Author: Kyle Goldfinch

JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS FREE ONLINE PROGRAMME FEATURING CUTTING EDGE CINEMA

Published by Kyle Goldfinch

From a futuristic existential animation about androids to a culturally rich documentary delving into the art of ramen-making, the Japanese Film Festival: Online returns from 14-27 February 2022 with a free streamed Festival featuring the best in Japanese cinema. The 2022 Festival presented by The Japan Foundation, Sydney will screen 17 films nation-wide for free, including feature films and documentaries. JFF Online 2022 marks the second time The Japan Foundation, Sydney will screen the festival across Australia to enjoy online.  Japanese Film Festival Director, Yurika Sugie said, “JFF Online invites Australian audiences to celebrate the richness of Japanese cinema from the comfort of their own homes, with an eclectic virtual program traversing the hottest new international film festival award-winners, past JFF favourites and cult hits.”  Japanese Film Festival Programmer, Susan Bui said, “Enjoy cutting-edge titles from Japan’s finest auteurs in tandem with Japanophiles from 25 countries world-wide as part of this exciting global initiative.”  

ANTENNA DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FULL 10TH ANNIVERSARY LINE-UP

Published by Kyle Goldfinch

The 10th Antenna Documentary Film Festival has announced its full program, to take place in cinemas across Sydney from 2–13 February 2022. Over the course of 12 days, Antenna will once again celebrate the best in documentary cinema from the past year, with 50 of the most creative and thought-provoking documentaries from Australia and around the world. “I am very proud of this lineup as a whole,” said Festival Director David Rokach. “Each documentary is imaginative, cinematic and provocative and I believe together they demonstrate the endless potential of documentary cinema in the hands of a great filmmaker.” Opening the festival is the Australian Premiere of Charm Circle by Nira Burstein, a cinéma vérité portrait of her eccentric New York family. With shades of the Maysles’ Grey Gardens, Burstein weaves together decades-old home videos and contemporary footage, to create an emotional and powerful family portrait that questions the value of the bonds that tie us together. Charm Circle premiered at Sheffield Doc Fest where it took out the Audience Award. Highlights include The Real Charlie Chaplin & A Night of Knowing Nothing. The 10th edition of the Antenna Documentary Film Festival opens Wednesday …

MARDI GRAS FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES QUEER FRONTIER PROGRAMME

Published by Kyle Goldfinch

Queer Screen’s 29th Mardi Gras Film Festival (Festival) invites audienceson a mission to the Queer Frontier, to meet emerging and established filmmakers andexplore new stories, styles and genres together – online, in the cinema, or both. Tickets areon sale now at queerscreen.org.au. Running from 17 February to 3 March, the Festival includes screenings at Event Cinemas inGeorge Street and special ‘one night only’ sessions at the Hayden Orpheum, Cremorne andEvent Cinemas in Parramatta and Hurstville. The Festival will then tour to the BlueMountains on 11–13 March and Canberra on 18–21 March. Those who prefer not to attend physical events can stream from the comfort and safety oftheir own home. “We understand there is on-going uncertainty in the community regardingthe Omicron outbreak in Sydney and are delivering a hybrid festival to ensure the program isas accessible as possible and adheres to our COVID-19 safety plan,” explains FestivalDirector, Lisa Rose. “This means LGBTIQ+ communities in Sydney can choose to attend in the cinema or online,and regional and interstate friends of the Festival can join our expedition to …

Sydney Film Festival

Published by Kyle Goldfinch

Entries are now open for the 2022 Sydney Film Festival, for the Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films, Documentary Australian Foundation Award for Australian Documentary competition, and both Australian and international categories for the general program. We encourage submissions (features, documentaries and shorts) to the festival from First Nation filmmakers from around the world. We also welcome entries of any length to the festival’s Screenability program from filmmakers with disability. Closing date for all entries: 25 February 2022.Head to https://filmfreeway.com/SydneyFilmFestival for full eligibility criteria and submission details.

JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS PROGRAM FOR HISTORIC 25TH YEAR

Published by Kyle Goldfinch

From epic fantasies to spine-tingling thrillers and avant-garde features from modern mavericks in contemporary cinema, the Japanese Film Festival (JFF) returns to Canberra, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney for its historic 25th year from 28 October to 5 December. The 2021 Festival program will screen 15 films from the hottest newly-released feature titles spanning a diverse selection of genres from action to anime, drama, documentaries and much more.“In celebration of JFF’s 25th year, we’re thrilled to return to cinemas and share the very best in Japanese cinema with Perth audiences,” said Japanese Film Festival Director, Yurika Sugie. “This year film connoisseurs can look forward to a stellar selection of contemporary works, international film festival favourites and award winners, alongside an incredible online program.”Opening the Festival is Hokusai, Hajime Hashimoto’s biopic about the wildlife of legendary Japanese ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai. The star-studded cast features Yūya Yagira (Nobody Knows), Hiroshi Abe (The Crimes That Bind, JFF 2018) and Min Tanaka (Destiny: The Tale of Kamakura, JFF 2018). Award-winning dramas include Best International Feature Audience Choice Award winner at Chicago International Film Festival Under the Open Sky, about a hardened ex-yakuza who sets out to find his long-lost …

St Kilda Film Festival

Published by Kyle Goldfinch

Entries are open for Australia’s Top 100 Short Films Competition in the 2022 St Kilda Film Festival. Don’t miss the opportunity to share in a massive prize pool of cash and in-kind craft awards—including a $10,000 prize for Best Short Film—and be a featured in an internationally recognised, Academy Awards® accredited Festival. Entries close 31 January 2022. Enter Now: https://filmfreeway.com/StKildaFilmFestival