Significant seven: Film festivals
Over the next few days, we are publishing highlights from this year’s Mumbrella Annual.
1. Tropfest
With the crowds Tropfest draw you’d not question Australia’s dedication to local cinema. But what Tropfest created was an event beyond sitting in a dark room with other chin-strokers. John Polson and his crew lower the barrier to entry and makes us feel anyone can be like Nash Edgerton… we just need to get off our arses.
2. Melbourne International Film Festival
Celebrating 60 years of cinema in 2011, story is at the heart of all MIFF programs. Their premiere fund, which helps finance films to have their world premiere at the festival, has a decent strike rate.
3. Sydney Film Festival
Allows Sydneysiders to see independent international films that might otherwise pass us by. Hence tickets are always in demand. With a new director in South African Nashen Moodley for 2012, it will be interesting to see his influence.
4. Dungog Film Festival
A place for Australian cinema, Dungog Film Festival honours local successes in short and long formats as well as holding seminars including In The Raw screenplay presentations. Next year the festival will launch Cockatoo Island Film Festival in Sydney Harbour.
5. Flickerfest
First on Bondi Beach before touring the country, Flickerfest is dedicated to getting short films to rural Australia. It is our only Oscar-accredited short film festival.
6. Bloodfest Fantastique Film Festival
Melbourne’s annual gore-fest, die-hards of shlock and horror celebrate the macabre on celluloid with the Bloodfest Fantastique Film Festival. Riding high with the revival of local genre films, catch Aussie and overseas flicks.
7. Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival
A festival with a conscience, this event in Launceston is still young but shows promise, as it aims to stimulate contemporary thinking including its Big Idea debates and social issues themes.
This list first appeared in the Mumbrella Annual, which is currently on sale priced at $10 for access to the digital edition or $20 for both print and digital access.- Both can be ordered through Realview, via this link
