International Encounters of Antipodean Cinema

The International Encounters of Antipodean Cinema: A Unique Window onto Australia and New Zealand

Since the late 1990s, Saint-Tropez has hosted an extraordinary film festival every autumn: the International Encounters of Antipodean Cinema. Unique on a global scale, this event is entirely dedicated to Australian and New Zealand cinema, two of the most creative and original scenes in the English-speaking world, yet largely unknown to the European public.

A History Born of Passion

The festival was born from the fascination of a team of enthusiasts for cinemas that are both culturally close to Europe—through language, colonial history—and profoundly unique in their forms, themes, and landscapes. Since its early editions, the festival has showcased Australian cinema capable of exploring the relationships between settlers and Aboriginal communities, the violence of the natural environment, social fractures, and corrosive humor with a formal freedom that few film industries allow themselves.

New Zealand, whose industry is often overshadowed by its Australian neighbor, is represented with particular attention, allowing audiences to discover Maori filmmakers and actors who offer a profoundly original perspective on their culture and territory.

A Festival in the Heart of Saint-Tropez

The festival is held at the Cinéma Le Star, an emblematic cinema in Saint-Tropez, which hosted the festival during renovation work on the historic cinema on Place des Lices. Cinéma Le Star, with its intimate atmosphere and demanding programming, provides an ideal setting for an event that champions a human and friendly dimension.

In addition to screenings, the festival uses other spaces in the town. The Lavoir Vasserot hosts art exhibitions related to the program—notably Aboriginal art, as during the 2025 edition when Céline Emery-Demion presented a selection of paintings and sculptures from the Indigenous peoples of Australia.

A Diverse and Ambitious Program

Over four days, the festival offers an exhaustive panorama of contemporary Australian and New Zealand cinema:

• Feature films: New or recently released fiction films and documentaries from Australia and New Zealand, often screened in French premiere
• Short films: Competitive selection with a specific jury
• Documentaries: A window onto the social, historical, and cultural realities of the Antipodes
• Exhibitions: Australian and New Zealand visual arts echoing the film program
• Talks and debates: With the invited film crews when possible

Awards Reflecting Diverse Perspectives

The official competition is judged by a jury of film professionals and often by a jury of high school students from the region, reflecting the festival's commitment to transmission and discovery. The awards include:

• Grand Jury Prize (best film)
• Best Actor Award
• Best Actress Award
• Nicolas Baudin Prize for Best Short Film (in homage to the French navigator who explored the Australian coasts)
• Audience Award

The 2025 awards recognized "Don't Tell" by Tori Garrett for the Audience Award, and "Unspoken" by Damian Walshe-Howling for the Nicolas Baudin Best Short Film Award. In 2024, the Grand Jury Prize went to "The Rooster" by Mark Leonard Winter, with Hugo Weaving awarded Best Actor and Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne Best Actress for "The Convert".

Completely Free Access

One of the most remarkable singularities of the Antipodean Encounters is its total freeness. All screenings and exhibitions are accessible free of charge, without ticketing or reservation. This philosophy of maximum openness demonstrates a deep conviction: Australian and New Zealand cinema deserves to be known by the greatest number of people, without financial barriers.

A Unique Cultural Bridge Between Europe and the Antipodes

Beyond its cinematic role, the festival plays a unique diplomatic and cultural role, helping to strengthen ties between France and the South Pacific countries. Saint-Tropez, a cosmopolitan and world-renowned town, serves as an ideal showcase for this ambition of dialogue between cultures.