Here’s a quick at-a-glance guide to this year’s Melbourne International Film Festival. You can see the full program here, and also find out what Readings staff are seeing here.

Most buzzed about

We recommend: The Lobster Runner up: Force of Destiny

Psychological thriller

We recommend: The WitchRunner up: Sunrise

Book-to-film adaptation

We recommend: Holding the Man Runner up: See all of our book-to-film picks here

Contemporary Australian drama

We recommend: The DaughterRunner up: Pawno

Tearjerker

We recommend: My Love, Don’t Cross That RiverRunner up: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Quirky American comedy featuring an indie star

We recommend: Mistress AmericaRunner up: The Overnight

Weird families

We recommend: The WolfpackRunner up: Grey Gardens

Movie about movies

We recommend: Raiders!Runner up: My Life Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Sports movie

We recommend: Tokyo OlympiadRunner up: Graceful Girls

LGBTQ focus

We recommend: Do I Sound Gay?Runner up: Gayby Baby

Retrospective

We recommend: Charlie’s CountryRunner up: Heaven Knows What

Horror comedy

We recommend: DeathgasmRunner up: He Never Died

Harrowing and important

We recommend: Toto and His SistersRunner up: Snow Monkey

Tech geek

We recommend: Deep WebRunner up: Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine