FULL PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT LIVE EVENT SET FOR NOV 11-14. VIRTUAL FEST TO LAUNCH NOV 4-25

Australia’s BIGGEST EVER celebration of science-fiction/fantasy cinema goes hybrid in 2021, with both virtual and physical incarnations of the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival (SSFFF) set to soar in November.

The result is a two-tiered film festival experience unlike anything Australian genre fans have ever seen. 

(Pictured; Marta Gastini in Vera De Verdad)

“It has required nerves of steel to bring these two festivals to fruition,” says Festival Director Simon Foster who, with committee members Travis Johnson, Fiona Williams, Crystal Pettit and Virat Nehru and venue partner Actors Centre Australia, decided to hold firm on the event’s commitment to be last-man-standing amongst the Sydney genre festivals in 2021. “This program represents 11 months work, sourcing films from all corners of the globe, and persevering when we didn’t even know if we would be able to stage a public event in 2021.” The result is a two-tiered film festival experience unlike anything Australian genre fans have ever seen. 

The 2021 festival will open with the Australian Premiere of the Sundance hit, The Blazing World

(Picture, left; Writer/director Carlson Young as ‘Margaret’ in The Blazing World)

From November 4-25, The SSFFF Virtual Festival Experience, in partnership with the US streaming platform XERB, will beam into Australian homes a massive line-up that promises science-fiction lovers: 

- 19 feature films, including 10 EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE online;
- 78 short films in total, including 53 EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE online;
- FREE SCREENING of Riker Lynch’s mini-feature Aliens on Halloween available from October 10-November 4;
- Budget-priced sessions x 3, at $7.50/session;
- Virtual Ticket Packages x 4, providing $6.50, $8.00, $10.50, $12.50 price-points.

TICKETS for The SSFFF VIRTUAL FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE are AVAILABLE here.

Virtual Premieres (NOT screening at the live event) include Zhang Chi’s blistering, Matrix-style action-thriller, ANNULAR ECLIPSE, direct from its World Premiere at Busan International Film Festival; the heartbreaking fantasy/drama MOON HEART, from Peruvian auteur Aldo Salvini; US indie RIVER, the feature directing debut of actress Emily M. Skye; and, Will Stuit’s THE HIGH FRONTIER: THE UNTOLD STORY OF GERALD K. O'NEILL, a rousing documentary recalling the lasting impact of one of space travel’s unsung heroes.

IMPORTANT: To protect the integrity of the live event on November 11, films screening at the Actors Centre Australia WILL NOT be available to NSW online audiences prior to November 15.  

The SSFFF Virtual Festival Experience will include 19 feature films, including 10 VIRTUAL EXCLUSVES

(Pictured, right: Mary Cameron Rodgers in RIVER, from director Emily Skye)

From November 11-14, The Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival returns to the Actors Centre Australia in Leichhardt for its second annual live event, which allows Sydneysiders to re-experience in-cinema thrills with a line-up that includes:

- 10 feature films, including 8 Australian Premieres;
- 23 short films, including 3 World Premieres;
- works from 22 countries.

TICKETS for The SYDNEY SCIENCE FICTION FILM FESTIVAL are AVAILABLE here.

The Opening Night film is the Australian Premiere of Carlson Young’s debut feature, THE BLAZING WORLD, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and comes direct from its October 15 US theatrical premiere. A fantastical journey into an ‘Alice in Wonderland’-like netherworld filled with dark secrets and vivid imagery, this cult-film-in-the-making has been compared with Donnie Darko, Mandy and Pan’s Labyrinth and stars Dermot Mulroney, Vinessa Shaw and an unhinged Udo Kier, opposite the director in the lead role.

On Saturday November 13, a ‘By Popular Demand’ session of the blockbuster Australian action sequel WYRMWOOD: APOCALYPSE will screen. “Despite the film having played at the Sydney Film Festival prior to our session, we thought it deserved to be seen by more of the fans that made the first film a cult sensation,” said Simon Foster, Festival Director. Director Kiah Roache-Turner and cast and crew will attend to meet and greet and fans to this cosplay-encouraged event.

Also in the line-up are Kelsey Egan’s chilling pandemic-themed drama GLASSHOUSE and as well as previously-announced titles VERA DE VERDAD, the Chilean/Italian co-production from director Beniamino Catena; Gerald Rasionato’s dinosaur comedy/thriller CLAW; and, closing the physical festival, Samuel Gay’s Brisbane-shot fantasy/rom-com A GUIDE TO DATING AT THE END OF THE WORLD. 

Last year’s most popular session, the Australian Short Film Showcase, will return with eight films that indicate the local film sector has sights set on a genre film agenda going forward. Amongst the line-up are Andrew Jaksch’s international festival hit TODAY; Georgina Jenkin’s moving drama THE GIRL ON THE MOON; and, Christopher Mitchell’s sentient android story, MARY’S ROOM.