The weather may be cold but St Kilda is as hot as ever!

To celebrate the return of the St Kilda Film Festival, we are crafting the perfect long weekend so you can get the most out of the festival opening and all that St Kilda has to offer.

The best part? You could win it all!

Walk the red carpet and rub shoulders with the film industry at the St Kilda Film Festival Opening Night, then join us at the official After Party. We’ve got your accommodation sorted too, so you can stroll to the comfort of your nearby hotel at the end of the night. Plus enjoy some of the best arts, food and drink experiences in and around St Kilda.

To enter, while you’re out and about in any of our City of Port Phillip neighbourhoods, follow and tag us in your pics (@WhatsOnStKildaSouthside)  and tell us which are your favourite winter haunts in Port Phillip.

Prize includes:

• A double pass to the St Kilda Film Festival Opening Night gala screening
• Entry to official Opening Night After Party
• Accommodation for three nights
• Dining experiences at some of the best local restaurants
• St Kilda Esplanade Market merchandise pack including umbrella, keep cup and reusable shopping bag
• Tickets to selected St Kilda Film Festival sessions during the opening weekend
• Palace Cinema Candy Bar Vouchers.

Take a look at the itinerary below.

Thursday 1 June 2023

Your first stop on your luxurious St Kilda weekend is the Prince Hotel, where you will be warmly welcome and whisked up to your little sanctuary for the next three days. Enjoy the views over Fitzroy Street and Port Phillip Bay as you get ready for your night on the red carpet.

Head down to the Prince Dining Room for an early supper before walking over to the Palais Theatre, to walk the red carpet and bask in the glamour and artistry of the St Kilda Film Festival Opening Night Gala Celebration. After enjoying a selection of the best of Australian short film, join patrons and filmmakers for drinks and nibbles at the official After Party at Encore at the iconic St Kilda Sea Baths. When your film cup is full, head back to your cosy room to rest and rejuvenate for the weekend.

Friday 2 June 2023

Wake up and start your day with breakfast at Fitzrovia, just a short walk from The Prince Hotel. Their sweet potato and caramelised onion fritters are to die for and are served with poached eggs, thyme roasted mushrooms, snow pea shoots and grilled saganaki (YUM!). Maybe a mimosa or a Bloody Mary to clear the post opening night cobwebs? Up to you.

After breakfast, take a stroll down leafy Acland Street, past Theatre Works (take a look at what is coming up!) and up to the stunning Linden New Art. Explore this beautiful historic building and the incredible exhibitions and works on display.

From here, it’s time to adventure a little further out, so jump on a tram up Carlisle Street towards Balaclava for a bite and a coffee or a pint (if you like!). Get off at the St Kilda Town Hall tram stop and head across the road to The Local Taphouse- a favourite of Balaclavians and visitors alike. With an impressive selection of craft beers and great food (their mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort cuisine), there’s little else you need to pass the perfect Friday afternoon. There are some gorgeous gift shops, jewellers, clothes shops, street art and plenty of other places to eat and drink if you feel like checking out more of this gritty, cool neighbourhood.

Ready for some more film? Take a tram up Chapel Street to the iconic Astor Theatre. Load up at the Candy Bar and settle in for more St Kilda Film Festival fun:

6.15 pm - Australian Comedy Showcase: These comedies run the gamut from surreal mindbenders, absurdist masterpieces, friendly banter, arthouse hysterics and catastrophic slapstick.

8.45 pm - Dark Matters: If you enjoy nail-biting, boots-quaking or just plain being petrified, pluck up your courage and explore the sinister boundaries of home-grown horror.

Saturday 3 June 2023

The beach might be cold but the baths are warm! Head to the St Kilda Sea Baths for a morning swim and soak. Take advantage of the heated 25 metre seawater pool, hydrotherapy spa pool, unisex aromatherapy steam room and lounge area, while taking in the magnificent views of the bay.

If the smell of salt water inspires you, rug up, grab a coffee and take a walk along the bay (there is something so dramatically satisfying about experiencing the bay under a winter’s sky).

After working up an appetite, reward yourself with some morning tea on Acland Street, with the most iconic patisseries and bakeries offering mouth-watering selections of cakes, pastries and biscuits to satisfy the sweetest of cravings.

Saturday afternoons are best spent shopping and Fitzroy Street and Acland Street have some wonderful treasure troves of homewares, clothing, books, art and gourmet food to explore.

Head back to The Prince Hotel to drop off the day’s shopping haul and refresh for dinner (is it time for a nap?). For a little more indulgence, pop into a little pocket of France at Bistro Volière. Enjoy classic French cuisine and a wonderful selection of French and local wines in a warm, bustling Parisian environment.

If you’re not done with the day, head to The Espy, for some live music, drinks and dancing.

Sunday 4 June 2023

It may be time to check out of the hotel, but your long weekend is not over yet! Take a wander down to the St Kilda Esplanade Market, an absolute icon of St Kilda. Explore a range of arts, crafts and creations and meet the makers and creators themselves.

When your treasure troves are full, there is still so much of the St Kilda Film Festival to enjoy so head back to the Astor and settle in for an afternoon of Film Festival fun:

•  1 pm - Australian Documentary Showcase (Astor): This extraordinary collection of short documentaries explores everything from space travel, Melbourne’s relationship with the legendary Bob Dylan, the life and legacy of one of our most acclaimed First Nations artists and so much more.

3.30 pm – Crime and Punishment: Who doesn’t like things a little hard-boiled from time to time? If you want your cinema dangerous and dipped in darkness, you’ve come to the right place. Our downright shady program includes documentary portraiture, tough suburban drama, an exotic spy thriller and a surreal fantasy noir. Expect each and every title to grip you.

 5.45 pm – Brave New Worlds: Australian Cinematic Visions #1:  There are so many amazing, boundary-pushing and experimental short films this year that we had to split them into two screenings. Our first program explores form, genre and narrative structures in film. These shorts are bursting with creative ambition, so don’t expect to sit back and let them wash over you. They’re coming right at you with striking imagery, bold ideas, and some inspiring visions for the future of cinema.

8pm - Australian Drama Showcase #1: Australian filmmakers have admirably risen to the  challenges of their craft over the last two years. This selection of films reflects a beautiful emphasis on small and profound interactions. These are stories that look you in the eye and move you with sheer emotional heft. In part one of our two-part dramatic program we present striking personal stories, First Nations' stories, lonesome roads and tender moments. Above all, they point to a captivating and diverse future for Australian cinema.

There is so much more to explore in St Kilda, from live music and arts, pop-up stores and events, bars, restaurants and cafes, plus parks, walks and outdoor activities – so try something new this winter. Let us know what you find #WinterStKilda.

The St Kilda Film Festival runs 1 to 12 June across multiple venues. View the full program and book your tickets via the link below.

www.stkildafilmfestival.com.au/

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• · Entries are open to people over the age of 18.
• · Entrants must be residents of Victoria.
• · Prize pack includes:
  • 3 x nights accommodation for two people (Valued at $750)
  • 1 x Food and Drink Voucher for Prince Dining (Valued at $120)
  • 1x Food and Drink Voucher for Fitzrovia (Valued at $80)
  • 1x Food at Drink Voucher for Bistro Voliere (Valued at $120)
  • 1 x Food and Drink Voucher for Local Tap House (Valued at $120)
  • 1 x Readings Voucher (Valued at $50)
  • 2 x St Kilda Film Festival Opening Night tickets (valued at $38 each - total value $76)
  • Film Festival tickets (Up to 2 tickets per sessions on Friday 2 June 2023 and Sunday 4 June. Each ticket is valued at $15 each. Total value up to $180).
  • 2 x St Kilda Esplanade Markets merchandise pack (valued at $50 each - total value $100)
  • TOTAL PRIZE VALUE $1696
• Prize elements cannot be transferred or rescheduled.
• Check- in is on Thursday 1 June 2023 and check-out is on Sunday 4 June.
• To win, entrants must follow and tag @whatsonstkildasouthside in their Instagram or Facebook post. A comment must accompany the post with a reference to the entrant’s favourite local business within the City of Port Phillip.
• Winners will be selected at random from those entries that meet the criteria outlined above.
• Competition is open until 11.59 pm 25 May 2023.
• The winner will be selected and contacted via post comment and direct message by 12 pm, Friday 26 May 2023.