Turn up the volume on AFF 2026
From jazz piano and 90s alternative rock to Brazilian funk and experimental soundscapes, music is making plenty of noise at Adelaide Film Festival 2026. Across this year's program, music takes centre stage in stories of creativity, culture, identity and connection, while bringing a whole new dimension to the big screen.
For some, music is more than a passion. It's a way of life. In Everybody Digs Bill Evans, director Grant Gee explores the life of legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans as he navigates grief and creativity following the death of his musical collaborator. Winner of the Silver Bear for Best Director at Berlinale, this beautifully crafted black-and-white portrait stars Anders Danielsen Lie (The Worst Person in the World) alongside Laurie Metcalf and Bill Pullman. Meanwhile, Wolf offers an intimate portrait of British avant-pop musician Patrick Wolf, reflecting on the triumphs and challenges that shaped his life and career in conversation with longtime friend Tilda Swinton. Director Christian Cargill joins AFF audiences for the film's Australian Premiere.
Closer to home, Shine returns to the big screen for its 30th anniversary in a new 4K restoration. Celebrating Scott Hicks' Academy Award-winning story of pianist David Helfgott, this special AFF screening includes a live piano recital from Simon Tedeschi AM, followed by a Q&A with director Scott Hicks, moderated by Russell Torrance from ABC Classic.
Elsewhere, we're turning up the amps. The Best Summer takes us backstage at Australia's iconic 1995 Summersault tour, with rediscovered footage of Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Bikini Kill, Pavement, Beck and more. Then there's We Are The Shaggs, the extraordinary true story of three sisters who formed a band to fulfil their father's psychic prophecy, later finding unlikely fans in Kurt Cobain, Frank Zappa and Patti Smith. And in Funk, magnetic newcomer Duda Santos takes us into Rio de Janeiro's electrifying funk scene in a Tribeca-recognised story of music, ambition and self-expression.
Music isn't always about who's behind the microphone, either. In Australian film Boss Cat, a young woman with Down syndrome finds freedom and self-expression through krump dancing, with director Genevieve Clay-Smith joining audiences at AFF. Sundance Best Director winner Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! stars Academy Award nominee Rinko Kikuchi (Babel) as a grieving ballroom dancer who finds her groove again, with the help of an irresistible new dance instructor. Meanwhile, SXSW documentary The Way We Move follows renowned American Sign Language interpreter Amber Galloway as she teaches others to bring the full experience of music to audiences.
Sometimes, it's the music itself that transforms the cinematic experience. In Australian filmmaker Josef Gatti's Phenomena, extraordinary scientific experiments reveal hidden worlds, from soap bubbles resembling distant planets to crystals forming alien landscapes. Captured entirely in-camera without digital effects, these striking images are accompanied by an immersive score from Nils Frahm and Rival Consoles, creating a sensory experience made for the big screen.
And for something a little different, Norwegian indie-pop sensation girl in red makes her acting debut in Low Expectations. Starring alongside Anders Danielsen Lie, she plays a musician who has achieved her dreams, only to find herself broke, disillusioned and back living with her mother. This witty, quietly moving drama asks what happens when the life you've worked towards isn't quite what you imagined.
From the musicians who make it to the communities it brings together, music runs through AFF 2026 in all kinds of unexpected ways. Whether it's a familiar song, a new discovery or a performance that stays with you long after the credits roll, there's plenty to listen out for.
Listen to the sounds of AFF 2026
Want to hear more? We've put together the AFF 2026 Festival Score, a Spotify playlist featuring music heard in films across this year's program.
From Bill Evans and Foo Fighters to The Shaggs and girl in red, the playlist brings together an eclectic mix of sounds from some of AFF 2026's most music-rich films.
Whether you're revisiting a favourite, discovering something new or getting a taste of what's on screen, turn up the volume and take the sounds of AFF with you.
Listen to the AFF 2026 Festival Score on Spotify
Explore the AFF 2026 program and experience the music on the big screen, 14–25 October.