Australian film is perhaps on the verge of a very strong and noticeable rise. This is being reinforced at this year’s Sundance Film Festival where some Australian films are garnering attention.

One of the films is called First Love and is a surfing documentary focusing on three young women in the  women’s surfing world. This is a topic that doesn’t usually gain a lot of attention. The film is sparking huge interest and was also popular at the Hawaii International Film Festival.

Another Aussie flick getting some attention is a film called Mad Bastards. It focuses on Australia’s indigenous population and is a gritty, yet philosophic and meditative force on life. This is perhaps the genre of film that Australia is going to be recognized for and ultimately make their mark in the filming industry. Gritty, real-world and real-life experience is something that Australian film does well and this is one aspect currently lacking in mainstream American film.

A prime and recent example of this genre is the grand winner at Sundance last year; the gritty, violent and subtly troubling film called Animal Kingdom. The film stars well-known Australian actors such as Guy Pearce, Joel Edgerton and Ben Mendelsohn. It follows a young teenager as he is thrown into the violent and chaotic world of his criminal family after the death of his mother.

The film was written and directed by a first-time director and the technical and artistic aspects of the film were incredibly well crafted for a first time project. The film had amazing performances and subtle character development from start to finish.

Animal Kingdom garnered much praise for its writing and directing, by David Michod, and not only won the top honor at Sundance – an honor shared by films such as Pulp Fiction and Little Miss Sunshine – but also gave Australian film some much needed recognition. The film was the third-highest grossing film in Australia that year and its reception at Sundance gave it large release in North America.

Australian film has always been subtle and well directed – the film Lantana is a great example of this – and now European and North American audiences, familiar with the largest film market in the world in America, are now ready to see what filmmakers down under can do.

As with any surge of film and film genre, especially from a country with little exposure, it brings something new and fresh to the art form. Different production methods and techniques become apparent, appreciated and emulated. Different stories of different people, exploring universal and accessible themes make the cinematic experience new and interesting. Subtle differences such as accent and slang can challenge and excite the moviegoer.

Past Sundance winners such as Pulp Fiction, the Blair Witch Project and Little Miss Sunshine all brought in and allowed for the production of similar types of films that resulted in a new wave of storytelling.   It will be interesting to see how Australian film is further acknowledged and developed and the impact it will have on the international film world is an exciting anticipation for movie and film enthusiasts.