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The 61st Sydney Film Festival has revealed its full program, featuring 183 titles from 47 countries, including nine world premiere features.

SFF festival director Nashen Moodley announced the program before a packed media room at Sydney’s Customs House, promising “the power of the shared experience” of watching films “together in the dark”.

Joining the already announced opening night feature, the Nick Cave-narrated 20,000 Days On Earth, is closing night film What We Do In The Shadows, a hilarious vampire mockumentary by Flight Of The Conchords‘ Jemaine Clement and actor/director Taika Waititi.

Actors Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson will appear at the State Theatre for the Australian premiere of The Rover, while Cate Blanchett will introduce a family-friendly screening of How To Train Your Dragon 2.

The highest number of Australian films ever will compete for this year’s Sydney Film Prize, while world premieres include Josh Lawson’s The Little Death, Darlene Johnson’s The Redfern Story and Estonian feature The Gold Spinners.

Alongside the documentary, short film and Sounds On Screen programs, the Apple Store will host filmmaker talks including Gracie Otto and young Boyhood actor Ellar Coltrane, while a Film Critics Death Match at Sydney Town Hall is sure to have budding writers queuing up to challenge the leaders in their field.