General News
26 July, 2026
City chosen as Film Festival host
WARRNAMBOOL audiences will be among the first to experience one of Sam Neill’s final performances in a feature film, with the city selected as a regional host for the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) in August.
The Capitol Cinema will screen 10 films across two weekends - August 14-16 and August 21-23.
Neill voices ‘The Magpie’ in black comedy The Fox, which also stars Jai Courtney and Olivia Colman.
Another Aussie feature is the international award-winning Yesterday Island, in which an unsuccessful writer, stuck living the same day on repeat on a sub-Antarctic island, must find another unwitting victim to take his place.
International highlights include Wicker, starring Olivia Colman, Peter Dinklage and Alexander Skarsgård, Dead Man’s Wire, featuring Al Pacino and Bill Skarsgård, and the Kiwi body-horror comedy Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant.
Documentaries examine sport, relationships and music, including Hard as Puck, Footy Shorts, Digby & Camille, Tina Arena: Unravel Me and Jebediah: Are We OK?
“Melbourne may be in the title, but the Melbourne International Film Festival is a festival that goes far beyond our city limits, presenting eclectic and exciting program highlights to nine cinema locations around our state via MIFF Regional,” MIFF artistic director Al Cossar said.
Warrnambool mayor Cr Ben Blain said MIFF was an exciting addition to Warrnambool’s winter events calendar.
“We are very proud to have been chosen to host regional screenings for the Melbourne International Film Festival,” he said.
“This is a chance to see acclaimed Australian and international films on the big screen without having to travel to Melbourne.
“Warrnambool was recently named among Australia’s top 10 most entertaining places to live or visit, and hosting the Melbourne International Film Festival further reinforces this, while also strengthening the schedule of winter events in the city.
“The Capitol Cinema has been an enthusiastic partner in bringing the festival to Warrnambool, so thank you to the team for getting behind it.
“I’d encourage everyone to check out the program and make the most of having such an exciting film festival here in Warrnambool.”
For more information visit miff.com.au/regional-venues
Tickets for all Warrnambool screenings are available from the Capitol Cinema box office or at whatson.warrnambool.vic.gov.au
