A ranked countdown of the greatest films ever made in Australia, as voted by an expert panel of directors, actors, critics and curators. Originally published by The Age on 29 April 2026.
The Age polled twenty-four leading figures from Australian cinema and culture, including Margaret Pomeranz, Warwick Thornton, Bruce Beresford, Gillian Armstrong, Phillip Noyce, Jennifer Kent and David Michôd, and asked each to nominate their personal best Australian films. The compiled votes produced this ranked list of fifty films spanning more than half a century of local cinema, from the New Wave classics of the 1970s to debut features released in the past few years.
This page is a quick reference. For each judge's reasoning, the editorial commentary and the chance to lodge your own vote, visit the original interactive at The Age. The links beside each title here are simply a convenience: ABC iView for free streaming where the film is available (15 of the 50 currently are), JustWatch AU for current paid streaming and rental options, and IMDb for cast, crew and deeper background. Tick the filter to see only the films free on iView right now.
Twenty-four directors, actors, critics, curators and writers shaped the selections.