Mia Wasikowska was supposed to open the Canberra International Film Festival last night, but couldn't take time out from filming the mystery drama Stoker in America with Nicole Kidman and Jacki Weaver.
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So she did the next best thing and invited her family to see her latest film for the first time, which was also the festival's opening night film.
Her brother Kai Wasikowski and sister Jess were excited to see their sister on the big screen in their home town.
''I watch a lot of her films, we're really close,'' Jess said.
The festival's artistic director Simon Weaving said Gus Van Sant's film Restless, which premiered at Cannes this year, was a quirky story of two people finding love among death.
He also said it was Wasikowska's best performance.
''It's such a beautiful film with such a lovely performance from her,'' he said.
''The opening night films the past two years have been quite masculine and tough.
''So it's lovely to have an intimate film about love.''
Weaving said other film festivals around Australia were struggling to decide on what to do on opening night this year.
For him it was a ''no-brainer''.
''What more appropriate way to kick off the Canberra International Film Festival with Canberra's international film actress who is in such demand,'' Weaving said.
''It's lovely to see a success story from Canberra.''
The film is one of 58 from 26 countries that will screen at Dendy and Arc cinemas in Canberra.
Almost $50,000 worth of tickets have already been sold.
From French tomboys and sushi chefs to Norwegian troll hunters, Weaving said the characters in the films this year wouldn't disappoint.
