Summer in Sydney is synonymous with outdoor cinema, and this year, the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) is excited to partner again with Westpac OpenAir, pairing a fantastic lineup of its short films with some of the season’s most awaited features, against the iconic backdrop of the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge and the city skyline. This year’s program promises unforgettable evenings, blending the beauty of Sydney’s summer nights with the power of storytelling on the big screen, from 9 January to 18 February.
Each short film showcases the talent and creativity of the AFTRS community, offering a glimpse into the future of Australian cinema. The range of films – a documentary about the reinvention of fashion trends, a love story set in 1950s China, a culinary comedy, a tale of friendship set in the Yucatán – reflect the diversity of AFTRS students and graduates. These curated evenings are the perfect opportunity to tune into a new year of cinema.
Don’t miss the AFTRS productions screening at Westpac OpenAir between 2 and 15 February:
Set Menu | Sunday 2 Feb, 6 pm
Set Menu tells the story of Frances, who is denied the coveted set menu for dining alone at a famously exclusive restaurant and strikes an unexpected deal with a stranger to access both the menu and a night of peace and solitude. The Master of Arts Screen production had its world premiere at SXSW Sydney and screenings including Adelaide Film Festival, the film has been awarded fourth in the annual CILECT Prize competition.
This delightful short is screening with A Real Pain, with Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin as two mismatched and estranged cousins who reunite for a tour through Poland to honour their beloved and recently departed grandmother.
Not a Documentary about Jorts | Friday 7 Feb, 6 pm
A Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production short documentary that delves into the rejection and reinvention of fashion trends, intertwining personal stories, historical context, and the societal impact of self-expression through style.
Screening with Kneecap, a docudrama set in west Belfast in 2019, chronicling how fate brings ground-breaking Irish-language rap trio Kneecap together and how they then go on to “change the sound of Irish music forever”.
Quiet Night Thought | Monday 10 Feb, 6 pm
Based on a personal love story set during the Great Leap Forward in 1950s China, this short is inspired by exchanged letters when (paired together by a matchmaker) a peasant girl and a loyal soldier ponder love, marriage and longing through the letters they write to each other from afar. Quiet Night Thought was part of NSW House at SXSW Sydney and has previously screened at the Canberra Short Film Festival, Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival, Darwin International Film Festival, Flickerfest, Shanghai International Short Week, Rhode Island Film Festival, St Kilda Film Festival and CinefestOZ.
This stirring short is screening with We Live in Time, a moving romance with talented chef Almut (Florence Pugh), who runs over freshly divorced Tobias (Andrew Garfield), a matching struck set to light a fire.
A Daydream With Fini | Saturday 15 Feb, 6 pm
Fini and her friend discuss a dream on a hot summer’s day in Izamal. Together, they dream of travelling to the pyramids, the jungle and cenotes as they await the construction of the Tren Maya. A short by AFTRS alum Grace Tan, who was awarded Best Director in a Student Short Film by the Australian Director’s Guild with the film. A Daydream With Fini has screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival and Adelaide Film Festival and was part of the prestigious MIFF Accelerator Lab.
The short is screening with There’s Still Tomorrow, winner of the 2024 Sydney Film Festival, bringing to the screen the story of a woman’s hope for a better life. Shot in evocative black and white, the cinematography immediately places audiences in the post-WWII Rome setting.
Don’t miss this chance to see the extraordinary talent of AFTRS students and alums on the big screen, alongside some of the year’s most anticipated feature films.
Grab your tickets and immerse yourself in the beauty of Sydney’s summer nights. We’ll see you under the stars!
