Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | Paid | My Orble | Login

World Film Festivals - by SimonC

Possible Worlds – Sydney’s 2nd Canadian Film Festival

November 27th 2007 05:02
Possible Worlds presents a selection of the best new features, shorts and documentaries made north of Hollywood. The Festival returns to the Chauvel Cinema Nov. 29th to Dec. 5th, with selected titles touring across Australia and New Zealand.
Welcoming prestigious filmmakers to Sydney, the Festival is a meeting point for the Canadian and Australian film industries, while providing a rare chance for Australians to watch the best new Canadian films and meet the artists.
Running alongside the film premieres will be filmmaker Q&A’s, workshops, panel discussions… and of course, parties.


“Australia and Canada have a lot in common, both historically and culturally,” says artistic director Mathieu Ravier.
“Both countries strive to express their national identity through their cinema, often in spite of American cultural dominance. Canada’s fresh and independent outlook on the world speaks to all Australians. Possible Worlds is a chance to discover the rich diversity of Canadian films, a cinema both strangely familiar yet refreshingly different.”
“Canadian cinema is enjoying a surge in popularity right now. From witty comedies to thought-provoking drama, from political documentaries to horror shorts, the vibrant program is sure to engage Australian audiences. There’s something exciting in the line-up for all to enjoy.”

Dates: November 29 to December 5, 2007
Venue: Chauvel Cinema, corner Oxford Street and Oatley Road, Paddington, NSW 2021

Number of screenings: 17
Tickets: $15.50, full-time students/concessions: $12.50, pensioners & seniors (over 60) $9.00
Passes: 4 films for $44
Opening Night: $30, concessions: $25 (pre-sales only)
Bookings: online at www.chauvelcinema.net.au
or in person at the box-office
Website: www.possibleworlds.net.au
Classification: All films (unless otherwise stated) are restricted to persons over 18 years of age
More information on the Festival is available at www.possibleworlds.net.au.
More information on Kino is available at www.kinosydney.com.

SPECIAL EVENTS
All Special Events take place at the Chauvel Cinema unless otherwise indicated.
OPENING NIGHT GALA: WHO LOVES THE SUN – November 29 at 6:00pm
The Festival will open with the Australian premiere of Matt Bissonnette’s award winning Who Loves The Sun, with special guests in attendance. This delightfully witty adult drama stars Lukas Haas (Brick), Adam Scott (Knocked Up ) and Molly Parker (TV’s Deadwood). It hits Australian shores after being the toast of the international Festival circuit, where it’s being praised as a smart new angle on the love triangle. The screening will be preceded by a reception at the Chauvel Cinema, co-hosted with the Canadian Tourism Commission.

A NIGHT OF HORROR – December 1 from 8:30pm
Fans of genre cinema are in for a treat with our Night of Horror, a specially created screening of new Canadian horror shorts, followed
by the eagerly-anticipated Zombie Ball.

PANEL DISCUSSION: CANADIAN INDEPENDENTS – December 3 at 5:15pm
A young country defining its cultural identity in the shadow of the American entertainment powerhouse, a vibrant film industry hindered by a limited market, resourceful producers and filmmakers achieving outstanding results on tiny budgets... Sounds familiar?
Find out what challenges we share with the Canadian film industry and what lessons can be learned from indie filmmakers north of Hollywood in this insightful panel discussion.
Megan Simpson Huberman, Director of the Australian Film Commission’s IndiVision Project Lab, joins award-winning guest directors and producers from Canada in an informal discussion sure to energize Australian filmmakers and film lovers alike. Speakers include Chaz Thorne (director, Just Buried & screenwriter, Poor Boy’s Game), Sarah Timmins (producer, The Tracey Fragments ) and Robin Schlaht (director, To Be Romeo & Juliet ). Presented with the Australian Film Commission.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY – December 3 at 6:30pm
On December 3rd, the Festival hosts a special fully-accessible screening of Who Loves The Sun to celebrate International Day of People with a Disability. The film will be audio-described for the visually-impaired courtesy of Vision Australia, captioned for the hearing-impaired thanks to The Captioning Studio, and rows of cinema seats will be removed for wheelchair users. This special screening – the first of its kind in Sydney - is presented by the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability & Home Care, as part of its Don’t Dis My Ability campaign. The screening will be introduced by Minister for Disability Services Kristina Keneally.

CLOSING NIGHT: KINO KABARET – December 5 at 6:30pm
Kino’s motto is simple: “Do well with nothing, do better with little, and do it now!”. Headquartered in Montreal, the global phenomenon in low-budget filmmaking known as Kino has recently taken Sydney by storm. Australians have been honing their filmmaking skills at the monthly Kino nights for a year now. Kino Kabaret will put them to the test, teaming aspiring local filmmakers with established professionals from Canada for a wild journey in spontaneous filmmaking. Participants have only six days to write, shoot and edit a series of short films together. Come and cheer these fearless artists as they unveil the unpredictable, inventive results of this unique international collaboration. The screening and party will feature free drinks, snacks, giveaways and live music courtesy of Meat Pig. Kino Kabaret takes place at the Chauvel Cinema, Wednesday December 5th from 6:30pm.


THE FILMS
WHO LOVES THE SUN
Dir: Matt Bissonnette, Canada, 2006, 35mm 94 min | Australian premiere
Winner Best Actress, Beverly Hills Film Festival
A smart & funny adult drama about success, love, and behaving like an adult
Will Morrison (Lukas Haas) and Daniel Bloom (Adam Scott) were the best of friends. They
grew up together, went to the same schools, liked the same records, and loved the same
girls. Daniel was even Will’s best man at his wedding to Maggie (Molly Parker). Then one
day Will disappeared without a word. Half a decade later Will re-surfaces at Daniel’s
parents’ remote island cottage. His reunion with Daniel and the arrival of Maggie –
Daniel’s unrequited teenage love – play out in an unpredictable series of recriminations,
misunderstandings and revelations.
MONKEY WARFARE
Dir: Reginald Harkema, Canada, 2006, 35mm, 75 min | Sydney premiere
Winner Special Jury Award, Toronto International Film Festival
Counterculture politics collide with radical chic in this Godard-inspired indie comedy
POOR BOY’S GAME
Dir: Clement Virgo, Canada, 2007, 35mm, 104 min | Australian premiere
Official selection, Berlin Film Festival 2007
This red-blooded drama about vengeance and redemption will leave you reeling
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Chaz Thorne
THE TRACEY FRAGMENTS
Dir: Bruce McDonald, Canada, 2007, 35mm, 78 min | Sydney premiere
Winner Manfred Salzgeber Award, Berlin Film Festival 2007
Cult filmmaker Bruce McDonald (Hard Core Logo) has crafted a Catcher in the Rye for the
21st Century. Shot in only 14 days, the film took shape in post-production, its innovative
use of multi-frame editing pushing the boundaries of cinematic language
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with producer Sarah Timmins
TO BE ROMEO & JULIET
Dir: Robin Schlaht, Canada, 2007, video, 103 min | World premiere
Love and theatre collide in this fly-on-the-wall study of actors at work
How much do you need to know about love to portray the iconic lovers Romeo and Juliet?
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Robin Schlaht
WEIRDSVILLE
Dir: Allan Moyle, Canada, 2007, 35mm, 90 min | Australian premiere
Opening Night Slamdance Film Festival 2007
A fast moving, pitch-perfect slacker comedy destined for cult status. Propelled by an ace
soundtrack, Weirdsville is a relentlessly funny cinematic joyride.
MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES
Dir: Jennifer Baichwal, Canada, 2006, 35mm, 90 min | Sydney premiere
Official selection, Sundance Film Festival 2007
Beautiful yet devastating, this is a haunting look at man’s impact on the planet
The screening will be followed by a live telephone Q&A with director Jennifer Baichwal
JUST BURIED
Dir: Chaz Thorne, Canada, 2007, 35mm, 94 min | Australian premiere
Winner Best Director, Atlantic Film Festival 2007
Aussie actress Rose Byrne shines in this deviously entertaining black comedy
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Chaz Thorne
A PROMISE TO THE DEAD: THE EXILE JOURNEY OF ARIEL DORFMAN
Dir: Peter Raymont, Canada, 2007, 35mm, 90 min | Australian premiere
A rousing and eventually moving political documentary about the struggle for democracy
A Promise to the Dead is an exploration of exile, memory and democracy through the words
and memories of playwright, author and activist Ariel Dorfman (Death and the Maiden ).
Dorfman was the cultural advisor to socialist president Salvador Allende in Chile. During the
military coup of September 11, 1973, Dorfman was among a handful of Allende's inner
circle to survive. Three decades later, he returns to Chile to tell his story.
Canadian Peter Raymont follows up his award-winning Rwanda documentary Shake Hands
With The Devil with another intelligent and powerful film. Meshing the personal and the
political, he tells the story of Chile and through it, a universal story about the struggle for
peace, freedom and democracy. Filmed in the USA, Argentina and Chile at the time of
Augusto Pinochet’s death, this thought-provoking documentary benefits from rare footage
and a fascinating guide in the form of the charismatic Ariel Dorfman.
THE STONE ANGEL
Dir: Kari Skogland, Canada, 2007, 35mm, 115 min | Australian premiere
Oscar-winner Ellen Burstyn stars in the adaptation of the landmark Canadian novel
capturing the emotional power of the classic Margaret Laurence novel
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with actress Christine Horne
BRAND UPON THE BRAIN!
Dir: Guy Maddin, Canada, 2006, 35mm, 95 min
This hilarious and moving melodrama is a love letter to cinema itself
Narrated by the great Isabella Rossellini, this is a vividly imaginative
Freudian masterpiece. “Nuttily wonderful. One of the year's 10 best films. Once again, Mr.
Maddin has ransacked film history and his own delirious imagination to create a work like
none other. Delightful!” – NY Times
TOI (YOU)
Dir: François Delisle, Canada, 2007, HD, 87 min | Australian premiere
This portrait of a woman’s mid-life crisis is a gripping and sensual experience. Harsh but beautiful, Toi is a visceral existential quest, a modern urban fairytale propelled by furious kinetic intensity.
PORTAGE
Dir: Krybus, Miller & Drews, Canada, 2007, HD, 89 min | Australian premiere
A harrowing, edge-of-your-seat tale of survival in Canada’s cruel wilderness. You’ll catch yourself thinking back to some of the film’s vivid moments long after you leave the cinema.
EVERYTHING’S GONE GREEN
Dir: Paul Fox, Canada, 2006, 35mm, 95 min | Sydney premiere
A clever, quirky comedy about getting your act together before you turn thirty
The cast does great work bringing generous characters to life, not least Paul Costanzo who delivers a winning performance as the amiable Ryan.

THE SCHEDULE - SYDNEY
THURSDAY 29 NOV
6:00pm Opening Night Reception WHO LOVES THE SUN
8:30pm WEIRDSVILLE
FRIDAY 30 NOV
6:45pm TOI (YOU)
8:30pm MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES phone Q&A
SATURDAY 1 DEC
2:00pm TO BE ROMEO AND JULIET Q&A
4:00pm Opening, Robin Schlaht photo exhibition
4:30pm BRAND UPON THE BRAIN!
6:30pm JUST BURIED Q&A
8:30pm A NIGHT OF HORROR The Zombie Ball
SUNDAY 2 DEC
2:00pm A PROMISE TO THE DEAD
4:00pm EVERYTHING’S GONE GREEN
6:30pm THE TRACEY FRAGMENTS Q&A
8:30pm PORTAGE
MONDAY 3 DEC
5:15pm Canadian Independents Panel Discussion
6:30pm WHO LOVES THE SUN
8:30pm MONKEY WARFARE
TUESDAY 4 DEC
6:30pm THE STONE ANGEL Q&A
8:30pm POOR BOY’S GAME Q&A
WEDNESDAY 5 DEC 6:30pm
KINO KABARET Closing Night Party



POSSIBLE WORLDS National Tour dates:

Melbourne ACMI Cinemas 4 Dec -6 Dec

Adelaide Mercury Cinema 4 Jan -14 Jan

Sydney Chauvel Cinema 29 Nov -5 Dec

Canberra Greater Union Manuka 7 Dec - 11Dec

Auckland Academy Cinemas 22 Nov - 28

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING DATES FOR MELBOURNE AND ADELAIDE, HEAD TO : www.possibleworlds.net.au
or
www.thefestivalists.com

Sorry NZ the festival ends today, so if you want to had to their closing night head over to the website fast!!

SJC 27-11-07

63
Vote
Add To: del.icio.us Digg Furl Spurl.net StumbleUpon Yahoo


   
subscribe to this blog 


   

   


Add A Comment

To create a fully formatted comment please click here.


CLICK HERE TO LOGIN | CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Name or Orble Tag
Home Page (optional)
Comments
Bold Italic Underline Strikethrough Separator Left Center Right Separator Quote Insert Link Insert Email
Notify me of replies
Notify extra people about this comment
Is this a private comment?
List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this comment


One per line max of 30

List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this private comment thread. Only the people in this list will be able to see or reply to your comment.


One per line max of 30

Your Name
(for the email going out to the above list, it can be different to your Orble Tag)
Your Email Address
(optional)
(required for reply notification)
Submit
More Posts
44 Posts
40 Posts
27 Posts
1101 Posts dating from August 2007
Email Subscription
Receive e-mail notifications of new posts on this blog:
0

SimonC's Blogs

I have no other blogs :(
Moderated by SimonC
Copyright © 2006 2007 2008 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]