This just in: summer’s coolest (and most colourful) nights are at the NFSA

Posted on 11 November, 2026

Live music, cold drinks, and cult classics: this year’s summer lineup at the National Film and Sound Archive blends music, colour, and festive cheer.

It’s a summertime fantasy that’s hard to resist: a warm evening with a glass of something cold in hand – sounds of live music washing over you. As the sun begins to set, you slip into the cool air-conditioning of the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) Arc cinema to watch a cult classic on the big screen.

But what if we told you it’s not a fantasy? Hot Summer Nights are back at the NFSA, and this year the program is bringing extra heat.

The much-loved event is returning to transform Friday and Saturday nights from 8 January to 13 February into celebrations of cinema and community, once again pairing live music in the heritage courtyard (from 6 pm) with feature films in the iconic Art Deco cinema (from 8 pm).

But this year, the summer program looks a little bit different. It’s been built around the theme of ‘Colour’, bringing together movies that not only explore colour as a storytelling device but also have colour in the title.

For Hot Summer Nights, the result is attention-grabbing combinations like rock musical Purple Rain paired with Endrey’s electronic music, ambient electronics and textured soundscapes from Canberra composer Sebastian Field with Lost in Translation, and the genre-bending alt-pop of Japanese-Australian artist Miya Zawa before Sunset Boulevard.

“The idea came from thinking about the way filmmakers make films, and the kinds of cinematic language that they use,” explains Alice Taylor, Creative Producer and Program Coordinator.

“Colour is just one of many elements that are brought into telling the story… it can be used in all kinds of ways, but especially to evoke mood or emotion or symbolism.”

Alice says that since the NFSA introduced the combined live music and film ticket, Hot Summer Nights has been a hit with locals looking for something different to do. Bringing together two much-loved experiences, the offering spans decades, genres and continents.

“Music and film are two things that a lot of people love equally,” she says. “When curating this program, I think about who the audience is for the film, who the audience is for the music, and what some of the themes might be. We try to match the tone and the themes of the music with the film.”

From technicolour gems to gritty film noir

Hot Summer Nights is just one aspect of the NFSA’s 2026/2027 summer offering. Promising a season overflowing with colour, local cinephiles will also enjoy visually ambitious works including The Color of Pomegranates and The Fall alongside favourites such as The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Muriel’s Wedding and Red Dog.

“We have Red Dog screening on Boxing Day, which is a really great Australian family film, and then three NFSA Restores films. These are films that have been selected for their cultural value, and then restored here at the NFSA,” explains Alice.

“We have Muriel’s Wedding, Wrong Side of the Road, and Floating Life, and then the final film is Bran Nue Day – it’s a really strong cross-section of Australian stories.”

Other program highlights include Pretty in Pink and Legally Blonde. But for those looking for something a little bit grittier – and who are fascinated by the lives of private detectives, criminals, insomniacs and anti-heroes – the summer series will also explore the monochromatic shadows of Film Noir and Neo Noir with screenings of The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, The Third Man, Blue Velvet and Taxi Driver.

“Every Sunday in January, the matinee is a Film Noir,” says Alice. “That’s interesting as well – where the lack of colour sometimes informs the storytelling and focusing on light and dark, and shadow, can also be just as evocative.”

Holiday cheer on the big screen

Continuing the annual debate of which Christmas movie is the best, the NFSA Christmas Party Mix is also returning for a second year of festive screenings. Tickets are priced at just $12 per person for groups of five or more, encouraging Canberrans to go along with friends or colleagues to enjoy a DJ set in the courtyard from 6 pm before settling in for seasonal favourites Love Actually, Die Hard and the Japanese animated film Tokyo Godfathers.

“It’s a good opportunity for people to get together with workmates or friends and go and see something together that gets them into the festive spirit,” explains Alice.

“There are many films that people like to watch almost as a ritual each year, so why not invite them to do that here and make a bit of a celebration out of it?”

That’s just the beginning of what’s on offer. With a special Q&A screening with the director of the acclaimed stop-motion feature Memoir of a Snail, the OMNI International AI Film Festival bringing together experimental short films from around the globe and more, there’s plenty for people of all ages to enjoy.

“I think audiences will be really delighted by some of the fun offerings as well as some of the weighty cinematic offerings that we have,” says Alice.

“The courtyard is a beautiful place to be on a summer’s afternoon or evening, and the Arc Cinema is the most beautiful cinema in Canberra. We’d love to see people bringing their friends and family along, enjoying the holiday seasons and the hot summer days and nights while celebrating the best of cinema.”

The full summer program runs from December through February, with screenings held almost daily. To view the complete schedule and book tickets, visit the official NFSA website.

Images supplied.