In 2013, Spike Jonze’s Her shocked the world. Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson, the movie depicted a kind of relationship that felt inconceivable to audiences then – a romantic relationship with Artificial Intelligence. Over a decade later, Chouwa Liang’s Replica was screened at the 2026 Melbourne International Film Festival, documenting what could only have been sci-fi in 2013. Qin and 'Lu Chen', her AI boyfriend. (Credit: Chouwa Liang via Variety) Replica (20

The Australian fashion industry is known for the glitz and glam of fashion weeks and festivals. Meanwhile, some organisations are working hard behind the scenes to promote sustainability. Western Australian start-up Uluu is developing a seaweed-based polymer pellet designed to mimic the properties of plastic. Deakin University’s Institute for Frontier Materials has partnered with Uluu’s project. A statement from the university said textiles made from natural materials “have t

For exhibitors, Oz Comic-Con is more than just an expo. As one of Australia’s biggest pop culture conventions, it’s a major platform for small Australian creators to get their name heard and to connect with the community. With 400 exhibitors ranging from artists and authors to commercial retailers and celebrity guests, the event saw 30,000 attendees participating in events and buying fandom merchandise. The biggest allure of Comic-Con was the Artist Alley where local, interst

Melbourne, a city once known for its arts sector, faces industry degradation as state government funding declines. Victoria has seen a $20 million decline in support for the arts industry over the past five years. Writers Victoria’s board chair Janice Gobey said the decline represented how little interest the Victorian Government has in the arts. “There’s no money to go around and there’s other competing priorities,” she said. At least 14 cultural institutions faced compl

Why this obsession? Why are we so mesmerised by Japanese culture, and what explains this fascination with anime? People drawing on the...

The International Shorts at this year’s Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) are laden with themes of nature and environment, but...

Growing up with an Italian background in Melbourne, I knew exactly what clothes were ‘woggy.’ Whether it was chunky Nike sneakers or...

As a country with a range of multicultural neighbors, Australia was bound to receive influences from every direction, turning into a hub...

Have you ever lain awake at night, unable to sleep, or feeling more emotional than usual, and looked outside to see a full moon? Credit:...

Meet your new favourite local label, Milkbar. If you’ve scoured the web searching for small inner Melbourne clothing before, you’ve...

Though Melbourne is Australia’s arts capital, opportunities for local creators are few and far between. However, events like Oz Comic-Con...

She used to tell stories over mukbangs on YouTube, now she’s reporting from a federal courtroom in New York, covering one of the biggest...

Labubu mania has taken the internet by storm. More than just a simple hyper fixation, the cute monster's retailer, 'Pop Mart', has struck...

The Correspondent , directed by Kriv Stenders, tells the story of the former war correspondent Peter Greste, who was detained in Cairo on...

Colossal crowds, deafening chanting and drunk Australians. I was almost convinced I was at the AFL. The Intel Extreme Masters event...

Bowen Street is home to Metro Auto Photo’s newest black-and-white photo booth. The booth has been installed in anticipation of the...

Adorned with daffodils from head to toe, the Metropolitan Museum of Art transformed into a floral fantasy as it welcomed guests onto a...

On April 9, Netflix premiered a new documentary on child influencing, or “kidfluencing”. Over three episodes, the docuseries uncovers the...

One of few gaming exhibitions in Melbourne, The Game Expo (TGX) is an important event for local indie game developers, providing a...

Reality TV is known to be highly produced and edited content that profits off controversies and drama, both on screen and off. (Credit:...