Sydney Film Festival opens 73rd edition with sold-out premiere of Silenced

By AI, Created 10:06 AM UTC, June 03, 2026, /AGP/ – Sydney Film Festival opened its 73rd edition on June 3 at the State Theatre with the sold-out Australian premiere of Silenced. The 12-day festival will screen 20 world premieres and 135 Australian premieres across Sydney through June 14.

Why it matters: - Sydney Film Festival is one of the city’s biggest annual cultural events, drawing audiences, filmmakers and public figures into cinemas for 12 days. - The opening-night film, Silenced, centers on sexual violence survivors, journalists and defamation law, giving the festival an urgent and topical start. - The festival is expected to support Sydney’s arts, visitor and nighttime economy during its run.

What happened: - The 73rd Sydney Film Festival opened on June 3, 2026, at the State Theatre in Sydney with a sold-out Australian premiere of Silenced. - Festival Director Nashen Moodley welcomed a packed auditorium for the gala opening. - Silenced director Selina Miles attended with documentary subjects Jennifer Robinson and Brittany Higgins. - The audience gave Robinson and Higgins a standing ovation. - The festival runs from June 3-14, 2026.

The details: - Silenced is a Sundance World Premiere and an Australian documentary. - The film follows international human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson as she challenges the use of defamation laws by perpetrators of sexual violence. - The documentary tracks the cases of Brittany Higgins, Amber Heard and Catalina Ruiz-Navarro. - The film is inspired by Robinson’s book How Many More Women?, co-authored with Dr Keio Yoshida. - Selina Miles previously directed Martha: A Picture Story, which screened at SFF 2019. - Sharmill Films will distribute Silenced in Australia. - The festival says the 2026 program includes 20 world premieres and 135 Australian premieres. - The full Sydney Film Festival 2026 program is available at sff.org.au. - Tickets and Flexipasses are on sale now. - Bookings are available by phone at 1300 733 733 or online at sff.org.au.

Between the lines: - The opening-night guest list signals the festival’s reach across film, media, politics and culture. - John Graham framed the festival as a boost for the NSW screen industry and cited state backing for a second major screen studio in Sydney. - Steve Kamper linked the festival to tourism, local business and the nighttime economy. - Clover Moore said the festival gives Sydney audiences direct access to world-class films and brings lesser-heard voices to the screen. - The spotlight on Silenced suggests the festival is leaning into socially charged nonfiction as a marquee opener.

What’s next: - Sydney Film Festival will continue through June 14 with screenings, premieres, red carpet events and special programs across the city. - More filmmakers and VIP guests are expected to attend during the remainder of the festival. - Audiences can still buy tickets and Flexipasses for remaining sessions.

The bottom line: - Sydney Film Festival opened with a sold-out documentary that blends prestige with political urgency, setting the tone for a large-scale 12-day run.