A woman wearing a coat and a hat with a feather in it stands on an urban street facing a man who is wearing a beanie and coat.

Late Fame Sydney Film Festival

  • Cinema
  • Playhouse
  • Run time: 97 minutes Subject to change
  • Seating map

Willem Dafoe stars as a postman and former poet rediscovered in NYC

USA | 2025 | English | Arts, Comedy | M (Mature)

Former poet, now postman, Ed (Willem Dafoe) has his work rediscovered by a group of NYC poseurs in this clever and engrossing film, also starring Greta Lee.

As Andy Warhol once said: “in the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.” This much is true for retired poet Ed (Dafoe), who becomes the man of the hour for a group of would-be beatniks when they unearth his long-forgotten poems. While Ed is wary of the sudden acclaim, he chooses to indulge his admirers with stories of the literary yesteryear. Things quickly unravel when the boys club is unsettled by the fabulous Gloria (an unrecognisable Greta Lee, Past Lives, SFF 2023) in a scene-stealing performance. Directed by Kent Jones, with a screenplay by Samy Burch (May December, SFF 2023), Late Fame is a must for anyone who's ever read a poem and thought: I could do that.

Presented by Sydney Opera House and Sydney Film Festival

Event details

Late Fame bleeds a hard-earned wisdom that can only be exhibited by someone who has spent decades working in the arts.

Vikram Murthi, IndieWire

Fame is not just a New York story, it’s a tale layered with multiple incarnations of the city, past and present.

Wendy Ide, Screen International

Cast and credits

Ed Saxberger Willem Dafoe
Gloria Greta Lee
Meyers Edmund Donovan

Director Kent Jones
Producer Pamela Kopffler
Producer Christine Vachon
Screenwriter Samy Burch
Cinematographer Wyatt Garfield
Editor Mike Selemon

Australian Distributor Transmission Films

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Attending this event

Plan your visit

Address

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Getting to the venue

The Opera House is a 7-10 minute walk from Circular Quay, and is easily accessible by car, train, ferry, lightrail, bus, bike and on foot.

Location and access

Playhouse

The Playhouse is located in the north-western corner of Sydney Opera House, best accessed through the Western Foyers.

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