culture
Melbourne Film Festival Opens Today: 8 Must-See Films, VR Showcase Debut
Screenings begin across multiple venues on July 13 as residents debate which films and the new virtual reality experience will define this year's event.
How we reported this
The Melbourne International Film Festival launches its 2026 edition on July 13 with 200 feature films and shorts plus one virtual reality installation that has already sold out its first three sessions at ACMI.
The timing matters because the festival lands immediately after the school holidays when many families return to the city and cultural spending rebounds. Last year the event recorded 148,000 admissions, a figure organisers expect to exceed by at least 10 percent given early ticket sales at Federation Square box offices.
Venues filling fast in the CBD and Southbank
Queues formed outside the Capitol Theatre on Russell Street yesterday morning for the first public preview sessions. Programmers have added extra screenings at the Forum on Flinders Street after the VR work sold out its 40-seat pods within 48 hours of release. Both sites sit within walking distance of the festival hub at Federation Square, where free outdoor projections run each evening from 8 pm.
Independent cinemas in inner suburbs have also joined the circuit this year. The Astor in St Kilda will host midnight cult screenings while the Sun Theatre in Yarraville screens three Australian premieres on consecutive nights. Transport data from Yarra Trams shows a 22 percent spike in evening boardings on route 96 between the CBD and St Kilda last July, a pattern expected to repeat.
Tickets, prices and how to plan
Single tickets start at $18 with festival passes at $240 for unlimited access to all screenings. The VR experience costs an extra $12 and requires advance booking through the official MIFF app. Locals can still secure seats for most daytime sessions at ACMI and the Capitol if they book before July 15; prime-time slots at the Forum are already limited to wait-list only.
Check the daily program updates on the MIFF website each morning and arrive 30 minutes early for popular titles at the Capitol. Tram routes 1, 3 and 5 stop directly outside Federation Square, making it the easiest hub for combining multiple screenings in one afternoon.