Antenna Documentary Film Festival 2025 starts next month and among the films in the program are a French documentary about a man’s complicated connection to his parents’ country, Iraq; a documentary about Peaches, a compilation of short films from directors in Gaza, access to disillusioned Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine both in person and via telephone intercepts, a documentary about a traditional community in the Brazilian rainforest and a snapshot in time in the USA. Only one of these films is in French but the others are French co-productions. Read on to discover them below.
Flavours of Iraq (Le Parfum d’Irak) 9 & 13 February
DIRECTOR: Léonard Cohen
COUNTRIES: France, Belgium
LANGUAGE: French
French-born journalist Feurat Alani narrates this animated documentary about his complicated connection to Iraq, the country of his parents. Growing up in Paris, Feurat discovers his parents’ homeland under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, the American occupation, and the control of the Islamic State between 1989 and 2017.
With gripping storytelling and startling images, director Léonard Cohen follows Feurat’s evolution from childhood to adulthood and his growing awareness of the social and political realities of Iraq. Through touching vulnerability, Alani powerfully depicts his connection to his revolutionary father, who was exiled from his homeland but never lost his love for her.
Peaches Goes Bananas 7 & 15 February
DIRECTOR: Marie Losier
COUNTRIES: Belgium, France
LANGUAGE: English
For the past 17 years, filmmaker Marie Losier (The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye) has captured the dynamic and provocative essence of Peaches—a Canadian teacher turned queer transgressive icon, uncompromising feminist, and avant-garde techno/disco/punk musician. In Losier’s own words: “I am touched by her perseverance and her tireless energy to experiment and place her body at the centre of her art with great beauty and freedom. Peaches constantly questions and redefines the boundaries of her identity. The need to experiment, to reinvent oneself, the need to live fully, freely, and face the norms and hostilities, by loving, dancing, creating, remains at the centre of my work.” The result is a sonic and visual ecstasy. Get ready—it’s going to be loud!
Russians at War 10 & 14 February
DIRECTOR: Anastasia Trofimova
COUNTRIES: Canada, France
LANGUAGE: Russian
Anastasia Trofimova, a Russian-Canadian filmmaker, gains unprecedented access to follow a Russian Army battalion in Ukraine. Without any official clearance or permits, she earns the trust of foot soldiers and embeds herself over the span of a year with one battalion as it makes its way across Eastern Ukraine. What she discovers is far from the propaganda and labels pushed by either the East or the West: an army in disarray, with soldiers disillusioned and often struggling to understand what they are fighting for. Russians at War serves as an existential critique of the war, exposing the mechanisms that sustain it and reminding us of the human cost on both sides. As Trofimova so eloquently puts it, “The fog of war is so thick that you can’t see the human stories it’s made of.”
FRENCH CO-PRODUCTIONS AT ANTENNA 2025 (NOT IN FRENCH)
From Ground Zero 8 & 15 February
DIRECTORS: 22 different Directors have made 22 films
COUNTRIES: Palestine, France, Qatar, Jordan
In November 2023, Gaza-born Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi founded the Masharawi Fund for films and filmmakers in Gaza. From Ground Zero, their first project, sought to provide internally displaced artists—survivors of Israel’s nearly year-long assault, which has resulted in apocalyptic conditions—with a “canvas for the expression of personal stories.” The resulting collection features 22 three- to six-minute short films. Genre and narrative approaches vary widely, including documentary, hybrid forms, narrative drama, stop-motion animation, essay, and experimental video art. However, what these remarkable works present when taken together is critically important context and a counterpoint to the gruesome livestream populating screens globally.
Despite the harsh filming conditions, Gaza’s vibrant artistic scene shines through this collection, offering an intimate and powerful portrait of daily life and the enduring spirit of its people. The result is an extraordinary time capsule, an urgent response to an ongoing catastrophe, and an artist’s call to bear witness.
DIRECTOR: Oksana Karpovych
COUNTRIES: France, Canada, Ukraine
LANGUAGE: Russian
Russian soldiers call home to their mothers, sisters, and partners from the battlefields of Ukraine. They never mention where they are—because somebody could be listening in. The soldiers talk about the villages and towns they plunder, the prisoners they torture, and the corpses they see. On the other end of the line, we hear sobbing, cheers … or just silence. The Ukrainian intelligence service has intercepted thousands of phone calls since Russia’s massive invasion of the country. Intercepted shares some of the conversations that were tapped from March to November 2022.
While the Russian soldiers tell their stories and seek support from their loved ones back home, the images we see bear witness to both the devastation they have wreaked and the unyielding determination of ordinary Ukrainians to continue their daily lives among the ruins. While the extended static shots are crystal clear and serene, the short conversations are jumbled and intense. It’s a disturbing combination—one that evokes the sinister psychology of war.
The Falling Sky 8 & 15 February
DIRECTORS: Eryk Rocha and Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha
COUNTRIES: Brazil, France
LANGUAGE: Portuguese
This breathtaking documentary centres on iconic shaman Davi Kopenawa and the Yanomami community of Watoriki in the Brazilian rainforest as they prepare for a time-worn funeral rite said to hold up the sky—a ceremony that also galvanises them in their battle to defend their homeland from illegal gold mining. The Yanomami lived in relative isolation until the 1970s, when a highway built under Brazil’s dictatorship exposed them to the ravages of those they call the “merchandise people.”
With great sensitivity, the directors allow the Yanomami to tell their story in their own words, highlighting the resilience of this ancient community and showcasing the natural wonder of the world they are fighting to protect. The soundtrack, a blend of ingenious rhythms, shouts, and songs, complemented by atmospheric compositions, creates an immersive auditory experience. Giving space to observe and be present without didactical shortcuts, The Falling Sky is not just pressingly topical but brimming with intelligence, power, humanity, and hypnotic beauty.
TWST / Things We Said Today 9 & 13 February
DIRECTOR: Andrei Ujică
COUNTRIES: France, Romania
LANGUAGE: English
More than a decade in the making, Romanian filmmaker Andrei Ujică’s first feature since the monumental The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu finds the found-footage maestro creating a fresh kind of city symphony. It’s 13 August 1965 in New York City, and the Beatles will be performing at Shea Stadium the following weekend. We see their fans jostling in the streets, hoping to catch a glimpse of their idols. This dynamic impression of an era then abruptly broadens its perspective with images from the Watts riots in Los Angeles, which were ignited by rage over racism and police violence. Meanwhile, New Yorkers relax in the park or dance the twist. We see someone in Harlem sharing his opinion, and a fan visiting the New York World’s Fair on his way to the concert. Immersed in the mood and energy of the era, TWST is as poignant as it is playful—a stunning work of art and a dynamic snapshot of a moment in time.
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KEY INFO FOR ANTENNA DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL 2025
WHAT: Antenna Documentary Film Festival 2025
WHERE: Dendy Newtown & The Ritz cinema, Randwick in Sydney
WHEN: 6 – 16 February 2025
HOW: Purchase your tickets to the films mentioned via the links above. If you wish to purchase multiple tickets either to the same film or to multiple films, you may wish to get a multi-pass, which you can do here
HOW MUCH: Ticket prices are as follows:
Individual tickets
Adult – $25
Senior/ Full Time Student* – $19.50
Multi-passes
The more you see, the more you save! Buy a Multi-Pass and book up to four tickets per session at the best value price.
5 Film Pass – $110 (Save $15),
10 Film Pass – $195 (Save $55),
20 Film Pass – $340 (Save $160)
If you’re keen for more film, check out these articles:
My French Film Festival 2025 is here and available to stream worldwide!
What’s leaving SBS on Demand in January 2025 – Last chance for these French films, series and docos
Alliance Française French Film Festival 2025: first 8 films and festival dates announced
