More than 2,000 people gathered at Sydney’s State Theatre on Wednesday night for the opening night of the Sydney Film Festival and the Australian premiere of Silenced, the latest documentary from filmmaker Selina Miles.
Miles, who also directs commercial work through production company Scoundrel for brands including Volkswagen, Diageo and Kia, was joined on the red carpet by Australian human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson and former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, whose experiences form part of the documentary’s examination of the growing use of legal threats and defamation laws to silence women, journalists and survivors.
The premiere attracted a host of media and entertainment figures, including podcast host and Cairns Crocodiles 2026 speaker Abbie Chatfield, journalist and broadcaster Lisa Wilkinson, and SBS journalist, presenter and documentary-maker Karla Grant.
Speaking to B&T on the red carpet, Robinson said she never doubted the film would get made once the female-led creative team came together.
“Knowing that this amazing team of women were going to make the film, I knew it was going to happen, but of course it was hard to put together the funding. When we were greenlit, it was remarkable.”
Robinson said the female perspective behind the camera was evident throughout the finished documentary.
“To work with a female director, a female producer, and a women-led team to tell this story, you see it in the way the film’s told. It’s beautifully told, deeply empathetic, compassionate, and I think people really enjoy watching it.”
Asked whether there were moments during production where the film felt unlikely to happen, Robinson said she had confidence in the team from the outset.
“Women make things happen,” she said.
Sydney Film Festival chair Darren Dale said the decision to open the festival’s 73rd edition with an Australian documentary reflected the confidence and evolution of the event and sent a strong signal to the local screen industry.
“It means something to open with a film like this, and it gives great strength and aspiration to other filmmakers to make films like this.”
Before the screening, NSW minister for the arts John Graham took to the stage to flag the importance of cinema and the power of film, which is why he said the government backs the industry for growth and highlighted its investment in a second major screen studio in Sydney.
The team at Scoundrel also told B&T it was “incredibly proud” to see director Selina Miles open the Sydney Film Festival with Silenced.
“It’s a huge achievement and a testament to her talent, vision and relentless commitment to powerful storytelling,” Kate Gooden, partner and executive producer at Scoundrel said on behalf of the team.
“Selina has always had a remarkable ability to connect audiences with deeply human stories, and it’s exciting to see that recognised at one of the country’s most significant cultural and film events.”
A milestone for inclusive filmmaking
Taking a moment to speak to B&T on the red carpet was Sydney-based director Genevieve Clay-Smith, founder and former CEO of Bus Stop Films.
Clay-Smith was at the opening night ahead of the world premiere of Boss Cat on Sunday. The feature film follows 23-year-old Sonja, a woman with Down syndrome, as she fights for her independence after the death of her mother. When her estranged grandmother attempts to sell the family home, Sonja embarks on a journey of self-discovery, friendship and self-expression through dance.
Clay-Smith said the project was a powerful example of what can be achieved when inclusion is embedded from the outset.
“It just shows that inclusive filmmaking isn’t hard, it doesn’t slow things down, and it doesn’t compromise on quality. You just have to give people a go, they’ll rise to the occasion, and you can create something amazing.”
Clay-Smith said her commitment to inclusive storytelling had been the driving force behind her career.
“I didn’t want people to miss out on being seen, and I didn’t want people to miss out on this industry of storytelling, because it should belong to everybody.”
She added that authentic representation is something audiences increasingly want to see, while also fulfilling a deeply human need.
“People want to be seen, that’s one of our longings as humans, we want to be fully seen and fully loved.”
Photographer: Belinda Rolland © 2026
Also attending the festival was Clay-Smith’s husband, Henry Smith, who is well known across adland as the founder of Inclusively Made, a certification standard for inclusive production across film, television and advertising. The organisation works with brands, agencies and production companies to embed disability inclusion from day one, helping position accessibility as a creative and cultural asset rather than an afterthought.
“Genevieve has made something spectacularly beautiful. And it’s also a historic moment for inclusion,” Smith told B&T.
“Boss Cat is the world’s first feature film to achieve Inclusively Made certification, scoring the highest we’ve ever seen for the inclusion of people with disability both in front of and behind the camera.”
Commenting on Silenced, Clay-Smith said it’s a reminder of what’s possible when women are fully in charge of the story, with the documentary being a masterclass because “it’s fearless, precise, and made with deep conviction”.
“I’m exceptionally proud to have Boss Cat premiering in the same festival,” she said. “When I look at both these films sitting in the same festival, I see what happens when women are trusted to lead and that’s the world I want my daughters to grow up in.”
Smith echoed this sentiment, adding he was deeply moved by the choice to open the festival with Silenced.
“The film puts three uncomfortable truths on the table: the imbalance of power between genders, a legal and social system that struggles to believe survivors and the enormous personal cost of seeking justice through that system,” he said.
“As a dad of twin girls, I left very grateful for people like human rights lawyer Jen Robinson, who traces her conviction back to her grandmother, and who stood in front of 2,000 people last night and asked us to hold that same line.”
Photographer: Belinda Rolland © 2026
Malinda Wink, executive producer of Silenced and executive director of Minderoo Pictures took to the red carpet, as well as journalist, presenter and long-time host of NITV’s Living Black Karla Grant, with and her actor and presenter daughter, Lowanna Grant. Singaporean filmmaker Boo Junfeng, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, cinematographer Ari Wegner and many more VIPs made up a stellar and unique audience for the sell out premiere.
Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ian Darling, executive director of Shark Island Institute and Chair of Shark Island Foundation, was also in attendance. Darling’s latest documentary, The Valley, is also set to premiere at the festival. Set in the secluded Kangaroo Valley community in regional New South Wales, the film is a meditative portrait of the people who call the region home, exploring themes of solitude, resilience and connection.
Check out the trailer for The Valley below.
A mix of brands back the festival with Australian insurer GIO the major partner, alongside Official Airline Partner Air Canada. Combined with support from Federal, State and Local Government partners, other organisations investing in Australia’s screen and cultural sector include luxury car brand Genesis and Japanese beer brand Kirin Ichiban.
