Revelation Film Festival reveals 2025 program

Revelation Perth International Film Festival is back in 2025, screening at Luna Leederville, Luna on SX, and The Backlot from Wednesday, July 2 to Sunday, July 13.

From outrageous animation and genre-defining horror to poetic coming-of-age tales and restored cinematic landmarks, today’s program announcement includes 45 features and documentaries and more than 100 short films, as Rev lives up to its reputation as one of the most daring and diverse film festivals down under.

“As usual, we’ve gone all the way in bringing the very best new and classic international cinema to WA audiences,” said Festival Director Richard Sowada. “This year’s program features everything from sweaty punk realism and psychedelic cult journeys to iconic restorations to animations exploding with colour and power and some of the most acclaimed films direct from the international festival scene. It’s a global conversation, told through the language of film.”

A standout in this year’s feature line-up, Eddington is a contemporary Western black comedy from director Ari Aster. Set in the fictional town of Eddington, New Mexico, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the film delves into themes of political polarisation, misinformation, and societal unrest and stars Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone and Austin Butler.

Another poignant highlight of this year’s program, Mr Burton is a British biological drama delving into the formative years of Welsh actor Richard Burton, starring Harry Lawtey and Toby Jones.

The directorial debut of Ariane Labed, known for her roles in The Lobster and The Souvenir: Part II, and adapted from Daisy Johnson’s novel Sisters, September Says, delves into the complex and unsettling bond between two sisters grappling with isolation and psychological tension; the narrative unfolds with surreal and gothic undertones that have drawn comparisons to the works of Shirley Jackson and Stephen King.

Other feature films include the science fiction comedy U Are the Universe, which tells the story of Andriy Melnyk, a space trucker who becomes the last human in the universe after Earth’s unexpected explosion.

The Norwegian animated musical comedy Spermageddon follows two sperm, Simen and Cumilla, on their journey to fertilise an egg. The film is an audacious exploration of sexual consent, safe sex practices and reproductive rights.

Directed by Joshua Oppenheimer, post-apocalyptic musical drama The End is set in an underground bunker two decades after the world’s end and follows a wealthy family whose daily life is disrupted by the mysterious appearance of a young woman.

The Last First Time is a coming-of-age film about an 18-year-old from a small town in Mexico experiencing love and self-discovery during a trip to Guadalajara, which offers a candid portrayal of queer desire and the complexities of identity.

The program also features the genre-bending Transcending Dimensions from director Toyoda Toshiaki; the sharp and irreverent ‘movie about making a movie,’ Micro Budget; the US horror film Pater Noster and the Mission of Light, which follows a young record store clerk drawn into the world of a 1970s hippie commune; the visually striking and emotionally charged Scarlet Blue; the Aussie indie-punk film from director Richard Eames, Skeleton Girls. A Kidnapped Society, and more.

This year, Rev also marks the 40th anniversary of award-winning Fran, starring Noni Hazlehurst as the titular heroine, and brings the 1988 feature film, Shame, starring Deborra-Lee Furness, back to the big screen. The festival also honours Wim Wenders’ 80th birthday, presenting two of the German auteur’s most influential works, Alice in the Cities (1974) and The American Friend (1977), on the big screen.

Rev also presents a compelling documentary program, rich with diverse voices and poignant themes exploring the many facets of our world—past, present, and speculative.

Leading the charge is Abebe: Butterfly Song, a musical and cultural odyssey that follows artist David Bridie as he uncovers the origins of a song that changed his life. This spirit of discovery is mirrored in Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story, which offers a vivid portrait of the legendary Irish writer, tracing her battles with censorship, her groundbreaking feminist work, and her enduring literary legacy.

Similarly concerned with influence and impact, Eno is a filmic experiment as unpredictable and inventive as its subject, Brian Eno. Each screening of the film is unique—an ever-changing documentary designed to evolve, just like the artist at its centre.

Music fans can also look forward to Marlon Williams: Two Worlds – Nga Ao E Rua, which follows the celebrated musician as he reconnects with his Māori heritage and navigates the pull of two cultural identities.

Additionally, Pauline Black: A 2-Tone Story chronicles the remarkable life of the trailblazing singer and actress, placing her at the heart of a vibrant and politically charged cultural movement.

Urban life, rhythm and memory coalesce in Pavements, a film that captures the poetry of the city through the minutiae of everyday street life, and Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me tells the legend of one of the greatest blues singers ever, Alabama-born Willie Mae—famous for the original Hound Dog and her song Ball & Chain.

Short films remain central to Rev’s program, and in 2025 the festival presents its most expansive selection to date, with over 100 short works (including close to 40 from Australian filmmakers) screening across thematic showcases and as companions to feature presentations.

For those seeking the avant-garde, the Experimental showcase pushes form and convention to their limits, featuring works that challenge how we perceive image, sound, and narrative. The Horror and Sci-Fi line-ups plunge into the realms of fear and imagination, delivering everything from tight psychological thrillers to cosmic journeys through space and time. Meanwhile, Short Docs offer powerful real-world snapshots—personal, political, and often poetic.

Revelation continues to platform local stories in 2025, with Western Australian content threaded throughout the program and spotlighted in signature events like Westralia Day, Get Your Shorts On!, and the City of Vincent Film Project. First Nations voices will also take centre stage in a dedicated First Nations showcase—honouring storytelling traditions and contemporary experiences through a wide array of compelling lenses.

Additionally, Wimmin’s Work is a new collection of audio, audio-visual, and photographic stories documenting Western Australian women by early-career and re-emerging female creatives. Families and animation lovers can look forward to the return of the International Family Animation Explosion, a vibrant collection of animated shorts from around the globe designed to delight audiences of all ages with whimsy, colour, and unexpected emotional depth.

Revelation Perth International Film Festival 2025 is screening at Luna Leederville, Luna on SX, and The Backlot from Wednesday, July 2 to Sunday, July 13, 2025. The full program is online at www.revelationfilmfest.org