Down Under Berlin film festival 2018

Back in Berlin for the 2018 edition, the 8th Down Under Berlin (19-23 September) presents the latest trends and developments in film from Australia and New Zealand.

The program for Down Under Berlin 2018 is unveiled, and we could not be more proud to present you with the films chosen for this year’s edition with the motto "Landscapes of Us": a selection of films curated to pay homage to Australia’s and New Zealand’s haunting and beautiful cinematic landscapes, as well as exploring and celebrating the inner landscapes of the stories they represent. This year’s films will take you on a long journey through the personal, political, social, historical and emotional spaces and places from Down Under. Fasten your seatbelts: it’s going to be a wild and fantastic ride.

Our 2018 edition is also decidedly political and includes many bold, thought-provoking stories. With 50% of the films in this program being directed by female directors, women are taking the spotlight with highlights such as Waru, a New Zealand feature film directed by eight Maori female filmmakers, or Terror Nullius, born out of the minds of the female art-collective Soda_Jerk.

Indigenous and LGBTIQ cinemas also find their place in the program with a strong line-up: the critically acclaimed Sweet Country, by director Warwick Thornton, will open the festival with a bang, whereas the fascinating documentary Black Divaz celebrates the Aboriginal drag scene while drawing attention to the struggles and courage of Australia’s Indigenous LGBTIQ community.

Whatever your tastes or motivations in attending our screenings, the landscapes of Down Under Berlin 2018 will entertain and challenge you, and show you what Australia and New Zealand lay out on their sleeves: their hearts, as indomitable as the stories they seek to tell.

Image: Black Divaz