THE HISTORY OF SUFF
The Sydney Underground Film Festival is entering its 18th year in 2024 - creeping up on 20 years fast!
SUFF is a not-for-profit annual film festival. The first festival was held at Factory Theatre in Marrickville in September 2007. The festival has run every year since! Not even a pandemic could stop SUFF, as the festival continued online for two years in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, the festival partnered up with Event Cinemas - George Street with the support of a special Screen NSW / Create NSW grant to return to in-person screenings. In 2023, the festival was held at Dendy Cinemas in Newtown for the first time. Dendy Newtown is a venue that is very dear to a lot of Sydney-siders and so it made sense for the festival to continue on in this location.
To date, the festival has screened over 1,800 films from more than 30 countries in the past 17 years. SUFF is an integral part of Sydney’s film industry and screen culture, providing not only audiences with access to otherwise underrepresented features, documentaries, and shorts, but also providing screen practitioners and the local industry with screening, networking, and development opportunities.
SUFF is more than just a film festival; it’s an artistic and community-driven enterprise with a desire to create memorable screen-based experiences that capture a unique culturally connected audience. It's for anyone and everyone who want to watch and discuss films and increase their filmmaking skills in an inclusive, welcoming, and fun environment.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Sydney Underground Film Festival is dedicated to nurturing an alternative film culture through the promotion of independent and experimental films. The festival seeks to support filmmakers (especially those who operate outside established film industry infrastructures) by providing a platform for exhibition, exposure and critical discussion.