Cinema Australia

In this episode, I’m joined by Harvey Zielinski - writer and director of Sweet Milk Lake who also stars in the film as two twin brothers, Jake and Sam. I won’t repeat my adoration for Harvey and his career here, because you can hear a lot about that in this interview itself, but here’s the synopsis: After being mistaken for his twin brother, Sam, by his estranged and dying dad, a soft-spoken trans...

I love a film that evokes the same symptoms as a fever dream, or if you’ve dabbled in acid in your past, an acid trip. That’s how I’d describe the feeling of watching Adam C. Briggs’ weird and wonderful new film, Phillip Philadelphia. It’s difficult to put into words exactly what the film is about, and as Briggs says during this interview, it’s open to interpretation. You can take away from it wha...

On this episode, I’m joined by writer and director Mia’Kate Russell to discuss her very excellent, highly entertaining, violent and bloody cat-and-mouse horror, Penny Lane is Dead. Set in 1986, during a scorching Aussie summer, Penny Lane is Dead follows three best friends who’s celebration at a beach house turns into a blood-soaked fight for survival when a prank goes horribly wrong. The films ca...

Australia really does punch above its weight when it comes to documentary filmmaking. Over the past 18 months alone, this country has produced a number of inspiring, world-class documentaries that fit in so well on the world stage. Documentaries like Floodland, Yurlu | Country, In the Trenches, Every Little Thing, and Songs Inside are some that you really must seek out if you haven’t already seen...

Welcome to the Cinema Australia Podcast. My name is Matthew Eeles. In this very mini episode, I’m joined by Under a Bamboo Sky filmmaker Serge Ou, to discuss his confronting and revealing new documentary which hits Netflix this week after a successful run of Q&A screenings across the country recently. A tale of human connection, hope and resilience in the face of great tragedy, Under a Bamboo Sky...

Welcome to the latest episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast. Straight off the bat, I need to say that this interview with Beast director Tyler Atkins is one of my favourites ever. I always appreciate openness and honesty from my guests, and Tyler delivers it in spades here. It’s one of the most real and raw insights into the difficult world of filmmaking that I’ve ever recorded. If you’re an eme...

This episode is a special one for me because I finally had an opportunity to interview Tilda Cobham-Hervey, an actor who I have long-admired, and whose name has been on my interview bucket list for many years. It was also special to interview James Litchfield, the writer and director of Alphabet Lane - a film that I can’t seem to shake. I’ve seen it twice since I first watched it a few weeks ago,...

In this episode, I’m joined by one of my favourite Australian actors, Natalie Abbott, who gives an inspiring performance in The Deb. I think everyone will find something they can relate to with her character Tayla considering the depth and complexities of the character. Also, anyone who’s a fan of musicals in general are going to adore this film. There’s so much to love about The Deb, and Natalie’...

Proclivitas writer and director Miley Tennecliffe is my guest on this episode which was recorded with a live audience as part of the WA Made Film Festival where Proclivitas celebrated its WA premiere recently. This one was a really fun episode to record, and I’d like to give a special shoutout to the audience who attended this recording on the day, and for asking some great questions which listene...

Welcome to the Cinema Australia Podcast. My name is Matthew Eeles. In this episode, I’m joined by Floodland director Jordan Giusti to discuss this very topical documentary set in flood-prone Lismore, where residents face life-changing decisions after devastating floods. A man copes pragmatically, his friend turns activist, and an Indigenous social worker builds a healing centre. Jordan is an award...

Welcome to the latest episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast. In this episode I’m joined by actor Teresa Palmer, and director Marcelle Lunam to discuss their new rom-com, Addition. Addition follows Grace, played by Palmer, a woman who counts everything because numbers hold her world together. But when a chance encounter with Seamus, played by Joe Dempsie, turns her world upside down, her meticulo...

Welcome to the very first episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast for 2026! It’s great to be back. It wasn’t until the back end of 2025 that I realised how few episodes of this Podcast I recorded last year with a focus on more written interviews. I’m going to make it a priority in 2026 to record more episodes and hopefully reach my 150th episode which would be very exciting. On to this episode… I...

This episode is a little different from usual, as it features two interviews originally recorded for my radio segment on 2RRR and the Community Radio Network. I thought I’d also publish them here for your listening pleasure. My first guest here is Dawn Jackson, a filmmaker from Perth whose new documentary Pointe: Dancing on a Knife’s Edge is currently touring Australia with a series of Q&A screeni...

In this episode, I’m joined by the great Peter Skinner to discuss his debut feature film, Two Ugly People. There’s not much point in me gushing here about how much I love this film, because I do enough of that throughout this interview. But I will say that it’s only August, and Two Ugly People is already not only one of my favourite Australian films this year, but one of my favourite films of the...

In this episode, I’m joined by writer, director and producer Adrian Ortega to discuss the making of his new film, Westgate - a poetic exploration of family, culture, and the weight of past traumas. Set in 1999 in the shadows of the Westgate bridge collapse, Westgate follows single mother Netta (played by Sarah Nicolazzo) and her son Julian (played by Max Nappo). With her debts mounting, and the th...

Over a decade in the making, the fully independent science fiction feature film Space/Time is now available via VoD release after a successful but limited cinema run around the country. In this episode, I’m joined by the film’s director and co-writer, Michael O’Halloran, and co-writer Adam Harmer to discuss the making of the film in detail. Here’s the official synopsis for the film: When a team of...

In this episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast I’m joined by The Aegean writer, director and co-producer Jacob Richardson to discuss his sweeping and ambitious new film.  The Aegean follows Hector (Costas Mandylor), a widowed Greek fisherman who feels the weight of his age in a world that has started to forget him. Everything changes when he meets Theodore (Nicky Dune), a resourceful, sharp, and...

Hello, and welcome to the Cinema Australia Podcast. In this episode, I’m joined by Within the Pines writer and director Paul Evans Thomas, who gives us a great insight into the making of his unmissable new film. There’s no need for me to bang on about why I loved this film so much—because I do enough of that throughout this episode—but I do urge you not to sleep on Within the Pines. It’s an excell...

Hello, and welcome to the latest episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast. My name is Matthew Eeles. In this episode, I’m joined by Danielle Stamoulos, the writer and lead actor of the impressive new short film, Gorgo. Regular listeners will notice that this Podcast episode is shorter than usual as it was originally recorded for my radio show on 2RRR. Danielle is an AACTA-winning Greek-Australian f...

Welcome to this very different episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast. So, what’s so different about this episode? Well, it’s the first-ever Cinema Australia Podcast recording with a live audience. This episode was recorded during the recent WA Made Film Festival, where we invited friend-of-the-fest Zak Hilditch to join me and other punters for an interview about his career and his new film, We B...

Welcome to the Cinema Australia Podcast. In this episode I’m joined by Charles Williams to discuss Inside, a prison drama starring Guy Pearce, Cosmo Jarvis, Tammy MacIntosh and newcomer, Vincent Miller whose name you should make note of because you’re going to hear a lot more from this impressive young actor. Here’s the synopsis: After being transferred from juvenile to adult prison, Mel (Vincent...

Welcome to the Cinema Australia Podcast. In this episode, I’m joined by Under Streetlights writer, director and co-producer Danielle Loy to discuss this incredibly moving musical drama. This film is the exact reason why you shouldn’t sleep on independently-made Australian films. Quite often, they’re far better than a lot of the mainstream Australian films being made. Under Streetlights deserves al...

Welcome to the latest episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast. In this episode, I’m joined by Luke J.S. and Luke Wijayasinha-Gray to discuss Your Love is Mine, a moody and atmospheric relationship drama with a touch of horror. Your Love is Mine explores the depths of love and desperation and tells the story of a couple whose relationship is put to the ultimate test when a sudden tragedy strikes. A...

In this episode I’m joined by Eliza Cox, a filmmaker who has dedicated years of her life to making this exceptional new documentary. Shot over eight years, Queens of Concrete chronicles the journey from childhood to adulthood and the moments that define us. It’s 2016 and Hayley (14), Ava (13) and Charlotte (9) are following their dreams to qualify for the first ever Australian Olympic skateboardin...

In this episode I’m joined by The Demon Disorder director, writer, producer and special effects artist, Steve Boyle. The Demon Disorder follows brothers Jake (played by Dirk Hunter) and Graham (played by Christian Willis). When their youngest brother is believed to be demonically possessed, the estranged brothers reunite to confront a dreadful family secret. Charles Cottier, John Noble and Tobie W...