SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL 2025 - FIFTY-THREE FILMS RANKED AND RATED FROM BEST TO SO-SO

Festival Reviews

SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL 2025
FIFTY-THREE FILMS RANKED AND RATED FROM EXCELLENT TO SO-SO

The Sydney Film Festival 2025 took place from June 5-16, coinciding with the King's Birthday long weekend as it marks the start of winter.

http://www.sff.org.au

During the eleven-day event, I had the opportunity to watch 53 films from a selection of over 200. The lineup featured a diverse range of genres, including drama, horror, comedy, and various documentaries. Notably, many of these films were award winners from prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, SXSW, and Sundance.

I am presenting these films in categories based on the following ratings:
– Excellent / Highly Recommended (93% – 100%)
– Very Good / Recommended (86% – 92%)
– Good (78% – 85%)
– OK (65% – 77%)
– So-So (50% – 64%)

My ratings and rankings of these films are determined by the following criteria:
– Story (40%)
– Performances (30%)
– Style and Originality (15%)
– Production Values (15%)

Check out these recommendations.

EXCELLENT / HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (93%-100%)

THE BLUE TRAIL (Rating: 97%)
Drama
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 29/30%)(Style & Originality 15/15%)(Production Values 15/15%)

IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT (Rating: 95%)
Drama
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 29/30%)(Style & Originality 15/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

AGATHA’S ALMANAC (Rating: 95%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 29/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 14/15%)

DJ AHMET (Rating: 95%)
Romantic Drama
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 29/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 14/15%)

SORRY, BABY (Rating: 94%)
Drama Comedy
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 28/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 14/15%)

THE MASTERMIND (Rating: 94%)
Suspense Thriller
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 28/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 14/15%)

PREDATORS (Rating: 93%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 28/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

SIRAT (Rating: 93%)
Drama Suspense
(Story 37/40%)(Performances 27/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 15/15%)

THE PERFECT NEIGHBOUR (Rating: 93%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 28/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

SENTIMENTAL VALUE (Rating: 93%)
Drama
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 29/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 15/15%)

VERY GOOD / RECOMMENDED (86%-92%)

THE GOLDEN SPURTLE (Rating: 91%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 28/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING (Rating: 90%)
Thriller Horror
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 28/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

THE SECRET AGENT (Rating: 90%)
Drama Thriller
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 15/15%)

THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE (Rating: 89%)
Drama Coming-of-Age
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 27/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

REDUX REDUX (Rating: 89%)
SciFi Suspense Thriller
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 27/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

ENZO (Rating: 88%)
Romantic Drama
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

EIGHTY PLUS (Rating: 88%)
Experimental Drama
(Story 35/40%)(Performances 27/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

LATE SHIFT (Rating: 88%)
Drama Suspense
(Story 35/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 14/15%)

MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN (Rating: 87%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)

ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU (Rating: 87%)
Epic Drama
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

ANDRE IS AN IDIOT (Rating: 86%)
Performative Documentary
(Story 35/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)

ORWELL: 2+2=5 (Rating: 86%)
Expository Documentary
(Story 35/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

MY FATHER’S SHADOW (Rating: 86%)
Drama Suspense
(Story 35/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 14/15%)

TWO PROSECUTORS (Rating: 86%)
Drama
(Story 34/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

GOOD (78%-85%)

TOGETHER (Rating: 85%)
Romantic Drama Horror
(Story 34/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

LURKER (Rating: 85%)
Drama Suspense
(Story 34/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

MAKE IT LOOK REAL (Rating: 84%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 34/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)

THE HEART IS A MUSCLE (Rating: 83%)
Drama Suspense
(Story 35/40%)(Performances 24/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)

DREAMS (Rating: 83%)
Romantic Drama
(Story 33/40%)(Performances 23/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

THE LOVE THAT REMAINS (Rating: 83%)
Drama
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

SPIRIT WORLD (Rating: 82%)
Drama Supernatural
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 11/15%)

ALWAYS (Rating: 81%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 11/15%)

HOW TO BUILD A LIBRARY (Rating: 81%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)

THE WOLVES ALWAYS COME AT NIGHT (Rating: 81%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)

VIDEOHEAVEN (Rating: 81%)
Expositional Documentary
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 11/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

BLUE MOON (Rating: 81%)
Romantic Comedy
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 24/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)

IT ENDS (Rating: 80%)
Horror Supernatural
(Story 30/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

DEAF (Rating: 79%)
Drama
(Story 30/40%)(Performances 24/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

MISTRESS DISPELLER (Rating: 78%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 24/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 10/15%)

OK (65%-77%)

THE LIFE OF CHUCK (Rating: 77%)
Drama
(Story 31/40%)(Performances 23/30%)(Style & Originality 10/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

DEATH OF AN UNDERTAKER (Rating: 76%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 30/40%)(Performances 24/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 10/15%)

FARMING THE REVOLUTION (Rating: 74%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 30/40%)(Performances 22/30%)(Style & Originality 11/15%)(Production Values 11/15%)

ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL (Rating: 73%)
Drama Suspense
(Story 28/40%)(Performances 23/30%)(Style & Originality 10/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)

ROMERLA (Rating: 72%)
Drama
(Story 30/40%)(Performances 22/30%)(Style & Originality 10/15%)(Production Values 10/15%)

THE MOTHER AND THE BEAR (Rating: 71%)
Romantic Comedy
(Story 30/40%)(Performances 20/30%)(Style & Originality 11/15%)(Production Values 10/15%)

EDDINGTON (Rating: 71%)
Experimental Drama
(Story 25/40%)(Performances 23/30%)(Style & Originality 10/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

WENT UP THE HILL (Rating: 67%)
Drama Supernatural
(Story 20/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 9/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

SO-SO (50%-64%)

VIE PRIVEE (Rating: 64%)
Drama Thriller
(Story 20/40%)(Performances 22/30%)(Style & Originality 9/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)

MIRRORS NO. 3 (Rating: 63%)
Drama Mystery
(Story 20/40%)(Performances 22/30%)(Style & Originality 9/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)

DEEPER (Rating: 59%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 20/40%)(Performances 20/30%)(Style & Originality 8/15%)(Production Values 11/15%)

MAGELLAN (Rating: 58%)
Epic Drama
(Story 22/40%)(Performances 15/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 8/15%)

HAPPYEND (Rating: 56%)
Drama SciFi
(Story 20/40%)(Performances 20/30%)(Style & Originality 8/15%)(Production Values 8/15%)

ANCESTRAL VISIONS OF THE FUTURE (Rating: 51%)
Poetic Documentary
(Story 20/40%)(Performances 15/30%)(Style & Originality 8/15%)(Production Values 8/15%)

Like this article?

Rolmar Baldonado

Films for the cineaste. Were you moved, transported? Did you laugh, cry? Was it cathartic? Were you disturbed, affected, riveted? Did it make you think? Freelance film editor, cineaste and cinephile Twitter: @film_critik Twitter: @rolmar Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/filmcritik/

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SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL 2025 FIFTY-THREE FILMS RANKED AND RATED FROM EXCELLENT TO SO-SO