Sydney Film Festival Hub

Overview

Film tix for a tenner, filmmaker Q and As, happy hours, themed parties and an epic virtual reality program are all happening at this year's Sydney Film Festival Hub, which will take over Town Hall from 7–17 June.

Whether or not you have a movie ticket, head to the bar between 4:30pm and 6pm on weekdays for happy hour drinks, including $12 gin cocktails and $8 wines. The festival's beverage partners are Archie Rose, Young Henrys and Eden Road Wines, so you'll be in good company. While you're at it, poke your head into the Hub Box Office: $10 tickets will be up for grabs until 8:30pm nightly.

Meanwhile, Talks at the Hub will give you the chance to learn more about the back stories behind your favourite flicks. Some of the festival's biggest titles, including Dying to Live, Jirga, Half The Picture and The Breaker Upperers, will be up for discussion among their directors, actors and producers.

If you feel like disappearing into an alternative world for a while, then step into one the Hub's virtual reality shows. Planet Immersive will transport you deep into the Arctic, to experience the impact of climate change, while Space Explorers: A New Dawn travels into outer space. The full VR program is over here.

Throughout the festival, three free themed parties will be thrown in the hub. Kicking things off on Thursday, June 7, is Mad Mix Party — combining video art and feminist tunes — then on Saturday, June 9, Boys II Girlz Party will feature hits from Take That, NSYNC and The Jackson 5. The latter will (fittingly) follow the screening of I Used To Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story. The following Saturday, Spike Lee's funky soundtracks will be showcased at Spike's Juke Joint.

Sydney Film Festival Hub will be open Tuesday–Friday, 4.30pm till late; Saturday 9 and 16 June, 11:30am-late; Sunday 10 June, 11:30am-late; and Sunday 17 June, 11:30am-6pm.