top ten picks of the festival for more thorough guidance.