Film Review: Digby & Camille 2026 Melbourne International Film Festival

August 18, 2026

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★★★½

The Scoop Digby & Camille Melbourne International Film Festival

Full of energy, affection and personality, Digby & Camille is a sweet slice-of-life documentary about a couple living with Down syndrome, making its world premiere at Melbourne International Film Festival.

Tender, funny and unabashedly affectionate, Digby & Camille captures an intimate portrait of a relationship that has spanned eight years. It explores the highs and lows of a life together, and the all-consuming nature of love that can sometimes put other parts of our lives on the back burner.

Directed and shot by Trevor Graham, the film’s primarily handheld footage creates an intimate, unguarded feeling, giving us a close-up view into Digby and Camille’s world.

Graham almost becomes a character in the film, as Digby acknowledges him behind the camera and occasionally assists him with directing. What’s lovely is that Digby also co-shoots the film, pointing his own camera and allowing us to see the world from his perspective.

My favourite choice in the film’s direction is the addition of Digby’s animation. It’s a beautiful way to pay homage to his art while adding another layer of heart to the story’s exposition.

The animation also serves to highlight how out of place the few drone shots scattered throughout are. It’s a random addition that feels too smooth and detached from the intimate world created by the handheld footage.

The film explores the couple’s strong desire to marry, and as we learn more about Digby and Camille’s relationship, we also get to meet their families and see the ways they support them.

Both Digby’s parents and Camille’s mum are equally charming, coming across as warm, kind people who truly want what is best for their children.

They guide Digby and Camille through reasons why marriage might not be the best idea for them at this point in their lives. It’s a tricky thing to articulate, but Graham gives each member of the family a chance to explain their perspective, while allowing Digby and Camille the time to process what is being said.

The result is a gentle but surprisingly complex exploration of love, independence and the sometimes difficult line between supporting someone and protecting them from the choices they want to make.

Most importantly, Digby and Camille are never reduced to the questions surrounding their disability. They are two people who are deeply, joyfully in love and determined to imagine a future together. Their story may not follow the path they have dreamed of, but their feelings for each other are never in doubt.

Digby & Camille is a heartwarming film that will remind you of the giddiness of falling in love and the joy of finding your person. It also leaves us with a more difficult question: who gets to decide what a fulfilling life should look like?

Digby & Camille made its world premiere at Melbourne International Film Festival from 9 – 16 August 2026, with regional screenings coming up from 22 – 23 August. Check the MIFF website and the film’s socials for further screening dates.

The film then heads to CinefestOZ Film Festival in Perth.

Tickets: https://miff.com.au/program/film/digby-camille

Website: https://www.digbyandcamillemovie.com/

Socials: https://www.instagram.com/melbfilmfest/ and https://www.instagram.com/digbyandcamillemovie/