Top Picks of Sydney Film Festival
Here at Somethingyousaid.com we love films, love them, can’t get enough of them. Long ones, short ones, foreign ones, ones with swears, ones with bears, we love them all. So you can imagine how excited we are when a selection of great films of all varieties are bundled neatly together and showcased in the city where we live.
The Sydney Film Festival is twelve days of feature films, documentaries, animation and short-film screenings in venues spanning the city, including (weirdly enough), the Apple Store on George Street. We interviewed the festival director, Nashen Moodley recently about the festival and he shared a few of his picks for this years event, but we would like to show you a few that stand out to us.
Mood Indigo
True believers in the genius of Michael Gondry will be pleased to view his latest visual offering, starring the undeniable beauty, Audrey Tautou. This film was adapted from Boris Vian’s Froth on the Daydream, and is sure to be a treat for the peepers.
Mistaken for Strangers
Is a doco for lovers of The National and music buffs alike. Directed by Tom Berninger (a brother that isn’t in the band), the documentary is a test of patience for Berninger, who isn’t overly bothered with the art of film making or even the music of The National, but more of keeping of a brotherly promise that he would finish the project.
A Cautionary Tail
An incredibly sweet tale (mind the pun) written by friend of SYS, Erica Harrison, about a young lady accepting and coming to terms with her physical difference. I have a soft spot for animation that is done well and narration is carried out in rhymes, both of these winning features do it for me.
The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear
Georgia film maker, Tinatin Gurchiani interviews 15-23 year olds about their life and their aspirations for the future. Some responses are heartbreaking, others are motivated and charming, all reflecting a diverse range of individuals at the turning point of their life.
The Look Of Love
Steve Coogan and Imogen Potts along with a whole lotta comedic high rollers unite to tell the story of Paul Raymond, aka. “The King of Soho,” and his world of erotica. It looks abso-bloody-lutely fantastic with 60’s stylings and a brilliant cast, this ones sure to be a hit.
Stoker
Stoker features some Australians in forms of Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman and Matthew Goode in some kind of fucked up family situation that involves lots of blood and incest innuendo. Director Park Chan-Wook will definitely bring his brand of neo-goth thrills to this picture.
Lovelace
Erm, we’re not so sure about this one, but we’re chucking it in just in case it turns out to be a hit. It’s the story of Linda Lovelace (played by Amanda Seyfried) and her rise to fame and as an icon of female sexual liberation after starring in the widely popular porno, Deep Throat, in the 70’s. It’s also got James Franco in it pretending to be Hugh Hefner. Looks like a bit of a flaccid flick to me (haw haw).
Only God Forgives
2013 is a good year for Ryan Gosling in cinema, first the harrowing The Place Beyond The Pines, now Only God Forgives, a rage-fuelled portrayal of Bangkok’s violent underworld. Think Drive in the Orient.
Sydney Film Festival happens June 5-16th, find out more and book tickets for these films at their website.
Words by Carol Bowditch.
