Your Summer of Western Sydney Film starts NOW

The wait is over – Made in the West Marathon Summer Sessions are HERE!

After announcing our expanded festival format back in October, we're absolutely buzzing to finally share the full details of our in-person pop-up screenings happening across Western Sydney this summer.

This is it, Western Sydney! Your chance to see local stories on the big screen in YOUR neighbourhood.

We've curated eight unique film sessions, each running around 90 minutes and packed with the best short films from the 2025 Official Selection.

Then stick around for 30 minutes of networking where you can meet the filmmakers, mingle, and connect with the creative community that makes Western Sydney's screen scene so bloody brilliant.

Because let's be honest – Made in the West has always been about more than just watching films. It's about celebrating together, making connections, and building the collaborative creative ecosystem we all want to be part of.

And this summer, we're bringing that energy to FOUR incredible venues across the region.

Event Cinemas Liverpool kicks things off with double-header Sunday Sessions on 7 and 14 December at 2:30pm and 4:30pm. After the holiday break, they're back with single Sunday afternoon screenings at 3pm throughout February. Sunday arvos at the cinema with exceptional local films? Yes please!

Event Cinemas Campbelltown is hosting midweek sessions at 7pm on Wednesday 4, 11 and 18 February. Their newly renovated cinema and Gold Class bar will be the perfect spot to settle in for an evening of Western Sydney storytelling. Campbelltown tickets are opening very soon – watch this space!

Bankstown Arts Centre brings the festival to Bankstown for the first time ever with Saturday evening screenings at 6pm on 7, 14 and 21 February. If you know anything about the incredible filmmakers who call Bankstown home, you know these sessions are going to be electric.

And Arts & Cultural Exchange Parramatta rounds out the line-up with Friday night screenings at 7pm on 30 January and 6 February. Parramatta was home to our very first festival back in 2012, so bringing Made in the West back there feels like coming full circle.

Tickets are on sale NOW for most sessions and range from $10-$15 depending on venue. Head straight to our Program page where you'll find all the screening dates, session details, and direct links to grab your tickets.

Here's the thing about this summer's program that we're particularly excited about: we've themed each session around different genres and moods.

Fancy some explosive action and high-stakes drama? Check out LOCKED & LOADED. 

Want to ugly-cry in the best possible way? DEEP CUTS will hit you right in the feels. 

Looking for suspense? THRILLS & CHILLS has got you covered.

Curious to see Western Sydney insights told through documentary? REAL WORLD STORIES is calling your name.

We've also got TRUTH & ILLUSION for stories where belief and reality collide. IN BETWEEN WORLDS for characters crossing boundaries to discover who they are. MIND OVER MATTER for internal battles and self-reckoning. And FUN-SIZED SHORTS for a fast-binge sampler of punchy, playful mini gems.

Each session is a complete experience in itself, which means you can pick the one that speaks to you, grab tickets for multiple sessions, or go absolutely wild and try to catch them all. 

We're not here to judge – in fact, we actively encourage festival bingeing! You can bet that's what we'll be doing this summer. We'll see you there at all the events!

The full details of what's screening when (and where) are all laid out on our Program page, including film titles, running times, and session descriptions to help you choose your adventure.

And here's something brilliant: every in-person screening gives you the chance to vote for the People's Choice Award.

Your vote matters – you'll be helping decide which filmmaker takes home our incredible $3,500 Panavision camera equipment prize package when we announce the winner at our Closing Night Party on 28 February.

Speaking of Closing Night – tickets for our final celebration at The Joan Penrith will be on sale in January. It's going to be the perfect way to close out a summer of celebrating Western Sydney film, and we hope you'll join us.

But first, let's talk about why these Marathon Summer Sessions matter so much.

For years, we've been saying that Western Sydney filmmakers create work that rivals anything you'd see at fancy festivals across town. Our MEGA Movie Marathon has been streaming these stories to audiences around the world since 2020, proving that local talent deserves a global stage.

At the same time, there's something irreplaceable about watching these films with your community in a cinema. The collective gasp when a twist hits. The ripple of laughter through the room. The silence that falls when a story cuts deep. That energy you can only get when you're experiencing art alongside other humans who get it.

That's what these Marathon Summer Sessions are all about.

We're creating more opportunities for filmmakers to showcase their work. More chances for audiences to see themselves represented on screen.

More spaces for the creative community to connect, collaborate, and celebrate what we're building together in Western Sydney.

This is storytelling as it was meant to be experienced – in a cinema, with your community, followed by drinks and conversations that could spark your next creative collaboration. 

The filmmakers will be there. The festival team will be there. The creative energy will be buzzing. All that's missing is you.

So here's what you need to do: head to our Program page right now, check out the eight curated sessions, pick the ones that speak to you, and grab your tickets. December sessions are filling up fast, and February will be here before you know it.

Bring your mates. Bring your collaborators. Bring anyone who loves great storytelling, supports local film, or just wants a brilliant night out at the cinema. 

While you're at it, do your creative fam a solid an share these awesome events with your networks!

These Marathon Summer Sessions are your chance to be part of something special – and to help make Western Sydney cinemas available to all!

Local stories. Local venues. Local audiences. Join us for a summer-long celebration of Western Sydney creativity happening right in your neighbourhood.

This is Made in the West doing what we do best: bringing the community together to celebrate the brilliant filmmakers who call Western Sydney home.

Check out the full Program, grab your tickets, and get ready for the best summer of local film screenings you've ever experienced.

We'll see you at the movies!