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Melbourne Film Fest Reveals Cannes Films
The 58th Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) kicks off on July 24, and will screen a selection of the best films from this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Staying true to form, the 2009 MIFF will feature films that impressed judges and audiences at this year's Cannes Film Festival, including Quentin Tarantino's war fantasy, Inglourious Basterds and Antichrist directed by Lars Von Trier.
Antichrist was at the centre of much discussion following its screening at Cannes, coming under fire for its explicit sexual content and violence but as controversial as it is, it will be screening at MIFF allowing Australian film festival goers to pass their own judgment.
"Love it or hate it, Antichrist was one of the talking points of this year's Cannes - we know our catchphrase ‘Everyone's a Critic' will be teased and tested this year," said MIFF Executive Director Richard Moore.
Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds is set in Nazi-occupied France during the Second World War which stars Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger, Daniel Bruhl, Til Schweiger and Austrian Christoph Waltz, who won Best Actor at Cannes.
Korean films, Thirst directed by Chan-wook Park (Oldboy) and Mother from Bong Joon-Ho (The Host) were both standout films at Cannes. Thirst, a film about a priest turned vampire, picked up the coveted Jury Prize. Both will receive their Australian premieres at MIFF.
Also a recipient of the Jury Prize at Cannes was British film, Fish Tank by Andrea Arnold (Red Road), which is attracting favourable comparisons to Ken Loach, whose film Looking For Eric, will also make its Melbourne bow at MIFF.
More straight from Cannes at MIFF include Yorgos Lanthimos' film Dogtooth, which received the Un Certain Regard Prize is a peculiar drama about a family living in complete isolation from the rest of the world, and Ajami from Scander Copti and Yaron Shani is a crime drama dealing with the turbulent relationship between religion and politics in a small Israeli town.
The Cannes Film Festival is renowned for its diversity of films and 2009 was no exception. As a result, an eclectic range of genres and film styles will also feature at MIFF.
A Town Called Panic from Vincent Patar and Stephanie Aubier is one of two Belgium films featured this year. Panic is an adult animation based on a 2003 puppetoon series of the same name made up of the odd combination of a plastic Red Indian, a pair of music loving horses and some mechanical penguins. The Misfortunates by Felix Van Groeningenis is a coming of age story told through the eyes of a 13-year-old boy growing up in a male household which revolves around booze, women and loud music.
One of the highlights of the festival is the special retrospective on the work of legendary French film actress, Anna Karina. The multi-talented Karina has starred in over 70 films spanning four decades and is considered one of the most influential actresses from the French New Wave movement in the ‘60s.
In the ultimate tribute to the visiting legend, the retrospective will consist of four films including her latest, Victoria where she not only stars but writes and directs. Karina plays a mute, amnesiac woman accompanying two singers on a road trip.
Also on show will be a special restored version of Jean-Luc Goddard's, Pierrot le Fou, plus Living Together, which was Karina's directorial debut from 1973 and the 1965 pop art/comedy/musical, Anna which was a role specifically written for Karina.
The 58th Melbourne International Film Festival is on from July 24 - August 9.
The full MIFF program will be announced on 6 July 2009.
Festival passes and tickets for Opening and Closing nights are now on sale. Single session tickets go on sale Friday 10 July. For further information visit the website, www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au.