The 2026 Gold Coast Film Festival opens with Warwick Thornton’s WOLFRAM following its critical acclaim at the Berlin Film Festival. from the Berlin Film Festival. Set in the same universe as the acclaimed 2017 film Sweet Country, WOLFRAM features standout performances from Deborah Mailman and its remarkable young leads, delivering a moving story of survival, resilience and unexpected connection.
In 1930s Australia, the story follows two swaggering outlaws who unleash cruelty upon a remote mining town, forcing two siblings to flee the white masters who have enslaved them as child labourers. Their journey across the desert “sweet country” of central Australia becomes a powerful search for safety, truth and home.
The Gold Coast Film Festival 2026 will close with the World Premiere of DON’T BE PREY, leaving an edge-of-your-seat adventure into one man’s fight to reclaim his life by taking on the world’s most dangerous marathon swims, the Oceans Seven. Featuring unforgettable characters, raw vulnerability and breathtaking ocean feats, it’s a gripping, uplifting journey of resilience, reinvention and what it really takes to survive.
Beyond the screen, the 2026 Gold Coast Film Festival is delivering an exceptional events program designed to inspire, celebrate and connect the screen community. Highlights include the always-inspiring Women in Film Lunch, presented by Screen Queensland, which shines a spotlight on the women driving innovation across the industry; the glittering Gold Coast Film Festival Awards Gala at Warner Bros. Movie World, celebrating the creative brilliance of Australian filmmakers. Each event offers audiences and industry professionals alike the chance to network, be inspired, and experience the magic of film in unforgettable settings.
Tickets are on sale now to Opening and Closing Night Red Carpet Galas and the incredible featured events through www.gcff.com.au and the full programme for GCFF will be available from Thursday April 2.
2026 Gold Coast Film Festival
22 April – 3 May 2026
HOTA, Home of the Arts, Gold Coast
www.gcff.com.au