Upcoming film festivals in Melbourne

Get ready to paint the city blue, red and white as the Alliance Française French Festival (AFFF) 2023 returns to Melbourne with a program of contemporary French films that are magnifique. Running from March 7-April 23, you can expect a suite of 39 French feature films, from box-office hits and timeless classics to infectious tales of hope and resilience, and to see legends such as Gérard Depardieu, Juliette Binoche and Laure Calamy up close and personal.  The anticipated 34th edition of the festival will be opened with Nicolas Bedos’ glamorous Masquerade, a French drama starring Pierre Niney, Isabella Adjani and Marine Vacth, which will transport cinemagoers to the Côte d’Azur in this sexy double-dealing thriller. Didier Barcelo’s road trip comedy Freestyle will close the festival, starring the rising star Benjamin Voisin and Marina Foïs.  Other must-see highlights from the 2023 festival include the Australian premiere of Two Tickets to Greece, starring Call my Agent’s Laure Calamy, Kirstin Scott Thomas and Oliva Côte as the three estranged friends who tentatively reunite for a trip to the Greek islands.  Also premiering for the first time is The Innocent, which holds the highest number of nominations for a single film at the upcoming 2023 César awards. The new comedy hit from Louis Garrel follows widowed marine biologist Abel (Louis Garrel) who learns that his impulsive mother Sylvie (Anouk Grinberg) is re-marrying an inmate she met while teaching theatre in prison.   Cédric

In the era of streaming services, binge watching and subscription fatigue, supporting local cinema IRL is more important than ever. Thankfully, Flickerfest is returning to Kino Palace Cinemas in the CBD for the 17th year, making it easy for Melburnians to support some of the best up-and-coming filmmaking in our city.  Flickerfest is a longstanding Aussie institution and the country’s leading short film festival. Each year Flickerfest tours the country and the latest Melbourne stop comes after the successful Bondi Beach leg back in January. At 6.30pm on Wednesday, April 12, Flickerfest will host a one-night-only program in the heart of the city. The one night Best of Melbourne Shorts Program will showcase eight short films that promise to amuse and inspire. The handpicked program includes urban comedy ‘The Best Dumplings in Melbourne’ tracking three friends on a quest to find the perfect bite, as well as ‘Follow for Follow’, a quirky influencer tale.  This year’s Flickerfest Best Cinematography winner ‘BLVCK GOLD’ will also be showing, made by and in Melbourne’s South Sudanese community. ‘Tarneit’, the moving Iris Prize Award-winning drama, will also be showing. This short follows two deaf boys united by their determination to overcome the obstacles surrounding them. For $27.50 (or $24.50 for concession holders), you’ll get a free drink on arrival, introductions from the filmmakers, and a killer program of award-winning Melbourne shorts.  Limited tickets will be available at t