by FilmInk Staff
First Films is a film festival dedicated to introducing Sydney audiences to daring debut works from emerging directors. Celebrating its third edition with three Australian premieres, one Sydney premiere and two retrospective picks, First Films will take place from 5 – 8 December 2024 at Golden Age Cinema and Bar in Surry Hills, Sydney. Programmed by film curator Paul Struthers (Tribeca, Adelaide Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival), and Jess Ellicott (Golden Age Cinema, Sydney Opera House), First Films aims to challenge, inspire and entertain.
Go Fish (1994) – 30th Anniversary presented with Queer Screen
Thursday 5 December, 6:00pm – BOOK NOW
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Rose Troche’s Go Fish returns in a gorgeous new 4K restoration, a fitting tribute to one of queer cinema’s defining works. This groundbreaking 1994 debut feature offers an intimate portrait of Chicago’s lesbian community, where the prickly Max (queer icon Guinevere Turner) and the earnest Eli (V.S. Brody) navigate love and identity.
Mysterious Object at Noon (2000)
– presented with Antenna Documentary Film Festival
Saturday 7 December, 3:00pm – BOOK NOW
With Mysterious Object at Noon, Apichatpong Weerasethakul made an audacious debut, blending documentary and surrealism into an uncategorisable vision. Shot in 16mm black and white over two years, the film invites local participants to weave an ever-evolving narrative in the tradition of the exquisite corpse game.
All, Or Nothing at All (2023) – Australian Premiere
Saturday 7 December, 5:00pm – BOOK NOW
Official Selection: Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, New Directors/New Films
All, Or Nothing at All is a stunning debut from director Jiajun “Oscar” Zhang, set in Shanghai’s vast Global Harbor mall, where loneliness and love intertwine. Drawing comparisons to early Wong Kar Wai, this two pronged exploration of love follows a diverse group of mall dwellers—workers, wanderers, and dreamers—all searching for connection in a modern world.
Mountains (2023) – Australian Premiere
co-presented by Africa Film Fest Australia
Saturday 7 December, 7:45pm – BOOK NOW
Winner: Someone to Watch Award – Independent Spirit Awards
Nominee: Best Breakthrough Performance – Independent Spirit Awards
Director Monica Sorelle’s Mountains is a gripping, heartfelt drama poignantly capturing the struggles of balancing personal ambition with familial duty. Xavier, a Haitian construction worker, is dedicated to buying his seamstress wife a new home, but with rising housing prices and his son’s desire to pursue stand-up comedy, Xavier’s loyalty to his family and community is tested.
The Hidden Spring (2024) – Sydney Premiere + Q&A with Jason di Rosso
Saturday 8 December, 3:30pm – BOOK NOW
Official Selection: Melbourne International Film Festival
In his poignant documentary debut The Hidden Spring, writer-director Jason Di Rosso—best known as the host of ABC Radio National’s The Screen Show—bridges a 4,000-kilometre divide between Perth and Sydney, where his father, nearing death, seeks to heal his terminal illness through alternative spirituality.
Seeking Mavis Beacon (2024) – Australian Premiere
co-presented by Africa Film Fest Australia
Sunday 8 December, 5:30pm – BOOK NOW
Winner: Golden Gate Award for Best Bay Area Documentary – San Francisco International Film Festival
Premiering at Sundance, Seeking Mavis Beacon is a captivating, genre-bending debut from Jazmin Renée Jones. Two DIY sleuths look into the iconic Haitian-born model who graced the cover of the ’80s educational software Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, delving into deeper questions of digital identity, AI, and the representation of Black people in technology.
