Sydney Film Festival

Friday June 11th - Film of the day: I AM LOVE. I've seen this film already but I'll be in the queue tonight at the State Theatre to see it again. It's that good. At is core is a superb performance by Tilda Swinton, in Russian-accented Italian no less. It's the story of a Milanese matriarch tempted - when she gets a taste of real, passionate love - to eschew social conventions and rebel against the arbitrary rules and limitations of her gender and class. Operatic and classical yet thoroughly modern, it's a sensual masterpiece you'll regret having missed. See you in the queue.

Thursday June 10th - Film of the day: WINTER'S BONE. I loved Debra Granik’s first feature, Down to the Bone, for which she won Best Director at Sundance 2004. She did again at Sundance this year, winning the Grand Jury Prize no less. Raves have been coming in ever since for this minimalist indie triller and its young actress Jennifer Lawrence. Expect taciturn thrills, great sense of place and an understated story which slowly creeps under your skin.

Wednesday June 9th - Film(s) of the day: I'm going to recommend 4 films today, that's how good a day it is at the Sydney Film Festival. The first I haven't seen. UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES is having its Australian premiere in competition, fresh off having won the Palme d'Or in Cannes. The films of Apichatpong Weerasethakul's films are not everyone's cup of Thai tea. This is perhaps his most accessible film and a great introduction to the auteur's singular universe. . . I also want to recommend 3 films I have seen. THE WAITING CITY is one of the most compelling Australian dramas I've seen in ages. Radha Mitchell and Joel Edgerton are brilliantly cast as a couple traveling to India to adopt a little girl. As they wait for the local bureaucracy to process the paperwork, the magnitude of their quest brings them to question both their relationship and their desire to become parents. Stunning. . . . If you're ready for something more confronting, then make your way to BROTHERHOOD. In this challenging Danish drama, a gay romance blossoms in perhaps the most unlikely place: a neo-nazi gang. Using extremism to portray institutionalized xenophobia's corrolary, self-loathing, makes for a compelling argument. . . . Finally for the hardcore cinephiles among you, try POLICE, ADJECTIVE. The Romanian new wave proves it's more than a flash in the pan with this deceptively simple, laconic procedural thriller. It's a deft examination of the difference between the law and the interpretation of the law, between what is just and what is legitimate, between the moral choices imposed by our conscience and our obligations under a (police) state. Without appearing to be doing much, the film deconstructs the mechanisms of totalitarianism. and how authority figures are able to justify their actions, however amoral or oppressive. Exisiting at the intersection of the political and the personal, it's a frightfully clever and confident exploration of how one's personal philosophy is devised and the responsibilities it entails.

Tuesday June 8th - Film of the day: BOY. The year is 1984, and on the rural East Coast of New Zealand “Thriller” is changing kids’ lives. Inspired by the Oscar nominated Two Cars, One Night, BOY is the hilarious and heartfelt coming-of-age tale about heroes, magic and Michael Jackson. We hear in New Zealand it's become the highest-grossing local film of all time. Quite a feat! Find out what the buzz is all about tonight. And if you still need convincing, here's the trailer. http://bit.ly/b8J8q0

Matt, your commentary is great! Thanks for sharing the experience. :)

Monday June 7th - Film of the day: LOLA. Prolific Brilliante Mendoza, a best director at Cannes, offers up a beautiful slice of contemplative cinema against a backdrop of Manila's poorer districts. The simple of story of two elderly women dealing with the consequences of an unfortunate crime which links both their families, it finds beauty and emotion in the everyday without appearing to be seeking it out. The same goes for the social commentary in this slow, understated film. Nothing is spelled out, but engaged viewers will be handsomely rewarded for their patience and undivided attention. Screens again tomorrow morning, followed by a free lunchtime talk by the director.

Sunday June 6th - Film of the day: LAST TRAIN HOME. Dedicated the the 130 million migrant workers of China, this accomplished documentary follows the trials and tribulations of one Sichuan family torn apart by the need to make money in a factory 2,000km away from their village. An emotional journey which intelligently dissects the challenges faced by contemporary China.

Saturday June 5th - Film of the Day: BEAUTIFUL DARLING. Heartbreaking but inspiring documentary on 60's New York icon and Warhol muse Candy Darling. Read my interview with Jeremiah Newton, a friend of Candy's and the producer of this fascinating film: http://bit.ly/bZDxnB

Friday June 4th - Film of the day: I KILLED MY MOTHER. I saw this at the Toronto International Film Festival. It's the furious debut of a 19 year-old queer boy from Quebec with a bright future. Last night I saw his accomplished follow-up, HEARTBEATS. It's not the last we've heard of him. Get in on the ground floor! 'What makes it extraordinary is its depth of feeling' says the Toronto Star (read on: http://bit.ly/ikilledmom).

Thursday June 3rd - Film of the day: LEBANON. A war film set entirely inside a tank? The winner of the Golden Lion in Venice, this one packs a mighty punch. I was entirely convinced when I first saw it, but I'm in the minority. Read up on this acclaimed drama, and nine other SFF films I've already seen, right here: http://bit.ly/amSzkP