Sydney Film Festival 2010

Exit Through the Gift Shop

This year’s Sydney Film Festival is jam-packed with some of the best in international and Australian features, shorts, documentaries and archive titles. The full program was announced a few weeks ago and the most popular choices such as Banksy’s Exit Through the Gift Shop, The Messenger starring Woody Harrelson, I Am Love starring Tilda Swinton and Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer with Ewan McGregor, Kim Cattrall and Pierce Brosnan, have already sold out. Also shown to be very popular and now sold-out are films like New Zealand’s Boy, beautiful animation The Illusionist and Australian feature Caught Inside.

No One Knows About Persian Cats

Because I love all things related to music, I am always very excited about the ‘Sounds on Screen’ selection of films and documentaries. This year, Sydney Film Festival brings an interesting mix of music genres to the screen. Definitely worth seeing is No One Knows About Persian Cats, an Iranian documentary on the underground indie rock scene in Tehran, and The Runaways, a film based on the 70’s all-girl band from LA.

In its 57th year, Sydney Film Festival’s selection of films doesn’t seize to impress. There are hundreds of other beautiful, moving and stimulating films to be discovered. For a full list and session times, check out the festival website. Sydney Film Festival kicks off on Wednesday 2 June and finishes on Monday 14 June.

Splendour in the Grass festival sideshows

Band of Horses at the Enmore Theatre

I already miss the hot and long days of summer and its balmy nights. I can’t say I’m a big fan of winter, but I appreciate its charms. With some of the best international bands in town, courtesy of Splendour in the Grass Festival, winter 2010 might just not be too cold after all. The Strokes and Mumford and Sons sideshows sold out in minutes back in April, but try your luck with some of the following:

Band of Horses will play at the Enmore Theatre on Thursday 29 July. Tickets went on sale a few days ago, and at the time of writing this blog, there were still plenty available. Florence and the Machine is back in the country, and will be playing at the Enmore Theatre on Thursday 5, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 August. Tickets went on sale this morning. The beautiful Grizzly Bear will play on Sunday 25 July. Also at the Enmore Theatre will be Jonsi (of Sigur Ros), with a very special performance on Monday 2 August.

Florence and the Machine at the Enmore Theatre

Then there are all the Metro Theatre sideshows! New Yorkers Yeasayer will play on Wednesday 28 July; fresh from their third album tour Midlake are coming to Metro on Saturday 31 July; San Francisco rockers Black Rebel Motorcylce Club will take over the stage on Sunday 1 August; Laura Marling then follows with her own show on Monday 2 August, while the Canadian 8-piece Broken Social Scene will play on Wednesday 4 August. Check out the Metro Theatre site for heaps more bands playing in the 2 weeks around the Splendour weekend.

The Temper Trap at the Hordern Pavilion

And you can find even more superstars at the Hordern Pavilion: LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip will be bringing down the house on Monday 26 July and our own Temper Trap‘s sold-out show is scheduled for Tuesday 27 July. So there you go. Two music action-packed weeks to bring back a bit of summer heat to your chilly winter nights.

2010 Spanish Film Festival

Fernando Trueba's Belle Epoque

Hola! It’s the Spanish Film Festival time of the year again, and this year it’s jam-packed with even more Latin passion. This time around, the festival is featuring Spanish film director Fernando Trueba’s four films, including the 1993 Academy Award winner in the Best Foreign Language Film category Belle Epoque. This romantic comedy is set in pre-Franco Spain and stars young Penelope Cruz. It is a story of four sisters competing for the attention of a carefree army deserter. If you’re a big fan of Cruz, you may also want to check out the 1998 feature The Girl Of Your Dreams, also by Trueba.

Return to Hansala is one of my favourites this year, because it deals with the ever increasing and confronting issues of illegal immigration, and its terrifying consequences. The Milk Of Sorrow is another worthwhile pick, especially because it’s been nominated for 2010 Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category. The festival is showing from Wednesday 5 to Sunday 16 May. For more films and a screening timetable, check out the Spanish Film Festival website.

The Strokes in Sydney

The Strokes

With a major winter music festival only months away, there’s a wave of really awesome bands already announcing sideshows around the end of July. Pencil in Thursday 29 July kids if you’re keen to see the NYC darlings, The Strokes. With the highly anticipated fourth album due to be released in September, the band is back and ready to rock the Hordern Pavilion. Pre-sale tickets already went on sale yesterday, while the general public ones go on sale Monday 12 April. The popular Londoners Mumford & Sons have already sold out their two Enmore Theatre shows on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 August. So tough luck.

Festival of German Films

Whisky with Vodka at the 2010 Audi Festival of German Films

Herzlich Willkommen. From Wednesday 21 April, the crème de la crème of German cinema will hit our little town. The two-week festival will showcase over 30 titles across a number of different genres. The opening choice for this year is a highly entertaining ‘culinary comedy’ Whisky with Vodka. In the ‘German currents’ category of films, Storm and The White Ribbon look very thought-provoking, while ‘Berlin based’ category offers original and compelling stories in The Wolves of Berlin and Berlin’36. Audi Festival of German Films screens at Palace Norton Street Leichhardt and Chauvel Cinema Paddington Townhall until Sunday 2 May.

Surry Hills Festival

Surry Hills Festival

Any plans for next weekend? The annual Surry Hills Festival is on, where you can check out some live bands, savour delicious multi-culti foods, bump into familiar faces and enjoy the last of warm and sunny days (probably not). The festival has temporarily moved to its old location, Shannon Reserve on Crown Street, with the addition of a second entertainment stage and more stalls located in Ward Park on Devonshire Street. In live bands world, my highlights are Belles Will Ring and Jonathan Boulet in Ward Park, and The Paper Scissors and The Ray Mann Three in Shannon Reserve. Make sure you get there nice and early if you’re into dog shows and pick up poo races. The weather forecast for Saturday is not so great, maybe opt for a pair of gumboots and a brollie. More info and full entertainment lineup is right here.

French Film Festival

Gainsbourg: Je t'aime … moi non plus

Now in its 21st edition, the Alliance Française French Film Festival kicks off in Sydney in less than a week. This year there is a grand total of 43 films, including comedies, love stories, thrillers, films that reject the injustice of a system, a way of life, oppression, and films that support human rights, freedom of thought and dignity.

Directed by the very popular Amelie director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and the opening night choice for this year, is the captivating must-see, thrilling comedy Micmacs. If you liked Amelie, chances are you’ll enjoy this too. My favourite of the festival is the closing night’s Gainsbourg: Je t’aime … moi non plus feature, a directorial debut of the graphic novelist Joann Sfar. Of course, the film is about the father of French pop, Serge Gainsbourg. It portrays the life of the infamous iconic singer, poet, writer, actor and general provocateur. I’m really looking forward to seeing the fashions and music scenes of the times on the big screen, as well as finding out more about Gainsbourg’s fabled life. French Film Festival is showing in Sydney from Tuesday 2 March until Sunday 21 March. For more info, check out the Alliance Française French Film Festival website.

White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights

White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights

There are so many excellent movies around at the moment, we’re truly spoilt for choice. However, if you’re a movie- and music-loving creature, add this to your flick list. For three nights only, Hoyts cinema is showing Under Great White Northern Lights, a feature length film about White Stripe’s 2007 Canadian tour. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the band, this visually intense and captivating documentary captures Jack and Meg’s journey across the Great White North, playing to audiences in different-sized towns, and in a number of typical and unusual venues. Showing from Thursday 25 February to Saturday 27 February. Check the Hoyts website for all the info.

Massive Attack at Sydney Opera House

Massive Attack

Bristol-based duo Massive Attack has finally confirmed their long-anticipated Australian tour. For us Sydney-siders, they chose no other than Sydney Opera House for their two shows on Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 March 2010. Tickets go on sale Friday 5 February, coinciding with their fifth studio album (Heligoland) release. If you purchase your tickets from the Sydney Opera House website, you’ll be treated to a free album download. Hurray to that!

Shoot the Player: Sydney and music on film

A great way to start the new year is by getting out and indulging in the goodies Sydney has on offer this summer. If you need a break from the beach or find the weather rather unappealing, get out there and see lots of international and local gigs at the Sydney Festival, catch a movie at one of the outdoor cinemas, or, for something a bit out of the ordinary, head down to Carriageworks in Newtown for a very interesting project from the Sydney-based Shoot the Player.

Together with Carriageworks, they are presenting an interactive showing of unique one-take music videos featuring local and international artists doing things like hanging out in their pyjamas, performing on the street and buying pastries. The aim of the exhibition is two-fold: to experience the musicians in a new light by seeing them in places one wouldn’t expect them to be normally; and the evolution of the spontaneous and unpredictable one-take music videos as an art form and the ‘do-it-yourself’ concept of filmmaking.

The installation runs until Saturday 30 January, and is free.

Shoot the Player