by FIlmInk Staff
Viral sensation Black As, North Melbourne AFL player Jy Simpkin and some of Australia’s most exciting First Peoples’ filmmakers will take centre stage at the 2026 St Kilda Film Festival First Peoples Program, presented by CitiPower. Running from 4–14 June, the program features award-winning films, filmmaker talks and industry events celebrating the depth, diversity and cultural power of First Peoples storytelling from across Australia. Highlights include a special event with Black As creator David Batty, the final festival screening of award-winning short Faceless, and Jy Simpkin’s debut in Bush Boots.
The program spans viral online storytelling, award-winning cinema, deeply personal documentaries and genre filmmaking. It reflects the breadth of contemporary First Peoples voices on screen, with stories exploring identity, language revival, grief, family, friendship and connection to Country. All First Peoples films are in the running for the festival’s Best Achievement in Indigenous Filmmaking Award. The winner receives a $1,500 cash prize, sponsored by CitiPower.
Highlights include a special 90-minute screening and conversation event with Black As creator David Batty, whose groundbreaking Yolngu-language series attracted more than 200 million views online, alongside a major panel examining authentic co-authorship and cross-cultural filmmaking in Australia. The program also features North Melbourne AFL player Jy Simpkin’s screen debut in Bush Boots, award-winning short Faceless, and powerful works including Bringing His Spirit Home and The Secret.
First Peoples Program Lead Fred Gesha said “We’re proud to present a First Peoples program that reflects the depth and richness of First Peoples storytelling across Australia. These are stories that deserve to be seen on the big screen, and St Kilda Film Festival is thrilled to be able to make that happen.”
St Kilda Film Festival runs from 4–14 June. Audiences can experience screenings, filmmaker talks and special events celebrating the depth and diversity of First Peoples storytelling across Australia. Tickets and more information about the First Peoples Program are available at: stkildafilmfestival.com.au
Session Highlights
First Peoples Showcase: Black As
Sunday 7 June, 2:30 PM, St Kilda Town Hall
Join acclaimed filmmaker David Batty for a special 90-minute screening and talk event. Batty’s filmmaking career spans more than 45 years across Central Australia, the Kimberley and Arnhem Land, including the beloved series Bush Mechanics. His series Black As attracted more than 200 million views across digital platforms. Performed entirely in local Yolngu language, it was created in genuine collaboration with the community of Ramingining in Arnhem Land. Through clips and behind-the-scenes stories, Batty will discuss the realities of filmmaking in remote Australia and his long involvement fostering and mentoring Aboriginal people in media.
Co-Authorship and Cross-Cultural Filmmaking Panel
Saturday 6 June, 12:30–1:45 PM, JMC Academy, 208 Park St, South Melbourne (Free)
Part of The Big Picture, SKFF’s free filmmaker development day presented by JMC Academy.
Facilitated by Tasha James, this panel brings together First Peoples and settler-descended filmmakers to examine what authentic co-authorship looks like in practice. Panellists include Fraser Pemberton and William Jaka (Faceless), Eamon Wyss and Uncle Ron Murray (Eagle Eye), and David Batty.
Short Film Highlights
Bush Boots — Documentary Showcase – Part 1
Sunday 7 June, 12:30 PM, St Kilda Town Hall
Directed by Kynan Clarke and Isabel Dilena. Set in Mooroopna, Bush Boots celebrates Indigenous footy kids and the community role models guiding them, on and off the field. The film stars North Melbourne AFL footballer Jy Simpkin alongside Gary Cooper, Vanessa Sleeth and the kids of Mooroopna.
Faceless — Australian Voices
Saturday 7 June, 8:30 PM, St Kilda Town Hall
Directed by Fraser Pemberton and William Jaka. An award-winning First Peoples film, Faceless follows an Indigenous man navigating three parallel lives along the Birrarung-Ga in Naarm. Moving between life on the margins, the arts and the corporate world, the film offers a powerful exploration of identity, belonging and what it means to exist within contemporary Australia.
Boodjara — Documentary Showcase Pt 2
Sunday 14 June, 12:30 PM, St Kilda Town Hall
Directed by Hugh Sando. A group of Noongar people from South Western Australia embark on a journey to revive their endangered language, reclaim ancestral placenames, and reconnect with stories embedded in Boodja (Country). Set against the backdrop of Australia’s 2023 Voice referendum.
Bringing His Spirit Home — Documentary Showcase – Part 1
Sunday 7 June, 12:30 PM, St Kilda Town Hall
Directed by Dylan Nicholls. Peter’s great-uncle, an Aboriginal WWI soldier, is buried far from his family and traditional lands. Believing his ancestor’s spirit cannot rest until he returns home, Peter travels to France to perform a traditional ceremony at the grave.
The Fix-It-Man and the Fix-It-Wooman — Opening Night and Animation Showcase
Thursday 4 June, 7:30 PM, Palais Theatre
Saturday 13 June, 12:30 PM, St Kilda Town Hall
Directed by Nelson Armstrong and Cornelius Ebatarinja. In the bright lights of Alice Springs, two sculptures attempt to impress one another through dance. When an accident brings them together, they discover a shared talent for fixing things.
The Secret — Sharp Focus and Brave New Worlds – Part 1
Saturday 7 June, 6:30 PM, St Kilda Town Hall
Wednesday 10 June, 8:30pm, St Kilda Town Hall
Directed by Lilla Berry. A young woman grapples with the weight of her choice as she endures an abortion at home. An intimate film that looks to give voice to those who feel they cannot speak up.
See-Saw — The Edge of Seventeen
Sunday 8 June, 4:30 PM, St Kilda Town Hall
Directed by Nazareth Alfred. After a year of multiple deaths and family visits to the hospital, all Jade wants is to go to the Gold Coast and celebrate the last week of high school with her friends.
Feral — Brave New Worlds Pt 2
Saturday 13 June, 6:30 PM, St Kilda Town Hall
Directed by Jordan Watton. At a desolate pine plantation, a young drifter’s deceitful ways disrupt his hardened coworkers. As tensions rise, a troubling pattern of similar misdeeds from his past begins to surface.
St Kilda Film Festival runs from 4–14 June, with screenings, filmmaker talks and special events taking place across St Kilda Town Hall, the Palais Theatre, Astor Theatre and JMC Academy.
For full program details and bookings, visit: stkildafilmfestival.com.au
