FNFF 2025 Brings ‘Next Generation’ Films to NAIDOC’s 50th Year
Image: Image: Still from Farmblock A67 Source: Supplied by FNFF
The First Nations Film Festival (FNFF) is back this NAIDOC Week, streaming online from July 6 to August 3, with a line-up that’s as powerful as it is timely.
This year marks 50 years of NAIDOC Week, and FNFF’s 2025 program embraces the milestone with its theme, “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.”
It’s a tribute to the enduring leadership of Elders who paved the way and to the rising generation carrying their culture and stories forward.
FNFF 2025 explores strength, vision and legacy with next gen films
The festival’s program features five standout feature films and a collection of shorts, including We Don’t Need a Map by Warwick Thornton, and Here I Am by Bec Cole, that dive deep into survival, identity, and connection to Country.
Leading the charge is a special preview screening of Mother’s Day directed by Paul Bell.
The documentary follows Ronald Morgan and his mum, who made history as the first Aboriginal mother-son kidney transplant recipients in Western Australia. Their moving journey is as much about family and resilience as it is about health and cultural strength.
Yuin filmmaker Fran Dobbie takes center stage
For NSW filmmaker Fran Dobbie, this year’s FNFF is a chance to bring stories from her proud Yuin heritage to the big screen.
Her storytelling spans across three works: Miro (Short), My Grandmother’s Country (Short), and the feature documentary Over the Edge.
Dobbie is also teasing her upcoming project, Always Watching, set for cinemas later this year.
“Truth-telling is how we connect and pass on strength. Sharing stories helps us heal, learn and grow,” Dobbie says.
FNFF NAIDOC Shorts Collection brings biting entertainment with fresh perspectives
The NAIDOC Shorts Collection shines a light on even more voices from across the country, with films like Aboriginal Warrior, Anangu Way, Marlu Man, Farm Block A67, and Jarda Bura, Gurri Bura, Jarda Ngarli, Gurri Ngarli.
Each explores the power of cultural knowledge, self-determination, and intergenerational wisdom through a new lens.
More than films this NAIDOC Week
For audiences catching up, FNFF’s Rec Week Collection is still available to stream.
The must-watch highlights include Warwick Thornton’s stunning archival work WINHANGANHA, the coming-of-age doco Like My Brother, and Blown Away, which revisits Cyclone Tracy through the eyes of Aboriginal survivors.
First Nations Shorts like Bluey, Yellow Fella, and Drovers Boy also make a return, alongside Jennifer Kent’s internationally acclaimed The Babadook.
With an All Access Festival Pass you can stream the full line up—binge it solo, grab some friends or even host your own screening!
For those keen to dive deeper, schools, councils, and workplaces can also book speakers to lead thoughtful discussions around the films.
FNFF isn’t just streaming films. It’s inviting Australians to sit with these stories and celebrate the next generation of cultural leaders.
For passes and more information, visit www.fanforcetv.com
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