62nd Sydney Film Festival program

The 62^nd Sydney Film Festival program was officially launched today by the NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for the Arts Troy Grant.

 

"The NSW Government is once again proud to support this amazing festival, an event that has cemented itself in Sydney’s winter entertainment calendar,” said Mr Grant. “I’m also extremely proud that these films will be seen by more and more people in regional NSW, as the Festival goes on its regional tour later this year.”  

 

“Sydney Film Festival has gone from strength to strength over recent years, with attendances increasing over 42% since 2011 to 156,000,” said Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley. “As well as adding two new screening venues in Newtown and Liverpool, the numbers of titles to be screened have jumped from 183 last year to 251 this year. They come from 68 countries, up from 47 last year and we are pleased to present 33 World Premieres, up from 15 in 2014. Through the Festival, audiences, critics, creators and curators alike experience new countries, cultures, and perspectives, together. In so many ways, we are made of movies; we’ve grown up through cinema, come to know ourselves, our community and other communities; and the Festival celebrates these contributions to our collective culture,” he said.

 

Opening and Closing Nights

The 2015 Festival reflects a strong year for Australian cinema, leading with the World Premieres of Ruben Guthrie, Brendan Cowell’s adaptation of his hit play starring Patrick Brammall, Alex Dimitriades, Abbey Lee, Jack Thompson and Robyn Nevin; and Neil Armfield’s Holding the Man, staring Ryan Corr, Anthony LaPaglia, Guy Pearce, and Sarah Snook. These two highly anticipated Australian feature films will open (Opening Night Gala is presented by Distinguished Partner Lexus Australia) and close the Festival; only the fourth time in the Festival’s 62-year history Australian films has done so.

 

Official Competition

Of the 12 titles in the internationally recognised SFF Official Competition, three are Australian; repeating last year’s record for Australian entries. Two Australian feature debuts have been selected; the World Premiere of The Daughter, starring Geoffrey Rush, Mirando Otto, Ewen Leslie and Sam Neill, directed by leading Australian theatre director Simon Stone; and Strangerland, an outback-set thriller starring Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes and Hugo Weaving directed by Kim Farrant; as well as the World Premiere of Sherpa, a documentary directed by Jennifer Peedom exploring the cultural relationship between Sherpas and Mount Everest in the face of disaster.

 

Now in its eighth year, the Official Competition awards the Sydney Film Prize and $60,000 in cash in recognition of courageous, audacious and cutting-edge cinema, presented at the Closing Night Gala. Previous Prize winners include: Two Days, One Night (2014); Only God Forgives (2013); Alps (2012); A Separation (2011), which went on to win an Academy Award; Heartbeats (2010); Bronson (2009); and Hunger (2008).

 

Premieres

World Premieres will screen for Australian films Women He’s Undressed, Gillian Armstrong’s documentary about Academy Award-winning Australian Hollywood costume designer Orry-Kelly; Jeremy Sims’ feature film Last Cab to Darwin starring Michael Caton and Jacki Weaver; and three documentaries in the Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Australian Documentary: The Cambodian Space Project – Not Easy Rock ’n’ Roll, Freedom Stories and Wide Open Sky.

 

The 62^nd Sydney Film Festival will screen 251 films from 68 countries, with 33 World Premieres (including 22 World Premiere short films), 135 Australian Premieres (including 18 Australian Premiere short films) and 4 International Premieres.

Festival Venues

The Festival’s footprint has grown, with more venues than ever this year. The State Theatre, Event Cinemas George Street, Dendy Cinemas Opera Quays, Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Cremorne, Art Gallery of NSW, and Skyline Drive-In Blacktown return; with new venues Dendy Cinemas Newtown and Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre added to the program.

 

Free public Meet the Filmmaker talks return to the Apple Store Sydney, where writers, directors, producers and actors discuss their latest projects and answer questions. Australian filmmakers Jeremy Sims and Michael Caton (Last Cab to Darwin), Brendan Cowell and Kath Shelper (Ruben Guthrie), Kim Farrant (Strangerland) and Simon Stone (The Daughter) are among the line-up.

 

The Festival’s Outdoor Screen at Martin Place Amphitheatre returns for the fifth year, with animated shorts selected by guest programmer Malcolm Turner. The big screen at Martin Place will be an integral part of Vivid Sydney again, with spectacular light installations and other attractions illuminating the night.

 

FILMS FROM CANNES

The Festival will screen eight films direct from Cannes. Japanese director Hirozaku Kore-ada’s Our Little Sister screens in Cannes’ Official Selection. Both Arabian Nights, director Miguel Gomes’ epic follow-up to Tabu, and American indie comedy Dope screen in Directors’ Fortnight. Amy, Asif Kapadia’s documentary about Amy Winehouse, will have a midnight screening at Cannes; and Sembene!, a documentary about the great African filmmaker, screens in Cannes Classics. The Guests and Ave Maria are part of Cannes’ shorts competition; and Share is selected for Cannes’ Cinéfondation selection of student works.

 

OTHER FILM Programming

The Festival’s diverse film programs promise cinematic treasures every day of the event, from the Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Australian Documentary, showcasing 10 outstanding Australian documentary premieres; to 15 big-ticket films in Special Presentations at The State, presented by Princess Cruises. There are also 46 feature films from prize-winners of the world’s most prestigious festivals; and 35 international documentaries tacking the essential topics of our day, from some of the world’s most renowned documentarians.

 

An all-new Animation Showcase, curated by specialist Malcolm Turner, features animated gems from all over the world. The newly expanded Family Films program brings four festival-quality feature-length films and a program of animated shorts.

 

Sounds on Screen again celebrates and tells the stories of inspiring music and musicians through a selection of seven films. The Box Set is a two-part premiere of The Secret River, an important Australian story based on the multi-award winning book.

 

The Festival together with Screen Australia’s Indigenous Department again presents Screen: Black, a Festival platform to tell significant indigenous stories. This year, the program includes Pitch Black Shorts, a program of seven new shorts from an array of important Indigenous filmmakers; and Songlines on Screen, in conjunction with NITV, presenting six shorts displaying the full spectrum of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytelling, including dance, song, art, body painting and sites of significance.

 

The Sydney Film Festival’s retrospective program is spearheaded this year by Essential Bergman: Selected by David Stratton, offering audiences a chance to see 10 of the Swedish great Ingmar Bergman’s films on the big screen. Four great classic Restorations of international cinema, and a focus on Destruction Cinema, five films from the ’60s and ’70s embracing the art of social demolition, complete the retrospective experience for 2015.

 

South African cinema, 21 years after the advent of democracy, is presented for this year’s country focus. Festival Director Nashen Moodley shares five important films showing a snapshot of his home country’s most vibrant offerings.

 

The Freak Me Out program returns with seven shocking films to Event Cinemas George Street as well as a new home, Dendy Newtown; plus a double feature of ’50s horror classics Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Them!, screening at both Skyline Drive-In Blacktown and Dendy Newtown.

 

Three of the most exciting foodie films will premiere in Australia at the Festival: Sergio Herman: Fucking Perfect, Foodies and Good Things Await screen in SFF’s Gourmet Cinema program, with paired restaurant or film-only options. The Festival has also partnered with 16 venues to provide Dining Delights, special Festival dining experiences throughout the 12 days.

 

Three feature films are set to be screened at the Casual Powerhouse during the Festival, including local film Riz, which was filmed in the area and stars young adults from Western Sydney. At the North Shore Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Cremorne there will be 26 screenings of Festival features and documentaries.

 

28 exquisite short films will also be screened before feature-length films throughout the Festival. Ten finalists in the Dendy Awards, Australia’s longest running short film competition, now in its 46^th year, will also screen over two sessions on 13 and 14 June. Three prize winners will be announced at the Festival’s Closing Night, together with the Event Cinemas Australian Short Screenplay Award.

 

THE HUB

The nucleus of the Festival, the Hub returns to Sydney’s Town Hall for a fourth year. Open to the public all nights, and select days, from 4-13 June, the Hub is a lounge, gallery, bar and festival party space. Featuring music, design and film-related entertainment, highlights of the Hub include: the Sydney Contemporary video-art exhibition, showcasing unique works by Australian and internationally celebrated artists; Foxtel Movies Blue Screen; the Herman Miller Collection Lounge; and Program Gurus to consult on the Festival films and activities. Parties include: the Studio 54 Disco Party, following a screening of 54: The Director’s Cut; the Beach Boys-themed Mercy Me! party, following the premiere of Love and Mercy; and the National Film and Sound Archive’s The Vinyl Lounge, sharing rare and fascinating records from the archive.

 

Talks and panels in the Treasury Room at the Hub tackle topics as diverse as The Return of Can Documentaries Change the World? and Why Do We Need to Engage with Difficult Films? to The History of Animation and a Horror Tragic Talkfest. They are led by specialist Festival guests, from filmmakers to programmers, industry, critics, and media, including film critic Margaret Pomeranz.

 

Upstairs at Town Hall, the Ian McPherson Memorial Lecture returns with David Stratton and producer Jan Chapman in conversation, Monday 8 June 4pm; and Margaret and David presenting The Films We Love: The Neglected and the Unexpected, Sunday 7 June 3.30pm.

 

Vivid Ideas and Sydney Film Festival will co-present a special talk, Alex Gibney: In Conversation with the internationally acclaimed documentarian at Sydney Town Hall on Sunday 7 June, 11am. The discussion will explore the nature of telling complex, real-world stories, and delve into how Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, premiering in Australia at the Festival, became the one of the most-watched HBO documentaries in years. Gibney is one of the world’s most prolific and controversial filmmakers (We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks, SFF 2014). His film Mr Dynamite: The Story of James Brown, will also premiere at the Festival in 2015.

 

The Sydney Film Festival 2015 program:

 

FEATURE WORLD PREMIERES:

 

• The Secret river Australia | 2015 | Part 1: 80 mins Part 2: 80mins | In English

Director: Daina Reid | Screenwriters: Jan Sardi, Mac Gudgeon | Producer: Stephen Luby | Cast: Oliver Jackson Cohen, Sarah Snook

• Freedom Stories Australia | 2015 | 99 mins | In English | Documentary
  Director: Steve Thomas | Producer: Lisa Horler

• Sherpa Australia, Nepal | 2015 | 96 mins | In English, Nepali and Sherpa with English subtitles | Documentary
  Director, Screenwriter: Jennifer Peedom | Producers: Bridget Ikin, John Smithson

• The Cambodian Space Project – Not Easy Rock ‘N’ Roll Australia, UK | 2015 | 81 mins | In English, Spanish and Norwegian with English Subtitles | Documentary
  Director: Marc Eberle | Producer: Richard Kuipers

• Wide Open Sky Australia | 2015 | 79 mins | In English | Documentary
  Director: Lisa Nicol | Producers: Lisa Nicol, Anna Craney

• Women He’s Undressed Australia | 2015 | 100 mins | In English | Documentary
  Director: Gillian Armstrong | Producer: Damien Parer

• HOLDING THE MAN Australia | 2015 | 128 mins | In English

Director: Neil Armfield | Screenwriter: Tommy Murphy | Producer: Kylie du Fresne | Cast: Ryan Corr, Craig Stott, Anthony LaPaglia, Guy Pearce, Kerry Fox, Sarah Snook, Camilla Ah Kin

• Last Cab To Darwin Australia | 2015 | 123 mins | In English | Feature
  Director: Jeremy Sims | Screenwriters: Reg Cribb, Jeremy Sims | Producers: Greg Duffy, Lisa Duff, Jeremy Sims | Cast: Michael Caton, Jacki Weaver, Mark Coles Smith

• Riz Australia | 2015 | 75 mins | in English | Feature
  Director: Guido Gonzalez and S. Shakthidharan | Screenwriters: Guido Gonzalez, S. Shakthidharan | Producers: S. Shakthidharan, Guido Gonzalez and Aimée Falzon | Cast: Varun Fernando, Sophie Hawkshaw, Anandavalli

• RUBEN GUTHRIE Australia | 2015 | 94 mins | In English

Director, Screenwriter: Brendan Cowell | Producer: Kath Shelper | Cast: Patrick Brammall, Alex Dimitriades, Abbey Lee

• The Daughter Australia | 2015 | 96 mins | In English | Feature
  Director, Screenwriter: Simon Stone | Producers: Jan Chapman, Nicole O’Donohue | Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Ewen Leslie, Paul Schneider

 

AWARDS

 

OFFICIAL COMPETITION: SYDNEY FILM PRIZE

The internationally recognised Official Competition, now in its eighth year, awards a $60,000 cash prize in recognition of courageous, audacious and cutting-edge cinema. The previous Sydney Film Prize winners are: Two Days, One Night (2014), Only God Forgives (2013), Alps (2012); A Separation (2011), which went on to win an Academy Award; Heartbeats (2010); Bronson (2009); and Hunger (2008).

 

SFF OFFICIAL COMPETITION:

• Arabian Nights Portugal, France, Germany, Switzerland | 2015 | Total 383 mins (Vol. 1: 125 mins, Vol. 2 132 mins, Vol. 3 126 mins) | In English, Portuguese, French and German with English subtitles | Feature

Director: Miguel Gomes | Screenwriters: Miguel Gomes, Mariana Ricardo, Telmo Churro | Producers: Sandro Aguilar, Luis Urbano | Cast: Crista Alfaiate, Adriano Luz, Américo Silva, Carloto Cotta, Crista Alfaiate, Chico Chapas, Luísa Cruz

• Black Souls Italy | 2014 | 108 mins | In Italian with English Subtitles | Feature

Director: Francesco Munzi | Screenwriters: Francesco Munzi, Fabrizio Ruggirello, Maurizio Braucci | Producers: Gianluca Arcopinto, Luigi Musini, Olivia Musini | Cast: Marco Leonardi, Peppino Mazzotta, Fabrizio Ferracane

• The Daughter Australia | 2015 | 96 mins | In English | Feature
  Director, Screenwriter: Simon Stone | Producers: Jan Chapman, Nicole O’Donohue | Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Ewen Leslie, Paul Schneider

• Me And Earl and the Dying Girl USA | 2014 | 105 mins | In English | Feature
  Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon | Screenwriter: Jesse Andrews | Producers: Jeremy Dawson, Steven Rales, Dan Fogelman | Cast: Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke, RJ Kyler

• A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence Sweden, Norway, France, Germany | 2014 | 100 mins | In English and Swedish with English subtitles | Feature
  Director, Screenwriter: Roy Andersson | Producer: Pernilla Sandström | Cast: Holger Andersson, Nils Westblom, Charlotta Larsson

• Sherpa Australia, Nepal | 2015 | 96 mins | In English, Nepali and Sherpa with English subtitles | Documentary
  Director, Screenwriter: Jennifer Peedom | Producers: Bridget Ikin, John Smithson

• Strangerland Australia, Ireland | 2014 | 112 mins | In English | Feature
  Director: Kim Farrant | Screenwriters: Fiona Seres, Michael Kinirons | Producers: Naomi Wenck, Macdara Kelleher | Cast: Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, Hugo Weaving

• Tales Iran | 2014 | 88 mins | In Persian with English Subtitles | Feature

Director, Producer: Rakhshan Bani-Etemad | Screenwriters: Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, Farid Mostafavi | Cast: Golab Adineh, Saber Abar, Farhad Aslani

• Tangerine USA | 88 mins | In English | Feature

Director: Sean Baker | Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch | Producers: Sean Baker, Karrie Cox, Marcus Cox, Darren Dean, Shih-Ching Tsou | Cast: Kiki Kitana Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian

• Tehran Taxi Iran | 2014 | 82 mins | In Farsi with English subtitles | Feature
  Director, Screenwriter, Producer: Jafar Panahi | Cast: Jafar Panahi

• Victoria Germany | 2015 | 140 mins | In English, German and Spanish with English Subtitles | Feature
  Director: Sebastian Schipper | Screenwriters: Sebastian Schipper, Olivia Neergaard-Holm, Elke Schulz | Producers: Jan Dressler, Sebastian Schipper, David Keitsch, Anatol Nitschke, Catherine Baikousis | Cast: Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski

• Vincent France | 2014 | 77 mins | In French with English subtitles | Feature
  Director, Screenwriter: Thomas Salvador | Producer: Julie Salvador | Cast: Thomas Salvador, Vimala Pons, Youssef Hajdi

 

Confirmed guests for the Official Competition include:

 

Francesco Munzi, director of Italian crime drama Black Souls will attend SFF. Munzi’s first feature film, Saimir (2004), was received with critical acclaim at film festivals worldwide, earning a Special Mention at the Venice Film Festival and the Silver Ribbon for Best New Director. Francesco Munzi will also host a talk at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura.

Kim Farrant, director of Australian thriller Strangerland. Farrant graduated from AFTRS with a Masters in directing. Her documentary Naked on the Inside was a Dendy finalist at the Festival in 2007 and was nominated for the Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Documentary. Strangerland is her feature debut. Strangerland producer Naomi Wenck will also attend and introduce the film. Farrant will appear at a free Meet the Filmmakers Talk at the Apple Store on Saturday 6 June June, 2-3pm.

Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, writer and director of Iranian drama Tales will introduce the Australian Premiere of her film. Bani-Etemad is one of Iran’s most loved and well-known filmmakers. Her feature films Off Limits (1987), Nargess (1991), Gilaneh (2005) and Mainline (2006) have won numerous awards from festivals around the world.

Jennifer Peedom, director of Australian documentary Sherpa. Peedom is known for her intimate documentation of both epic and everyday stories. Her films Miracle on Everest (2008) and Solo (2008) are internationally renowned. She has won an AFI and Film Critics Circle Award for Best Documentary and multiple Australian Directors’ Guild Awards for Best Direction. Producers Bridget Ikin and John Smithson will also attend and introduce the World Premiere.

Sean Baker, director and co-writer of American feature Tangerine, a drama about Los Angeles’ transgendered community shot on an iPhone 5s. Baker is an American director, writer, and producer known for the Independent Spirit Award-nominated films Take Out (2004) and Prince of Broadway (2008) and will introduce the International Premiere.

 

DOCUMENTARY AUSTRALIA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR AUSTRALIAN DOCUMENTARY

The Documentary Australia Foundation will award the $10,000 Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Australian Documentary to a film screening in the 2015 Sydney Film Festival this June. Now in its seventh year, the competition invites entries of any length, with the winner announced during the Closing Night Gala on Sunday 14 June at the State Theatre.

 

SFF 2015 Australian Documentary Finalists:

• The Bolivian Case Australia, Bolivia, Colombia, USA | 2015 | 81 mins | In English, Spanish and Norwegian with English subtitles | Documentary

Director: Violeta Ayala | Producers: Dan Fallshaw, Violeta Ayala

• The Cambodian Space Project – Not Easy Rock ‘N’ Roll Australia, UK | 2015 | 81 mins | In English, Spanish and Norwegian with English Subtitles | Documentary
  Director: Marc Eberle | Producer: Richard Kuipers

• Freedom Stories Australia | 2015 | 99 mins | In English | Documentary
  Director: Steve Thomas | Producer: Lisa Horler

• Gayby Baby Australia | 2015 | 85 mins | In English | Documentary
  Director: Maya Newell | Producer: Charlotte Mars

• The Lost Aviator Australia | 91 mins | In English | Documentary
  Director: Andrew Lancaster | Producers: Noni Couell, Andrew Lancaster

• Only The Dead Australia | 2015 | 78 mins | In English and Arabic | Documentary
  Directors: Bill Guttentag, Michael Ware | Producers: Patrick McDonald, Michael Ware

• Songlines On Screen Australia | 2015 | 81 mins | In Indigenous languages with English subtitles

  • Bulunu Milkarri I Australia I 2015 I 25 mins I In Djambarrpungu with English subtitles I World Premiere | Documentary

Director: Sylvia Nulpinditj I Producer: Gaia Osborne

• Tjawa Tjawa Australia I 2015 I 11 mins I In Kukatja with English subtitles I World Premiere | Documentary

Director: Mark Moora I Producer: Neil Turner

• Footprints Australia I 2015 I 13 mins I In English I World Premiere | Documentary

Director: Cornel Ozies I Producers: Nganyamea Nagarra (Eileen) Torres & Eloise Schnierer

• Goorrandalng: Brolga Dreaming Australia I 2015 I 10 mins I In English and Miriwoong with English subtitles I World Premiere | Documentary

Director: Ju Ju Wilson I Producer: Robyn Marais

• Naji Australia I 2015 I 9 mins I In English I World Premiere | Documentary

Director: Kimberley West I Producer: Jodie Bell

• Wurray Australia I 2015 I 15 mins I In Yolngu with English subtitles

Director: Keith Lapulung I Producer: Paul Williams

• Tyke Elephant Outlaw Australia | 2015 | 78 mins | In English | Documentary
  Directors, Producers: Susan Lambert, Stefan Moore | Co-Producer: Megan McMurchy

• Wide Open Sky Australia | 2015 | 79 mins | In English | Documentary
  Director: Lisa Nicol | Producers: Lisa Nicol, Anna Craney

• Women He’s Undressed Australia | 2015 | 100 mins | In English | Documentary
  Director: Gillian Armstrong | Producer: Damien Parer
  

THE DENDY AWARDS FOR AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILMS

The 2015 Sydney Film Festival is proud to announce the 10 finalists in the Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films. 2015 is the 46^th year SFF has featured a short-film competition. These ground-breaking awards have kick-started the careers of many prominent filmmakers, including Warwick Thorton, Ariel Klelman and Cate Shortland, who were all past competitors. The winners are announced at the Festival’s Closing Night Gala on Sunday 14 June at the State Theatre.

 

Finalists in this year’s Dendy awards will screen together in one session on Saturday 13 June at 4pm and Sunday 14 June at 10:40am at Event Cinemas George Street.

 

SFF 2015 Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films finalists:

• Cherokee Australia | 2014 | 11 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter: Jem Rankin | Producer: Frances Wang-Ward | Cast: Jane Allsop, Edwin Royce, Don Bridges

• Death In Bloom Australia |2014 | 11 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter: Dael Oates | Producers: Jonas Mclallen, Dael Oates | Cast: Robyn Nevin, Ewen Leslie

• Ernie Biscuit Australia | 2015 | 21 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter, Producer: Adam Elliot | Narrator: John Flaus

• Grace Under Water Australia | 2014 | 8 mins | In English
  Director, Producer: Anthony Lawrence | Screenwriter: Chrissie McMahon | Cast: Zoe Carides, John Howard, Collette Mann

• Markers Australia | 2014 | 10 mins | In English
  Director: Rhett Wade-Ferrell | Screenwriter: Rhett Wade-Ferrell, Will Howarth | Producer: Carla de Menezes Ribeiro | Cast: Eduard Geyl, Geraldine Hakewill, Leighton Watts

• The Orchestra Australia | 2015 | 15 mins
  Director: Mikey Hill | Screenwriters: Mikey Hill, Jennifer Smith | Producer: Melanie Brunt

• Red Rover Australia | 2014 | 15 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter: Brooke Goldfinch | Producer: Brietta Hague and Apolline Berty | Cast: Natalie Racoosin, Christopher Gray

• A Single Body Australia, France | 2014 | 21 mins | In French with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Sotiris Dounoukos | Producers: François-Pierre Clavel and Alexandre Perrier (Kidam), Julien Gittinger and Lucie Duchêne (Magnetic Films) | Cast: Mexianu Medenou, Doudou Masta, Garba Tounkara

• The Story of Percival Pilts Australia | 2014 | 8 mins | In English
  Directors, Screenwriters: Janette Goodey, John Lewis | Producers: John Lewis, Terri Dentry | Narrator: Mark Hedlow

• Whispers Among Wolves Australia | 2014 | 17 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter: Kevin Lim | Producer: April Tafe | Cast: Sarah Aubrey, Matthew Backer

 

EVENT CINEMAS AUSTRALIAN SHORT SCREENPLAY AWARD

The Event Cinemas Australian Short Screenplay Award is presented to one of the short fiction films in the SFF program. The winner is announced at the Closing Night Gala on Sunday 15 June at the State Theatre and wins a $5000 cash prize for best short screenplay.

 

2015 FOXTEL MOVIES AUDIENCE AWARDS

The Foxtel Movies Audience Awards are the Festival’s people’s choice awards. and the winners reflect the most popular feature-length films at the Festival. After each screening, the audience is invited to rate the film they’ve just seen on our website, via the SFF 2015 App or SMS. Two audience awards are presented: one to the best narrative feature, and one to the best documentary. The Foxtel Movies Audience Awards are announced after the Festival.

 

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS AT THE STATE

From award winners to films gathering a global buzz, Special Presentations at the State are highlights of the SFF 2015 evening program. Brought to you by SFF Distinguished Partner Princess Cruises, these 15 films offer audiences the ultimate Sydney Film Festival experience.

 

SFF 2015 Special Presentations at the State:

 

• 99 Homes USA | 2014 | 112 mins | In English
  Director: Ramin Bahrani | Screenwriters: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi | Producers: Ashok Amritraj, Ramin Bahrani, Kevin Turen, Justin Nappi | Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern

• Brand: A Second Coming UK | 2015 | 105 mins | In English
  Director: Ondi Timoner | Producer: Andrew Antonio |

• Dope USA | 2014 | 105 mins | In English
  Director: Rick Fumuyiwa | Screenwriter: Rick Famuyiwa | Producer: Nina Yang Boniovi | Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons

• The Duke Of Burgundy UK | 2014 | 106 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter: Peter Strickland | Producer: Andy Starke | Cast: Sidse Babett Knudsen, Chiara D’Anna, Eugenia Caruso

• Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief USA | 2015 | 120 mins | In English
  Director: Alex Gibney | Producers: Alex Gibney, Lawrence Wright, Kristen Vaurio

• Last Cab To Darwin Australia | 2015 | 123 mins | In English
  Director: Jeremy Sims | Screenwriters: Reg Cribb, Jeremy Sims | Producers: Greg Duffy, Lisa Duff, Jeremy Sims | Cast: Michael Caton, Jacki Weaver, Mark Coles Smith

• Love & Mercy USA | 2014 | 121 mins | In English
  Director: Bill Pohlad | Screenwriters: Oren Moverman, Michael Alan Lerner | Producers: Bill Pohlad, Claire Rudnick Polstein, John Wells | Cast: John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks

• Mr. Holmes UK, USA | 2015 | 103 mins | In English
  Director: Bill Condon | Screenwriter: Jeffrey Hatcher | Producers: Anne Carey, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman | Cast: Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, Milo Parker

• Our Little Sister Japan | 2015 | 128 mins | In Japanese with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Kore-eda Hirokazu | Producers: Kaoru Matsuzaki, Hijiri Taguchi | Cast: Ayase Haruka, Nagasawa Masami, Kaho

• People, Places, Things USA | 2014 | 86 mins | In English
  Director: James Strouse | Screenwriter: Jim Strouse | Producers: Michael B. Clark, Alex Turtletaub | Cast: Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Jessica Williams

• Phoenix Germany | 2014 | 98 mins | In German with English subtitles
  Director: Christian Petzold | Screenwriters: Christian Petzold, Harun Farocki | Producers: Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber | Cast: Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld, Nina Kunzendorf

• A Second Chance Denmark | 2014 | 104 mins | In Danish and Swedish with English subtitles
  Director: Susanne Bier | Screenwriter: Anders Thomas Jensen | Producer: Sisse Graum Jørgensen | Cast: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Ulrich Thomsen, Maria Bonnevie

• The Second Mother Brazil | 2015 | 110 mins | In Portuguese with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Anna Muylaert | Producers: Caio Gullane, Fabiano Gullane, Debora Ivanov, Anna Muylaert | Cast: Regina Casé, Michel Joelsas, Camila Márdila

• Slow West UK, New Zealand | 2015 | 84 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter: John Maclean | Producers: Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Conor McCaughan, Rachel Gardner | Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ben Mendelsohn

• Women He’s Undressed Australia | 2015 | 100 mins | In English
  Director: Gillian Armstrong | Producer: Damien Parer

 

FEATURES

This selection brings together the best examples of this artform, showcasing prize-winners from the world’s most prestigious festivals alongside new works that deserve to be better known. Features are supported by the University of New South Wales.

 

SFF Features:

• 600 Miles Mexico | 2015 | 85 mins | In English and Spanish with English subtitles
  Director: Gabriel Ripstein | Screenwriters: Gabriel Ripstein, Issa Lopez | Producers: Michel Franco, Gabriel Ripstein, Moises Zonana | Cast: Tim Roth, Kristyan Ferrer, Harrison Thomas

• Aferim! Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic | 2015 | 108 mins | In Romanian with English subtitles
  Director: Radu Jude | Screenwriters: Radu Jude, Florin Lazarescu | Producer: Ada Solomon | Cast: Teodor Corban, Mihai Comanoiu, Cuzin Toma

• The Club Chile | 2015 | 97 mins | In Spanish with English subtitles
  Director: Pablo Larrain | Screenwriters: Guillermo Calderon, Daniel Villalobos, Pablo Larrain | Producer: Juan de Dios Larrain | Cast: Alfredo Castro, Roberto Farias, Antonia Zegers | World Sales: Funny Balloons

• Corn Island Georgia, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Hungary | 2014 | 100 mins | In Abkhazian, Georgian and Russian with English subtitles
  Director: George Ovashvili | Screenwriters: Nugzar Shataidze, George Ovashvili, Roelof Jan Minneboo | Producers: Nino Devdariani, Eike Goreczka, Guillaume de Seille, Karla Stojakova, Sain Gabdullin | Cast: Ilyas Salman, Mariam Buturishvili, Irakli Samushia

• Court India | 2014 | 116 mins | In Hindi, Marathi and English with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Chaitanya Tamhane | Producer: Vivek Gomber | Cast: Vira Sathidar, Vivek Gomber, Geetanjali Kulkarni

• The Crow’s Egg India | 2014 | 99 mins | In Tamil with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: M. Manikandan | Producers: Dhanush Kastooriraja, Vetri Maaran | Cast: Ramesh, Ramesh Thilaganathan, Vignesh

• Dearest China | 2014 | 130 mins | In Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles
  Director: Peter Ho-Sun Chan | Screenwriter: Zhang Ji | Producers: Jojo Hui Yuet-chun, Peter Ho-Sun Chan | Cast: Zhao Wei, Huang Bo, Tong Dawei

• The Diary of a Teenage Girl USA | 2014 | 102 mins | In English
  Director: Marielle Heller | Screenwriter: Marielle Heller | Producers: Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit, Miranda Bailey | Cast: Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Kristen Wiig

• Eisenstein In Guanajuato Netherlands, Mexico, Finland, Belgium | 2015 | 105 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter: Peter Greenaway | Producers: Bruno Felix, Femke Wolting, San Fu Maltha, Cristina Velasco L. | Cast: Elmer Bäck, Luis Alberti, Maya Zapata

• Far From The Madding Crowd UK | 2015 | 118 mins | In English
  Director: Thomas Vinterberg | Screenwriter: David Nicholls | Producers: Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich | Cast: Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Sheen

• The Forbidden Room Canada | 2014 | 128 mins | In English
  Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson | Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk | Producers: Guy Maddin, Phyllis Laing | Cast: Roy Dupuis, Clara Furey, Louis Negin

• From What Is Before Philippines | 2014 | 338 mins | In English and Tagalog with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter, Producer: Lav Diaz | Cast: Perry Dizon, Roeder Camanag, Hazel Orencio

• The Goob UK | 2014 | 86 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter: Guy Myhill | Producers: Mike Elliott, Lee Groombridge | Cast: Liam Walpole, Sean Harris, Sienna Guillory

• Grandma USA | 2014 | 78 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter: Paul Weitz | Producers: Andrew Miano, Paul Weitz, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis, Terry Dougas | Cast: Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Marcia Gay Harden

• Haemoo South Korea | 2014 | 111 mins | In Korean with English subtitles
  Director: Shim Sung-bo | Screenwriters: Shim Sung-bo, Bong Joon-ho | Producers: Bong Joon-ho, Cho Neung-yeon | Cast: Kim Yoon-seok, Park Yu-chun, Han Ye-ri

• Hill of Freedom South Korea | 2014 | 66 mins | In English and Korean with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Hong Sang-soo | Producer: Kim Kyounghee | Cast: Kase Ryo, Seo Younghwa, Moon So-ri

• Ivy Turkey, Germany | 2015 | 104 mins | In Turkish with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Tolga Karaçelik | Producers: Bilge Elif Ozkose, Tolga Karaçelik | Cast: Nadir Saribacak, Hakan Karsak, Ozgur Emre Yildirim

• Kabukicho Love Hotel Japan | 135 mins | In Japanese and Korean with English subtitles
  Director: Ryuichi Hiroki | Screenwriters: Haruhiko Arai, Futoshi Nakano | Producers: Mikihiko Hirata, Naoya Narita, Yasushi Minatoya, Kazuya Naito | Cast: Shota Sometani, Atsuko Maeda, Lee Eun-woo

• Madame Bovary USA | 2014 | 118 mins | In English
  Director: Sophie Barthes | Screenwriters: Felipe Marino, Sophie Barthes | Producers: Felipe Marino, Joe Neurauter | Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Rhys Ifans, Ezra Miller

• Magic Girl Spain, France | 2014 | 127 mins | In Spanish with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Carlos Vermut | Producers: Pedro Hernandez Santos, Alvaro Portanet Hernandez, Amadeo Hernandez Bueno | Cast: Luis Bermejo, Jose Sacristan, Barbara Lennie

• Metamorphoses France | 2014 | 102 mins | In French with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Christophe Honoré | Producer: Philippe Martin | Cast: Amira Akili, Sebastien Hirel, Melodie Richard

• Murder In Pacot France, Haiti, Norway | 2014 | 130 mins | In French and Haitian Creole with English subtitles
  Director: Raoul Peck | Screenwriters: Raoul Peck, Pascal Bonitzer, Lyonel Trouillot | Producers: Remi Grellety, Raoul Peck | Cast: Ayo, Alex Descas, Lovely Kermonde Fifi

• My Skinny Sister Sweden, Germany | 2015 | 95 mins | In Swedish and English with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Sanna Lenken | Producer: Annika Rogell | Cast: Rebecka Josephson, Amy Deasismont, Annika Hallin

• Nasty Baby USA | 2015 | 100 mins | In English and Spanish with English subtitles
  Director: Sebstian Silva | Screenwriter: Sebastian Silva | Producers: Peter Danner, Pape Boye, Violane Pichon, Sebastian Silva | Cast: Sebastian Silva, Kristen Wiig, Tunde Adebimpe

• Near Death Experience France | 2014 | 87 mins | In French with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter, Producer: Benoît Delépine, Gustave Kervern | Cast: Michel Houellebecq, Bertram Marius, Manon Chance

• Pasolini France, Italy, Belgium | 2014 | 84 mins | In English, Italian and French with English subtitles
  Director: Abel Ferrara | Screenwriter: Maurizio Braucci | Producers: Thierry Lounas, Conchita Airoldi, Joseph Rouschop | Cast: Willem Dafoe, Ninetto Davoli, Riccardo Scamarcio

• The Postman’s White Nights Russia | 2014 | 101 mins | In Russian with English subtitles
  Director: Andrei Konchalovskya | Screenwriters: Andrei Konchalovsky, Elena Kiseleva | Producer: Andrei Konchalovsky | Cast: Aleksey Tryapitsyn, Irina Ermolova, Timur Bondarenko

• The Price Of Fame France, Switzerland, Belgium | 2014 | 114 mins | In French with English subtitles
  Director: Xavier Beauvois | Screenwriters: Xavier Beauvois, Etienne Comar, Marie-Julie Maille | Producers: Pascal Caucheteux, Etienne Comar | Cast: Benoît Poelvoorde, Roschdy Zem, Peter Coyote

• The Project Of The Century Cuba, Argentina, Germany, Switzerland | 2015 | 100 mins | In Spanish with English subtitles
  Director: Carlos M. Quintela | Screenwriters: Abel Arcos, Carlos M. Quintela | Producers: Natacha Cervi, Hernán Musaluppi, Pablo Chernov | Cast: Mario Balmaseda, Mario Guerra, Leonardo Gascón

• Red Rose France, Greece, Iran | 2014 | 87 mins | In Farsi with English subtitles
  Director: Sepideh Farsi | Screenwriters: Javad Djavahery, Sepideh Farsi, | Producer: Thierry Lenouvel | Cast: Mina Kavan, Vassilis Koukalani, Babak Farahani

• Results USA | 2015 | 104 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski | Producers: Sam Slater, Paul Bernon, Houston King | Cast: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan

• Riz Australia | 2015 | 75 mins | in English
  Director: Guido Gonzalez and S. Shakthidharan | Screenwriters: Guido Gonzalez, S. Shakthidharan | Producers: S. Shakthidharan, Guido Gonzalez and Aimée Falzon | Cast: Varun Fernando, Sophie Hawkshaw, Anandavalli

• Second Coming UK | 2014 | 105 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter: Debbie Tucker Green | Producers: Polly Leys, Kate Norrish | Cast: Nadine Marshall, Idris Elba, Kai Francis-Lewis

• She’s Funny That Way USA | 2014 | 93 mins | In English
  Director, Screenwriter: Peter Bogdanovich | Producers: Logan Levy, Holly Wiersma, Louise Stratten, George Drakoulias | Cast: Imogen Poots, Owen Wilson, Kathryn Hahn

• The Smell of Us France | 2014 | 100 mins | In English, French and Japanese with English subtitles
  Director: Larry Clark | Screenwriters: Scribe, Larry Clark | Producers: Pierre-Paul Puljiz, Gerard Lacroix, Gerard Pont, Christophe Mazodier | Cast: Lukas Ionesco, Diane Rouxel, Theo Cholbi

• The Summer of Sangaile Lithuania, France | 2014 | 88 mins | In Lithuanian with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Alanté Kavaïté | Producers: Zivile Gallego, Antoine Simkine | Cast: Jurate Sodyte, Julija Steponaityte, Aiste Dirziute

• Sunrise India, France | 2014 | 85 mins | In Marathi with English subtitles
  Director: Partho Sen-Gupta | Screenwriters: Partho Sen-Gupta, Yogesh Vinayak Joshi | Producers: Nina Lath Gupta, Marc Irmer, Rakesh Mehra, Partho Sen-Gupta | Cast: Adil Hussain, Tannishtha Chatterjee

• Sworn Virgin Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Albania, Kosovo | 2015 | 90 mins | In Albanian and Italian with English subtitles
  Director: Laura Bispuri | Screenwriters: Laura Bispuri, Francesca Manieri | Producers: Marta Donzelli, Gregorio Paonessa, Maurizio Totti, Alessandro Ussai, Dan Wechsler, Michael Weber, Viola Fügen, Sabina Kodra, Robert Budina | Cast: Alba Rohrwacher, Flonja Kodhel, Luan Jaha

• Theeb Jordan, UK, UAE, Qatar | 2014 | 100 mins | In English and Arabic with English subtitles
  Director: Naji Abu Nowar | Screenwriters: Naji Abu Nowar, Bassel Ghandour | Producers: Bassel Ghandour, Rupert Lloyd | Cast: Jacir Eid, Hassan Mutlag, Hussein Salameh

• These Are The Rules Croatia | 2014 | 78 mins | In Croation with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Ognjen Svilicic | Producers: Damir Teresak, Janja Kralj | Cast: Emir Hadzihafizbegovic, Jasna Zalica, Hrvoje Vladisavljevic

• Things of the Aimless Wanderer Rwanda, UK | 2015 | 78 mins | In English and Kinyarwanda with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Kivu Ruhorahoza | Producers: Kivu Ruhorahoza, Antonio Rui Ribeiro | Cast: Justin Mullikin, Grace Nikuze, Ramadhan Bizimana

• Tigers India, France, UK | 2014 | 90 mins | In English and Urdu with English subtitles
  Director: Danis Tanovic | Screenwriters: Danis Tanovic, Andy Paterson | Producers: Prashita Chaudhary, Kshitij Chaudhary, Guneet Monga, Anurag Kashyap, Cedomir Kolar, Marc Baschet, Andy Paterson, Cat Villiers | Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Geetanjali, Danny Huston

• The Tribe Ukraine | 2014 | 132 mins | In Ukrainian Sign Language
  Director, Screenwriter: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy | Producers: Valentyn Vasyanovych, Iya Myslytska, Elena Slaboshpytskaya | Cast: Grigory Fesenko, Yana Novikova

• Unexpected USA | 2015 | 100 mins | In English
  Director: Kris Swanberg | Screenwriters: Megan Mercier, Kris Swanberg | Producer: Andrea Roa | Cast: Cobie Smulders, Gail Bean, Anders Holm

• Villa Touma 2014 | 87 mins | In Arabic with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter, Producer: Suha Arraf | Cast: Maria Zreik, NIsreen Faour, Cherien Dabid, Ula Tabari

• The Volcano Guatemala, France | 2015 | 91 mins | In Spanish with English subtitles
  Director: Jayro Bustamante | Screenwriter: Jayro Bustamante | Producers: Jayro Bustamante, Marina Peralta, Pilar Peredo, Edgard Tenembaum | Cast: María Mercedes Croy, María Telón, Manuel Antún

 

BOX SET

Cinematic television continues to thrive, bringing some of cinema’s great directors and feature-film production values to home viewers. The Secret River is a world-class example of a small-screen story of such quality and resonance it deserves to be seen on the big screen.

 

• The Secret river Australia | 2015 | Part 1: 80 mins Part 2: 80mins | In English

 

INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARIES

Documentaries continue to increase in popularity all around the world each year. This selection is an excellent survey of the best examples of the factual-film form being created internationally. International Documentaries are supported by the University of Sydney.

 

SFF International Documentaries:

• Being Evel USA | 2015 | 100 mins | In English
  Director: Daniel Junge | Producers: Johnny Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine, Mat Hoffman

• Beats of the Antonov Sudan, South Africa | 2014 | 68 mins | In Arabic with English subtitles
  Director: Hajooj Kuka | Producers: Steven Markovitz, Hajooj Kuka

• Best of Enemies USA | 2015 | 87 mins | In English
  Directors, Producers: Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon

• Bikes Vs. Cars Sweden | 2015 | 91 mins | In English, Portuguese and Spanish with English subtitles
  Director: Fredrik Gertten | Producers: Margarete Jangård, Elin Kamlert

• Cartel Land USA, Mexico | 2015 | 98 mins | In English and Spanish with English Subtitles
  Director: Matthew Heineman | Producer: Tom Yellin

• The Chinese Mayor China | 2014 | 86 mins | In Mandarin with English subtitles
  Director: Zhou Hao | Producer: Zhao Qi

• Democrats Denmark | 2014 | 99 mins | In English with English subtitles
  Director: Camilla Nielsson | Producer: Henrik Veileborg

• Dreamcatcher UK | 2015 | 104 mins | In English with English subtitles
  Director: Kim Longinotto | Producers: Lisa Stevens, Teddy Leifer | World Sales: Dogwoof

• Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon USA | 95 mins | In English
  Director: Douglas Tirola | Producers: Douglas Tirola, Susan Bedusa, John Battsek, Molly Thompson, Celia Taylor

• The Emperor’s New Clothes UK | 2015 | 101 mins | In English
  Directors: Michael Winterbottom, Russell Brand | Producer: Melissa Parmenter

• Foodies Sweden | 2014 | 98 mins | In English
  Directors: Thomas Jackson, Charlotte Landelius, Henrik Stockare | Producers: Patrik Andersson, Fredrik Heinig, Mattias Nohrborg

• Good Things Await Denmark | 2014 | 100 mins | In English and Danish with English subtitles
  Director: Phie Ambo | Producer: Malene Flindt Pedersen

• How To Change The World UK, Canada | 2015 | 109 mins | In English
  Director: Jerry Rothwell | Producers: Al Morrow, Bous De Jong

• The Hunting Ground USA | 2015 | 103 mins | In English
  Director: Kirby Dick | Producer: Amy Ziering

• In The Basement Austria | 2014 | 81 mins | In German with English subtitles
  Director, Producer: Ulrich Seidl

• Iris USA | 2014 | 83 mins | In English
  Director: Albert Maysles | Producers: Laura Coxson, Rebekah Maysles, Jennifer Ash Rudick

• Life is Sacred Denmark | 2014 | 108 mins | In Spanish with English subtitles
  Directors: Andreas M. Dalsgaard, Nicolas Servide, Vivana Gomez | Producers: Signe Byrge Sørensen, Anne Köhncke

• Listen To Me Marlon UK | 2015 | 103 mins | In English
  Director: Stevan Riley | Producers: John Battsek, R.J. Cutler, George Chignel

• The Look Of Silence Indonesia, Denmark, Norway, Finland, UK | 2014 | 103 mins | In Indonesian and Japanese with English subtitles
  Director: Joshua Oppenheimer | Producer: Signe Byrge Sørensen

• Meet The Patels USA, India | 2014 | 87 mins | In English and Gujarati with English subtitles
  Directors: Geeta V. Patel, Ravi V. Patel | Producers: Janet Eckholm, Geeta V. Patel

• My Love, Don’t Cross That River South Korea | 2014 | 86 mins | In Korean with English subtitles
  Director: Jin Mo-young | Producer: Han Kyung-soo

• Of Men And War France, Switzerland | 2014 | 142 mins | In English
  Director, Producer: Laurent Bécue-Renard

• On The Rim Of The Sky Germany | 2014 | 102 mins | In Chinese with English subtitles
  Director, Producer: Xu Hongjie

• Palio UK, Italy | 2015 | 92 mins | In Italian with English subtitles
  Director: Cosima Spender | Producers: James Gay-Rees, John Hunt

• The Pearl Button Chile, France, Spain | 2015 | 82 mins | In Spanish and Kawesqar with English subtitles
  Director: Patricio Guzman | Producer: Renate Sachse

• The Russian Woodpecker USA, UK | 2014 | 82 mins | In Russian with English subtitles
  Director: Chad Gracia | Producers: Mike Lerner, Ram Devineni

• Sembene! USA, Senegal | 2014 | 88 mins | In English, French and Wolof with English subtitles
  Directors, Producers: Samba Gadjigo, Jason Silverman

• Sergio Herman: Fucking Perfect Netherlands | 2015 | 80 mins | In English and Dutch with English subtitles
  Director: Willemiek Kluijfhout | Producer: Reinette van de Stadt

• Seymour: An Introduction USA | 2014 | 84 mins | In English
  Director: Ethan Hawke | Producers: Ryan Hawke, Greg Loser, Heather Smith

• Some Kind Of Love Canada | 2014 | 81 mins | In English
  Director: Thomas Burstyn | Producers: Trish Dolman, Sumner Burstyn

• Something Better To Come Denmark, Poland | 2014 | 100 mins | In English and Russian with English subtitles
  Director: Hanna Polak | Producers: Sigrid Dyekjaer, Hanna Polak

• Tea Time Chile | 2014 | 70 mins | In Spanish with English subtitles
  Director: Maite Alberdi | Producer: Clara Taricco

• Ulrich Seidl – A Director At Work Austria, Switzerland, Germany | 2014 | 52 mins | In German with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: Constantin Wulff | Producer: Johannes Rosenberger

• Welcome to Leith USA | 2014 | 86 mins | In English
  Directors: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker | Producers: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker, Jenner Furst, Joey Carey, Joshua Woltermann

• The Wolfpack USA | 2015 | 89 mins | In English
  Director: Crystal Moselle | Producers: Izabella Tzenkova,

Crystal Moselle, Hunter Gray, Alex Orlovsky

SOUNDS ON SCREEN

A celebration of the way films about music and musicians make for some of the most compelling cinema created

 

SFF Sounds on Screen:

 

• AMY UK | 2015 | 90mins | In English

Director: Asif Kapadia | Producer: James Gay-Rees

• Breaking a Monster uSA | 2014 | 93 mins | In English

Director: Luke Meyer | Producers: Tom Davis, Molly Smith, Thad Luckinbill, Trent Luckinbill

• Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown USA | 2014 | 120 mins | In English

Director: Alex Gibney | Producers: Mick Jagger, Victoria Pearman, Peter Afterman, Blair Foster

• Lambert & Stamp | USA | 2014 | 117 mins | In English

Director: James D. Cooper | Producers: James D. Cooper, Loretta Harms, Douglas Graves

• Max & Lenny France | 2014 | 85 mins | In French with English subtitles

Director: Fred Nicolas | Screenwriters: Fred Nicolas, Francois Begeaudeau | Producer: Elisabeth Perez | Cast: Camelia Pand’Or, Jisca Kalvanda, Adam Hegazy

• Song of Lahore USA | 2015 | 82 mins | In English, Urdu and Punjabi with English subtitles

Director, Producer: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Andy Schocken

• Station to Station USA | 2015 | 70 mins | In English

Director: Doug Aitken | Producers: Chris Totushek, Alex Waite

 

FAMILY FILMS

Share the excitement of Sydney Film Festival with your whole family! Featuring the finest films from around the world, these quality titles will surprise and delight both the child inside and the child beside you.

 

SFF Family Films:

• The Crow’s Egg India | 2014 | 99 mins | In Tamil with English subtitles
  Director, Screenwriter: M. Manikandan | Producers: Dhanush Kastooriraja, Vetri Maaran | Cast: Ramesh, Ramesh Thilaganathan, Vignesh

Suitable for ages 8 and up.

• Gayby Baby Australia | 2015 | 85 mins | In English | Documentary
  Director: Maya Newell | Producer: Charlotte Mars

Suitable for ages 6 and up.

• SONG OF THE SEA Ireland, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, Denmark | 2014 | 90 mins | In English

Director: Tomm Moore | Screenwriter: Will Collins | Producers: Ross Murray, Paul Young | Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Fionnula Flanagan

Suitable for ages 6 and up.

• Wide Open Sky Australia | 2015 | 79 mins | In English | Documentary
  Director: Lisa Nicol | Producers: Lisa Nicol, Anna Craney

Suitable for ages 6 and up.

• KIDS ANIMATION PROGRAM | A special selection of animated short films chosen for a discerning your audience: expect lots of clover animals, plenty o flaughs and the odd scary moment for good measure!

Suitable for children aged 3-8 years.

 

Essential Bergman: Selected by David Stratton

Essential Bergman brings to the Festival one of Australia’s great masters of film criticism to curate and introduce a selection of films by one of the world’s greatest filmmakers. Bergman’s influence on the world of cinema is unquestionable, and his films are indeed essential viewing for film buffs old and new. Essential Bergman: Selected by David Stratton is presented in partnership with the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) and the National Film & Sound Archive (NFSA). The program will screen in Melbourne at ACMI from 11 - 28 June and in Canberra at the Arc Theatre from 25 June to 5 July.

 

SFF Essential Bergman: Selected by David Stratton films:

 

• Cries and Whispers Sweden | 1972 | 91 mins | In Swedish with English subtitles

• Fanny and Alexander Sweden, France, West Germany | 1982 | 188 mins In Swedish with English subtitles

• Persona Sweden | 1966 | 82 mins | In Swedish with English subtitles

• Saraband Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Italy, Finland, Germany 2003 | 107 mins | In Swedish with English subtitles

• Smiles of a Summer Night Sweden | 1955 | 108 mins | In Swedish with English subtitles

• The Face Sweden | 1958 | 100 mins | In Swedish with English subtitles

• The Seventh Seal Sweden | 1956 | 96 mins | In Swedish with English subtitles

• The Silence Sweden | 1963 | 95 mins | In Swedish with English subtitles </k>

• The Virgin Spring Sweden | 1960 | 89 mins | In Swedish with English subtitles

• Wild Strawberries Sweden | 1957 | 91 mins | In Swedish with English subtitles

 

Restorations

Discover or revisit arthouse, genre and Hollywood cinema classics the way they were intended to be seen – on the big screen. This year SFF presents one of the most important films of African cinema, a visually splendid Armenian masterpiece, a Korean hit remastered in monochrome and the director’s cut of a cult classic about the disco era.

 

SFF Restorations:

 

• 54: THE DIRECTOR’S CUT USA | 2015 | 106 mins | In English | Australian Premiere

• THE COLOUR OF POMEGRANATES Armenia | 1968 | 79 mins | In Armenian with English subtitles

• MOTHER South Korea | 2009/2014 | 128 mins | In Korean with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

• TOUKI BOUKI Senegal | 1973 | 90 mins | In Wolof with English subtitles

 

Destruction Cinema

During the ’60s and ’70s, cinema underwent radical changes as societies broke down, censorship relaxed and the avant-garde found a wide audience. Bold filmmakers smashed cinematic form itself. SFF gives the name Destruction Cinema to films that, both inside and outside the commercial industry, embraced the art of demolition; and guest programmer Chris Fujiwara has curated five anti-masterpieces from a global subgenre of inexhaustible power.

 

SFF Destruction Cinema films:

 

• DEUX FOIS France, Spain | 1969 | 66 mins | In French with English subtitles

• DJANGO KILL... IF YOU LIVE, SHOOT! Italy, Spain | 1967 | 116 mins | In Italian with English subtitles

• EVEN DWARFS STARTED SMALL West Germany | 1970 | 96 mins | In German with English subtitles

• GOD TOLD ME TO USA | 1976 | 91 mins | In English

• THE RED LIGHT BANDIT Brazil | 1968 | 92 mins | In Portuguese with English subtitles

 

Focus on South Africa

Twenty-one years after the advent of democracy, South African cinema continues to grapple with a nation still in transition. SFF presents a snapshot of the country’s vibrant cinematic offerings.

 

SFF Focus on South Africa films:

 

• BREATHE UMPHEFUMLO South Africa, Germany, UK | 2015 | 90 mins | In Xhosa with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

• THE DREAM OF SHAHRAZAD South Africa, Egypt, Jordan, France, Netherlands 2014 | 107 mins | In English, Arabic and Turkish with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

• JOE BULLET South Africa | 1973 | 85 mins | In English

• NECKTIE YOUTH Netherlands, South Africa | 2015 | 86 mins In Afrikaans, English and Zulu with English subtitles Australian Premiere

• THE SHORE BREAK South Africa | 2014 | 90 mins | In English and isiMpondo with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

 

FREAK ME OUT

Selected by Guest Programmer Richard Kuipers, and now in its eighth year at SFF, Freak Me Out showcases a mix of horror, fantasy, shock, schlock and extreme arthouse cinema.

 

SFF Freak Me Out films:

 

• DEATHGASM New Zealand | 2015 | 86 mins | In English Australian Premiere

• GERMAN ANGST Germany | 2015 | 111 mins | In English, German and Polish with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

• GOODNIGHT MOMMY Austria | 2014 | 99 mins | In German with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

• THE INVITATION USA | 2014 | 90 mins | In English | Australian Premiere

• SPRING USA | 2014 | 109 mins | In English | Australian Premiere

• TURBO KID New Zealand, Canada | 2014 | 95 mins | In English Australian Premiere

• WE ARE STILL HERE USA | 2014 | 86 mins | In English | Australian Premiere

• INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS USA | 1956 | 80 mins | In English

• THEM! USA | 1954 | 92 mins | In English

 

SHORT FILMS

A selection of award-winning and innovative short films, which will screen before selected features.

 

SFF Short Films:

 

AVE MARIA Palestine, France, Germany | 2015 | 15 mins | In English, Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

Director: Basil Khalil

THE BABY Iran, Italy | 2014 | 16 mins | In Farsi with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

Director: Ali Asgari

BLUEY Australia | 2015 | 13 mins | In English Australian Premiere

Director: Darlene Johnson

BOROM SARRET Senegal | 1963 | 20 mins | In French and Wolof with English subtitles

Director, Screenwriter: Ousmane Sembène

BREAKING DOWN THE DOOR DAY Australia | 3 mins | In English

Director: Andrew Belk | Narrator: Dayna Duncan

CORNERS Singapore | 2014 | 3 mins | In Hokkien with English subtitles | Australian Premiere |

Directors: Kwok Li Chen, Edward Khoo

THE DROVER’S BOY Australia | 2014 | 11 mins | In English | World Premiere

Director: Margaret McHugh

THE ENGLISH TEA PROJECT Australia | 2014 | 4 mins | In English Director: Andrew Belk

Narrator: Marziya Mohammad

THE FACE OF UKRAINE: CASTING OKSANA BAIUL Ukraine, Australia | 2014 | 7 mins | In Russian and Ukrainian with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

Director: Kitty Green

THE FLIGHT OF THE BUFFALO Australia | 2014 | 11 mins | In English

Director: Brodie Poole

GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART Australia | 2015 | 12 mins | In English World Premiere

Director: Bec Peniston- Bird

THE GUESTS Australia | 2015 | 11 mins | In English Australian Premiere

Director: Shane Danielsen

HOTEL 22 USA | 2014 | 9 mins | In English

Director: Elizabeth Lo

MARCELA & ROCK USA | 2014 | 12 mins | In English

Director: Topaz Adizes

PEBBLES AT YOUR DOOR Denmark | 2015 | 18 mins | In Korean with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

Director: Vibeke Bryld

PINK GRAPEFRUIT USA | 2015 | 11 mins | In English Australian Premiere

Director: Michael Mohan

POP-UP PORNO: M4M Canada | 2014 | 3 mins | In English Australian Premiere

Director: Stephen Dunn

PORTRAIT OF A LETTERPRESS PRINTER Australia | 2014 | 7 mins | In English World Premiere

Directors: Amberly K, Florent P

THE REAGAN SHORTS USA | 2014 | 9 mins | In English | Australian Premiere

Director: Pacho Velez

SATURDAYUK | 2015 | 14 mins | In English | Australian Premiere

Director: Mike Forshaw

SHARE USA | 2015 | 11 mins | In English Australian Premiere

Director: Pippa Bianco

SLINGSHOT Australia | 2015 | 7 mins | In English World Premiere

Director: David Hansen

SMUT HOUNDS Australia | 2014 | 9 mins | In English and Swedish with English subtitles | World Premiere

Director: Sari Braithwaite

SONIA'S DREAM Peru | 2015 | 14 mins | In Spanish and Quechua with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

Director: Diego Sarmiento

STAY AWAKE USA | 2015 | 14 mins | In English Australian Premiere

Director: Jamie Sisley

THE TIDE KEEPER New Zealand | 2014 | 10 mins | In No dialogue

Director: Alyx Duncan

WATER PATH Colombia | 2014 | 8 mins | In Spanish with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

Director: Carlos Felipe Montoya

WHY? Israel | 2014 | 5 mins | In Hebrew and French with English subtitles | Australian Premiere

Director: Nadav Lapid

 

TALKS PROGRAM:

Sydney Film Festival presents a diverse range of talks with guest filmmakers and industry experts. From our highly successful series at the Apple Store, now in its fourth year, to the venerable Ian McPherson Memorial Lecture, once again hosted by David Stratton, SFF offers many opportunities to encounter leading and emerging figures in the film industry.

 

IAN MCPHERSON MEMORIAL LECTURE 2015

Jan Chapman and David Stratton in Conversation

 

Monday 8 June, 4pm, The Festival Hub at Sydney Town Hall

David Stratton brings his consummate interviewing skills to bear as host of a special discussion featuring one of the most respected and successful film producers in Australia, Jan Chapman. Chapman has produced some of Australia’s most celebrated and popular films, including the Academy Award-nominated Bright Star; Lantana, winner of the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Film; and The Piano, which won three Academy Awards. Her films have won over 38 AFI Awards along with numerous other honours around the world. Chapman was Jury President at SFF 2010 and the 2012 Asia Pacific Screen Awards; and has served on juries at the Berlinale, Istanbul and Rotterdam film festivals. In 2004 Jan was honoured for her outstanding contribution to Australian film as a recipient of the Order of Australia; and is currently on the boards of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) and SFF. She is producer, along with Nicole O’Donohue, of this year’s Official Competition film The Daughter.

Register for free tickets at sff.org.au / 1300 733 733.

 

MEET THE FILMMAKERS: SFF TALKS AT THE APPLE STORE:

To celebrate the 2015 Sydney Film Festival and the spirit of fine filmmaking, the Apple Store Sydney once again hosts its free Meet the Filmmakers series, where you can hear esteemed writers, directors, producers and actors discuss their latest projects and answer your questions.

 

• Simon Stone (The Daughter) Friday 5 June, 4-5pm (free)

Theatremaker and actor Simon Stone
will discuss working on his feature-film debut, The Daughter. The family drama is based on his award-winning re-imagining of Henrik Ibsen’s play The Wild Duck and stars a host of top Australian talent, including Geoffrey Rush, Ewen Leslie, Miranda Otto and Sam Neill.

• Kim Farrant (Strangerland) Saturday 6 June, 2-3pm (free)

Australian director Kim Farrant has earned numerous accolades with her shorts and
TV documentaries. Her documentary Naked on the Inside screened at the Festival in 2007. Here she will talk about the making of her feature debut, Strangerland, an outback-set thriller starring Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes and Hugo Weaving, which premiered at Sundance.

• Alex Gibney: In Conversation (Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Mr Dynamite: The Story of James Brown) Sunday 7 June, 11am

Vivid Ideas and Sydney Film Festival will co-present a special talk, with the internationally acclaimed documentarian.. The discussion will explore the nature of telling complex, real-world stories, and delve into how Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, premiering in Australia at the Festival, became the one of the most-watched HBO documentaries in years. Gibney is one of the world’s most prolific and controversial filmmakers (We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks, SFF 2014).

• Jeremy Sims and Michael Caton (Last Cab to Darwin) Sunday 7 June, 2-3PM (free)

Award-winning stage and screen director and actor Jeremy Sims is joined by iconic actor and national treasure Michael Caton (The Sullivans, The Castle). Their talk will focus on the making of Last Cab to Darwin, an adaptation of the Sims-produced hit play about a cancer stricken cabbie (played by Caton) who seeks to die with dignity.

• Brendan Cowell and Kath Shelper (Ruben Guthrie) Monday 8 June, 4-5pm (free)

Theatre, film and television actor Brendan Cowell and producer Kath Shelper will discuss Cowell’s feature-film directorial debut, Ruben Guthrie, adapted by Cowell from his critically acclaimed play about a Sydney ad executive who tries to quit drinking. The World Premiere will open the Festival.

 

Visit apple.com/au/Sydney to see the latest schedule and reserve your spot.

 

HUB TALKS AND PANELS AT TOWN HALL

 

• Micro-Talks Saturday 6 June, 3-4:30pm

This very popular session from Sydney University returns again this year with short and informative 15-minute talks by leading film academics.

• The History of Animation Saturday 6 June, 5-6PM

Join Malcolm Turner, Sydney Film Festival programmer and animation researcher, as he talks us through the last 100 years of Australian animation.

• Horror Tragic Talkfest Sunday 7 June, 6:15-7:15pm

Join Freak Me Out guest programmer Richard Kuipers and producer and horror aficionado Ant Timpson (Deathgasm, Turbo Kid) for a freewheeling discussion about all things horror. Be part of the lively discussion on the past, present and future of the most durable movie genre of them all.

• Refugees on Screen Monday 8 June, 6:30-7:30pm

Following the screening of Freedom Stories, OzDox will host a discussion on how refugees are represented on Australian screens big and small.

• The Making of Sherpa Tuesday 9 June, 6:30-7:30pm

Join director Jennifer Peedom, producers Bridget Ikin and John Smithson, the filmmakers behind the extraordinary Official Competition documentary Sherpa.

• Film Festivals Australia Brings Their Monthly Catch-Up to the Hub Wednesday 10 June, 7-8pm

Learn what it takes to run a film festival and their growing importance to filmmakers and the industry.

• Why Do We Need to Engage with Difficult Films? Thursday 11 June, 6-7pm

Join ABC Radio National’s Jason di Rosso as he ponders this question with fellow critics Margaret Pomeranz, Jack Sargeant and Dr. Sarinah Masukor.

• Human Rights Watch Thursday 11 June, 8-8:30pm

After the Festival’s screening of The Look of Silence, Joshua Oppenheimer will join us via Skype to discuss
his sequel to award winning The Act of Killing (SFF 2013), moderated by Andreas Harsono, Indonesian researcher from Human Rights Watch.

• The Return of Can Documentaries Change the World? Friday 12 June, 7-8pm

After last year’s full-house session it is clear there’s still much to discuss.

• Panel: Dendy Awards Finalists Sunday 14 June, 1-3:30pm

Meet the Dendy Awards finalists for 2015 at this enlightening panel hosted by Metro Screen, and grill them on what it took to bring their acclaimed short film from idea to red-carpet premiere.

• Margaret and David: The Films We Love – The Neglected and the Unexpected Sunday 7 June, 3:30pm at Sydney Town Hall ($15)

Australia’s favourite film critics join the Sydney Film Festival stage once more with an entertaining overview of some of the films that they feel deserve our closer consideration. After 28 years and one of the longest and most enduring partnerships on Australian television, Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton recorded the final episode of At the Movies late last year. But fortunately for us, they can’t get enough of discussing the films they really love.

In this candid conversation at Sydney Town Hall, David will champion the films he loves that were overlooked by critics or audiences, or both. Margaret will reveal some of her unexpected pleasures, from The Fast and the Furious to even more surprising selections. Their choices, and the reasons behind those choices, will make for a fascinating, lively and thought-provoking event.

Sydney Film Festival runs 3 – 14 June 2015.

Tickets for Sydney Film Festival 2015 are on sale now. Please call 1300 733 733 or visit sff.org.au for more information.

 

ABOUT SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL

From Wednesday 3 June to Sunday 14 June 2015, the 62^nd Sydney Film Festival offers Sydneysiders another exciting season of cinema amidst a whirlwind of premieres, red-carpet openings, panel discussions, international guests and more. Each year the Festival’s programming team curates 12 days of cinema sourced from world-famous film festivals, including Cannes, Sundance, Toronto and the Berlinale; as well as Australia’s finest local productions.

Sydney Film Festival also presents an Official Competition of 12 films that vie for the Sydney Film Prize, a highly respected honour that awards a $60,000 cash prize based on the decision of a jury of international and Australian filmmakers and industry professionals. Previous Sydney Film Prize winners are: Two Days, One Night (2014); Only God Forgives (2013); Alps (2012); A Separation (2011), which went on to win an Academy Award; Heartbeats (2010); and Bronson (2009).

The Festival takes place across greater Sydney: at the State Theatre, Event Cinemas George Street, Dendy Opera Quays, Dendy Newtown, Art Gallery of NSW, Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Cremorne, Casula Powerhouse, the Festival Hub at Sydney Town Hall and SFF Outdoor Screen.

The Festival is a major event on the New South Wales cultural calendar and is one of the world’s longest-running film festivals. For more information visit: www.sff.org.au.

The 62nd Sydney Film Festival is supported by the NSW Government through Screen NSW and Destination NSW, the Federal Government through Screen Australia and the City of Sydney.