ScreenHub

Nicolas Cage has nothing to do with Netflix’s new East of Eden limited series, or with any prior screen take on John Steinbeck’s tome, but his career speaks volumes about the power of adapting the 1952 novel. Once you discover how deeply Cage was affected and inspired by James Dean in the 1955 film, it’s impossible to see his distinctive acting presence as anything but chasing the intensity that earned Dean the first of his two Best Actor Oscar nominations.

Getting a film up is never easy. It takes an army, even at the independent end. With Australia’s movie scene small enough as it is, any hand-up to get a production over the line can be transformative. Which is why the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund has had such an impact.

The ABC and Screen Australia have jointly announced animated series Flower & Flour will get a second season, following a debut which broke records for 2026. As outlined, Flower & Flour is the ‘number one’ premiere commissioned series for ABC Children & Family in 2026. It has also averaged a total audience of one million per episode across ABC TV and ABC iview, suggesting a widespread popularity and enjoyment across Australia.

Dendy Cinemas is currently hosting a curious program of films. Rather than delivering your typical mainstream, widely-appealing screenings, Dendy Presents Journeys: Cinematic Odysseys focuses on lesser-known and rarer films that can’t be seen anywhere else in Australia – not through physical media, on TV, or on streaming. As the team says, this program for the Dendy Newtown cinema comprises ‘rare cinematic odysseys that set out to tell their stories without compromise’.

The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary concerts taking place in Sydney and Melbourne in 2027 are soon to be on sale, with the first presale details released by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. These events are designed to celebrate the history and legacy of the Legend of Zelda franchise, with local orchestras performing tracks from across the game series.

Screen Australia has announced over $5.7 million in funding for the production and development of 47 Australian-made documentary features, all charting unique aspects of the world, history and culture. As shared, the fund will be provided to teams both established and emerging, all joined by their intentionality to bring ‘distinctive’ Australian voices and perspectives to the screen.

The Sydney Opera House has announced AU.X Screenworks, a new four-day program of experimental film screenings and events aiming to push artistic boundaries. From 30 November to 3 December, audiences will be able to experience new and experimental short films and feature films as well as live ‘expanded’ cinema presentations, director Q&A sessions, live dance and spoken word performances.

It’s always a bit awkward when the ABC decides it’s time to get educational. It’s one thing to inform viewers about subjects they’re already interested in – who doesn’t love Gardening Australia? – but the ABC programmers just can’t resist a show where a microdose of comedy is meant to make a massive infodump palatable to a viewing audience that hasn’t been inside a learning institution since the 20th century. A wacky quiz show set in a natural history museum? A wacky panel show based on criminology?

RSPCA NSW has announced the return of its RSPCA in Shorts Film Festival, set to take place on 28 October at Moore Park in Sydney, New South Wales. The festival will shine a spotlight on animal welfare, with various shorts showing off what the RSPCA does for local wildlife and pets, and the importance of looking after Australia’s animal population.

Neighbours rights holder Fremantle has partnered with Epis ‘microdrama’ platform creator RoseBerry to adapt the series for a vertical format, with generative AI used for the transition. As announced, Epis will cut down versions of Neighbours starting with plotlines involving Margot Robbie as Donna Freedman, which originally aired between 2008 and 2011. Parts of her episodes will reportedly be edited down to create ‘micro-episodes’, making up to 150 minutes of content.