The news of the film’s imminent release comes as another documentary about an iconic Australian music industry figure sets a new record.

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According to distributor Sony Pictures Releasing, John Farnham: Finding the Voice was set to become the most commercially successful Australian music documentary of all time once Monday’s takings had been counted.

In a release issued on Monday morning, the company claimed: “After opening weekend, and previews this past Mother’s Day, John Farnham: Finding The Voice will become the biggest theatrical Australian music documentary today, taking in excess of $1.15 million at the box office.”

That tally puts it ahead of Mystify: Michael Hutchence (which took $1.15 million during its cinema run), and Working Class Boy, the Jimmy Barnes documentary ($822,000), and comes after just four days on general release, plus previews on Mother’s Day. The film was the third top grosser at the Australian box office on the weekend, behind only Fast X and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

MIFF has also announced that its opening night film will be Shayda, the debut narrative feature from Tehran-born, Australian-based Noora Niasari.

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Drawn from personal experience, the film tells the story of an Iranian woman living in Australia who finds refuge in a women’s shelter with her frightened six-year-old daughter after fleeing her husband and filing for divorce.

The screening at MIFF will be the Australian debut of Shayda, which won the audience prize at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in January.

The Melbourne International Film Festival runs August 3-20. The full program will be launched on July 11.