The top five must-see movies at this week’s Capital Film Festival

Posted on 28 October, 2025

Film buffs, it’s your time to shine.

Kicking off on Wednesday with an exhilarating five-day program, the third annual Capital Film Festival will deliver a stack of new releases and award winners from around the region and around the world.

But because we understand not everyone can camp out at Dendy Cinemas between October 29 to November 2, we have taken the liberty of picking five outstanding films to focus on. You’re welcome. And if this selection doesn’t whet your whistle, have a closer look at the entire program as there is absolutely something for everyone. Meanwhile, you’ll find us at the following:

No Other Choice | Friday October 31 | 8.40 pm

No Other Choice is a diabolical new thriller from South Korean director Park Chan-wook (Decision to Leave, NYFF60) who crafts a dark fable about the cutthroat nature of contemporary work culture and the domestic desperation for material comfort.
In a fine tightrope-walk of a performance, Lee Byung Hun brings humor and likability to the tricky role of Man-soo, a middle-aged husband and father who has been laid off from the paper manufacturing company to which he has devoted decades of his life. After an extended and increasingly worrisome period of unemployment, Man-soo begins to take merciless measures toward solidifying his standing with a potential new employer, leading to wild – and ever more absurd – acts of violence, crafted by Park in his inimitable and extravagant pitch-black comic style. No Other Choice is enthralling all the way to its brilliant bitter pill of an ending.

Cactus Pears | Saturday 1 November | 6.00 pm – Presented by Queer Screen

Following the death of his father, Anand returns to his family’s Maharashtra village for the requisite 10-day period of mourning. Beyond the ceremonial traditions, Anand finds himself under a multitude of cultural pressures, including hiding his sexuality.
He reconnects with childhood friend Balya, works as a farmhand and desires the freedom of Anand’s life in the bustling city of Mumbai, and the two find solace, and the beginnings of a relationship, in each other. The first film in Marathi to premiere at Sundance, Kanawade’s debut feature is a semi-autobiographical and profoundly subtle exploration of culture, sexuality, urban and rural tensions, and love.

ACT Premiere | Winner: Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury.

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You | Saturday 1 November | 6.00 pm | Presented by HerCanberra

Working mum and therapist Linda (Rose Byrne) is straining under the weight of her demanding life; her daughter’s ongoing medical issues, her hypercritical and absent husband, her challenging clients, and an endless list of errands, when her literal ceiling at home caves in.
Through the building sense of claustrophobia and desperation, cut through with glimpses of unconditional love, director-writer Mary Bronstein shares an unflinchingly honest and darkly funny account of modern motherhood, delivered magnificently by Rose Byrne and supported by great turns from Conan O’Brien, A$AP Rocky and Danielle Macdonald.

ACT Premiere | Winner: Berlin Film Festival Best Leading Performance (Rose Byrne).
Screens with short film The Meaningless Daydreams of Augie and Celeste.

DJ Ahmet | Saturday 1 November | 1.15 pm

Teenager Ahmet dutifully works on his family’s farm, and lovingly looks after his young brother, as they navigate an emotionally tough time following their mother’s passing. One night he discovers a secret rave, invigorating his already burgeoning love for music, and for the captivating Aya, who has recently returned to the village to enter an arranged marriage. They both find joy and freedom in music but are constantly restrained by traditional and familial expectations. Peppered with intergenerational gaffs, charming encounters, and bold, infatuation-driven decisions, this joyful film explores the clash between community expectation and individual desires, and celebrates the liberating power of art.

ACT Premiere | Winner: Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Audience Award.

The Colleano Heart | Thursday 30 October | 6.45 pm

Before Hollywood, the circus was the world’s grandest stage, and the Colleano Family some of it brightest stars. But to keep their family together as they rose to international stardom, they concealed their Aboriginal identity, joining the little-talked-about ‘Hidden Generation’ of Aboriginal Australians. Beautifully told through the family’s remarkable home movies, never-before-seen footage, family interviews and archival recordings, their extraordinary story spanning multiple countries and significant historical moments, is brought to life as their descendants reunite across continents to reveal the hidden secrets of their circus royalty family.

Join us after the screening for a Q&A session with director Pauline Clague.
ACT Premiere | Screens with short film ENTROPY.

HerCanberra is a proud sponsor of the Capital Film Festival

Main image by Pavel Danilyuk of Pexels