TheyDream
In this deeply moving documentary, queer director William D. Caballero returns home to be with his mother as they navigate the loss of their family members. Together, they draw on family audio and video, and step into the roles of their relatives – reimagined through vivid animation. This simple yet cathartic act soon transforms their lives. In one of many powerful moments, William plays both his father and his younger self, revisiting a conversation shaped by homophobia. Blending animation with live action and cinema vérité, the film offers a tender experience that is as unexpected as it is full of warmth. Winner of the NEXT Special Jury Award at Sundance, this debut documentary is not to be missed.
Special Guests
William D. Caballero is a Los Angeles–based filmmaker, writer, and multimedia artist known for blending documentary, animation, and miniature world-building into visually inventive, emotionally grounded storytelling. His feature THEYDREAM premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the NEXT Special Jury Award for Creative Expression. A recipient of both the Guggenheim Fellowship and Creative Capital Award, Caballero creates work shaped by his Puerto Rican heritage and a deep curiosity about identity, memory, and perception.
Tickets
Sydney Film Festival acknowledges Australia’s First Nations People as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land, and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, upon whose Country SFF is based.
We honour the storytelling and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia.
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