MIFF is delighted to offer a dazzling kaleidoscope of every sort of filmmaking. We do want to warn audiences, however, that not everything in the program will be suitable for all viewers, and we strongly recommend you consider the suitability of films specifically for your household.
The films you can find at festivals can at times deal with difficult or dark subject matter, they may be at times confronting, and parts of some of the films included have the potential to be triggering for some viewers.
Please consider your own safety and sensitivities as a viewer - while films are easily accessible from our digital platform, we strongly encourage audiences to:
- Read the synopsis material provided to consider whether the film may be appropriate for you
- Consider suitability especially where there are content warnings applied to particular films - there is very good reason for their inclusion.
- Consider age restrictions for films, and what films may be suitable (and legally screenable) for particular members of your household - films are, in general, not provided for all-ages access.
You’ll notice that most of the films at the festival contain an ‘Unclassified 18+’ or ‘Unclassified 15+’ labelling, which spells out age access for content. This is because every year, whether in -cinemas or online, MIFF presents a number of films which to date do not have Australian classification, and we work with the Classification Board to provide a means of legally screening films for audiences. These restrictions are not the same as R18+ or MA15+ ratings.
For Unclassified 18+ - This is not the same as an R18+ rating, but it acts in a similar way: nobody under 18 (including infants) can legally view a film with this exemption, even with a parent or adult guardian. One of the key differences between R and Unclassified 18+ is that the content will not be as per an R movie – rather, the film has not yet been classified as suitable for anyone other than an adult audience.
For Unclassified 15+ - This is not the same as an MA 15+ rating, but it acts in the same way: nobody under 15 can legally view the film unless they are with a parent or reasonable adult guardian.
For more information on age restrictions and warnings, please see the relevant section in our Terms and Conditions.
We wish you an enjoyable MIFF!