The three-day Sydney Underground Film Festival returns to Dendy Newtown this September, gearing up for another eccentric program of boundary-pushing cinema.

Kicking off on September 12th, SUFF ’24 will continue a long legacy of showcasing experimental filmmaking and divisive stories, courting controversy with a small collection of independent films from local and international directors.

Now in its 18th year, the festival will shed light on fringe cinema with what looks like one of its most wonderfully diverse programs in years, opening with the 50th anniversary of John Waters’ 1974 classic Female Trouble, and closing with the local premiere of Scala!!!.

The latter, a suitably riotous documentary about the long-shuttered London cinema once dubbed the “Sodom Odeon,” feels like a pitch-perfect acquisition for SUFF.

During its notorious run, Scala was a London cinema known for its sticky carpets, X-rated antics and off-kilter programming, some of which was handled by Jane Giles who has made this documentary along with co-director Ali Catterall to highlight an untold story of London’s infamous Kings Cross.

From twisted black comedies and campy musical comedies to horror-thrillers and road trip comedies, SUFF thrives with this kind of chaotic programming.

“We’re all about celebrating the wild, the weird, and the wonderfully unexpected,” said Festival Director Nathan Senn.

“This year’s festival will take you on a journey through cinema’s most daring corners… our lineup of films is a testament to the fearless creativity of filmmakers who dare to challenge, provoke, and entertain, and we can’t wait for our audience to join us for the ride.”

Aside from the features and documentaries, SUFF also squeezes in a collection of short films, which includes entrants for the TAKE48 Film Challenge. Returning for its sixth year, SUFF’s signature competition tasks filmmakers to create a short film in only 48 hours.

Sydney tends to pack in these more daring festivals when spring starts to rear its head. The last few days of August will see the Festival of Dangerous Ideas take over some of Sydney’s best event venues, and the long-running Sydney Fringe Festival will take over the city just days after SUFF ends.