In these lists of the best Australian films of the year, I keep my eyes out for any patterns or trends. For example, three of 2022’s best titles were about rivers; half of 2021’s were documentaries; 2019 saw a sharp disconnect between the best versus the most popular Aussie films; and 2018 brought a batch of particularly bold and uncompromising works.
Perhaps this year, you, dear reader, can have a crack at discerning a pattern for yourselves. The 10 films below are a rather eclectic batch, spanning a wide range of genres – from dystopian drama to heartbreaking documentary, romance, outback noir, horror and more. To qualify for this list, films needed to have had a release outside the festival circuit, either theatrically or on a streaming platform.
