End-of-year lists are inherently subjective, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. These are the Australian films that stuck with me in 2025 — the ones I’m still thinking about weeks or months after seeing them. Not all of them were commercial hits. Some barely got a theatrical run. But they all reminded me why I care about Australian cinema.

1. The Quiet Between

This debut feature from a Melbourne-based director was the film I kept recommending to everyone. A domestic drama that avoids every cliche of the genre, with performances so naturalistic you forget you’re watching actors. It premiered at MIFF and should have gotten a wider release than it did. If you can still find it on a platform, watch it.

2. Ironbark

A Victorian regional drama that does something rare: it treats its rural characters with genuine respect without romanticising the landscape. The cinematography is stunning without being showy, and the central performance is one of the best I’ve seen from an Australian actor in years. This one went to Toronto and came back with serious buzz.

3. Night Country

Australian horror continues its remarkable run with this film, which takes outback isolation and turns it into something genuinely unsettling. It’s smarter than most horror films, with a script that rewards close attention and a final act that avoids the cheap twist trap. It did well at Fantastic Fest and has already secured international distribution.

4. Assembly

A documentary about community organising in Western Sydney that sounds worthy and dull on paper but is actually thrilling. The filmmaker embedded with their subjects over two years, and the intimacy shows. It’s a film about power, community, and who gets to shape the places we live. Premiered at Sydney Film Festival and won the documentary prize.

5. Blue Shift

A science fiction film made on a micro-budget that proves you don’t need $100 million for good sci-fi. Shot mostly in a single location in regional Queensland, it’s a two-hander that deals with time and memory in genuinely inventive ways. The script is the real star here, and it’s a testament to what Australian filmmakers can achieve with limited resources.

6. Saltwater

A First Nations drama from the Kimberley region that is visually breathtaking and emotionally devastating. The filmmaker spent years developing the project in collaboration with local communities, and that depth of engagement shows in every frame. It was the film that most divided audiences at Adelaide Film Festival, which is usually a sign of something significant.

7. The Numbers Game

An Australian comedy that actually made me laugh. These are rarer than they should be. Set in the world of competitive lawn bowls (yes, really), it finds genuine humour in everyday Australian life without resorting to cringe comedy or cultural stereotypes. Strong ensemble cast and a script that knows exactly when to land a joke.

8. Crossing Lines

A legal thriller that takes the often-stale courtroom drama and gives it a distinctly Australian setting and sensibility. The attention to procedural detail is impressive, and the central ethical dilemma feels genuinely unresolvable. This premiered at CinefestOZ and picked up the audience award.

9. Weather Station

A climate documentary that avoids the doom-and-gloom template. Instead, it profiles five Australians in different communities dealing with environmental change in practical, sometimes surprising ways. It’s hopeful without being naive, and it’s the kind of documentary that could shift how people think about the issue.

10. Half Light

An experimental film that won’t be for everyone, but for those willing to meet it on its own terms, it’s extraordinary. A meditation on grief, light, and the Australian coast that blurs the line between narrative and visual art. It played at a handful of festivals and will probably find its audience gradually over years rather than months.

Honourable Mentions

I could easily have included another ten films. The depth of Australian filmmaking in 2025 was impressive, even if the box office numbers don’t reflect it. Special mentions to the animated short Tidepool, the documentary Practice, and the genre-bending Red Dust Highway.

Australian cinema is in good health. The challenge, as always, is making sure audiences find these films.