Friday 3 August 2007

A Big Week of Cinema Calls for a Big Weekend

Highlights of this weekend’s screening schedule include:

• A new comedy from Danish iconoclast Lars von Trier, The Boss of It All (tonight 9.15pm @ Regent)
• A retrospective screening of the film credited as starting the ‘midnight movies’ phenomenon, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s indescribable El Topo ( tonight 11.15pm @ Forum)
• Aachi and Ssipak , which is a kooky animated feature about a futuristic society powered by human faeces (tomorrow 11.30pm @ RMIT Capitol)
• A special encore screening of MIFF’s Opening Night feature, Michael Moore’s Sicko (tomorrow 9.35pm @ Regent)
• Actress Sarah Polley’s directorial debut, starring Julie Christie in her first screen performances for years, Away from Her (this Sunday 3pm @ Regent)
• MIFF favourite Guy Maddin’s majestic and “nuttily wonderful” (New York Times), Brand Upon the Brain! (this Sunday 5.10pm @ Regent)
• Orbit will have its second and last screening this Saturday, 9.35pm @ ACMI, so don't miss your last chance to see this brilliant compilation of music clips fro OZ and NZ.
  

CHECK OUT WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT ORBIT AND OTHER FILMS SCREENING AT MIFF THIS YEAR AT MELBOURNEFILMFESTIVAL.COM.AU/REVIEW. REVIEWS CAPTURED BY THE NOKIA N93I REVIEW CREW, AND DON'T FORGET, IF YOU SHARE REVIEWS WITH FRIENDS, YOU'LL BE IN THE RUNNING TO WIN A NOKIA N93I.

Win Tickets

WE HAVE 10 DOUBLES UP FOR GRABS TO Orbit THIS SATURDAY, 9.35PM AT ACMI. FOR A CHANCE TO COME ALONG, E-MAIL YOUR FULL NAME AND CONTACT NUMBER TO penny@melbournefilmfestival.com.au by 5.00pm TODAY.

The Phantom of the Opera

Tomorrow at 1pm, MIFF audiences will travel back in time with a unique cinematic offering, The Phantom of the Opera (1925), starring Lon Chaney. The Regent Theatre’s Wurlitzer organ, played by David Johnston, will provide the soundtrack to this silent classic – a rarely offered opportunity to enjoy the film as it was intended. The performance will be repeated next Saturday, same time, same place.

FILMINK

FILMINK, Australia's Best Movie Magazine contains exclusive interviews and features, and the most insightful film and dvd reviews. FILMINK also has a weekly email newsletter and a subscription program entitling subscribers to a copy of FILMINK and a DVD for joining. For a chance to win 1 of 5 three-month subscriptions to FILMINK along with a DVD, sign up for the email newsletter at filmink.com.au and send an email to competitions@filminik.com.au by the 12th August saying why you should win this prize.

Filmmakers present…

Once again, the promise of a weekend at MIFF brings with it a talented rollcall of filmmakers:

• Director Lawrence Johnston and producer Lizette Atkins introduce their hypnotic ode to the hours between dusk and dawn, Night (tonight 7pm @ Regent, Talking Pictures session tomorrow 6.15pm @ ACMI)
• International guest Debbie Melnyk presents her documentary on the now legendary rabble-rouser Michael Moore, Manufacturing Dissent: Michael Moore and the Media (tonight 7.15pm @ Greater Union)
• Filmmaker Darcy Maine introduces his exposé on the iconic Aussie band, Dirty Three (tonight 9pm @ Greater Union)
• Filmmaker Peter Carstairs, producer Serena Paull and the cast introduce the first project to be produced under Tropfest’s Feature Program, September (tonight 9pm @ RMIT Capitol)
• Local filmmakers Tim Slade and Joanna Buggy present their musical journey based on the cyclical seasons and Vivaldi’s work, The Four Seasons, 4 (tomorrow 1pm @ ACMI)
• Director Mohammed Ali Naqvi introduces his moving documentary about a Pakistani woman who fought back against a perversion of justice, Shame. Ali Naqvi will return after the screening for a Q&A with the audience (tomorrow 3pm @ RMIT Capitol)
• Local filmmaker Anna Broinowski presents her doco, a real-life thriller about author and brilliant con artist, Norma Khouri, Forbidden Lie$. Broinowski will return after the screening for a Q&A with the audience (tomorrow 5pm @ ACMI)
• Filmmakers Tony Ayres, Michael McMahon and Liz Watts introduce Ayres’ semi-autobiographical drama, The Home Song Stories (tomorrow 7.10pm @ Regent)
• Kiwi filmmaker Robert Sarkies presents his dramatisation of New Zealand’s largest mass murder, Out of the Blue. Sarkies returns after the screening for a Q&A with the audience (tomorrow 9.10pm @ RMIT Capitol)
• Ian Darling introduces his peek into the Sydney Theatre Company’s rehearsal room as they prepare for their New York season of Hedda Gabler, In the Company of Actors. Darling returns after the screening for a Q&A (this Sunday 1pm @ Greater Union – sold out)
• Filmmakers Bob Ellis and Anna Brooksbank present their intimate portrait of South Australian Premier Mike Rann, Run Rabbit Run (this Sunday 5pm @ ACMI) Filmmakers Oscar Redding and Aleks Radovic introduce their bold rendering of a Shakespearean classic, The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark (this Sunday 5pm @ RMIT Capitol)

Out of the Blue

Win Tickets

WE HAVE 10 DOUBLES UP FOR GRABS TO Out of the Blue., SATURDAY 9.10PM AT THE CAPITOL, TO BE INTRODUCED BY KIWI FILMMAKER ROBERT SARKIES. FOR A CHANCE TO COME ALONG, E-MAIL YOUR FULL NAME AND CONTACT NUMBER TO penny@melbournefilmfestival.com.au by 5.00pm TODAY.

Coopers Festival Lounge @ Forum

Jump feet-first into the second weekend of MIFF, starting tonight at 6pm when John Chaplin-Fleming, multi-instrumentalist from the comedy duo The Scared Weird Little Guys, performs some of his favourite songs. Then at 8pm, Milestones gives you classic themes from four decades of film, accompanied by a montage of visuals. Rounding off the night at 10.30pm, Double Trouble are two DJs in a rock ‘n’ roll, psychedelic funk-out war of vinyl good times.

Tomorrow’s bumper night of entertainment in the Coopers Festival Lounge kicks off on a smooth note with Al & James and their bluegrass trance at 4pm. At 6pm, Nick Milwright from BlackChords performs acoustic versions from his album, 8pm sees SIR (Jane Badler and Jesse Sheperd) on a sleazy foray into the loveless world of over 28s nightclubs, polyester shirts and waking up alone, then at 10pm, DJ VU plays the sounds you’ve heard before… or have you?

This Sunday brings back AL & James in an encore performance at 5pm, before DJ Monsieur Rene transports you to a time when Hip was getting to know Hop and Prince was listening to Hendrix at 7pm.

Talking Pictures @ ACMI

Join industry specialists, Festival guests, filmmakers and actors as they discuss everything ‘film’. Get up close and personal, and come armed with your best questions. Admission is free.

Tonight at 6.15pm, Made in Australia – Indigenous Community Film looks at how film and video play a vital role in the culture and communications of remote and urban Indigenous communities throughout Australia. Joining host John Harding (actor, playwright and director) on the panel will be Neil Turner (Goolari Media), Rebecca McLean (PY Media), Richard Frankland (Golden Seahorse Productions) and Sarah Bond (Black Ruby Productions).

Tomorrow at 6.15pm, the filmmakers of Night t explain how they captured the mood and magic of the hours between dusk and dawn, weaving these stunning images against a symphonic score. Elucidating on creating this dreamlike space are Lawrence Johnston (director), Lizette Atkins (producer) and Cesary Skubiszevski (composer), hosted by ACMI Head of Film Programmes Richard Sowada.

This Sunday at 6.15pm, Shooting from the Lip – The Trials and Tribulations of Filming Biographical Subjects, reveals the surprises (and dangers) of getting a biographical documentary from the page to the screen. Aussie filmmakers participating include Anna Broinowski (Forbidden Lie$ , tomorrow 5pm @ ACMI), Paul Cox (Kalaupapa Heaven ) and Steve Thomas (Hope, Fri 10 Aug 9pm @ ACMI). David Tiley, editor of Screen Hub, will host the session.

Sold Out and Selling Fast

Ticket sales are running hot at this year’s Festival, which means MIFF suggests you book your sessions sooner rather than later in case they sell out. As the following lists suggest, it’s best not to be tardy…

The following sessions are sold out:
The Workshop – tonight 7pm @ ACMI
Teeth – tonight 7pm @ RMIT Capitol
Billy the Kid – tomorrow 7.40pm @ ACMI (tickets still available for Sat 11 Aug 1pm @ Greater Union)
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days – tomorrow 9.15pm @ Forum (tickets still available for Sun 12 Aug 5.10pm @ Regent)
In the Company of Actors – this Sunday 1pm @ Greater Union
Bella – this Sunday 5.30pm @ Forum
The Armstrongs – The Movies– this Sunday 7.30pm @ ACMI
Inland Empire – Tues 7 Aug 9pm @ ACMI & Thurs 9 Aug 9.15pm @ Forum
Spicks & Specks Trivia Night @ Coopers Festival Lounge – Thurs 9 Aug 7pm
Azur and Asmar – Fri 10 Aug 1pm @ ACMI (tickets still available for Sat 4 Aug 1pm @ Forum)
Once – Fri 10 Aug 7pm @ ACMI
Control – Sat 11 Aug 9.20pm @ Forum
Savage Grace – Sun 12 Aug 3pm @ Forum
This is England (closing night feature) – Sun 12 Aug 7.30pm @ Regent

The following sessions are selling fast:

Beyond our Ken – this Sunday 3pm @ ACMI
Little Red Flowers – Thu 9 Aug 1pm @ ACMI
I Served the King of England – Wed 8 Aug 7pm @ Forum
Manufacturing Dissent: Michael Moore and the Media – Sun 12 Aug 7.30pm @ ACMI
Browse films at melbournefilmfestival.com.au

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