The HSBC Spanish Film Festival presented by Palace, returns in 2025. Spice up your winter with the best new films from Spain and Latin America this June – July!

“You’re going to feel like you’re in the seat” From the visionary director behind Top Gun: Maverick, Joseph Kosinski, comes the high-octane, action-packed sports drama, F1: THE MOVIE, starring Oscar winner Brad Pitt and rising talent Damson Idris (Snowfall series). Dubbed “the greatest that never was,” racing legend Sonny Hayes (Pitt) is coaxed out of retirement to lead “APXGP”, a struggling Formula One team that’s on the verge of collapse. Convinced by his former teammate to return to the sport he once loved, save the failing team and chase one more chance at glory, he sets out to mentor and drive alongside Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) – the team's hotshot rookie intent on setting his own pace. As the engines roar, Sonny finds his past catching up with him and soon discovers that in Formula One racing, your teammate is your fiercest competition – and the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone. With unprecedented access to real F1 Grand Prix circuits and cutting-edge camera technology, F1: THE MOVIE delivers an electrifying, inside-the-cockpit perspective of Formula One racing like never before. One of 2025’s most anticipated cinematic powerhouses, this adrenaline-fuelled spectacle goes beyond the track to tell a feel-good, visceral story of triumph, heartbreak, and the sheer drama of the world’s most iconic motorsport. Featuring real F1 drivers from all ten teams, with full support from world champion driver and producer Lewis Hamilton, the FIA and race promoters, F1: THE MOVIE offers an unparalleled and truly immersive moviegoing experience.

The apocalypse is upon us… Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) and Oscar-nominated writer Alex Garland (Civil War, Ex Machina) reunite for 28 YEARS LATER, a terrifying new “auteur horror” set in the same devastated world they created in post-apocalyptic horror, 28 Days Later. It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one member of the group (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well. The highly anticipated next instalment in the genre-defining zombie thriller franchise features an all-star lineup including Golden Globe winner Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nosferatu), Emmy winner Jodie Comer (Prima Facie), Oscar nominee Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) and BAFTA rising star Jack O’Connell (Sinners), introducing Alfie Williams. Executive produced by OG 28 Days Later survivor, Cillian Murphy, 28 YEARS LATER is merely the first in a new planned trilogy of films from the brilliant minds of Boyle and Garland. 

A24 reteams up with newly crowned queen of love triangles, writer/director Celine Song - the mind behind 2023’s Oscar-nominated breakout indie hit, Past Lives - for the star-studded and stylish matchmaking rom-com, MATERIALISTS. Following her masterfully melancholic and quietly devastating portrayal of enduring love in Past Lives, Song finds a lighter and wittier note in MATERIALISTS, but similarly delivers a divinely executed exploration of the human condition. Featuring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal entangled in an epic love triangle, MATERIALISTS sees a young, ambitious matchmaker Lucy (Johnson), torn between the perfect match (Pascal) and her imperfect ex (Evans). With magnetic chemistry between the A-list leading trio, and a sharp but playful script from Song, this rom-com is incredibly easy to love.

One of the year’s finest and most vital French films, and the winner of three prestigious awards at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, writer/director Boris Lojkine’s vivid and compassionate new drama follows a young courier as he races across Paris whilst preparing for a life-changing residency interview. Food delivery workers have become an indispensable part of city life, especially since the pandemic. Among them is Souleymane (Abou Sangaré, in a commanding debut), who criss-crosses the frenetic Parisian streets morning to night, in a constant race against the clock. He, like many around him, is working without permission, ‘renting’ his identity from a friend with legal status. But in just two days, Souleymane will learn whether his own asylum application will be approved or not. So whilst striving to meet his delivery platform’s demands, he nervously practices for his interview, trying to keep his growing anxiety at bay… A social-realist thriller as humanist as it is propulsive, former philosophy professor Lojkine’s masterfully-crafted drama echoes not only Bicycle Thievesand the best films of the Dardennes, but also edge-of-your-seat thrillers such as Uncut Gems and Full Time. Only adding to the film’s immense power is the real-life situation of its remarkable lead, who has already been denied citizenship by French authorities. Three times. A major word of mouth hit at the French box office that became a national talking point, THE STORY OF SOULEYMANE is essential viewing.

The murderous doll who captivated pop culture in 2023 is back. And this time she’s not alone. The original creative team behind that phenomenon—led by horror titans James Wan for Atomic Monster, Jason Blum for Blumhouse and director Gerard Johnstone—reboot an all-new wild chapter in A.I. mayhem with M3GAN 2.0. Two years after M3GAN, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous (and impeccably choreographed) rampage and was subsequently destroyed, M3GAN’s creator Gemma (Allison Williams) has become a high-profile author and advocate for government oversight of A.I. Meanwhile, Gemma’s niece Cady (Violet McGraw), now 14, has become a teenager, rebelling against Gemma’s overprotective rules. Unbeknownst to them, the underlying tech for M3GAN has been stolen and misused by a powerful defense contractor to create a military-grade weapon known as Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno; Ahsoka, Pacific Rim: Uprising), the ultimate killer infiltration spy. But as Amelia’s self-awareness increases, she becomes decidedly less interested in taking orders from humans. Or in keeping them around. With the future of human existence on the line, Gemma realizes that the only option is to resurrect M3GAN (Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis) and give her a few upgrades, making her faster, stronger, and more lethal. As their paths collide, the original A.I bitch is about to meet her match.

From three-time Oscar® nominee and Golden Globe winner Dean DeBlois, the creative visionary behind DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, comes a stunning live-action reimagining of the film that launched the beloved franchise. On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The Black Phone, For All Mankind) stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society. With the fierce and ambitious Astrid (BAFTA nominee Nico Parker) and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber (Nick Frost) by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding. As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader. The film also stars Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), Gabriel Howell (Bodies), Bronwyn James (Wicked), Harry Trevaldwyn (Smothered), Ruth Codd (The Midnight Club), BAFTA nominee Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Murray McArthur (Game of Thrones).

Agathe (Camille Rutherford) lives the rom-com dream: she works in the famous Shakespeare & Co bilingual bookstore where customers leave love letters on the mirror quoting Tolstoy, and there’s undeniable chemistry with her colleague, Félix (Pablo Pauly, Murder Party). Beneath the glossy Notting Hill facade, however, she’s an unpublished romance author battling writer’s block, living with her sister and nephew. More akin to Persuasion’s Anne, a perpetual wallflower, than Pride and Prejudice’s confident Elizabeth, Agathe struggles to find her voice. That all changes when Agathe is invited to a Jane Austen Residency in England. Spending two weeks in a manor full of creative nooks and wandering through forests and glades, Agathe struggles daily with imposter syndrome. That is, until she starts to become acquainted with the handsome yet prickly Oliver Lowe (Charlie Anson, Downton Abbey), Jane Austen’s living descendant. Grappling with her demons and her heart, Agathe must decide between what she’s always known, and something – or someone – new. This romantic comedy-drama from writer-director Laura Piani is a touching love letter to the Regency author who still shapes our conversations on love today. Wry, subtle, and with a big heart, JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE asks, would you write the end to your own love story if you could?

François is a former military man who is making the most of his retirement alongside his wife Annie, the only person who seems to be able to put up with his foultemper and demands! Authoritarian, and uncompromising, he rules his family with an iron fist. When he discovers that his wife, who he always held in high esteem, cheated on him 40 years ago, he sees only one solution: to file for divorce and confront her former lover who now lives in Nice. But at 73 years old, and after 50 years of marriage, is this really a good move? And wouldn’t this risk blowing up the already fragile family balance?

Oscar-winning auteur, Wes Anderson, is back with the stylish, star-studded espionage black comedy, THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME; penned by Anderson and dreamed up alongside frequent co-writer and collaborator Roman Coppola (Moonrise Kingdom, Isle of Dogs, The Darjeeling Limited). Promising Anderson’s signature visual style and distinctive storytelling, the oddball journey is an absurdist and action-packed tale of espionage following a complex father-daughter relationship within a family business. Oscar winner Benicio del Toro (Traffic) stars as a derring-do millionaire called Zsa-zsa Korda, who has survived six plane crashes and fathered nine sons and one daughter, a nun called Liesel (Mia Threapleton). With tutor Bjorn Lund (Michael Cera), they embark on a quest to secure the future of Korda’s business ventures, and soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists and determined assassins. Premiering at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Anderson’s thirteenth film boasts a stacked A-list ensemble cast of longtime Anderson favourites and several newcomers, including, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Rupert Friend, Richard Ayoade, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Mathieu Amalric, Jeffrey Wright, Hope Davis, and a generously hairy Benedict Cumberbatch.

From the studio that brought us timeless tales of friendship, courage, and finding your place in the world comes a brand-new cosmic odyssey that speaks straight to the heart. Disney and Pixar’s ELIO is a vibrant, interstellar coming-of-age story about feeling like an outsider—and realising that sometimes, the very things that set us apart are what make us extraordinary. For centuries, people have called out to the universe looking for answers—in Disney and Pixar’s all-new movie ELIO, the universe calls back! The original feature film introduces Elio, an underdog with an active imagination who finds himself inadvertently beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide. Mistakenly identified as Earth’s ambassador to the rest of the universe, and completely unprepared for that kind of pressure, Elio must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, survive a series of formidable trials and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be. With heart, humour and that unmistakable Pixar magic, Elio is a celebration of belonging in the unlikeliest of places. A big-screen adventure for the whole family.

Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is back and risking it all once again as Ethan Hunt in the epic eighth instalment of the legendary action-espionage series, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING, directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker, Christopher McQuarrie (Top Gun: Maverick). One last time... Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands... The electrifying sequel picks up from the cliffhanger ending of 2023’s 'Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning' and promises to be another action-packed thrill ride, with epic stunts, belief-defying action sequences and ever-increasing suspense that fans of the franchise know and love. Set to premiere Out of Competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, the highly anticipated (rumoured) final instalment in the beloved action franchise also features an all-star returning supporting cast including, Golden Globe nominee Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Esai Morales, Simon Pegg, Oscar nominee Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, and Oscar nominee Angela Bassett.

THE SALT PATH is the profound true story of husband and wife, Raynor (Gillian Anderson) and Moth Winn’s (Jason Isaacs) 630-mile trek along the beautiful but rugged Cornish, Devon and Dorset coastline. After being forcibly removed from their home, they make the desperate decision to walk in the hope that, in nature, they will find solace and a sense of acceptance. With depleted resources, only a tent and some essentials between them, every step along the path is a testament to their growing strength and determination. THE SALT PATH is a journey that is exhilarating, challenging, and liberating in equal measure. A portrayal of home, how it can be lost and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways.

ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO is an expansive and revelatory backstage pass to John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s life in Greenwich Village in the early 1970s. The film delivers an immersive cinematic experience that brings to life never-before-seen material and newly restored footage of their only full-length concert.

Let’s dance… Academy Award nominee Ana De Armas gives a lethally balletic performance in her highly anticipated franchise debut as the titular lead in the blood-soaked, wall-to-wall action extravaganza, FROM THE WORLD OF JOHN WICK: BALLERINA. Fan-favourite Keanu Reeves also returns to bring more elegantly choreographed violence in exceptionally tailored suits as John Wick himself. Taking place during the events of ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’, the film follows Eve Macarro (de Armas) who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma to seek revenge against the people who killed her family. From veteran action director Len Wiseman, the stage is set for a killer supporting cast including, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, and Ian McShane.

In Karate Kid: Legends, after a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn't want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren't enough. Li's kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.

From Disney Studios and director Dean Fleischer Camp, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind 2022’s acclaimed animated feature film “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”, comes the live-action reimagining of Disney’s 2002 animated classic, LILO & STITCH. In this wildly funny and touching story, a lonely Hawaiian girl named Lilo adopts a dog-like alien named Stitch to mend her fractured family. Lilo is unaware that Stitch has been genetically engineered to be a force of destruction and is a runaway fugitive being actively pursued by aliens and social workers, all while she teaches Stitch the meaning of family. A timeless and heartfelt tale of friendship, the feel-good adventure is bound to resonate with fans who grew up knowing "Ohana means family” and new audiences alike. The delightful sci-fi comedy-drama stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance, and Zach Galifianakis, introducing Maia Kealoha in the titular role of Lilo.

How far would you go to bring someone back that you love? The acclaimed Australian filmmakers behind smash-hit 2022 horror film Talk To Me, twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, are re-teaming up with indie powerhouse A24 on their latest buzzy supernatural horror-thriller, BRING HER BACK, starring two-time Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water). A soul-shaking possession horror that cannot be unseen… A brother and sister uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother. With their impressively disturbing breakout Talk to Me releasing to rave reviews, premiering at Sundance and coming in as A24’s highest-grossing horror film ever, the highly anticipated follow-up, BRING HER BACK, promises to be its “spiritual successor”, delivering another genuinely hair-raising and haunting experience while also leaning even further into the psychological. Chilling, eerie and visually stunning, the horror possesses a visceral rawness informed by the directors’ own personal loss and grief. BRING HER BACK features young actors Billy Barratt (Responsible Child), Sora Wong and Jonah Wren Phillips (How to Make Gravy), and was shot in the Philippous’ home city of Adelaide with support from the South Australian Film Corporation. 

“You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home.” From Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Ryan Coogler (Black Panther, Creed) comes a new vision of fear in the highly anticipated supernatural thriller, SINNERS. Following their acclaimed collaborations on “Creed” and “Black Panther”, the blood-pumping period horror reunites Coogler with star Michael B. Jordan, who is receiving early praise for his audacious dual role. Set in the 1930s Jim Crow-era Southern America, twin brothers (Jordan) are trying to leave their troubled lives behind and return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. Written and directed by Coogler, the heart-stopping action adventure features gripping performances from a star-studded ensemble cast including, Jordan, Oscar nominee Hailee Steinfeld (Bumblebee, True Grit), Jack O’Connell (Ferrari), Wunmi Mosaku (Passenger), Jayme Lawson (The Woman King), Omar Benson Miller (True Lies) and Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods).

The touching story of Stelios Kazantzidis, a child of a refugee family from Pontus, who managed to survived and grew up thanks to his enormous talent and against all social and personal difficulties. Music, love, family, friends, fishing, creativity, night bouncers, fanatics, and great conflicts, create the mosaic of his life. A tribute film to a great singer, whose voice “spoke” to the hearts of all Greeks around the world, Stelios Kazantzidis – for those who loved him, and those who would like to get to know him.

A #1 NZ smash hit, Tinā (Mother) is a powerful, inspirational crowd pleaser about the healing power of music. Samoan teacher Mareta Percival is struggling following a huge personal loss in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Reluctantly taking on the role of substitute teacher at an elite, wealthy private school - she is surprised to find children crying out for guidance, inspiration and love. Using the symphony of her culture to empower her students, she forms a choir, bringing them together while unexpectedly rediscovering her passion again for being a teacher and mother.

Starring two-time Oscar nominee Steve Coogan (Philomena), this poignant dramedy from Oscar-nominated director Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty) explores an Englishman’s personal and political awakening after he adopts a penguin during a cataclysmic period in Argentine history. Based on the memoir and true story of a disillusioned Englishman who went to work in a school in Argentina in 1976, Tom (Coogan), expecting an easy ride, discovers a divided nation and a class of unteachable students. However, after he rescues a penguin from an oil-slicked beach, his life is turned upside-down. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, this uplifting story about mutual human-animal healing is full of wit, warmth and humour, counterintuitive discoveries and cute penguin antics. It’s a heartwarming tear-jerker for the whole family.

In his first role since his Oscar-winning turn in ‘Oppenheimer’, Cillian Murphy returns to his roots in the intimate Irish historical drama SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE with a masterclass performance in subtlety and nuance. Based on the award-winning novel of the same name by Claire Keegan (who also wrote the novel that inspired the Palace favourite ‘The Quiet Girl’), the quietly affecting drama is a worthy adaptation and a searing exploration of morality. While working as a coal merchant to support his family in 1985, devoted father Bill Furlong (Murphy) discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent — and uncovers truths of his own — forcing him to confront his past and the complicit silence of a small Irish town controlled by the Catholic Church. Sensitively adapted by playwright Enda Walsh (reuniting with Murphy following their 2001 film ‘Disco Pigs’) and astutely directed by Tim Mielants, the sombre small-town story is an absorbing slow burn that reveals uncomfortable horrors lurking just below the surface.

Based on the riveting true story of Australian war correspondent Peter Greste’s shocking imprisonment in Egypt in 2013, THE CORRESPONDENT is a gripping biographical thriller about the relentless defence of the truth and triumph of the human spirit. Helmed by Red Dog director Kriv Stenders, the incredible story stars Richard Roxburgh (Rake, Moulin Rouge!) in a commanding career best performance. While covering the news desk in Cairo for a colleague over the Christmas holidays, Australian journalist Peter Greste (Roxburgh) is arrested and accused of terrorism. He has become a pawn in the middle of a deadly game full of corrupt officials and ancient rivalries. Now the subject of his own worldwide news story, with only his wits and unlikely allies keeping him alive, Greste’s very survival means staring down a brutal regime. Opening the 2024 Adelaide Film Festival, THE CORRESPONDENT is a chilling exploration of the risks journalists face in the pursuit of truth and the fragility of press freedom in the face of authoritarian power. While maintaining a palpable overarching sense of dread, screenwriter Peter Duncan’s use of absurdist humour works effectively to bring out the stark ridiculousness of the horrific ordeal, allowing for some light to cut through the bleakness of the visually striking yet emotionally heavy narrative. An ultimately tightly drawn portrait of one man’s determination to speak truth to power, THE CORRESPONDENT raises the question, “How much is a headline worth?”, while delivering a poignant reminder of the extraordinary courage it takes to stand up to authoritarian regimes.

Adapted by Chris Columbus from a story by Steven Spielberg, the film follows a group of misfit kids (including such second-generation Hollywoodites as Josh Brolin and Sean Astin) as they search for buried treasure in a subterranean cavern. THE GOONIES has a rich and indomitable air of all-American 80s innocence, Spielbergian sentiment and energetic fun-house tricks.

Alfred Hitchcock's convention breaking masterpiece, PSYCHO was created with tact, grace and art. Hitchcock didn't just create modern horror, he validated it.