One of the most talked about films of the year will open the 2025 Sydney Film Festival.
This week, organisers confirmed that the 72nd edition of the festival will open with the Australian premiere of new horror film, Together, starring Hollywood heavyweights Dave Franco and Alison Brie.
The film, written and directed by local filmmaker, Michael Shanks, first premiered earlier this year at Sundance to rave reviews.
“Having Together open Sydney Film Festival is a huge honour,” Shanks said.
“Despite our US leads, this is an Australian film through and through and I’m so proud to showcase what amazing crew and cast we have in our local industry. I got altitude sickness in Utah when the film premiered in Sundance, and thankfully that’s far less likely to happen when it premieres in Sydney.”
Together follows “Millie [Brie] and Tim [Franco], who relocate to the country in search of a quieter life. While Millie adjusts with ease, Tim finds the transition harder – and begins to lean heavily on her support. A series of strange events, an unnervingly friendly neighbour [played by Damon Herriman], and a supernatural encounter in a nearby cave send the couple on a ride that will bring them closer ‘together’ than ever.”
Together will premiere at Sydney’s State Theatre on Wednesday, June 4th.
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“We are thrilled to open the 2025 Festival with Together, a fiercely original work that showcases the creative ambition of a new voice in Australian cinema,” said Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley.
“Michael Shanks has crafted a bold and inventive debut that shifts seamlessly between tones, anchored by fully committed performances from Alison Brie and Dave Franco.”
Other films confirmed for this year’s festival include two music-focused documentaries: One to One: John & Yoko and Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao e Rua – Two Worlds.
One to One: John & Yoko is Oscar-winner Kevin Macdonald’s new film built around John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s historic 1972 Madison Square Garden benefit concert.
Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao e Rua – Two Worlds offers a portrait of the beloved Aotearoa musician as he reconnects with his roots and records his first album in te reo Māori.
The 72nd Sydney Film Festival runs from June 4th to 15th. Flexipasses and subscriptions are on sale now at sff.org.au. The full 2025 program will be announced on May 7th, when individual film session tickets go on sale.
