Revelation Film Festival’s pick of the flicks for 2026
Revelation Perth International Film Festival is set to return in 2026, screening at Luna Leederville, The Backlot, SAE Perth, Tribe Perth Kings Park, and the State Library of Western Australia from Wednesday, July 8, to Sunday, July 19, with tickets on sale now. Comprising over 150 features and short films, this year’s program showcases poignant new documentaries, stories of social justice, high-end arthouse and champions the local screen sector. With the festival kicking off its opening night next month, Festival Program Director Jack Sargeant picked the films he’s most excited about in 2026.
“It’s always hard to choose my top films from the festival and these lists are always fluid,” Sargeant said. “With that in mind, and in no particular order, here are my top picks for Revelation 2026…”
Bulk – “A wild and mind-expanding science fiction movie that I enjoyed, just imagination and a sense of the possibilities of cinema.”
Mockbuster – “A fascinating documentary on no-budget filmmaking that is inspiring, funny and illuminating. If you’re interested in the production of films like Sharknado, this is for you. It follows the production of The Land That Time Forgot, and we’re screening them as a double bill.”
Hex – “A documentary about an all-woman black metal band. We love our music documentaries and have several this year; there are some real treats there.”
Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders – “A documentary on the gay leather scene in New York in the seventies, a murder, and the production of the film Cruising, this is one of a number of LGBTQI+ films this year in an incredibly strong program, including Dean Francis’s Body Blow.”
Nova 78 – “A live and backstage documentary with archive footage of William Burroughs, Patti Smith, Frank Zappa, Laurie Anderson, John Giorno, John Cage, Philip Glass… at the Nova conference in New York. Essential.”
Rosebush Pruning – “The kind of feature drama I really enjoy. It reminded me of Dogtooth in a way, that focus on middle-class life slowly falling apart.”
Penny Lane is Dead – “This is such a great horror thriller, plus a testimony to homegrown talent.”
Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant – “I’m always a fan of body horror. This New Zealand body horror-cum-comedy balances all the elements pretty much perfectly.”
Trasharama-agogo – “We’ve never had Dick Dale as a guest, and he’s such an important figure in Australian no-budget and home-produced cult cinema, so having his Trasharama-agogo session in town will be a real joy.”
Revelation Perth International Film Festival 2026 is screening at Luna Leederville, The Backlot, SAE Perth, Tribe Perth Kings Park, and the State Library of Western Australia from Wednesday, July 8, to Sunday, July 19. The full program is online at revelationfilmfest.org