Film Festival showcase returns to Star Cinema

THE Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) Regional showcase returns to the Star Cinema in Eaglehawk over the weekends of Friday 15 to Sunday 17 August and Friday 22 to Sunday 24 August with a jam-packed schedule of local and international titles to be screened.

Opening night on 15 August will feature But Also John Clarke, an intimate portrait of the New Zealand-born comedian, writer, actor and satirist as told by his daughter, Lorin.

Over 103 minutes, the film weaves together personal anecdotes, a rich television archive, tales from international comedy greats and excerpts sourced from more than 200 boxes of his work and letters.

Other highlights include WA director Zoe Pepper’s debut feature film Birthright, showing on Sunday 17 August, and DJ Ahmet (Saturday 23 August), the winner of the Special Jury Award for Creative Vision at Sundance’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition in January.

The showcase closes with The Extraordinary Miss Flower on Sunday 24 August, billed as an “unconventional documentary – part film, part performance art, part fever dream” directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard and narrated by pop star Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

“It’s with great pleasure that we unveil the MIFF Regional program for 2025, set to bring the buzz of this year’s festival essentials through nine cinemas regionally,” said MIFF artistic director Al Cossar.

“Spanning an in-cinema highlights program of international festival blockbusters and new Australian cinema, MIFF Regional takes this year’s must-see cinema far beyond Melbourne, in a festival for all Victorians.”

Adult tickets are $23 apiece while MIFF and Star Cinema members can gain entry for $17.

For further information and to book tickets, visit the Star Cinema website.