Serious question. Sometimes it seems as though we take for granted that because people are making ‘issue’ films, documentaries that bring to light catastrophes, injustices and general human failings. Sometimes it seems as though participation as an audience is enough. Important films are made, we are outraged or incensed or inspired in the moment – and [...]
June 22, 2009
[This speech, given to delegates by the head of independents commissioning for BBC Knowledge Richard Klein in 2008, is one of the most extraordinary things you will ever read...] Before I start, a couple of quick points. Firstly – a big thanks to Emma Willis, who has worked so hard to produce this session. Also, my thanks to Heather Croal, Steve Hewlitt [...]
June 22, 2009
How many times have you been to see a film on the strength of the trailer only to have a) the film fail in every way, shape or form to live up to the promise of the trailer, or b) lack any surprises being that EVERY SINGLE TWIST was givien away in the trailer. A few [...]
June 15, 2009
Independent Aussie drama/mystery/thriller Four Of A Kind opened this week at the Cinema Nova in Melbourne, and over the weekend more strong praise came flooding in for Fiona Cochrane’s first feature film. The Age’s Tom Ryan says: “The performances shine in Fiona Cochrane’s debut feature, a neatly plotted thriller based on Helen Collins’ four act [...]
June 10, 2009
With RiP: A Remix Manifesto opening at the University of Queensland’s Shonell Cinema on Thursday, coverage of the film is flying north for winter. The most entertaining write up by far is (unexpectedly) from the University’s staff and student newsletter, taking some creative license with the headline. “Remix artists: paragons of people power or Pied Pipers [...]
June 9, 2009
Opening Thursday 11th at the historic Schonell Cinema (well, historic for Australia anyway), RiP: A Remix Manifesto is sure to make waves among the countercultures of Brisbane. Profiled in the street press Rave Magazine, RiP scores four stars and impresses despite the reviewer’s personal taste being set against the music of Girl Talk, the artist [...]
June 9, 2009
Andrew L Urban has been around in the reviewing game for a long time. A traditionalist and a cerebral reviewer, it seems even the studied eye of Urban is prone to misting every now and again. Of the South African/Australian co-produced documentary The Choir, Urban is unambiguous in his assessment, concluding his review with the [...]
June 4, 2009
Yesterday the team behind The Burning Season visited the Orang-utan Sanctuary at Melbourne Zoo, partly to promote the film and largely to hang out with these AMAZING creatures. The Zoo is heavily involved in conservation projects for orang-utans all around the world, and got environmental entrepreneur Dorjee Sun in on their soon-to-be-launched “Don’t Palm Us [...]
June 2, 2009
Making it’s Australian premiere last night, Cathy Henkel’s documentary The Burning Season wowed the almost-600-strong audience at Hobart’s Wrest Point Convention Centre. With Henkel, star/entrepreneur Dorjee Sun and many enviro-luminaries on hand to lead a lively discussion, the film proved its credentials as a call to action to one of the most pressing issues in the modern [...]
June 1, 2009
With filmmaker Cathy Henkel and entrepreneur extrodinaire Dorjee Sun just across the Tasman for the Wrest Point screening of The Burning Season, Cinema Nova in Carlton thought it was too good an opportunity not to book them on the Spirit and get them to the mainland for a special screening of the doco in Melbourne. They’ve [...]
June 29, 2009
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