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5TH AUSTRALIAN FILM FESTIVAL KICKS OFF THIS OCTOBER
Filipinos are set to experience Australia for real on reel this year as the Australian Embassy unveils the 5th Australian Film Festival on 2-11 October 2007 featuring some of the best films from Down Under.
Fourteen feature films and shorts will provide audiences a rare glimpse of Australia’s cultural landscape, history, contemporary society and filmmaking excellence.
Legendary Australian actor Chris Haywood will formally open the Festival with the invitational screening of Ray Lawrence’s critically-acclaimed film, “Jindabyne”, which made its world premiere at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Haywood, who plays the main antagonist in the film, has amassed an impressive 72 film credits in his 30-year career, including Australian classics Breaker Morant, Shine, Oscar and Lucinda, and Muriel's Wedding. He also appeared in the first features of acclaimed directors Peter Weir (The Cars that Ate Paris), Phillip Noyce (Newsfront) and Scott Hicks (Freedom).
Based on Raymond Carver’s short story, “So Much Water, So Close to Home”, Jindabyne, staring Hollywood veterans Gabriel Byrne (Assault on Precinct 13, Enemy of the State) and Laura Linney (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Love Actually), examines the fallout from a small rural Australian community when four men head off on a weekend fishing trip and discover the body of a murdered Aboriginal woman. “Jindabyne” has received widespread recognition from award-giving bodies both in Australia and internationally. It won four awards at the 2006 Film Critics Circle of Australia including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay. It was screened at the prestigious Director’s Fortnight in Cannes 2006 and included in the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2006.
Touted as Asia-Pacific’s Hollywood, Australia has successfully competed in the international film marketplace for decades. It has the distinction of producing the world’s first full length feature film, “The Story of the Kelly Gang” in 1906. Today, Australia has won many accolades and has been known for its talented actors, directors and technicians. Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Geoffrey Rush, Guy Pearce, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts and Tony Collette are among the few of the more prominent Australian actors who have carved out successful film careers in Hollywood.
Aside from Jindabyne, also lined up in the Festival is another Lawrence masterpiece, Lantana , which was released in Australia in 2001–2 and went on to critical acclaim and commercial success in Australia, the US, UK and Europe. Completing the roster of films are Look Both Ways (2005 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Film), The Caterpillar Wish, Japanese Story (winner of 8 Australian Film Institute Awards, including Best Film, in 2003), Looking for Alibrandi, Australian Rules, Floating Life and Love Serenade. This year’s list of short films include the 2007 Oscar-nominated The Saviour, 2003 Academy Award winner Harvey Krumpet, Breathe, Cracker Bag and Cool White, the directorial debut of acclaimed Australian screenwriter, John Alsop, who will also be in Manila for the Film Festival.
The films will be screened at three venues—Shangri-La Plaza Mall Cinema 3, University of the Philippines-Cine Adarna and Ayala Onstage at the Ayala Centre Cebu. Admission fee is Php50.00 at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall and Php35.00 at the UP Cine Adarna. As an added treat, Shangri-La viewers will get the chance to join a raffle promo which can win them a roundtrip ticket for two to Australia.
The 5th Australian Film Festival is presented by the Australian Embassy and the Australian Film Commission in cooperation with Qantas, the official carrier of Australia, Shangri-la Plaza and Makati Shangri-La Hotel. Major partners are Executive International Movers, Wine Depot, Arts Council of Cebu, ETC, 2nd Avenue, NU 107, Wave 89.1 and Jam 88.3.
For screening schedule and details on the raffle promo, log on to the Australian Embassy website at www.philippines.australia.gov.au or call 7578135, 7578173; Shangri-La Plaza Mall 633-7851 loc 171/170, 633-2227 at; and the UP Film Institute at 9263640.