by FilmInk Staff
“We have an incredible mix of national and international films and documentaries starring some big names and tackling even bigger story lines,” said new Gold Coast Film Festival Director Aimée Lindorff, taking over from Lucy Fisher, who guided the festival over a number of successful years.
“The prestigious Screen Industry Gala Awards will return at Movie World, where we will celebrate the Festival’s award winners and finalists alongside an In Conversation with producer Sue Maslin AO (The Dressmaker).
“Pitch In Paradise, the Festival’s new industry market, will also take place over two days with filmmakers invited to pitch their work to production companies, commissioners, and networks, as well as a program of industry panels designed for established and emerging filmmakers alike.”
But how about the films on offer?
The 19th Gold Coast Film Festival will screen more than 100 films, with some also available online. The 12-day event will feature four World premieres, six Australian premieres, nine Queensland premieres, and two exclusive preview screenings.
Opening Night on April 14 will see the unveiling of Sundance hit Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks, directed by Sally Aitken and produced by Bettina Dalton. “It was a privilege to work with Sally and Bettina,” said Valerie Taylor. “I commend them for taking interest in my lifelong pursuit of saving our marine life in order to get this message out to the masses.”
World Premieres, understandably, will include a number of Australian features: Queensland made romcom This Little Love of Mine, directed by Christine Luby, produced by Steve Jaggi and starring Saskia Hampele (The Heights) and Liam McIntyre (Spartacus); Joy Hopwood’s Rhapsody of Love, the first Australian Asia romcom; Josh Hale’s Gold Coast shot House of Inequity; plus 3 episodes of Queensland shot Netflix series Dive Club.
Other films screening includes Australian features June Again, Strangeville, The Greenhouse, Chasing Wonders, Deadhouse Dark, The Art of Incarceration, Thanks Girls and Goodbye, The Show Must Go On, Love Opera, The Dressmaker, Road to Nhill and Hearts and Bones.
International features include Mika Kaurismaki’s Master Cheng, Venice winner Sun Children, American indie Shiva Baby, Six Minutes to Midnight starring Judi Dench, Eddie Izzard and Jim Broadbent, documentaries The Reason I Jump and Breaking Bread, TIFF and Venice winner Martin Eden, Luxor starring Andrea Riseborough, Haifaa Al-Mansour’s The Perfect Candidate, fest faves Beans, Apples and Preparations to be Together for an Unknown Period of Time, Willy’s Wonderland starring Nic Cage, and much more.
“We love rolling out the red carpet for the Gold Coast Film Festival every year,” says Criena Gehrke, CEO of the Gold Coast Film Festival’s premiere venue. “Showcasing stories of pioneers and rebels, their fierce support for Australian filmmakers, independent cinema and great storytelling really shines through this year’s program and we’re proud that the Festival calls HOTA its home.”
