The 2025 Perth Festival film season has kicked off, here are my tips for this year.
This year the festival brings 23 films from 16 countries, here are 11 tips to get the most out of it.
- Start now. The festival runs from February 7 to March 3 however the film section starts earlier, in fact it’s open now and you’ve already missed the first film. So don’t wait until February, check out the film program now.
- Go outdoors. Summer in Perth means movies under the stars and one of the best venues is the original Somerville theatre, set under the pine trees at UWA.
- Food and drink. In years gone by we’d carry a huge picnic hamper and drinks to the venue. Nowadays there’s a few good food options on offer. I can’t seem to get passed the pizza.
- Step out of your comfort zone. Festivals are all about trying something new. So if you tend to lean towards French movies or dramas only, try something different. If it doesn’t work out, no drama just sit back and contemplate the stars, or the odd plane going over.
- Get there early. Years ago you could save seats by putting down a blanket or coat. In a sad indictment of how humans behave, this is no longer on option. So make sure you get there early to lineup.
- Make sure you tell others. We want this festival to keep going and the only way it can is if the ticket sales are good.
- Encore Week. Don’t panic if you miss a film that everyone’s raving about, chances are it will appear in Encore Week.
- Some films that sound interesting are:
- Mastermind film. On now, this film is about an unemployed carpenter and suburban father turned amateur art thief plans his first big heist. But when things go haywire, his life unravels. Said to be an offbeat spin on the heist movie.
- The Blue Trail film. This one looks interesting. It follows the misadventures of a remarkable 77-year-old Brazilian woman as she secretly sets out on a trip down the Amazon to fulfil a long-held dream
- The Secret Agent film. Written up as a sprawling, sly, genre-bending slow-burn thriller, filled with hypnotic tension and set against a colourful backdrop of ’70s Brazil, Carnival and political corruption.
- DJ Ahmet film. Most film festivals have a coming-of-age story and so we have this film. It tells of a 15-year-old North Macedonian boy who finds refuge in dance music and first love. A charming, funny and uplifting about finding your place in a world where tradition and modernity collide.
So there you have it, enjoy the festival. For more information go to Perth Festival.
