Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival
The Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival is Australia's only Outback Film Festival running for 9 days under the stars in Outback Queensland from 26th June to 4th July 2026.
That Half Barbaric Twang + The Number Four Band
Friday 26 June 2026
Documentary | MA15+ | 83 Mins
This event includes a screening of the documentary, followed by a live performance from the band featured in the film.
What do you get when you cross two of Australia’s most recognised television actors with a musical wizard? A troubadour trio of conscientious ‘vagabonds’, 160 years between them, who want to bring their ‘bad ass gospel’ country music to the most remote and marginalised people in Australia.
Through their larrikin humour and story telling, they are creating a new wave of excitement in Australia’s fringes, leaving behind smiles and some good ole feeling. Oh and quite a few hangovers. Along the way they meet some quintessential Australian characters, a window into the sunburnt country with its oddballs and strange country folk on the fringes of society.
Director: Stephen Dupont
Stars: David Field, Geoff Morrell, Tim Oxley.
About the band
The No.4 Band are a three piece musical group whose original songs, ranging from folk to blues, country to rock and bad-ass spiritual will put a smile on your face and get your toes tapping. Banjo, Guitars, Mandolin, Snare, Jembe and Harmonica, with sweet harmonies gives The No.4 Band a sound to remember. Think Crosby Stills Nash and Young having a drink at an old pub with Old Crow Medicine Show and The Pogues.
The Royal Theatre
Oyster Farmer (2004)
Saturday 27 June 2026
Drama | M | 91 MINS
In a desperate attempt to help his severely injured sister, Jack (Alex) crosses the law and is forced to flee Sydney leading him to the quirky oyster farming community on the Hawkesbury River.
Director: Anna Reeves
Stars: Alex O'Loughlin, Jim Norton, Diana Glenn.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Kangaroo (2025)
Saturday 27 June 2026
Family/Comedy | PG | 107 MINS
KANGAROO is a heart-warming family comedy about ex TV personality, Chris Masterman, who becomes stranded in an Outback town outside Alice Springs. There, he teams up with 12-year-old Indigenous girl Charlie. The pair form an unlikely friendship and work together to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned joeys in the remote but stunning Outback community - an endeavour that proves to be life-changing for them both.
KANGAROO is inspired by the life of Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns, founder of The Kangaroo Sanctuary, Alice Springs.
Director: Kate Woods
Stars: Ryan Corr, Deborah Mailman, Lily Whiteley, Wayne Blair, Brooke Satchwell.
Sarah Riley Theatre
The Kink (2025)
Saturday 27 June 2026
Comedy | 18+ | 87 MINS
The Kink is the suburban story of a past-his-use-by-date, sex obsessed conman (Mirko Grillini) who is blackmailed by an over-protective mother (Sally-Anne Upton) to do away with her daughter-in-law.
With only two days to plan everything, he employs his lover’s husband (David Field) whose only credential is a penchant for strangling cats. As the hapless duo set out for the hit, the night takes an hilarious turn when they discover that even in the world of swingers, hustlers, gold-diggers, mummy’s boys, and serial killers, nothing beats a good heart to heart.
Director: David Field
Stars: Mirko Grillini, Sally-Anne Upton, David Field, Tottie Goldsmith, Verity East, Lee Beckhurst, Will Hutchins, Rachel Kamath, Juliene Vanner.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Crocodile Dundee (1986) 40th Anniversary Screening
Saturday 27 June 2026
Comedy | M | 105 MINS
An American reporter travels to the Australian outback to meet eccentric poacher Mick "Crocodile" Dundee and invites him to New York City, where he comes face-to-face with the complexities of modern life.
Director: Peter Faiman
Stars: Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, John Meillon.
The Royal Theatre
Oranges and Sunshine (2010)
Saturday 27 June 2026
Drama | M | 105 MINS
Set in 1980s Nottingham, social worker Margaret Humphreys holds the British government accountable for child migration schemes and reunites the children involved -- now adults living mostly in Australia -- with their parents in Britain.
Director: Jim Loach
Stars: Emily Watson, David Wenham, Hugo Weaving.
The Royal Theatre
The Golden Spurtle (2025) & Porridge Making Competition
Sunday 28 June 2026
Documentary | PG | 75 MINS
Each year, local residents and competitors from across the globe gather to vie for the coveted title of World Porridge Champion. Amid simmering rivalries and steaming bowls of oats, the film offers a charming portrait of the eccentric locals who keep the town’s legacy alive.
Featured also are the International competitors who arrive on the scene with bold plans to push the boundaries of porridge to new heights, including Sydney local chef Toby Wilson, who is trying his hand in the competition for a second time.
Director: Constantine Costi
Stars: Adam Kiani, Charlie Miller, Tobias Wilson, Lisa Williams, Ian Bishop.
Porridge Making Competition
Join us on the deck of the Sarah Riley Theatre before the film screening for a fun, team-based porridge making competition! Winton Mayor Cathy White is among the judges.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Wake In Fright Mini-Series (2017)
Sunday 28 June 2026
Drama/Thriller | MA15+ | 160 MINS
John Grant is returning to Sydney after a year teaching at one-classroom school in the Outback. Shortly after hitting the road he collides with a kangaroo and finds himself marooned in a small mining town, awaiting repairs on his car. With little to do but drink beer, John is seduced into a raucous, illegal gambling game. After a short exhilarating winning streak he loses everything. This triggers a dangerous series of events that render John a broken and desperate man.
Director: Kriv Stenders
Stars: Sean Keenan, David Wenham, Caren Pistorius, Gary Sweet, Alex Dimitriades, Robyn Malcolm, Lee Jones, Anna Samson, Hannah Frederiksen, Jada Alberts.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Lucky Country (2009)
Sunday 28 June 2026
Western/Thriller | M | 96 MINS
In 1900s Australia, a boy's loyalty to his increasingly unhinged father is put to the test when three ex-soldiers arrive at their remote cabin, claiming to have found gold.1900s Australia:
Director: Kriv Stenders
Stars: Aden Young, Toby Wallace, Hanna Mangan Lawrence, Eamon Farren.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Red Dog: True Blue (2016) 10th Anniversary Screening
Sunday 28 June 2026
Family | PG | 98 MINS
Mick, an eleven-year-old, befriends a dog when he goes to live with his grandfather in a remote region. Accompanied by the dog, he goes on many adventures that proves life-changing for both of them.
Director: Kriv Stenders
Stars: Jason Isaacs, Levi Miller, Bryan Brown.
The Royal Theatre
Badland Rising (2025)
Sunday 28 June 2026
Action | MA15+ | 90 MINS
Dave Shepard (Jake Ryan) is an ex-SAS sniper and has to work as a construction worker to save his struggling Family farm.
After finishing up at his construction job and eager to see his wife Jenifer and son back at their farm, it’s his last day in the city, but things are about to take a turn for the worse.
A few blocks away, Morgan (Nathan Phillips) and his gang rob a Russian mob drop, but it goes wrong, with the robbers scattering like ants after a violent gunfight with police and the Russians.
In the chaos a member of Morgan’s gang attempts to carjack Dave, Dave goes into survival mode and gets away, determined to be with his family at all costs.
Meanwhile, the two remaining armed robbers Morgan Andrews (Nathan Phillips) and Mitch Green (Steve Mouzakis) are hot on his trail, determined to get their hands on the loot that Dave unknowingly picked up in his escape from the city. Now the chase is on.
Director: Blair Moore
Stars: Jake Ryan, Nathan Phillips, Steve Mouzakis.
The Royal Theatre
Joh: Last King of Queensland (2025)
Monday 29 June 2026
Documentary | MA 15+ | 104 MINS
A portrait of Queensland's Joh Bjelke-Petersen (1968-1987), whose controversial rule saw growth and corruption. Through archives and interviews, it reveals parallels with Trump's era and style.
Director: Kriv Stenders
Stars: Richard Roxburgh, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Matthew Condon.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Floodland (2025)
Monday 29 June 2026
Documentary | M | 91 MINS
In flood-prone Lismore, Australia, residents face life-changing decisions after devastating floods. A man copes pragmatically, his friend turns activist, and an Indigenous social worker builds a healing center.
Director: Jordan Giusti
Stars: Carlie Atkinson, Judy Atkinson, Harper Dalton.
Sarah Riley Theatre
First Light (2025)
Monday 29 June 2026
Drama/Crime | M | 118 MINS
An elderly nun witnesses a young construction worker's fatal accident, compelling her to question the ethical principles of the institution she has devoted her life to.
Director: James J. Robinson
Stars: Ruby Ruiz, Kare Adea, Maricel Soriano.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Wolfram (2025)
Monday 29 June 2026
Drama | M | 102 MINS
Set in the 1930s, follows three children who escape their white masters and journey across central Australia seeking safety.
Director: Warwick Thornton
Stars: Deborah Mailman, Pedrea Jackson, Thomas M. Wright.
The Royal Theatre
Guided By Horses (2025) (CANCELLED)
Monday 29 June 2026
Documentary | M | 76 MINS
Set against the beauty of Australia's outback, Guided by Horses is a timely and heartwarming hybrid documentary that blends reality with a cinematic, spiritual gravity. In this remote region, scarred by some of the world’s highest youth suicide rates, young Indigenous people navigate their path to adulthood through life-changing bonds with wild horses. At the centre of this journey is a one-of-a-kind sanctuary and its creator, Aboriginal researcher Professor Juli Coffin, whose own life was saved by horses.
Director: Sean O'Reilly
The Royal Theatre
Bunny (2025)
Monday 29 June 2026
Horror | R18+ | 90 MINS
Set in the aftermath of a climate-collapsed Australia, BUNNY follows a young woman as she roams the ruins of a world she never got to grow up in. What begins as a survival story becomes a meditation on unapologetic self-discovery and feminine brutality as supplies grow scarce and food even scarcer. This isn't the end of the world. It's what happens after.
Director: James Branson
Stars: Kate Wilson, Andy Golledge, Ôntrei, Saxon Cook, Paul Hughes and Charlotte Chimes.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Number 96: The Movie (1974)
Tuesday 30 June 2026
Comedy/Drama | M | 113 MINS
A groundbreaking drama set in an inner-city apartment block, tackling issues like racism, drugs, and homosexuality. It featured a multiracial cast and one of TV's first openly gay couples treated as normal community members.
Director: Peter Benardos
Stars: Johnny Lockwood, Philippa Baker, Gordon McDougall.
Sarah Riley Theatre
We Are Jeni (2025)
Tuesday 30 June 2026
Documentary/Biography | M | 100 MINS
WE ARE JENI reveals one of the most extraordinary criminal cases in Australian history. Dr Jeni Haynes mind fractured into 2,500 personalities to survive her childhood. It will take her 40 years to be believed and find justice. This is the story of how she, and her army of alters, were finally heard.
Director: Mariel Thomas & Akhim Dev
Stars: Dr Jeni Haynes and her alters, Dr George Blair-West, Detective Inspector Paul Stamoulis.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Squids (2025)
Tuesday 30 June 2026
Comedy | Unclassified | 77mins
With a cast led by Tiana Hogben (Thank God You’re Here), writer-director-star Ryan Zorzut creates an absurdist and heartfelt lark in his debut feature, Squids, built entirely around the non-existent sport of competitive scooter racing.
When Norah’s scooter crew loses their beloved coach in a freak accident just days before the national Crashblade Cup, she tracks down her washed-up hero Dayton to take his place. Though his methods are unorthodox, and his motivations somewhat murky, Norah is soon faster than ever. But when opponents start vanishing and a maniacally wealthy nemesis called Skull tightens his grip on the competition, Norah’s quest for victory becomes a race for survival.
Deadpan in tone, anarchic in spirit and shot with the candy-coloured aesthetic of the forgotten ‘90s extreme-sports film, Squids is a riotous pastiche of much-loved cult classics like BMX Bandits (1983) and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985), infused with a distinct Melbourne underground comedy pedigree behind every frame.
Director: Ryan Zorzut
Stars: Tiana Hogben, Diona Hill, Ryan Zorzut.
Sarah Riley Theatre
The Travellers (2025)
Tuesday 30 June 2026
Comedy/Drama | M | 102 MINS
The Travellers is a poignant, funny and heartwarming family story from acclaimed filmmaker Bruce Beresford.
Stephen Seary, a charismatic and successful stage designer, returns to his small hometown in Australia to say goodbye to his dying mother. What was to be a quick trip descends into chaos, drama, and at times downright funny moments as Stephen navigates family responsibilities, a difficult relationship with his father, old friends & past lovers, all while trying to return to Europe for a major opera contract.
Director: Bruce Beresford
Stars: Luke Bracey, Bryan Brown, Susie Porter.
The Royal Theatre
Addition (2024)
Wednesday 1 July 2026
Drama/Romance | PG | 91 MINS
A woman counts everything because numbers hold her world together, but when a chance encounter with a man turns her world upside down, her meticulously ordered life starts to unravel.
Director: Marcelle Lunam
Stars: Teresa Palmer, Joe Dempsie, Eamon Farren.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Emily: I am Kam (2025)
Wednesday 1 July 2026
Biography/Documentary | Unclassified | 59 MINS
One of Australia’s most celebrated figures, Kngwarray is the highest-selling woman artist in national history. Known for her strength, wit and radiant presence, the Anmatyerr Elder found global fame in the late ’80s with large-scale paintings deeply rooted in her connection to Country, culture and community. With collectors including actor Steve Martin, her work fuelled worldwide interest in Indigenous Australian art. Director Danielle MacLean (We Are Still Here, SFF 2022) follows the preparations for the National Gallery of Australia’s major 2023 Kngwarray retrospective, while rare archival materials let the artist, who passed away in 1996, speak in her own words.
Director: Danielle MacLean
Additional Direction: Dena Curtis
Stars: Emily Kam Kngwarray
Sarah Riley Theatre
Lesbian Space Princess (2024)
Wednesday 1 July 2026
Animation/LGBTQ | MA15+ | 87 MINS
Introverted lesbian space princess Saira embarks on a mission to rescue her ex from evil incel aliens, enlisting the help of an enby pop star and a cantankerous boomer spaceship.
Director: Emma Hough Hobbs, Leela Varghese.
Stars: Shabana Azeez, Bernie Van Tiel, Jordan Raskopoulos.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Love Serenade (1996) with live score by Shade Hadie
Wednesday 1 July 2026
Comedy/Romance | M | 102 MINS
In a quiet Australian river town, two sisters become attracted to Ken Sherry, a detached middle-aged radio DJ. Dimity, 20, and Vicki-Ann pursue him separately, but something seems suspicious. Shade Hadie are a Brisbane-based blues band. A program favourite, they'll deliver the soundtrack live with a high-energy fusion of blues, jazz, and vintage rock, complete with sound effects and excellent comedic timing.
Director: Shirley Barrett
Stars: Miranda Otto, Rebecca Frith, George Shevtsov.
The Royal Theatre
The Devil’s Playground (1976) - 50th Anniversary Screening
Thursday 2 July 2026
Psychological Drama | MA | 107 MINS
Fred Schepisi's film, 'The Devil's Playground' is an intimate portrait of Tom, a thirteen-year-old struggling in spirit and body with the constraints of living in a Catholic seminary. It is also the story of the Brothers and how they cope with the demands of their faith.
Director: Fred Schepisi
Stars: Arthur Dignam, Nick Tate, Simon Burke.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Yurlu Country (2025)
Thursday 2 July 2026
Documentary | PG | 78 MINS
Documents the environmental and cultural activism of Aboriginal Elder Maitland Parker, who tries to heal his land in WA's Pilbara region, which is scarred by millions of tonnes of toxic waste from asbestos mines that once operated there.
Director: Yaara Bou Melhem
Stars: Maitland Parker
Sarah Riley Theatre
Ellipsis (2017)
Thursday 2 July 2026
Drama Romance | M | 96 MINS
In the middle of a crowded city, the paths of two strangers collide. This sets in motion a chain of events that sees the two strangers embark on a night of adventure and unexpected connection that challenges their separate lives.
Director: David Wenham
Stars: Paul Anderson, Emily Barclay, Ferdinand Hoang.
Sarah Riley Theatre
How To Talk Australians (2025)
Thursday 2 July 2026
Comedy | MA15+ | 102 MINS
A group of students and teachers from The Delhi College of Linguistics hit the road to discover Australia and gain first-hand experience of its authentic language and culture. When their plane is diverted to the country town of Dubbo due to storms, and their tour-leader is detained by customs, the hapless bunch unearth the 'real' Australia while never making it to Sydney, Melbourne...or even Brisbane.
Director: Tony Rogers
Stars: Shane Jacobson, Ben Knight, Dave Lawson and Rohan Ganju.
The Royal Theatre
Birthright (2025)
Thursday 2 July 2026
Dark Comedy | R | 90 MINS
Cory evicted from his rental, moves back with his pregnant wife, Jasmine. Focusing on his parents' wealth, he decides to achieve success through unimaginable actions.
Director: Zoe Pepper
Stars: Cody Greenwood, John Battsek, John Maynard.
The Royal Theatre
Dead End Drive-In (1986) - 40th Anniversary Screening
Friday 3 July 2026
Action/Sci-fi | M | 92 MINS
In a dystopian future Australia, a health nut and his tag-along girlfriend become trapped in a drive-in cinema that has become a concentration camp for delinquent youths and refugees.
Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith
Stars: Ned Manning, Natalie McCurry, Peter Whitford.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Journey Home, David Gulpilil (2025)
Friday 3 July 2026
Documentary | M | 88 MINS
Renowned Indigenous actor, Yolngu man David Gulpilil, passed away in 2021 in South Australia. His family take on the challenge of fulfilling his dying wish, which was to be laid to rest in his Homeland of Gupulul in Arnhem Land.
Director: Maggie Miles, Trisha Morton-Thomas
Stars: David Gulpilil
Sarah Riley Theatre
The Deb (2024)
Friday 3 July 2026
Comedy/ Musical | M | 130 MINS
High school outcast Taylah Simpkins is certain that the upcoming Debutante Ball ‘the Deb,’ is her one chance to redefine herself and become the popular girl once and for all.
When her cynical cousin from the city, Maeve, is sent to Taylah’s small farm town as punishment, she thinks the ball is a farce and immediately tries to disrupt the status quo.
In their search for the spotlight, Taylah and Maeve dig deep to find self-acceptance – and a date to the Deb.
Director: Rebel Wilson
Stars: Natalie Abbott, Charlotte MacInnes, Shane Jacobson, Rebel Wilson.
The Royal Theatre
Seven Snipers (2026)
Friday 3 July 2026
Action/Thriller | MA 15+ | 88 MINS
Kris “Voodoo Child” Hendricks, once an elite sniper feared on battlefields across the world, has spent years hiding on a remote Australian farm, determined to give her daughter Anja a life untouched by the violence she left behind.
But the quiet routine she has built is shattered on Anja’s sixteenth birthday when Kris learns that an old enemy, a ruthless warlord
known as The Dragon, who once held her captive, has tracked her down and is coming for revenge. Kris turns to the only person she still trusts, White Dog, a former member of her unit. He arrives with a team of ex-military snipers who are ready to stand with her to protect her daughter.
As The Dragon closes in, taking them out one by one, Kris must become the soldier she once was, and Anja must confront the
truth of who her mother really is, and why The Dragon will stop at nothing to get to her.
Director: Sandra Sciberras
Stars: Ioan Gruffudd, Radha Mitchell, Tim Roth
The Royal Theatre
Motherfunkers Go Outback - Test Audience Screening
Saturday 4 July 2026
Comedy/Mockumentary | M | 90 MINS
Make filmmaking history at Vision Splendid's first-ever Test Audience Screening!
Be among the very first to see edited scenes and highlights from “Motherfunkers Go Outback!”, a riotous new comedy mockumentary feature shot on location during a real-life outback cabaret tour, featuring Winton itself and a beloved Crack Up Sisters cameo!
Join comedian and creator Jenny Wynter (Funny Mummies), director Katrina Channells and of course Crack Up Sister Struth for this once-in-a-lifetime event: live laughs, exclusive sneak peek, and an intimate filmmaker Q&A.
Your laughter shapes the final film. Comedy. Chaos. Outback. Come be part of the story!
Director: Katrina Channells
Stars: Jenny Wynter, Lisa McKay, Frankie Jaiyeola, Melissa Western, Amanda-Lyn Pearson
Sarah Riley Theatre
Alphabet Lane (2025)
Saturday 4 July 2026
Thriller | M | 80 MINS
An isolated couple lose control of a joke about imaginary friends. This darkly funny thriller follows Anna (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) and Jack (Nicholas Denton), a young couple who have recently moved to the country. With the reality of their new situation failing to live up to their expectations, as a joke they invent imaginary neighbours to cope with their growing loneliness. As letters begin to arrive from their new friends, what started out as a joke soon comes to take over their entire relationship.
Director: James Litchfield
Stars: Nicholas Denton, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Henry Nixon.
Sarah Riley Theatre
Short Film Competition
Saturday 4 July 2026
The Short Film Competition at The Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival is geared to independent filmmakers from around Australia. In this showcase we will see two programs – the best short films from around Australia and new films by the Griffith Film School participants that make films in Winton featuring Winton locals in under one week during the Festival. All films will be vying for the much sought-after Lenton Awards named in memory of the first Chair of the Festival, the Honourable Butch Lenton.
The Royal Theatre
