FEBRUARY 7 2026 HOTA GOLD COAST
2:30pm - 5:45pm, Romeo + Juliet (1996)
7:00pm - 9:30pm, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
AACTA invites you to a rare cinematic event - a one-day celebration spanning three decades of Baz Luhrmann’s work.
The AACTA Festival presents a world-first Baz Luhrmann double bill. The 30th anniversary screening of Romeo + Juliet (1996), followed by the Australian Premiere of EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert. Two defining works, presented back-to-back for the first time.
Seen together, these films show the central role music plays in Luhrmann’s storytelling, from the genre-defining soundtrack that shaped Romeo + Juliet (1996) to the raw power of EPiC. Side by side they offer a rare perspective on the scale, ambition and evolution of one of Australia’s most influential filmmakers.
This is cinema as an event, as cinema was meant to be. Music as spectacle, and a one-of-a-kind festival experience.
Double Bill VIP Package includes:
Tickets to the Australian Premiere and red-carpet event for EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
Tickets to the Romeo + Juliet 30th Anniversary Screening & Q&A
A celebratory glass of bubbles and complimentary popcorn
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Reserved priority seating for both screenings
Catered light lunch between sessions
A landmark day of cinema, music and celebration, and one of the headline experiences of the AACTA Festival.
2:30 - 5:45 pm 7 February
Romeo + Juliet (1996) 30th Anniversary
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Romeo + Juliet (1996) remains one of the most influential and distinctive films of modern cinema. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, the film reimagined Shakespeare’s tragedy through a bold contemporary lens, pairing heightened emotion, kinetic energy, a genre-defining soundtrack and striking visual style with unforgettable performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. In doing so, it introduced a new generation to Shakespeare and reshaped how classic texts could live on screen.
This special anniversary event offers audiences the rare opportunity to experience the film on the big screen, followed by an in-conversation with Baz Luhrmann. One of Australia’s most visionary filmmakers, Luhrmann reflects on the making of Romeo + Juliet (1996), the creative risks behind its singular style, and the film’s enduring cultural legacy three decades on.
7:00pm - 9:30pm 7 February
Australian Premiere – EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
Join us for a stellar red-carpet evening as AACTA presents the Australian Premiere of EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, the groundbreaking new cinematic experience from visionary director Baz Luhrmann, created right here on the Gold Coast.
Fresh from rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival, EPiC reimagines the power and presence of Elvis Presley for a new generation, blending cutting edge technology with electrifying concert footage, a full orchestra and Baz’s unmistakable cinematic flair. This is Elvis as you have never seen or heard him before.
