Five Australian projects bound for Berlinale
Australian stories continue to make their mark on the global stage, with five Australian titles selected for the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival. This year’s line-up spans feature films, series and shorts – demonstrating the strength and diversity of Australia’s screen industry.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Animated feature Lesbian Space Princess will screen in Berlinale’s Panorama section, which celebrates daring and unconventional cinema. It is the second feature film to come out of the Film Lab: New Voices program, a partnership between the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC), Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) and Screen Australia aimed at supporting low budget feature films and elevating the next generation of South Australian filmmakers.
Five-part drama series The Narrow Road to the Deep North directed by Justin Kurzel will make its world premiere in the prestigious Berlinale Specials showcase ahead of its Australian release on Prime Video in April.
Debut feature film Fwends from writer/director Sophie Somerville has been selected for the Forum section, which highlights innovative and boundary-pushing cinema.
In the Generation 14plus program, which explores teenage perspectives, short film Howl will make its world premiere. Meanwhile, in the Generation Kplus strand, celebrating international cinema for young audiences, documentary Ornmol by Marlikka Perdristat will have its international premiere. Previously titled Joonba, the film was supported through Screen Australia’s First Nations Department initiative First Facts, a partnership with Network 10 to showcase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers.
Beyond screenings, Australian talent will also be well represented. Producer Rebecca Lamond (Hytra Films) has been selected to participate in the Berlinale Talents program, and Pauline Clague, Ashley Little and Aaliyah Bradbury from Winda Film Festival will take part in the Indigenous Cinema Alliance at the European Film Market (EFM). In addition, Australian composers Diego Baldenweg, Nora Baldenweg and Lionel Baldenweg are attached to The Safe House (La cache), starring the late Michael Blanc, will have its world premier and run in the main competition.
With a strong presence across multiple sections, Australia’s screen industry continues to demonstrate its global appeal and competitiveness. A history of Australian titles at Berlin Film Festival is available here.
The 2025 Berlin International Film Festival runs from February 13-23 2025.
Australian projects at Berlinale 2025:
Fwends
World Premiere, Forum
Excellent Friends & Future Success
Director Sophie Somerville
Writers Sophie Somerville, Emmanuelle Mattana, Melissa Gan
Producers Carter Looker, Sarah Hegge-Taylor, Sophie Somerville
Executive Producers Brendan Donoghue, Amanda Maple-Brown, Adrian Holmes
Cast Emmanuelle Mattana, Melissa Gan
Synopsis Two young women in the world – a reunion weekend in Melbourne. Em’s on a break, Jessie’s always been chill. Dialogue like a babbling brook, sweet, smart, banal to heavy and back again, honest and unafraid of pathos. A generation of happy wounded souls.
Media Contact Gloria Zerbinati - [email protected]
Howl (short film)
World Premiere, Generation 14plus
Wildebeest
Writer/Director Domini Marshall
Producer Josie Baynes
Executive Producers Thomas Wallis, Domini Marshall
Cast Ingrid Torelli, Kristina Bogic, Safe Shahab, Liam Mollica
Synopsis Daisy and Lila are best friends. At a suburban house party, shifting desires and tough choices force them to reconsider their place in the world and what they mean to each other.
Media contact Domini Marshall - [email protected]
Lesbian Space Princess
World Premiere, Panorama
We Made a Thing Studios
Writer/Directors Emma Hough Hobbs, Leela Varghese
Producer Tom Phillips
Executive Producers Ari Harrison, Cam Rogers
Australian Distributor Umbrella Entertainment
International Sales Blue Finch
Synopsis An introverted space princess is forced to leave her home planet on an inter-gay-lactic mission to save her ex-girlfriend from the Straight White Maliens.
Media contact International: Organic PR - [email protected]
Australia: Umbrella - [email protected]
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
World Premiere, Berlinale Special Gala
Curio Pictures
Director Justin Kurzel
Writer Shaun Grant
Producer Alexandra Taussig
Executive Producers Jo Porter, Rachel Gardner, Shaun Grant, Justin Kurzel, Richard Flanagan
Cast Jacob Elordi, Ciarán Hinds, Odessa Young, Olivia DeJonge, Simon Baker
International Sales Sony
Synopsis A celebrated World War II hero is haunted by his experiences in a Japanese prisoner of war camp and memories of an affair that took place just before the war in this adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s Booker Prize-winning novel.
Media contact Tracey Mair - [email protected]
Ornmol
International Premiere, Generation Kplus
Regen Studios
Writer/Director Marlikka Perdrisat
Producers Marlikka Perdrisat, Anna Kaplan, Jayde Harding
Executive Producer Damon Gameau
Synopsis Kupungarri in northwestern Australia is one of the most natural places left in the world. The small community strengthens its young people through a close connection with Country. Excitement grows as they prepare for the biggest event of the year, the Mowanjum Festival.
Media contact Marlikka Perdrisat - [email protected]