The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) has unveiled its 2026 program, including a slate of documentaries celebrating artists including Jebediah, Marianne Faithfull and Bill Evans.
Organisers have unveiled a killer program featuring more than 300 films, documentaries, shorts and immersive works from around the world.
Running from August 6th-23rd, the festival will open with the Australian premiere of Wicker, the acclaimed Sundance debut from Australian-born filmmakers Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer. The fantasy drama stars Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Peter Dinklage, Richard E. Grant, and Australian actor Elizabeth Debicki, while also competing in the festival’s Bright Horizons Competition.
Music fans will find plenty to get excited about throughout the program.
The biggest local draw is Tina Arena: Unravel Me, a new documentary tracing Tina Arena’s remarkable 50-year career, from Young Talent Time through international success in Australia, the UK and France. The film features new and archival interviews with Céline Dion, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Jessica Mauboy, Marc Anthony, and The Veronicas.
The music program also includes documentaries exploring the lives and legacies of Marianne Faithfull, jazz legend Bill Evans, outsider rock favourites The Shaggs and the enduring community surrounding Grateful Dead.
Elsewhere, MIFF will showcase new films from acclaimed directors including Pedro Almodóvar, Gus Van Sant, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Gregg Araki, alongside Australian premieres of titles starring Rami Malek, Sandra Hüller, Bill Skarsgård, and Australian actor Dacre Montgomery.
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Australian filmmaking is another major focus, with new features including French Girls, The Fox, Sentient, Replica, Wilderness, and Sweet Milk Lake premiering during the festival, while Jebediah: Are We Ok? offers a feature-length look back at the beloved Perth band’s three-decade journey.
“We’re again thrilled to reveal the full film overload of MIFF’s epic 2026 program! From highly anticipated festival blockbusters to bold new voices, experimentations to a family day at the flicks, MIFF is the maximalist way to enjoy all of what cinema can offer in the midst of a Melbourne Winter. We look forward to welcoming audiences back to the big screen this August,” Artistic Director Al Cossar said.
The festival will also present the Premiere With Purpose Gala screening of Silenced, director Selina Miles’ documentary examining the use of defamation law to silence women, featuring contributors including Jennifer Robinson, Amber Heard, and Brittany Higgins.
This year’s festival also marks the beginning of a new major partnership with Armani Beauty, which will present the new Armani Beauty Cinema Club alongside the MIFF Shorts Awards and the inaugural Talent of Tomorrow Award for emerging filmmakers.
MIFF’s awards program again offers one of the world’s richest prize pools, with more than $300,000 on offer. The Bright Horizons Award, supported by VicScreen, carries a $140,000 prize for an outstanding first or second feature, while audience members will again vote for the Intrepid Audience Award.
Check out the full program here.
