Sophie Hyde’s Jimpa Announced as Opening Night Film
AFF has announced that its Opening Night film will be the much-anticipated Australian premiere of Sophie Hyde’s Jimpa, starring Olivia Colman, John Lithgow and Aud Mason-Hyde.
AFF kicks off with Jimpa on Wednesday, October 15 with the Opening Night screening at Adelaide’s historic Capri Theatre, to be followed by AFF’s famously fabulous Opening Night party, once again at Queen’s Theatre.
Acclaimed South Australian filmmaker - and Adelaide Film Festival patron – Sophie Hyde, directs, produces and co-writes Jimpa with producer Liam Heyen, producer/editor Bryan Mason and producer Marleen Slot. In this uplifting multi-generational family story, filmmaker Hannah (Colman) takes her trans nonbinary teenager Frances (Mason-Hyde) to Amsterdam, to visit their gay grandfather - lovingly known as “Jimpa” (Lithgow). But Frances’ desire to stay with Jimpa for a year abroad means Hannah is forced to reconsider her beliefs about parenting and finally confront old stories about the past.
Drawing inspiration from the death of her own father, the queer family she was raised in, and the identity of her child, acclaimed filmmaker Sophie Hyde tackles her most personal story yet with her trademark authenticity and intimacy. Centring on a multigenerational queer family, Jimpa is bursting with compassion, nuance and joy, and is an urgent story for generations who desperately need to connect.
Jimpa had its World Premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and will be released in Australian cinemas by Kismet.
Mat Kesting, AFF CEO & Creative Director, said:
“Adelaide Film Festival is honoured to announce the Australian premiere of Jimpa as the opening film of this year’s Festival. A story of family and love, Sophie Hyde has courageously drawn from personal experiences to create a film that is hopeful and much needed at this time. It’s a film that will both pull at heartstrings and set the tone for dancing well into the night, an ideal way to celebrate the opening of AFF 2025!”
Sophie Hyde said:
“We couldn't be more pleased to be opening the Adelaide Film Festival and celebrating the brilliant filmmaking community here, with a story that has such strong Adelaide ties. AFF has been a partner with us on the making of this film and I'm very grateful to Mat and team for their support and belief in this project. We made Jimpa in Adelaide, Amsterdam and Helsinki and I am really excited to screen on home ground.”
Minister for the Arts, Andrea Michaels, said:
"It's fantastic to announce that Jimpa will be the opening night film for the upcoming Adelaide Film Festival! This is a really exciting film starring two incredible actors in Olivia Colman and John Lithgow and was filmed right here in Adelaide. I’m looking forward to seeing it and I encourage everyone to get their tickets early as they are sure to be snapped up quickly.”
Jimpa joins six films recently announced by AFF. Six of the seven announced films are directed by women.
Previously announced titles are the documentaries Journey Home, David Gulpilil, by directors Maggie Miles and Trisha Morton-Thomas, The Colleano Heart from director Pauline Clague and Lynette Wallworth’s Edge of Life, the South Australian horror thriller Penny Lane is Dead from writer/director Mia’Kate Russell, this year’s Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner It Was Just An Accident by acclaimed Iranian director Jafar Panahi, and Fwends, the charming first-time feature directed by Sophie Somerville.
Jimpa, My Colleano Heart, Edge of Life and Penny Lane is Dead were all supported into production by the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund (AFFIF).