Let’s Talk Cinema with…..A Surprise Guest Writer!

One of my favorite things about Awards Daily has been the friends I’ve made in the comments section. I’ve long said that Awards Daily is home, and it’s because of these friendships that this place truly feels that way. Somehow, people from all across the world found themselves on this little island of the internet, discussing, debating, and sharing in a mutual love of cinema and the awards ecosystem. It’s a beautiful gift, and I hope you all feel the same way.

One such friend reached out to me privately and has become a true friend outside of Awards Daily. There are several people in that camp, and I’m grateful for every one of them. However, one of those friends recently had the special opportunity to attend the Sydney Film Festival and graciously accepted my invitation to write about the experience.

So, allow me to introduce our surprise guest writer and my dear friend, Steve Adams! Show him some love in the comments and enjoy his wonderful rundown of the Sydney Film Festival.

As always, be kind, be respectful, and of course… Let’s Talk Cinema!

Sydney Film Festival 2026: A Few Thoughts From the Far Side of the World

I have been attending the Sydney Film Festival since 1998, which means this year was somewhere around my 28th or 29th festival, depending on how kindly we want to count the passing of time.

For me, Sydney has always occupied a really useful and slightly thrilling spot in the film calendar. Obviously, it is not Cannes, Venice, Berlin, or Toronto, and I do not think anyone here would pretend otherwise. It does not have that same global industry weight, nor does it suddenly reset an awards season overnight.

But for those of us on the far side of the world, it matters. Australia can often feel a little out of the loop when it comes to the films that start shaping the awards conversation. By the time some of them reach us properly, everyone else has already seen them, argued about them, and moved on to the next thing.

That is what makes Sydney so valuable. Coming straight after Cannes, it gives Australian audiences one of the first chances to see a lot of those films in a festival setting. We do have other festivals here later in the year, including Melbourne, which I have attended a couple of times and enjoyed, but Sydney has that particular timing advantage for me. It arrives while the Cannes conversation still feels fresh, before the talking points have completely hardened, and before half the internet has decided what we are all supposed to think.

And because I live in Sydney, I feel very lucky to have that access. For a couple of weeks each June, I get the chance to see some of the films that may be part of the awards conversation months later, but without having to wait until they eventually land here in general release.

The festival itself also feels like it is growing in confidence each year. More Cannes titles. More visiting filmmakers. More directors are willing to make the trip all the way down here to introduce their work to an audience that may not shift the global conversation in the way Toronto can, but is passionate, curious, and properly engaged.

There is something lovely about that. Sitting in the 97-year-old State Theatre with an audience of over 2,000 is still the heart of the festival for me, but the whole thing spills out across this large, sprawling city in a way that makes Sydney feel briefly connected to the larger film conversation. For an Australian film lover and awards junkie, that is no small thing.

I am not a critic, and I do not pretend to be one. I am mostly someone who loves film, loves awards season, and has spent far too many years sitting in the dark trying to work out what might still be in the conversation six months from now. So, these are not formal reviews, and certainly not definitive takes. Just some personal thoughts on what I saw at this year’s festival, and where I think a few of these films might sit once the awards machinery really starts turning.

Coward ★★★★★

This was my film of the festival, and I do not think anything came close to shaking it from that position.

Lukas Dhont’s Coward is a beautiful, deeply moving film. It is not trying to reinvent cinema, and I do not mean that as a criticism. Sometimes a film simply takes a story, tells it with feeling and grace, and allows you to fall completely into the characters. That is what happened for me here. I loved every minute of it.

The two lead performances, from Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne, are extraordinary. I completely understand why they shared the acting prize at Cannes. There is a tenderness between them, but also a lived-in quality that stops the film from ever feeling too precious. I found myself utterly invested in them, and in the emotional world the film builds around them.

I also thought the cinematography was particularly impressive. It has a softness and intimacy that really serves the story, without ever feeling overly pretty or distracting. Cinematography is always such a competitive category, so I am not sure it gets a look in, but it is absolutely worth mentioning.

There is also a moment in the film, involving music and collective defiance, that reminded me of that rousing “La Marseillaise” scene in Casablanca. Not in a copycat way, but in the sense that you suddenly feel the whole room, both on screen and in the audience, breathe in at once.

Oscar prospects: Belgium could well submit it for International Feature, and I would love to see it make the cut. Whether it can go further probably depends on distribution, campaign passion, and whether voters respond to the emotional sweep of it. I am not sure it is the sort of film that will show up everywhere, but it is the one I know I will be carrying with me through the season.

The Invite ★★★★½

The Invite was probably the most purely enjoyable film I saw at the festival.

It is sharp, funny and full of energy, which is not always easy to sustain in what is essentially a contained dinner party set up. Olivia Wilde keeps it moving beautifully, but what really makes it work is the cast. It feels like one of those films where four performers all understand the assignment, and each brings a different flavour of chaos, insecurity, and comic timing to the table.

Seth Rogen was the MVP for me, and I know that may sound like an odd awards hill to stand on, but he is terrific here. The whole ensemble is strong, though. Penélope Cruz is wonderfully sharp, and Edward Norton has a moment that really lands. The film works because the chemistry keeps shifting. It is not just one person carrying the comedy. It is the pleasure of watching a group of actors bounce off each other in increasingly uncomfortable ways.

Oscar prospects: I can see the screenplay being a real possibility if the film connects, and it would not shock me if one of the performances was singled out somewhere along the way. More realistically, this feels like the sort of film that could have a healthy run through the comedy side of awards season, particularly if the campaign leans into the ensemble.

Queen at Sea ★★★★½

Queen at Sea is quieter, but it stayed with me.

It is one of those films that does not announce itself loudly, but slowly settles in. The performances are the reason to see it, and the pairing of Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Marshall gives the film its emotional weight. They both have that rare quality of seeming completely lived in, as though the camera has simply arrived in the middle of lives already being carried.

Calder-Marshall is quietly devastating, and I do not think that phrase is overstating it. Courtenay, too, brings such tenderness and fragility to the film. Neither performance feels pushed for effect. They are not big, showy pieces of acting, but they accumulate in a way that becomes very moving.

The film also asks some genuinely tricky questions. If you have ever known or spent time around someone living with dementia, there is a lot here that feels painfully recognisable. It raises complicated issues around care, consent, dignity, and the private lives people still have, even as others begin making decisions around them. That is part of what makes the film feel so quietly upsetting.

Oscar prospects: I am not sure the film is showy enough to break through in a major Oscar way, but I would love to see Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Marshall remembered by critics groups. Their performances are beautifully lived in, and leave a real emotional impact.

La Bola Negra ★★★★½

I am still processing La Bola Negra, but what an experience.

It is hard not to be in awe of what Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo have managed to pull off here. It is a big, technically ambitious film, and it feels like one that people will want to talk through afterwards. I left deeply moved, a little overwhelmed, and with a lot to think about.

There are moments where the filmmaking feels almost operatic in scale, but it never felt empty to me. It is clearly a film with a lot on its mind, and even when I was not entirely sure where it was heading, I was still caught up in the emotional force of it.

Oscar prospects: I can see this being a major International Feature contender if Spain submits it. It has the scope, the ambition, and the Cannes Best Director win behind it. Whether it ends up being too much for some voters, I am not sure. But I would be very surprised if it disappears from the conversation.

Minotaur ★★★★

Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur is beautifully shot, tightly directed, and anchored by a compelling central performance from Dmitriy Mazurov.

It also ended up taking the Sydney Film Prize, awarded by this year’s jury, which was presided over by The Secret Agent director Kleber Mendonça Filho. Given his own recent awards season success, that felt like an interesting endorsement, and another sign that Minotaur may have some staying power beyond Cannes.

While watching, I kept thinking of the great Australian film Lantana, not because the stories are particularly similar, but because both films are interested in what lies beneath the surface of people’s lives and relationships. If you have never seen Lantana, it is well worth seeking out.

Minotaur builds tension patiently and confidently, drawing you into a world where secrets, grief, and human connection feel equally important. It has a seriousness and control that could absolutely appeal to voters if positioned correctly.

Oscar prospects: Given the Cannes Grand Prix and now the Sydney Film Prize, it already has a strong festival stamp. Its International Feature pathway may be a little complicated, but the film itself absolutely deserves to be in the conversation. For all its seriousness and control, I actually found it highly accessible, and that could really help it travel if the submission pieces fall into place.

Fatherland ★★★½

As with Ida and Cold War before it, Paweł Pawlikowski once again benefits from the extraordinary eye of cinematographer Łukasz Żal. The black and white imagery is reason enough to see the film on the biggest screen possible. It is a stunning-looking film, and at a brisk 82 minutes, it has a sharpness and restraint that I appreciated, even if I found myself admiring it more than being completely swept away by it.

The strongest acting impression for me was Sandra Hüller, who gives a subtle, subdued, and quietly engrossing performance. She has one of those faces that seems to hold several different reactions at once, and the film is much more alive whenever she is on screen. Given the range of work she appears to have this year across Fatherland, Rose, Digger, and Project Hail Mary, I would be utterly shocked if she did not show up somewhere this season.

Oscar prospects: Cinematography feels like the clearest possibility, with International Feature depending on submission and overall reception. I could also see Hüller attracting notices from critics groups, even if this particular performance may be a little too understated for a major Oscar push.

Fjord ★★★½

Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord was probably the biggest question mark of the festival for me, especially coming in as the Palme d’Or winner.

It asks interesting questions, and I can understand why a jury might find it timely. It feels current in the way it deals with issues that many societies are wrestling with in one form or another. There is a moral unease running through the film that did stay with me, even if I never fully connected with it emotionally.

I suspect the Palme win itself will be fairly divisive, but maybe that is partly the point. The film does not offer easy answers, and it deals with a situation where certainty is almost impossible. I usually gravitate towards films that avoid neat conclusions, but here I still found it difficult to emotionally invest in anyone. I could see the similarities people might draw to Anatomy of a Fall, but I do not think it pulls off that same balancing act as successfully.

Oscar prospects: The Palme gives it an obvious advantage, but there may be some eligibility questions for International Feature, given how much English is in the film. If it qualifies, it will certainly be discussed. Screenplay feels possible, and Director is not out of the question. As for the performances, I currently have both Renata Reinsve and Sebastian Stan hovering around fourth or fifth place in their respective categories. They could move up or down depending on what else comes along, but both feel very much on the cusp for me.

Beyond those titles, I also managed to catch the following films at SFF and while I found things to appreciate in each of them, I suspect their impact will be felt more on the festival circuit than in this year’s Oscar conversation:

Gentle Monster ★★★

The Man I Love ★★

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma ★★

The Birthday Party ★

What keeps bringing me back to Sydney Film Festival every year is simple: it gives me the chance to see films early, discover work I may never otherwise come across, and occasionally enjoy the small satisfaction of calling something early and following it through the season

As I have said in the comments many times before, the films that move me in some way are usually the ones that leave the most lasting impact. Sometimes that is the emotional weight of something like Coward, Queen at Sea, or La Bola Negra. Sometimes it is the sheer pleasure and laughter I had with The Invite. Sometimes it is being left with the kind of difficult, unresolved questions that Fjord puts on the table. They will not all work for everyone in the same way, and they are not meant to.

These are only my reactions, of course. I am not a film reviewer, and I am certainly not always the most sensible predictor. I tend to follow my heart a little too often, which can make awards season both exciting and mildly humiliating.

But that is part of the fun. Sydney gave me a handful of films this year that moved me, challenged me, surprised me, or simply reminded me how good it feels to sit in a packed cinema and respond to something in real time. We will see where the season takes them, but for now, that feels like more than enough.

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By: Jeremy Jentzen
Title: Let’s Talk Cinema with…..A Surprise Guest Writer!
Sourced From: www.awardsdaily.com/2026/06/17/lets-talk-cinema-with-a-surprise-guest-writer/
Published Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2026 03:50:21 +0000