As lovers of film in all its diverse forms, we at the Melbourne University Film Society are naturally big fans of the very cool celebration of cinema that is the Melbourne International Film Festival, which is officially back again for 2023.
Running from August the 3rd until the 20th in cinemas and from the 18th until the 27th online, this year MIFF will feature 193 feature films, show 77 shorts, explore 9 extended reality experiences, and host ten talks and masterclasses (not to mention pre-screening intros and post-screening Q&As), amongst other special events, and barring further, last minute additions. You can find the full program of films and events here, a pdf of the program guide here, and grab a printed copy of the latter from the MIFF box office at ACMI during its opening hours. We recommend working your way through the program methodically if you have the time and haven’t already, while if you’re looking to scratch a specific cinematic itch there are plenty of filters and strands to help you out, in addition to the good old search bar.
Amongst the notable entries this year include hits already seen at Cannes, Sundance and the Sydney Film Festival, such as Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall, one of the best reviewed films of the year alongside Past Lives (which is also screening and has an accompanying conversation event with director Celine Song), and Aussie films like Shayda, Late Night With the Devil, and Hello Dankness. To name just a few, and not to get into the many other acclaimed movies, retrospective focuses and restorations, and exclusive premieres that will be present.
With tickets having been on sale for a few weeks already as the festival begins, some sessions will appear as on Standby. Don’t despair regarding those though, as a ‘small number of tickets may become available to purchase at around 5pm the night before the session’ and, if ‘you are unable to book a ticket in advance, you can join the standby queue at the venue on the night’, which does not guarantee entry but ‘generally [has] a high success rate’. They certainly did last year. More info here. For sessions on Standby or Selling Fast, we recommend lining up at least 20 minutes before the start time to have your pick of the best seats. Though it’s not unusual for enthusiasts to start lining as early as 40 minutes before either.
If for MIFF regulars the program feels like it’s perhaps lacking some surprises or even a number of anticipated films people had been hoping for this time round, a reduced budget may hold part of the explanation. But it’s hard to complain when there are so many great and interesting films to see still (while a bigger eyebrow raise should perhaps come from the notable number of films this year dealing with icky relationships between adolescents and adults).
MIFF’s not the only one struggling for money though, of course, so here are some cheap tips to do with tickets:
- As an official partner of the festival, the University of Melbourne once more has a whispered around discount code for a few dollars off (the exact amount varying depending on the session time and if you’re comparing full or concession prices): MELBUNI23
- If you’re after more than a couple of tickets, however, a festival pass is definitely the way to go
- New this year is a U26 Membership for peeps under the age of 26, which gives you normal membership perks and discounts during and beyond the festival, and access to U26 Passes valid for three off-peak sessions, i.e. sessions Mondays to Fridays starting before 5:00 pm, for $30, in addition to the $25 it costs for U26 Membership
- If you want to see a few sessions at peak times, a Discovery Pass, which gives you six standard festival admissions, or a Share Pass, which gives you twelve standard festival admissions and can be shared between up to four friends per session, may still be the best value for money though
- Keep an eye on the Film Soc Facebook page and emails from the club for further discounts and freebies as well
And, hey, if you’d be interested in writing a review for us at the Film Inquirer in exchange for a free ticket or a reimbursement of a ticket, let us know by sending us an email at unimelbfilmsoc@gmail.com or by filling out the details in this expression of interest form.
We hope this helps, and if not, here’s a fun fact: the original incarnation of the Melbourne University Film Society ‘collaborated with the Victorian Federation of Film Societies and the Australian Film Institute to launch’ the Melbourne International Film Festival, then called the Olinda Film Festival and later the Melbourne Film Festival, back in 1952. So, MIFF is technically a MUFS spawn. You’re welcome, we suppose, and happy MIFFing!
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY FILM INQUIRER 