“Despite the challenges of the past two years, we are excited to be able to come back to Newcastle, Warrawong and Young this year to celebrate the fresh new exciting program with you all. The programs is filled with fascinating and mind-blowing storytelling from around the world, all exclusively showing in the comfort of your local cinema.”
- Sanam Rodrigues, Travelling Film Festival Manager.
Opening the festival is Australian director Macario De Souza’s 6 FESTIVALS, an emotional tale of friendship between three teenagers who throw themselves into a whirlwind of music festivals in an attempt to escape reality. Shot at actual festivals and featuring various iconic artists, including Dune Rats, G Flip, Bliss n Eso, B Wise, Peking Duk, Ruby Fields, Jerome Farah, Kobie Dee and more; 6 FESTIVALS is a moving love letter to young friendship and the life-altering power of live music.
Highlights of the program include THE HUMANS, a subtle psychological thriller with striking cinematography, by writer-director Stephen Karam adapted from his Tony Award-winning play. Featuring a star cast including Richard Jenkins (THE SHAPE OF WATER, 2017), Amy Schumer (TRAINWRECK, 2015), Beanie Feldstein (LADY BIRD, 2017), June Squibb (NEBRASKA, 2013) and Steven Yuen (MINARI, 2020), the film showcases an uncanny balance between family dramedy during a Thanksgiving gathering in a New York Apartment; and EVERYBODY’S OMA, directed by Australian filmmaker Jason van Genderen, following his NSW Central Coast family as they manage the health of their family’s matriarch but accidentally turn her into an online celebrity; as well as MY OLD SCHOOL, directed by Jono McLeod, a hybrid documentary with a voice over by celebrated actor Alan Cumming (THE GOOD WIFE) and stunning animation to recreate a mind-blowing stranger-than-fiction story from 90s Glasgow.
Specially showing in Newcastle is the laugh out loud NUDE TUESDAY, by legendary writers Jackie van Beek (THE BREAKER UPPERERS, 2018) and Armağan Ballantyne (THE STRENGTH OF WATER, 2009), who bring the unique and hilarious story of Bruno and Laura, middle aged couple desperately trying to save their marriage at a new-age couple’s retreat. Speaking in gibberish and wickedly subtitled in English by comedians Julia Davis (NIGHTY NIGHT), Ronny Chieng (CRAZY RICH ASIANS), and Celia Acquola (ROSEHAVEN), this is a one-of-a-kind Kiwi comedy.
A Warrawong highlight and straight from Berlin and SXSW festivals is MILLIE LIES LOW by director Michelle Savill who weaves a highly creative comedy of errors while also presenting a thoughtful exploration of impostor syndrome and the ways anxiety can distort decision making.
Also in the program and nominated for Best European Animated Feature Film at the European Film Awards in 2021, is WHERE IS ANNE FRANK? directed by the visionary Ari Folman, who cleverly combines young-adult adventure, fantasy and social commentary, in a timely tale enlivened by wonderfully vivid and dreamlike animation.
Other stories from around the world: Winner of seven Irish Film and Television Awards including Best Film, THE QUIET GIRL, Colm Bairéad’s beautiful family drama portrays the loneliness of an innocent child oblivious to the drama in the adult world around her; THE BURNING SEA, a Norwegian thriller dealing with the political and environmental impact of the discovery of the North Sea oil reserves in 1969; HUDA’S SALON, directed by two-time international Oscar nominee Hany Abu-Assad (OMAR, 2013), this gripping drama tells the story of an innocent Palestinian woman who becomes trapped in a web of blackmail and deceit, based on real events.
We are also proud to present three Australian short films from this year’s Sydney Film Festival, including DONKEY which explores the stories of three Anangu women of different generations; as well as VOICE ACTIVATED, supported by the Screenability initiative, showcasing provocative cinema by filmmakers with disability; THE MOTHS WILL EAT THEM UP, a 2022 finalist of SFF Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films Competition.
For more information and bookings, please visit https://www.sff.org.au/tff/
Travelling Film Festival acknowledges the financial assistance of Screen Australia, the NSW Government through Screen NSW and Create NSW.
