Widescreen - Friday 8 August

Where did the time go? With only three more days of MIFF remaining, it's time to pack a lunch, stock up on the No-Doze, and pack in as much cinematic bliss as possible before the Festival shuts up shop for another year. See you in the cinema!

Today's Highlights

A fictionalised account of a very real tragedy, Battle for Haditha looks at the events that lead up to the 2005 massacre of civilians in an Iraqi town by US marines. (5.00pm at Forum)

Continuing the political themes, the documentary It's Hard Being Loved By Jerks covers the trial that followed the reprinting of a controversial cartoon depicting the prophet Muhummad by a French satirical magazine. (9.15pm at Kino)

If you're looking for something a little more fun, you could heck out Roystan Tan's exuberent 881, a camp and colourful outing about two vocalists who make a pact with a Goddess to bring them fame and fortune – of course, there's a catch. (5.00pm at Greater Union)

At the extreme end the scale is Otto; Or Up With Dead People, an explicit, erotic horror-satire about the adventures of a gay urban zombie. That tired old genre again? (7.00pm at RMIT Capitol)

Saturday's Highlights

Director Tahir Cambis presents his film Angels of the Wind, a documentary following the rehersals and lead up to a performance of a theatre production in Melbourne by a mostly Japanese theatre troupe. A Q&A follows the screening. (Saturday 9 August 3.00pm at ACMI)

The documentary Terror's Advocate is an intriguing profile of a man who has devoted his legal career to representing war criminals and mass murderers, such as Carlos the Jackel and Klaus 'The Butcher of Lyon' Barbie. (Saturday 9 August 3.00pm at RMIT Capitol)

Ken Loach's It's a Free World deals with the exploitation of desperate immigrant workers in the suburbs of London, in Loach's bleak and humerous signiture style. (Saturday 9 August 9.15pm at RMIT Capitol)

The Death of Mister Lazarescu is a blackly humerous look at one man's Kafka-like experience of being swallowed into the uncaring bureaucracy of a Romanian hospital. (Saturday 9 August 9.15pm at Greater Union)

Sunday's Highlights

If you can drag yourself down to the cinema Sunday morning, it's probably worth catching Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, an insightful investigation of the infamous case mounted against the director for sexual misconduct with a minor. (Sunday 10 August 11.00am at Greater Union)

The Romanian film Boogie sees a happily married man run into old school friends while holidaying at a seaside resort, a meeting that recalls the freedom of his youth and raises questions about how content he really is. (Sunday 10 August 3.15pm at Greater Union)

A highlight of the Backbeat program, Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell profiles the life of an experimental composer who collaborated with such luminaries as Alan Ginsburg and Philip Glass, and who died tragically from AIDS in 1992. (Sunday 10 August 5.15pm at Greater Union)

If you thought your family Christmas celebrations were bad, A Christimas Tale should make you feel a little better. The old tensions and rivalries at a dysfunctional clan's Christmas gathering are displaced when family matriach Junon drops a bombshell. (Sunday 10 August 5.00pm at Greater Union)

Come along to Closing Night and help us celebrate the end of MIFF 08. See Spanish horror [REC.] and then join us for the after party. Tickets for the screening and after party available for purchase on-line now!

At the Coopers Festival Lounge

When MIFF closes its doors on Sunday night, so does the excellent Coopers Festival Lounge in the Forum Theatre – catch the vibe while you still can!

Friday

4.00pm DJ Links Things – Because music links things
6.00pm DJ Mark Dorset – Eclectic, laid-back slices of heaven
8.30pm Pikelet – 25-year-old Evelyn Morris creates multi-tiered music with an accordian, a guitar and a delay pedal.
10.00pm DJ Le Coq – The fairer sex sessions, featuring chicks on wax and other assorted vinyl good times

Saturday

6.00pm Jessica Says – Jessica Venebles (Jens Lekman, New Buffalo) evokes bedroom melodramas soundtracked by Shostakovitch and performed by Belinda Carlisle
8.30pm Sophie Brous – Noir lounge, jazz and avant garde pop.
11.00pm Jane Badler & sir – Hollywood glamour icon Jane Badler returns to perform with the sweeping soundtracks of sir
12.00pm DJ Versey Verse

Sunday

6.00pm Nathan Hollywood – Dark, seductive songs of love and somnambulist murder
7.30pm Tangazo – Traditional tango reshaped, distorted and coloured with electronics
10.00pm DJ Links Things – Because music links things

Extra Sessions

Just a reminder that there are two extra upcoming sessions screening at ACMI's cinema 1 screen, for two very popular MIFF films. If you didn't catch them before, now's your chance!

Friday 8 August 7pm – Rock N Roll Nerd (88 mins) (session 5083)

Saturday 9 August 7pm – Katyn (117 mins) (warning: contains very violent scene) (session 5090)

Replacement Screenings

Further to the projection issues experienced recently, Greater Union are kindly assisting us to put on two replacement screenings:

Friday 8 August 3.00pm – Greater Union 4 – Momma's Man (94 mins) (session 4079)

Friday 8 August 3.00pm – Greater Union 5 – Night Train (91 mins) (session 3079)

Sold Out and Selling Fast

This is it; these sessions are going fast – book now or start lobbying for a cinema release.

The Devil, Probably (Friday 8 August 12:45pm at Forum) – SELLING FAST
Persepolis (Friday 8 August 1.00pm at ACMI) – SELLING FAST
Brando (Friday 8 August 3.00pm at ACMI) – SELLING FAST
Encounters at the End of the World (Friday 8 August 7.00pm at Greater Union) – SELLING FAST
My Winnipeg (Friday 8 August 7.00pm at Greater Union) – MORE TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!!!
The Night James Brown Saved Boston (Friday 8 August 9.15pm at Greater Union) – MORE TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
A Brighter Summer Day (Saturday 9 August 10.45am at Forum) – SELLING FAST
Bob Marley: Freedom Road & The Upsetter: The Life of Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry (Saturday 9 August 10.45am at Greater Union) – SELLING FAST
Persepolis (Saturday 9 August 7.00pm at Greater Union) – SELLING FAST
Tricks (Saturday 9 August 7.15pm at Greater Union) – SELLING FAST
The Pleasure of Being Robbed (Sunday 10 August 11.00am at Greater Union) – MORE TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!!
Waltz with Bashir (Sunday 10 August 1.00pm at Greater Union) – MORE TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!!
I Think We’re Alone Now (Sunday 10 August 3.15pm at Greater Union) – MORE TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!!
Wendy and Lucy (Sunday 10 August 5.15pm at Greater Union) – MORE TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!!
Closing Night: [Rec.] (Sunday 10 August 8.00pm at Greater Union) – SELLING FAST

These sessions are completely sold out:

In Bruges (Friday 8 August 5.00pm at Kino) – SOLD OUT
One Night in a City (Friday 8 August 7.00pm at ACMI) – SOLD OUT
Best MIFF Shorts (Friday 8 August 9.00pm at RMIT Capitol) – SOLD OUT
Silent Light (Friday 8 August 9.15pm at Forum) – SOLD OUT
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (Saturday 9 August 1.00pm at Greater Union) – SOLD OUT
The Wackness (Saturday 9 August 3.00pm at Forum) – SOLD OUT
Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts (Saturday 9 August 3.00pm at ACMI) – SOLD OUT
A Complete History of My Sexual Failures (Saturday 9 August 7.15pm at Forum) – SOLD OUT
Little Deaths (Saturday 9 August 7.15pm at Capitol) – SOLD OUT
Gomorrah (Saturday 9 August 9.00pm at Greater Union) – SOLD OUT
Three Monkeys (Sunday 10 August 1.00pm at Forum) – SOLD OUT
Johnny Mad Dog (Sunday 10 August 3.15pm at Forum) – SOLD OUT
Lorna’s Silence (Sunday 10 August 5.15pm at Forum) – SOLD OUT

Mobi Docs

Ten filmmakers from Canada and Australia produced two-minute films on the theme of 'confessions', which were then screened in nooks and crannies around Melbourne by the Mobi Docs crack guerilla mobile projection unit.

A final screening of these bite-sized films will take place in the Coopers Festival Lounge and, best of all, entry is FREE!

Coopers Festival Lounge in the Forum Theatre
Saturday 9 August, 12:30pm (66 mins)
Entry is free

Mobi Docs is a partnership between Film Australia and the National Film Board of Canada to create short films for the mobile and internet platforms.

Congratulations to the MIFF Footy Shorts winners:

The winners of the MIFF Footy Shorts Awards were announced last night at the Festival screening of the Top 11 MIFF Footy Shorts. A great crowd turned up to witness this special screening, which included a fabulous selection of films that were produced by passionate fans to celebrate the 150 years of Australian Football.

Congratulations to the following filmmakers:

First prize - Walpeup Underbool by Suitcase Murphy
Second prize - Run with the Ball and Die with your Boots On by Sophie O'Connor
Third prize - Child Rearing for Richmond Supporters by Sky Davies and Paul Green

Thanks to the Australian Football League for sponsoring the MIFF Footy Shorts and for providing the prize pool of $10,000 along with a copy of the Australian Game of Football publication to each of the Top 11. Thanks to Madman Entertainment for providing a DVD pack to each of the Top 11 entrants.

Congratulations!

Well done to Kaylene O'Neill who has won the Closing Night Widescreen Competition with her entry about Rock N Roll Nerd:

Rock N Roll Nerd -we laughed, cried and cheered a very personal view of the struggle to make it - and aren't we glad he did!

Kaylene has won the following great prizes:

Two tickets to the Closing Night film & party on Sunday 10 August.
Accommodation for two at The Sofitel hotel, on Closing Night.
$500 wardrobe courtesy of Alice Euphemia.
$300 to spend at any MIDAS shoe store in Victoria.
Two MIFF fleecy hoodies, designed by Vicious Threads.

MIFF Travelling Film Festival - Devonport!

Melbourne International Film Festival, Devonport City Council and CMAX Cinemas Devonport present:

TRAVELLING FILM FESTIVAL DEVONPORT

29 – 31 AUGUST 2008

CMAX CINEMAS

5-7 Best Street - Devonport

“MIFF will hit the road to visit Devonport’s CMAX Cinemas for a 3 day special event from August 29 to August 31.
Back by popular demand, the Travelling Film Festival Devonport will feature some MIFF 2008 highlights, surprises, special guests and more.”

To find out more about the Devonport program, please download the brochure TFF_Devonport_Brochure_small.pdf (pdf file, 2MB)

BOOKINGS and INFO: (03) 6420 2111 or www.cmax.net.au
Single Session tickets: Adult $14, concession $12, senior $8.50
Full season Passes: Adult $80, concession $60, senior $50

Dining & Drinking

MIFF would like to thank all of our 2008 Bar & Restarant Partners for their support. We hope that you will visit them for a drink, a catch up, or for a bite to eat between films during the Festival period.... and continue to support them even when the festival is over!

Places to Dine and Drink

ACMI Lounge - 8663 2537 - Federation Square
Arintji - 9663 9900 - Federation Square
Carlton Hotel - 9663 3246 - 193 Bourke Street
City Wine Shop - 9654 6657 - 159 Spring Street
Collins Quarter - 9650 8500 - 86a Collins Street
Cookie - 9663 7660 - 1/252 Swanston Street
Grossi Florentino - 9662 1811 - 80 Bourke Street
Hairy Canary - 9654 2471 - 212 Little Collins Street
Longrain - 9671 3151 - 40-44 Little Bourke St
Movida - 9663 3038 - 1 Hosier Lane
Ristorante Spontini - 9670 2468 - 20 McKillop Street
Tazio - 9654 9119 - 66 Flinders Lane
The Long Room - 9663 7226 - 162-168 Collins Street
Trunk - 9663 7994 - 275 Exhibition Street
Verge - 9639 9500 - 1 Flinders Lane

Places to Drink

Cabinet Bar - 9654 0915 - 11 Rainbow Alley
Canary Club - 9663 1983 - 6 Melbourne Place
Coopers Festival Lounge - Forum Theatre - 154 Flinders Street
Gin Palace - 9654 0533 - 10 Russell Place
Horse Bazaar - 9670 2329 - 397 Lt Lonsdale Street
Loop - 9654 0500 - 23 Meyers Place
Madame Brussels - 9662 2775 - Level 3, 59 Bourke St
Manchuria Bar - 9663 1997 - 1st Floor, 7 Waratah Place
Meyers Place Bar - 9650 8609 - 20 Meyers Place
Order of Melbourne - 9663 6707 - 401 Swanston Street
Phoenix - 9650 4976 - 82 Flinders Street
Roxanne Parlour - 0410 889 121 - 2 Coverlid Place Melbourne
The Croft Institute - 9671 4399 - 21-25 Croft Alley
The Red Hummingbird - 9654 2266 - Level 1, 246 Russell Street
Transit Cocktail Lounge - 9639 9500 - Level 2, Transport Hotel, Federation Square
Yalumba Festival Wine Bar -Level 1 Foyer, Greater Union Cinemas, 131 Russell Street

USvsTHEM present Ned Collette Band and Deloris and Over The Atlantic (NZ) at Roxanne Parlour Friday Aug 15

Festival sponsors Roxanne Parlour host USvsTHEM with Ned Collette Band and Deloris. One of the most critically acclaimed underground bands of the last 5 years, Deloris make a brief return to the live scene for the first time since supporting The National back in January. Still receiving airplay from the acclaimed album 'Ten Lives', Deloris will be testing new tunes and new instruments at this one off show with good friends Ned Collette Band. Ned has released two albums, Jokes and Trials in 2006, and Future Suture in 2007, both Triple R albums of the week. Ned has played with everyone from Mogwai to Joanna Newsom, who invited him to tour through Europe in 2007. He went, picking up another tour with Scottish pop group Camera Obscura. His new album is not slated for release until next year but expect some of the new alongside the best of the old at this rare double headline show. Opening the night, New Zealand shoe-gazers Over The Atlantic swing by on their way home from an extensive 5 month world tour.

Tickets on sale now thru Moshtix.

Up for grabs: 2 x double pass to the first to email: paris@roxanneparlour.com.au with the word MIFF! in the subject.

Widescreen Giveaway

Up for grabs - 50 Double Passes to THE VISITOR (for those of you who missed it at MIFF!) For your chance to win a double pass to see this great film, courtesy of Rialto, email your name and address to griffen@melbournefilmfestival.com.au. Winners will be sent a double pass. Please include "Visitor" in the subject line.

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