Get your eyes and your bums ready for the 65th Sydney Film Festival (June 6-17). It’s nearly here and it’s set to be big with 120 feature films and 57 documentaries. And women have more prominence than ever before. In fact, festival director Nashen Moodley announced that six out of 12 official competition films are directed by women. An important factor in “a year that has highlighted the inequalities facing women across society and in the film industry”.
Kicking it all off is the NZ comedy The Breaker Upperers. Written, directed, and starring Jackie Van Beek and Madelene Sami, it’s a comedy which follows two best friends who run a business breaking couples up for cash.
The Europe! Voices of women in film section returns. Featuring ten films by European women directors including presentations from Swedish filmmaker Isabella Eklof and Dutch director Nanouk Leopold. Plus, there’s a hosted discussion with the European Women Filmakers as they examine the gender pay gap in the film industry.
The Australian offering is strong this year with several movies by first-time directors. There’s thrillers 1% and Vigilante. Plus, Screen Australia is presenting First Nations: A Celebration, marking 25 years of the Screen Indigenous Department.
The controversial appearance is Terror Nullis by the art collective Soda_Jerk after the Ian Potter Cultural trust, who helped finance the project, withdrew their support.
Closing the whole festival is a heart-warming indie comedy starring Toni Collette and Nick Offerman. It’s a story about an ageing hipster dad who forms an unlikely band with his reluctant but very talented, daughter.
Watch the trailer now or visit the official website for more information.