In short: Key takeaways
- Sydney Film Festival (June) and Melbourne International Film Festival / MIFF (August) anchor the winter prestige calendar.
- Adelaide Film Festival (October), Brisbane International Film Festival, and Perth Festival Lotterywest Films (Summer) bring world premieres across the country.
- Palace Cinemas runs year-round national cultural festivals (Italian, French, Spanish, German, Scandinavian, Japanese, and British Film Festivals).
- Use Shared Lists and Group Decisions on moviemates.social to coordinate multipack sessions with your festival mates.
| Months | Major Festivals | Cities |
|---|---|---|
| Nov to Mar | Perth Festival (Somerville) + French & Italian Film Festivals | Perth + National (Palace) |
| May to Jun | Sydney Film Festival (SFF) + Spanish & German Film Festivals | Sydney (State Theatre, Dendy, Hayden Orpheum, Ritz) + National |
| Aug | Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) | Melbourne (Astor, Kino, Nova, Forum, Capitol, IMAX) |
| Oct to Nov | Adelaide Film Festival, Brisbane Int’l Film Festival, Japanese & British Festivals | Adelaide, Brisbane + National |
Replacing the messy festival spreadsheet with a Shared List
Every August during MIFF or June during SFF, film mates try to coordinate 10-film multipacks across six different venues. Creating a "Festival Shortlist" Shared List on moviemates.social and running a quick Group Decision makes locking in shared sessions effortless.
Because moviemates.social is built in Melbourne for people who watch films with their mates, every tool in the app is wired to turn solo browsing into a shared experience with zero ads and zero subscription paywalls.
Scoring festival discoveries before anyone else
Rate your festival screenings craft by craft out of 100 right as you walk out of the State Theatre or The Capitol so when the film gets its wide release four months later, your review is already waiting for your Squad.
Once the credits roll, slide the relevant crafts out of 100, compare your Squad Rating Average (S.R.A), and export a one-tap Share Card for your story or group chat.
Frequently asked questions
How can I coordinate a film festival multipack with friends?
Add the films you are eyeing into a Shared List on moviemates.social, then use Group Decisions to vote on which sessions everyone can attend together.
Can I save my MIFF or Sydney Film Festival tickets in MM Wallet?
Yes. Scan your festival pass or session tickets into MM Wallet to keep a permanent archive of every festival screening you attended.
Is moviemates.social free to use in Australia?
Yes. moviemates.social is completely free on any web browser and via the Android beta app, with no subscription tiers and no advertising.
Bringing the Social Magic back to movies.
Rate films across 10 crafts, settle tonight's pick with Group Decisions, keep every cinema stub in your wallet, and spot cheap Tuesday deals across Australia.