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From director Bart Layton (The Imposter), and starring Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, and Ann Dowd, comes the extraordinary and thrilling true story of four college students living an ordinary existence who brazenly attempt to execute one of the most outlandish art heists in US history. It is 2004, and best friends Warren and Spencer long for fulfilment beyond their already privileged, middle-class lives. An opportunity presents itself when they discover some of the most valuable books in the world are housed in a nearby university library, and they begin to plot a heist along with two other acquaintances. But not everything is as it seems, and as the daring theft unfolds through each of their perspectives, they start to question whether their attempts to inject excitement and purpose into their lives is simply a misguided attempt at achieving the American Dream. Blurring the lines between what is reality and fiction, including featuring the real wannabe art bandits to comment on the big screen recreation of their heist as it unfolds, Layton has created an audacious film that proves that fact is certainly stranger, wilder and more devious than fiction.
Backtrack is the youth program run out of jackaroo and champion dog jumping trainer Bernie Shakeshaft's shed on the outskirts of Armidale. It's a place for troubled kids to safely continue their education while learning trust, support for one another and to have faith in a world that has forgotten them. When Shakeshaft recruits Zach, Alfie and Rusty to join him on a cross-country journey with his famed dog jumping team, it's the last chance for the three boys to halt a quick journey to jail and prove to the world that they are more than just delinquents with no future. Director Catherine Scott embedded herself for two years in this world and has crafted an inspiring and heart-warming coming-of-age tale. BACKTRACK BOYS is a film about a generation of young Australians from the fringes of society eager to become more than their circumstances would suggest.
Academy Award nominees Steve Carell, Timothee Chalamet and Amy Ryan star in a heartfelt drama from director Felix Van Groeningen (The Broken Circle Breakdown), based on the bestselling memoir by David & Nic Sheff and adapted by Luke Davies (Lion, Candy). David (Carell) is the loving father of Nic (Chalamet), a bright and engaged child who has endured a more troubled life as an adult. Gradually seeing his son become victim to addiction, David attempts to maintain their relationship as they experience different sides of the difficult cycle of survival, relapse and recovery.
There ain’t no joint like a Spike Lee joint! The iconic filmmaker unfurls an outrageous yet true story that won him the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. As the first African-American officer in the Colorado Springs Police Department, Ron Stallworth (John David Washington, son of Denzel) is itching to make a name for himself. His means of doing so is a plan to infiltrate the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan as an undercover operative. But while Stallworth can talk to KKK members over the phone, including Grand Wizard David Duke (Topher Grace), he obviously cannot attend meetings in person. Enter Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), a white colleague who becomes Stallworth’s body double. But having two Ron Stallworths throws up complications as the pair inveigle themselves deeper into the dangerous hate group. Produced by Get Out director Jordan Peele, BLACKKKLANSMAN is Spike Lee’s most electrifying film in recent years, an anti-racism revenge tale that is all the more relevant given it all really happened.
Rami Malek gives a career-defining performance as music icon Freddie Mercury in the triumphant feel-good musical drama BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY. Working as a baggage handler at Heathrow airport, Farrokh Bulsara (Malek) offers his vocals to a band that has just lost their lead singer. Causing a stir with his flamboyant stage persona and four-octave range, Farrokh soon changes his name to Freddie Mercury and the band Queen is born. Touring the world with Brian May (Gwilym Lee), Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) and John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello), Queen's unconventional style divides critics but sees the band attract some of the largest concert audiences in history. His star rising and the world at his fingertips, Mercury's personal life becomes increasingly public and the price of fame begins to add up. Co-starring Aiden Gillen, Lucy Boynton, Tom Hollander and Mike Myers.
Nova Exclusive! Everyone has had a teacher that has inspired them – and equally everyone has had a teacher who seemed to want to be anywhere other than at the front of a classroom. Sydney writer/director Heath Davis presents a devious comedy of a disgraced writer trying to rebuild their career while suffering the indignities of trying to teach teenagers. Nicholas Cutler (Alan Dukes) was once the enfant terrible of the literary world. Now he’s trying to deflect students’ attention away from their iPhones and get them reading actual books. Outraged that all the kids these days are interested in is cheap shlock, Nicholas writes a pulpy zombie novel – and to his surprise publishers are interested. But what should be a redemptive time of triumph for Mr Cutler is threatened by the most chaotic event in every school year: Book Week. Based on Davis’ own experiences as a teacher, and filmed in the gorgeous Blue Mountains, BOOK WEEK is a wry and biting comedy with a sense of community at its heart.
Jared (Lucas Hedges), the only child of a Baptist pastor, is forcibly outed to his parents following an encounter with a boy in college. Unable to accept that their son is gay, Jared is faced with an ultimatum: attend a gay conversion therapy program, or be permanently exiled by his family, friends and his faith. Based on the memoir by Garrard Conley, this is an insider’s perspective on how gay conversion camps operate, explosively exposing the harm they cause to both to those who are forced to attend, and the people who place them in this environment of continual denial and shame. Directed, written and co-starring Joel Edgerton, alongside Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe, BOY ERASED tells the true story of a young man’s struggle to find himself while being forced to question every aspect of his identity.
MONTHLY MATINEE Thursday November 22 - 10.30am. Tickets on sale below. Join us for morning tea, film screening and a discussion with host Jan Epstein and Research Fellow in Biomedical Ethics, Dr Lauren Notini. All at regular prices. Emma Thompson gives one of the best performances of her career in a moving drama of a woman embroiled in a moral dilemma in which a child’s life hangs in the balance. High Court Justice Fiona Maye is used to presiding over cases where she must act as a Solomon whose decisions irrevocably effect people’s lives. But a case that comes before her involving gravely ill 17-year-old Adam (Fionn Whitehead) is a unique quandary. Adam’s parents are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and are refusing to allow him to have a blood transfusion that could save his life. Adam appears to share their beliefs, but Fiona has the power to order that the treatment go ahead against his and his family’s wishes. Taking an unorthodox tact, Fiona decides to visit Adam in hospital, and an unlikely bond springs up between them. Adapted by Ian McEwan from his own novel, and directed by Richard Eyre (Notes on a Scandal, Iris), THE CHILDREN ACT is a deeply humane film that grapples with the morals of belief and who should hold power over a life.
5 STARS! - Time Out. From the best selling novel by Kevin Kwan, CRAZY RICH ASIANS is a dazzling romance set amongst the Singapore elite where money is no object. New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu, Fresh Off The Boat) has been dating the dashing Nick Young (Henry Golding) for months but gets the sense that he is hiding something. When he invites her to travel to Singapore to attend a wedding and meet his family, Rachel soon discovers Henry's secret is that he comes from a world that she could only dream of. Stepping into a society where next season's couture, private parties, priceless jewels and fast cars are de rigueur, Rachel not only struggles to acclimatize but also must contend with social climbers keen to snare Nick for themselves. Featuring a stellar cast including Michelle Yeoh, Ken Jeong, Jimmy O. Yang, Ronny Chieng, Nico Santos and Awkwafina, Jon M. Chu's highly-anticpated film has been applauded by critics as "a tour de force... a surprisingly trenchant study of class and cultural difference" (LA Times), "thoroughly captivating" (Hollywood Reporter), "a heartwarming, well-acted - and decadent - film that takes you back to the greatest hits of Richard Curtis and Nora Ephron" (New York Post), "breathless fun" (Vanity Fair), "a spectacular instant classic of a romantic comedy that brings some much-needed representation to the genre" (ScreenRant) and "a loving take on Kwan's books, bundled up in a wildly entertaining package" (IndieWire).
After being a Box Office sensation in the UK, EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE is the new hit musical for today. Jamie New is sixteen and lives on a council estate in Sheffield. Jamie doesn’t quite fit in. Jamie is terrified about the future. Jamie is going to be a sensation. Supported by his brilliant loving mum and surrounded by his friends, Jamie overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies and steps out of the darkness, into the spotlight. John McCrea, Rebecca McKinnis, Tamsin Carroll, Shobna Gulati, Lucie Shorthouse and Lee Ross lead a twenty-four strong company and an eight-piece band that will ‘sweep you away on a tide of mischief, warmth and exuberance’ (Financial Times). With ‘songs that have the wow factor’ (The Times) by lead singer-songwriter of The Feeling, Dan Gillespie Sells, and ‘hilarious’ book and lyrics ‘with delightful punch’ (Whatsonstage), by writer Tom MacRae, this funny, fabulous, feel-good, musical sensation has been wowing audiences and critics alike. Sixteen: the edge of possibility. Time to make your dreams come true.
PRIVILEGE MEMBERS SCREENING: Tuesday 30 October, 6.30pm. Tickets available below! "How the **** did we get here?" asks Michael Moore as Donald Trump defies the expectations of the media, pollsters, opponent Hillary Clinton and, seemingly, his own party by becoming the 45th President of the United States. In his latest critically acclaimed documentary, Moore seeks to answer this very question while considering the present state of democracy. Laying the blame for the 2016 Presidential election outcome at the feet of some very unexpected suspects, Moore highlights the rise of state governors who put corporations ahead of their constituents, student movements born out of gun violence, and the grass-roots campaigns seeking to upset 'business as usual' politics at the American mid-term elections. An amusing, alarming and always fascinating provocation about the so-called "death of the American Dream", Fahrenheit 11/9 is the must-see follow-up to Moore's Oscar winning Bowling For Columbine and 2004's Palme d'Or winning Fahrenheit 9/11.
Plunge once more into the magical wizarding world of J.K. Rowling with the exciting new instalment of the Fantastic Beasts series. Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) has escaped and is making good on his threats to gather followers in his war against non-magical beings. Hogwarts professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his former pupil Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) for the coming fight against dark wizardry. But the gentle and naïve magizoologist is unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines will be drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the closest of friends and family, as the wizarding world becomes ever more divided. With a cast including Ezra Miller, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler and Zoë Kravitz, the latest magical tale from the Harry Potter universe is a thrilling adventure where the battle between good and evil escalates to the point of no return.
Damien Chazelle, the Oscar winning director behind Whiplash and La La Land, reteams with Ryan Gosling to recreate one of the greatest triumphs in the history of mankind. Pilot Neil Armstrong (Gosling) is offered the choice of a lifetime: the opportunity to be a part of the first manned moon landing. Exploring the sacrifices and costs upon the United States Government and people, and on Neil himself, Chazelle's critically acclaimed drama dramatizes one of the most dangerous missions in the history of space travel. Co-starring Claire Foy (The Crown), Corey Stoll (House of Cards), Jason Clarke (Chappaquiddick), Kyle Chandler (Argo) and Ciaran Hinds (There Will Be Blood).
The internationally acclaimed new film from multi award-winning writer/director Ziad Doueiri, 2018 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar-nominee THE INSULT is a thrilling new legal drama centring on a minor disagreement that escalates into a nationwide controversy. It’s a scorching hot afternoon in Beirut. Mechanic Tony already has a chip on his shoulder about Palestinians, so he’s less than welcoming when Yasser, the foreman of a construction crew working on the street outside, asks him to fix the faulty drainpipe on his balcony. Tony closes the door in his face, so Yasser replaces the pipe anyway, only for Tony to smash it to pieces. Passions boil over, each man digs in, and what should have been a trivial incident easily shrugged off escalates into a dispute that reverberates through their families and communities. Eventually lawyers are called in and the men find themselves in the centre of a highly publicised trial – one that reopens historical and personal wounds on both sides. Widely heralded at the Venice, Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals, Doueiri’s gripping and revealing film is reminiscent of such masterful socio-political dramas as A Separation and Incendies, daring to lay bare the divisions within contemporary society, and is a deeply affecting plea for empathy and conciliation. Arabic language, English subtitles
March, 1918. C-Company arrives to take its turn in the front-line trenches in northern France led by the war-weary Captain Stanhope (Sam Claflin). A German offensive is imminent, and the officers (Paul Bettany, Stephen Graham, Tom Sturridge) and their cook (Toby Jones) distract themselves in their dugout with talk of food and their past lives. Stanhope, meanwhile, soaks his fear in whisky, unable to deal with his dread of the inevitable. A young new officer, Raleigh (Asa Butterfield), has just arrived, fresh out of training and abuzz with the excitement of his first real posting – not least because he is to serve under Stanhope, his former school house monitor and the object of his sister’s affections. Each man is trapped, the days ticking by, the tension rising and the attack drawing ever closer.
Delve into the turn-of-the century Vienna artworld and tour through exhibitions of Klimt and Schiele’s legendary works. 1918. As the roar of the First World War cannons is dying out, in Vienna, the heart of Central Europe, a golden age comes to an end. The Austro-Hungarian Empire is beginning to disintegrate. Since the dawn of the century, Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele have fundamentally changed the feeling of art, through a new way of painting that portrayed the restlessness, fears and desires of mankind. Taking place across five stunning exhibitions with never-before-seen access, Klimt & Schiele: Eros and Psyche recounts this extraordinary moment in art history – a magical moment for art, literature and music, in which new ideas are circulated, Freud discovers the depths of the psyche, and women begin to claim their independence. Presented in pristine high definition, this glorious big screen experience is a must-see for art lovers and film lovers alike.
Oscar nominated filmmaker Bruce Beresford (Breaker Morant, Driving Miss Daisy, Mao's Last Dancer) adapts Madeleine St John's bestselling novel for the screen with this delightful Australian comedy. The year is 1959 and young Lisa Miles (Angourie Rice) is fresh out of high school and learning the ropes at her new job working in women's wear at a prestigious Sydney department store. At first dismissed by her older colleagues, Lisa soon forms friendships with unlucky-in-love Fay (Rachael Taylor) and poised Hungarian immigrant Magda (Julia Ormond). Exposed to the wider world gradually being brought to the city by Magda, her husband Stefan (Vincent Perez), Rudi (Ryan Corr) and other 'new Australians', Lisa and Fay come to embrace this exciting new culture. Co-starring Susie Porter, Shane Jacobson, Nicholas Hammond and Noni Hazlehurst, LADIES IN BLACK is a perfectly timed reflection on Australia's very own coming-of-age.
He was the working class boy with huge ideas and the extraordinary talent to match who turned the fashion world on its head. Celebrate the life and artistry of the incomparable Alexander McQueen. Hailing from Stratford, young Lee McQueen displayed a knack for tailoring before quickly evolving into fully-fledged fashion designer in the early 1990s. Rechristened Alexander by his upper class benefactors, McQueen’s macabre but sophisticated style saw him become chief designer at Givenchy as well as a visionary editorial influence across the globe. Crafting an up close and personal glimpse of the artist’s life both on and off the catwalk through home movies, interviews with his closest friends and family, and fashion show footage, MCQUEEN leaves little doubt as to its subject’s undeniable talent, or the many demons that would come to dominant his tragically short life.
Blessed with immense physical strength, Hebrew leader Samson is sworn to defend his people and his faith from the Philistines. But when the Philistine Dalila sets out to seduce him, he is powerless to resist. Tony Award-winning director Darko Tresnjak (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder), makes his Met debut directing the first new Met production of Samson et Dalila in 20 years. Saint-Saëns’s biblical epic Samson et Dalila stars Elīna Garanča and Roberto Alagna in the title roles; the pair was last seen together by HD audiences in the acclaimed 2010 production of Bizet’s Carmen. Laurent Naouri co-stars as the High Priest, with Elchin Azizov as the Philistine King Abimélech and Dmitry Belosselskiy as the Old Hebrew. Sir Mark Elder conducts.
Presented with a Q&A with director Caitlin Koller. After the untimely death of their old college pal, five friends (and one new girlfriend) descend upon the Wisconsin summer home they frequented in their 20s. The creep factor at the cabin is high, with a thumping in the crawl space, blood spurting from the pipes, and a cockroach infestation in the guest bedroom. When a storm moves in, trapping them in the woods, they find themselves faced with the ultimate human dilemma, to kill or be killed, in order to make it to morning. 30 MILES FROM NOWHERE is a thriller about what fear does to the human brain, and how an ordinary citizen becomes an unwitting soldier. Screens with Short Film: THEY CAN’T HEAR YOU Luke Creely | Australia A young woman is held captive, bound, and given an ultimatum by her captor - find a way to escape in only a few minutes, or be killed.
ALL NIGHT MARATHON (The Nightmare Cinema that made NIGHTMARE CINEMA) Continuing the tradition of our world-famous all-night marathon, this year we bring you a series of films from a group of directors who are world-recognised masters of the horror genre! All of these filmmakers have left their own unmistakable stamp on the world of horror and genre cinema – and we’re reaching through their entire career to pick out the best of the best for you to savour. As always, we’ve kept our exact programming for the ALL NIGHT MARATHON a secret – but to get you salivating we’re letting you in on the directors whose output we’re sampling. Each of them has had their work featured in the stellar anthology NIGHTMARE CINEMA – having its Australian premiere at the fest this year – making this the perfect time to revisit their work! Cuban schlock-master Alejandro Brugués, the legendary Joe Dante, Japanese gore lover Ryuhei Kitamura, British provocateur David Slade and horror Colossus Mick Garris will all have one film featured each. With directors like these, you’re bound to walk away both blood-soaked and satisfied!
A 30th anniversary screening of Rolf de Heer's cult film, plus a Q&A with actors Nicholas Hope and Natalie Carr. Confined to a two-room slum for his whole life, Bubby knows only of the existence of himself and his religious mother, who shares the bath, and her bed, with her son. But when Bubby's long-lost father (an alcoholic priest) returns home, and to his wife's bed, the jealous Bubby is driven to head out into the world. Abused and exploited by everyone from feminists to prison inmates, a policeman, animal lovers and the Salvation Army, Bubby, armed only with the few phrases he's learnt from his mother, has a tough entry into an inhospitable world. But others soon warm to this innocent idiot savant, and Bubby starts to find a place in the poisoned world from which he was confined.
Presented with a Q&A with director Robbie Studsor. It’s been 6 long years since the hit and run accident that put disgraced former detective Edmond Bloom in a wheelchair and killed his wife Juliette. With the killer never identified, Edmond spends his days pouring over clues under the care of his submissive 20-year-old daughter Charlotte whom he indirectly blames for the tragedy. On a hot summer’s day, a broken and remorseful stranger appears claiming to be the driver of the car the night of the accident and begs Edmond for either forgiveness or punishment. With the killer now revealed, Edmond can finally get closure on what happened. The problem is, Edmond didn’t catch him and there’s no way he will let 6 years of hard detective work go to waste. Instead of seeking retribution for the past, he concocts a selfish and dangerous plan involving himself, the stranger and his daughter. Guilt, desire and resentment surface as the plan spirals out of control... Screens with Short Film: COCKY Aaron McLoughlin | Australia 2018 A pet cockatoo hatches a plan to end the mundane conversations in his life.
Australian Premiere A technology-driven psychological thriller set in the world of webcam porn. It follows Alice, an ambitious camgirl, who wakes up one day to discover she’s been replaced on her show with an exact replica of herself. As this copy begins to push the boundaries of Alice's internet identity, the control that Alice has over her life, and the men in it, vanishes. While she struggles to regain what she's lost, she slowly finds herself drawn back to her show and to the mysterious person who has taken her place.
MF: CATEGORY III: THE UNTOLD STORY OF HONG KONG EXPLOITATION CINEMA Aussie premiere! Documentarian and film scholar Calum Waddell’s latest extreme cinema exposé delves deep into evolution of Hong Kong’s once-thriving adult cinema industry, which, post the introduction of the Category III classification in 1988, shocked and enthralled audiences worldwide with its excessive violence, bizarre storylines and sleazy depravity. Featuring interviews with Anthony Wong (THE UNTOLD STORY), Josie Ho (NAKED AMBITION), Godfrey Ho (MEN BEHIND THE SUN 2) and Kwok-Leung Gan (KILLER SNAKES), CATEGORY III is a fascinating look at one of cinemas wildest and most eccentric sub-genres.
OPENING NIGHT AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE! Extra session added by popular demand! Admission includes a drink on entry. Join us for the Australian premiere of this highly anticipated, nail-biting, critically-acclaimed crime thriller directed by S. Craig Zahler (Brawl In Cell Block 99, Bone Tomahawk), direct from it's world premiere at Venice Film Festival. A stolid, old guard cop, Ridgeman (Mel Gibson) and his volatile younger partner, Anthony (Vince Vaughn), find themselves suspended when a video of their strong-arming tactics become the media's special du jour. Low on cash and with no other options, these two embittered soldiers descend into the criminal underworld to gain their due, but instead find far more than they wanted awaiting them in the shadows. Courtesy of Icon Film Distribution.
Australian Premiere. Enjoy a 4K restoration of this post-apocalyptic sci-fi classic directed by John Carpenter, starring Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Isaac Hayes and Harry Dean Stanton. It’s 1997 and Manhattan has been turned into a maximum security prison. When the United States president crash lands into the city centre after fleeing a hijacked plane, a ruthless prison warden bribes ex-soldier and criminal Snake Plissken to rescue the president, who is being held hostage.
4K Restoration. Victorian Premiere. Directed by Sam Raimi. Ever thought of taking your girlfriend away for the weekend? Maybe to some secluded spot in the country so you can spend some quality time together, but then ended up hacking her to pieces with a chainsaw after she’s become possessed by a grotesque, flesh-eating demon resurrected by spells from The Book Of The Dead? Ash Williams has. Trapped in a dark world of flying eyeballs and deadly severed limbs, axe wielding Ash Williams will be pushed to the edgeof his sanity as he fights to survive against the unspeakable, supernatural forces intent on having him dead by dawn.
SEAN and ALEX go on the run after Alex has a close encounter with mysterious orbs of light that leave her with extraordinary powers. As they flee from their families, the police and a covert government agency, Alex and Sean find themselves at the center of an unprecedented event in human history. First contact. But as her powers grow stronger and more dangerous, Sean must decide whether staying with Alex and discovering the truth behind her transformation is worth dying for. Plays with short film The Shadow (Director Sean Hellend) Australia, 2018, 9 mins, English Australian Premiere
Presented with a Q&A with director Ian Haig. THE FOAMING NODE essays the discovery and emergence of new bodily organs in meticulous and captivating detail. We follow the last remaining observers, members of a cult of sorts, who have experienced both the transmissions of The Foaming Node, and their own personal and strange bodily transformations. They discuss exactly how the changes associated with The Foaming Node have affected them, telling fascinating, visceral, detailed tales that reach beyond science, alternative medicine, and corporeality. Screens with Short Film: THALAMOS Andrew Jaksch | Australia 2018 A team of astronauts make an ill-fated journey to a deserted space station.
4K Restoration. Australian Premiere of this supernatural horror directed by John Carpenter. Antonio Bay, California has turned a hundred years old and is getting ready to celebrate its centennial year. But as the residents of the small, quaint harbour town begin to prepare for the festivities a mysterious cloud of fog appears upon the shore and begins to make its way across Antonio Bay, leaving a trail of horrifying slaughter which hints to the blood soaked history of the town.
From the executive producer of The Walking Dead. On Halloween night, three young women and their respective boyfriends head to Hell Fest -- a ghoulish traveling carnival that features a labyrinth of rides, games and mazes. They soon face a bloody night of terror when a masked serial killer turns the horror theme park into his own personal playground.
Encore screening added Sat Nov 24 at 8.55pm! Australian Premiere screenings. Cinema’s ultimate provocateur, Lars von Trier, returns with a jaw-dropping serial killer thriller starring Matt Dillon, Uma Thurman and Riley Keough. USA in the 1970s. We follow the highly intelligent Jack over a span of 12 years and are introduced to the murders that define Jack's development as a serial killer. We experience the story from Jack's point of view, while he postulates each murder is an artwork in itself. As the inevitable police intervention is drawing nearer, he is taking greater and greater risks in his attempt to create the ultimate artwork. Along the way we experience Jack's descriptions of his personal condition, problems and thoughts through a recurring conversation with the unknown Verge - a grotesque mixture of sophistry mixed with an almost childlike self-pity and psychopathic explanations. The House That Jack Built is a dark and sinister story, yet presented through a philosophical and occasional humorous tale. 7.15pm features short film: Motherf%&*ker Please note: Sat Nov 24, 7.15pm session is SOLD OUT.
CLOSING NIGHT - Australian premiere! 6.45pm - Extra session added by popular demand. Tickets on sale below. 7.00pm session - SOLD OUT. Oslo, 1987. Seventeen year-old Euronymous is determined to escape his idyllic Scandinavian hometown and create “true Norwegian black metal” with his band, MAYHEM. He’s joined by equally fanatical youths - Dead and Varg. Believing that they’re on the cusp of a musical revolution, the group gets even darker driven by the black metal dogma to spread evil. They begin burning down churches throughout the countryside and stealing tombstones for their record store. But when the press catches up with them and Euronymous takes more credit than he’s earned for the group’s violent acts, Varg, fresh out of jail, arranges a dark encounter to settle the score and ultimately determine who the darkest black metal musician is.
World Premiere, plus special guest star Matthew Victor Pastor for a live in cinema Q&A. A tale of a psychopathic murderer, the Milk Man, who kills innocent women. Sent to stop him is Pinoy Boy, the worlds deadliest Filipino. Meanwhile, Angelo is a down on his luck filmmaker. How do these stories connect? Find out in MAGANDA! PINOY VS MILK MAN. Screens with short film: The New Jerusalem ’98 Kiefer Findlow | Australia
You know whom to call when you have ghosts. But who do you call when you have monsters? The Monster Squad – A group of young kids devoted to protecting their suburban neighborhood from monsters and ghouls. Count Dracula escapes Van Helsing and adjourns modern day Earth, accompanied by Frankenstein’s Monster, the Wolfman, the Mummy and the Black Lagoon’s Gillman. The ghouls are in search of a powerful amulet that will grant them power to rule the world. Standing in their way – The Monster Squad!
In this twisted horror anthology, five strangers are drawn to an abandoned theater and forced to watch their deepest and darkest fears play out before them. Lurking in the shadows is the Projectionist, who preys upon their souls with his collection of disturbing films. As each reel spins its sinister tale, the characters find frightening parallels to their own lives.
Australian Premiere. Sarah Montrose is a conflicted, mysterious woman who meets the philosophical, smooth-talking Lewis Blake. Handsome and captivating, Lewis is the bait in a sick and twisted game conjured up with his low-life-rich-kid housemate, Kenneth. When the men’s sexual game backfires with wild abandon, Sarah is forced into an unlikely and bloodied alliance. And when her fragile psyche is threatened by a monster, she calls on all her strength and cunning to do battle with a psychopath, and her own inner demon. Screens with the following short films: Saturday screening short film- Blackwood Andrew Montague | Australia Sunday screening short They Can’t Hear You (encore session) Luke Creely | Australia
Victorian Premiere Recently divorced and reeling, Edgar returns to his childhood home to regroup his life. When Edgar finds a nefarious looking puppet in his deceased brother's room, he decides to sell the doll for some quick cash. Girl-next-door Ashley and and comic book pal Markowitz join Edgar for a doomed road trip to an auction at a convention celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the infamous Toulon Murders. All hell breaks loose when a strange force animates the puppets at the convention, setting them on a bloody killing spree that's motivated by an evil as old as time.
Girls to the Front! Join our crew of Final Girls as they battle monsters, pervs and gender misconceptions in MONSTER FEST’S female led program of horror shorts. SPOTLIGHT Joe Savage | UK WHAT METAL GIRLS ARE INTO Laurel Vail | USA ALEXIS Brodie May Rowlands | Australia HELSINKI MANSPLAINING MASSACRE Ilja Rautsi | Finland PIE Adria Tennor | USA MY FIRST TIME Asaf Livni | Israel THE GAZE Ida Joglar | USA A/S/L Benjamin Swicker | USA
Terrifying, hilarious and brazenly weird, MONSTER FEST’S program of horror and hybrid-genre shorts featuring stories of the dead, the undead and those in between. POST MORTEM MARY Joshua Long | Australia THE BLOODY BALLAD OF SQUIRT REYNOLDS Anthony Cousins | USA THE STARE Louisa Weichmann | Australia GACHA GACHA Dave Jackson | Australia/Japan THE COST OF LIVING Tom Nicoll | UK MYSTERY BOX Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wiklund | Sweden THE DEAD MAN SPEAKS Marcos Mereles | Netherlands WE SUMMONED A DEMON Chris McInroy | USA MILK Santiago Menghini | Canada FRIENDSGIVING Samantha Kolesnik | USA CUT OFF Ryan Cauchi | Australia WHO’S THAT AT THE BACK OF THE BUS Philip Hardy | UK
MONSTER FEST’s showcase of student shorts from some of the best film schools around the country, featuring the work of current students and 2017 graduates. ATONIA Kate Murray | Australia L’HOTEL BOUCLE Abby Iverson | Australia THE LOVERS Ryan Kendall | Australia NEUROPLUG Caleb Turland | Australia NIGHT SHIFT Giuliame Crisologo | Australia THE GOOD BOY Matthew Clarke | Australia VELVET Jordan Avery | Australia COLONY Catherine Bonny | Australia THEM Samantha Weston | Australia DARKNESS CALLS Ben Munkacsi | Australia
Murder City's Trash peddler, Dick Dale, presents another sordid program of the sickest, most twisted and goriest films he could get his grubby mitts on from around the globe. Cinematic atrocities and disasterpieces sure to drive you to the depths of hell and hilarity. When it comes to TRASHARAMA, if it ain't right, it's PERFECT! GRANNY David Burrowes | Australia GUARDING OF HELL Frank Appache | Canada THE JERRY SHOW Stephen Stull | USA VAMPIRE HOOKER HOTEL Nathan Hill | Australia HUMAN Vanessa Gudgeon | Australia CRYPTO Clint Cure | Australia THE FIRST DATE Adam Webber | Australia THE CONGREGATION Chrzu Lindström | Finland I’M FILTH Kurk Dirt | UK DAEMENRUNNER Kiah Roache-Turner | Australia CONDUCTOR Alex Noyer | USA BFF GIRLS Brian Lonano | USA
Victorian Premiere. This heartfelt documentary explores the power of cult film told through the lens of the 1987 classic THE MONSTER SQUAD and the impact it has on fans, cast, crew and the industry.
The Sundance Kid is hanging up his boots – but not before one last heist. Robert Redford starts in (so he says) his last film role as an unrepentant bank robber who breaks out of jail in order to continue his crime spree and live life by his own rules. Based on a true story, Redford portrays Forrest Tucker, a repeat offender who has escaped from prison multiple times over his storied criminal career. Now aged 70, he has just made a daring escape from San Quentin. Pursued by a detective (Casey Affleck) who is obsessed with Forrest’s commitment to the craft of crime, the charming robber launches right back into orchestrating heists with his Over The Hill Gang (Tom Waits and Danny Glover). Co-starring Sissy Spacek and Elisabeth Moss, and directed by David Lowery (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, A Ghost Story), THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN is an invigorating caper that not only stands comfortably alongside Redford’s earlier westerns, but also acts as a fine capstone to a legendary career.
Limited event season! A fantastical adventure filled with super cute anime penguins! PENGUIN HIGHWAY is a playful, magic realist romp about supernatural penguins that may not be as they seem… Aoyama is a serious 10 year old boy who records all of his day to day experiences in his notebook. One day in May, penguins inexplicably appear in his home town, despite being located a long way from the sea. When Aoyama sees “Big Sis" –a young woman who works at a dentist's office – drop a soft drink can which inexplicably turns into a penguin, he decides to investigate and resolve the mystery behind these strange events. Together with his classmates, Aoyama happens upon a strange phenomena which is surely the key to these goings-on. Will their investigation bear fruit, and just how is “Big Sis" linked to these occurrences? Japanese language, English subtitles
Winner: Palme d'Or, Cannes Film Festival 2018. From master Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda comes an uplifting tale of small-time criminals who take in a child they find on the street. Shoplifting to make ends meet, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter her, Osamu's wife agrees to take care of the child after learning of the hardships she faces. Although the family is poor, they seem to live happily together until an unforeseen incident reveals hidden secrets and tests the bonds that unite them. Japanese Language, English subtitles.
A new dark turn from director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Freaks & Geeks), A SIMPLE FAVOUR stars Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in a twisty psychological thriller of secrets and revenge. Stephanie (Kendrick) is a popular ‘mommy vlogger’ who, despite lovingly raising her son, longs for more friendships and excitement. Enter Emily (Lively), a stylish and sophisticated woman whose son is friends with Stephanie’s, and through a series of play dates the two women get to know each other over martinis and gossip. But as suddenly as Emily entered Stephanie’s life, she disappears without a trace and no one knows where she has gone - not even her handsome husband Sean (Henry Golding). Stephanie is determined to find out the truth, especially as just before she vanished, Emily told her a secret… Reminiscent of the likes of Gone Girl, A SIMPLE FAVOUR is a fiendishly warped mystery that will keep you guessing and gasping until the final frame.
An old Hollywood tale, reborn anew. Bradley Cooper directs and stars in A STAR IS BORN, with pop superstar Lady Gaga making her leading role feature film debut. Seasoned rock ‘n’ roll musician Jackson Maine (Cooper) is an icon on the precipice of a downward spiral. With tinnitus and an alcohol problem pickling him from the inside out, Jackson is the very picture of a fading star. But his life is lifted when he discovers – and falls in love with – Ally (Gaga), a struggling singer who may be a nobody, but has a voice that Jackson knows will turn her into a somebody. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer… until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But as Ally’s career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is begins to break down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons. Make your dreams a reality - see A STAR IS BORN at Nova for the chance to win $5,000! To enter, purchase a ticket to see A STAR IS BORN and click here to fill in the entry form - https://fs2.formsite.com/ZrL2Em/astarisborn/index.html
From master filmmaker Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, I Am Love, A Bigger Splash) comes a reinterpretation of the iconic giallo horror by Dario Argento. The year is 1977 and West Berlin is gripped by the ongoing terrorist negotiations between police and the Baader-Meinhof group. American dancer Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson) arrives in the city as residents exist on the edge of panic, no longer certain of whom to trust. Successfully auditioning for revered choreographer Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton), Susie is put up in the living quarters of another dancer who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Exhibiting a strength and skill that transfixes Blanc, Susie begins a regime of training that will prepare her not only for the stage, but for something far more sinister. Meticulously crafted and cast by Guadagnino, the filmmaker's reimagining of the horror classic is amongst the most anticipated films of the year. Some German and French language, English subtitles.
On the centenary of the end of First World War, Academy Award-winner Peter Jackson presents an extraordinary new work showing the Great War as you have never seen it. Using state of the art technology to restore original archival footage which is more than a 100-years old, Jackson brings to life the people who can best tell this story: the men who were there. Driven by a personal interest in the First World War, Jackson set out to bring to life the day-to-day experience of its soldiers. After months immersed in the BBC and Imperial War Museums’ archives, narratives and strategies on how to tell this story began to emerge for Jackson. Using the voices of the men involved, the film explores the reality of war on the front line: their attitudes to the conflict; how they ate; slept and formed friendships, as well what their lives were like away from the trenches during their periods of downtime. Jackson and his team have used cutting edge techniques to make the images of a hundred years ago appear as if they were shot yesterday. The transformation from black and white footage to colourised footage can be seen throughout the film revealing never before seen details. Reaching into the mists of time, Jackson aims to give these men voices, investigate the hopes and fears of the veterans, the humility and humanity that represented a generation changed forever by a global war.
They didn’t know that they were brothers. But someone did. An incredible true story that starts off feel-good and swerves into truly astonishing territory, THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS is the documentary experience of the year. New York, 1980: three complete strangers accidentally discover that they are identical triplets, separated at birth. The 19-year-olds' joyous reunion catapults them to international fame, but it also unlocks an extraordinary and disturbing secret that goes beyond their own lives - and could transform our understanding of human nature forever.
Writer-director Annemarie Jacir’s multi-award winning comic drama WAJIB - THE WEDDING INVITATION explores the lives of Palestinians living in Israel, and stars real life father and son Mohammad and Saleh Bakri. The title of Wajib translates as ‘duty’, and it is duty that brings architect Shadi (Saleh Bakri) from Rome back to Nazareth, where his sister Amal (Maria Zriek) is to be married. Local tradition dictates that Shadi and his divorced dad, Abu Shadi (Mohammad Bakri), must drive around town delivering wedding invitations. Friction is in the air even before the duo clamber into Abu Shadi’s beloved and beaten-up old Volvo. Shadi thinks the exercise is outdated and meaningless. For his father, it’s about maintaining important community rituals. Bakri and son Saleh are terrific and earthily funny as the bickering duo who meet colourful characters on their cross-city travels. A Palestinian born in Bethlehem, raised in Saudi Arabia and educated in New York, director Jacir (Salt of this Sea, When I Saw You) brings a worldly, wise and witty eye to this hugely entertaining and illuminating slice of Palestinian life. Arabic language, English subtitles
The first film to encompass the remarkable story of one of the true icons of our time - fashion designer Vivienne Westwood - as she fights to maintain her brand's integrity, her principles and her legacy. Since igniting the punk movement with ex-partner and Sex Pistols’ manager Malcolm McLaren, Dame Vivienne Westwood has been redefining British fashion for over 40 years, and is responsible for creating many of the most distinctive looks of our time. The film blends archive, beautifully crafted reconstruction, and insightful interviews with Vivienne’s fascinating network of collaborators, guiding us on her journey from a childhood in postwar Derbyshire to the runways of Paris and Milan. This is an intimate and poignant homage to one of the true cultural icons of our time, as she fights to maintain her brand’s integrity, her principles and her legacy in a business driven by consumerism, profit and global expansion.
Nova Exclusive! Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood, Little Miss Sunshine) makes his assured feature directorial debut with a drama based on Richard Ford's novel. Sensitive 16-year-old Joe (Ed Oxenbould, Paper Planes) is the only child of Jeanette (Carey Mulligan) and Jerry (Jake Gyllenhaal), a housewife and golf pro living in small town 1960s Montana. Nearby, an uncontrolled forest fire rages close to the Canadian border, and when Jerry loses his job he decides to join the cause of fighting the fire, leaving his wife and son to fend for themselves. Suddenly forced into the role of an adult, Joe witnesses his mother embark on her own adventure, causing him to question whether their family will outlast the looming natural disaster. Melbourne International Film Festival: Opening Night Selection.