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2012 Melbourne International Film Festival Guide

2012 Melbourne International Film Festival Guide
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Your essential guide to MIFF 2012 – a comprehensive round-up of new movie reviews and exclusive video.

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL COVERAGE - BY MOVIE (A- Z)

 
AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY
Alison Klayman (USA)
WATCH Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry trailer
READ Ai Weiwie: Never Sorry review
READ Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry - director Alison Klayman
 

ALPS
Giorgos Lanthimos (Greece)
READ Alps review

 

AMOUR (LOVE)
Michael Haneke  (Gerrmany/France)
READ Amour review
WATCH Amour trailer
WATCH Amour scene clip

 

A SIMPLE LIFE
Ann Hui (Hong Kong)
READ A Simple Life review

 

BARBARA
Christian Petzold (Germany)
READ Barbara review

 

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Benh Zeitlin (USA)
READ Beasts of the Southern Wild review
WATCH Beasts of the Southern Wild trailer

 

BEING VENICE
Miro Bilbrough (Australia)
Read Being Venice review

 

BULLY
Documentary (USA)
READ Bully review
WATCH Bully trailer

 

CAESAR MUST DIE
Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani (Italy) 
READ Caesar Must Die review

 

CHICKEN WITH PLUMS
Vincent Paronnaud, Marjane Satrapi (France / Germany / Belgium)
READ Chicken with Plums review
 

CRAZY HORSE
Frederick Wiseman (USA/France) 
READ Crazy Horse review

 

DAMSELS IN DISTRESS
Whit Stillman (USA)
READ Damsels in Distress review

 

DARK HORSE 
Todd Solondz (USA)
READ Dark Horse interview - writer/director Todd Solondz and actress Selma Blair
WATCH Dark Horse trailer

 

DEAD EUROPE
Tony Krawitz (Australia)
READ Dead Europe review
WATCH Dead Europe interview - director Tony Krawitz

 

EL GUSTO
Safinez Bousbia (Algeria)
READ El Gusto interview - director Safinez Bousbia

WATCH El Gusto trailer

 

FIRST POSITION
Bess Kargman (USA)
READ First Position interview - director Bess Kargman


FOR LOVE'S SAKE
Takashi Miike (Japan) 
READ For Love's Sake review


GOD BLESS AMERICA
Bobcat Goldthwait (USA)
READ God Bless America review

 

HAIL
Amiel Courtin-Wilson (Australia)
WATCH Hail interview - director Amiel Courtin-Wilson

 

HAPPY END
Björn Runge (Sweden / Denmark)
READ Happy End review

 

HARA-KIRI: DEATH OF A SAMURAI
Takashi Miike (Japan)
WATCH hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai trailer

 

HOLY MOTORS
Leox Carax (France)
READ Holy Motors review
READ Holy Motors interview - star Denis Lavant

READ Holy Motors - explained
WATCH Holy Motors scene clip

WATCH Holy Motors trailer

 

THE HOUSE I LIVE IN
Eugene Jarecki (USA)
READ The House I Live In review
 

THE HUNT
Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark)
READ The Hunt review
WATCH The Hunt scene clip
 

IN ANOTHER COUNTRY
Hong Sangsoo (Korea)

IN THE FOG
Sergei Loznitsa (Russia)
WATCH In the Fog scene clip

 

KEEP THE LIGHTS ON
Ira Sachs (USA)
READ Keep the Lights On review

 

KILLER JOE
William Friedkin (USA)
READ Killer Joe review

 

THE KING OF PIGS
Yuen Sang-ho (Korea)
READ The King of Pigs review

WATCH The King of Pigs trailer

 

LA PIROGUE
Moussa Toure (France / Senegal)
WATCH La Pirogue interview - director Loussa Toure
WATCH La Pirogue scene clip

 

LAST DANCE
David Pulbrook (Australia)
READ Last Dance review

 

MENTAL *CLOSING NIGHT FILM*
PJ Hogan (Aus)
WATCH Mental trailer

 

METROPIA
Tarik Saleh (Sweden / Denmark / Norway / Finland)
READ Metropia review
WATCH Metropia trailer

 

MISS BALA
Gerardo naranjo (Mexico)
READ Miss Bala review
WATCH Miss Bala trailer

 

MISS LOVELY
Ashim Ahluwalia (India)
READ Miss Lovely review

 

MODEST RECEPTION
Mani Haghighi (Iran)
Read Modest Reception review
 

MOONRISE KINGDOM
Wes Anderson (USA)
READ Moonrise Kingdom review
WATCH Moonrise Kingdom trailer

 

MONSIEUR LAZHAR
Philippe Falardeau (Canada)
READ Monsieur Lazhar review 

WATCH Monsieur Lazhar interview - director Phillippe Falardeau

 

NEIGHBOURING SOUNDS 
Kleber Mendonça Filho (Brazil)
READ Neighbouring Sounds review

 

OUR CHILDREN
Joachim Lafosse (France)
READ Our Children review

 

RAMPART
Oren Maverman (USA)
READ Rampart review

 

ROOM 237 (Pictured)
Rodney Ascher (USA)
READ Room 237 review

 

SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED
Colin Trevorrow (USA) 
READ Safety Not Guaranteed review

 

THE SAPPHIRES *OPENING NIGHT FILM*
Wayne Blair (Australia)
READ The Sapphires review
WATCH The Sapphires interview - director Waycne Blair and actress Shari Sebbens
WATCH The Sapphires trailer
WATCH The Sapphires scene clip 1
WATCH The Sapphires scene clip 2

 
SHADOW DANCER
James Marsh (UK / Ireland)
READ Shadow Dancer review
READ Shadow Dancer interview - director James Marsh
 

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN
Malik Bendjelloul (Sweden / UK)
READ Searching for Sugar Man interview - director Malik Bendjelloul

 

SLEEPLESS NIGHT
Frédéric Jardin (France / Belgium / Luxembourg) 
READ Sleepless Night review

 

STEP UP TO THE PLATE
Paul Lacoste (France)
READ Step Up To The Plate review

 

THE STUDENT
Santiago Mitre (Argentina)
READ The Student review

 

THE SUICIDE SHOP
Patrice Leconte (France / Canada / Belgium) 
READ The Suicide Shop review


TABU
Miguel Gomes (Portugal)
READ Tabu review


THE TASTE OF MONEY
Sang-soo Im (South Korea) 
READ The Taste of Money review

UNDEFEATED 
Daniel Lindsay, T.J. Martin (USA)
READ Undefeated interview - directors Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin
WATCH Undefeated trailer

 

THE SESSIONS
Ben Lewin  (USA)
READ The Sessions review
READ John Hawkes interview

 

VULGARIA
Ho-Cheung Pang (China)
READ Vulgaria review

 

WAR WITCH
Kim Nguyen (Canada)
READ War Witch review
 

WUNDERKINDER
Marcus H. Rosenmüller (Germany)
READ Wunderkinder review
READ Wunderkinder interview - director Marcus H, Rosenmüller

 

WUTHERING HEIGHTS
Andrea Arnold (UK)
READ Wuthering Heights review

 

YOUR SISTER'S SISTER
Lynne Shelton (USA)
READ Your Sister's Sister review
READ Your Sister's Sister interview - director Lynne Shelton
WATCH Your Sister's Sister trailer


MIFF COVERAGE -  NEWS, BLOGS AND FEATURES


FEATURE: 2012 MIFF preview
Don Groves analyses the lineup of the 2012 Sydney Film Festival.

NEWS: Early highlights
Organisers have announced a shortlist of early program highlights, which includes the Cannes hits, The Beasts of the Southern Wild, Amour and Moonrise Kingdom.

MIFF Sidebar: Masters & Restorations
Lovers of movies-on-movies are in for a treat this year at MIFF.

NEWS: MIFF ramps up digital projection
Almost half of the titles this year will be projected digitally.


FESTIVAL ARCHIVES

Relive the highlights of Melbourne Film Festivals past in our archive of SBS Film coverage.

2011 MIFF COVERAGE (ARCHIVE)


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Watch Films Online
Films on SBS TV
Tuesday, 21st May
23:00
Night And Fog
Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui paints a realistic picture of domestic violence in this dark family drama. Beginning at the end of the story, the film opens with the brutal murder by a man of his wife and daughters. Going back through witness testimonies and flashbacks, we learn how turmoil and violence lurked underneath the surface of a seemingly idyllic family. Nominated for three Hong Kong Film Awards in 2010, including Best Director. Stars Simon Yam, Jingchu Zhang and Amy Chum. (From Hong Kong, in Cantonese and Mandarin) (Drama) (2009) MAV (A,V)
Wednesday, 22nd May
23:10
Brick
Brendan Frye is a loner, someone who knows all the angles but has chosen to stay on the outside. When his ex-girlfriend Emily turns up dead, he is determined to find out why, and plunges into the dark and dangerous underworld of a high school crime ring. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Rian Johnson and stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lukas Haas and Emilie de Ravin. (From the US) (Mystery/Crime) (2005) M (V,D) CC
00:05
Accused
On the surface, Henrik and Nina Christofferson are a seemingly ordinary couple with a happy family life. But their 14-year-old daughter, Stine, has a habit of telling lies in class. When Stine accuses her father of sexual abuse, and is believed by seemingly eager social workers, their family is thrust into crisis. Nominated for the Golden Bear at Berlin in 2005. Directed by Jacob Thuesen and stars Troels Lyby, Sofie Grabol and Kirstine Rosenkrands Mikkelsen. (From Denmark, in Danish) (Drama) (2005) (Rpt) MA (A)
Thursday, 23rd May
00:10
Estomago: A Gastronomic Story
After landing a job in a diner to pay for his meal, a tramp proves to be a talented cook as he works his way up in the hospitality world and falls for a prostitute who is taken with his culinary skills. A multi-award winning film, including the 2009 Cinema Brazil Grand Prize for Best Film. Directed by Marcos Jorge and stars Joao Miguel, Fabiula Nascimento and Babu Santana. (From Brazil, in Portuguese) (Drama) (2007) (Rpt) MAV (N,L,S,N)
Friday, 24th May
23:05
Manual Of Love 2
Monica Bellucci leads a host of good-looking Italian actors in this heart-warming, comical anthology of four interconnected tales of love. A radio DJ invites listeners to call in and tell their love stories. What follows are the stories of four different kinds of relationships. Directed by Giovanni Veronesi and also stars Carlo Verdone, Riccardo Scamarcio and Sergio Rubini. (From Italy, in Italian) (Romantic Comedy) (2007) (Rpt) M (S,L,N,V)
00:45
Empire Of The Wolves
Jean Reno stars in this fast paced action thriller in the vein of The Bourne Identity. Two police officers scour the underworld of Paris to investigate a series of brutal murders. The case leads them to a mysterious Turkish far-right group called the Grey Wolves. Directed by Chris Nahon, and also stars Arly Jover and Jocelyn Quivrin. (From France, in French and Turkish) (Thriller) (2005) (Rpt) MAV (V)
Saturday, 25th May
21:30
Snowtown
Based on true events, 16-year-old Jamie falls in with his mother's new boyfriend and his crowd of self-appointed neighbourhood watchmen, a relationship that leads to a spree of torture and murder. Winner of six Australian Film Institute awards in 2012, including Best Direction. Directed by Justin Kurzel and stars Lucas Pittaway, Bob Adriaens and Louise Harris. (From Australia) (Mystery/Crime) (2011) MAV (A,V,L) CC
23:45
Out Of The Blue
A powerful and haunting film based on the Aramoana massacre of 1990 where local recluse David Gray shot 13 people dead before going into hiding on the outskirts of the small New Zealand seaside village. As he stalked his victims the terrified and confused residents were trapped in the village for 24 hours while a handful of under-resourced and underarmed local policemen risked their lives trying to find him and save the survivors. Directed by Robert Sarkies and stars Karl Urban, Matthew Sunderland and Lois Lawn. (From New Zealand) (Drama) (2006) (Rpt) MAV (V)
Sunday, 26th May
23:45
Noise
The community is left reeling after a multiple shooting on a suburban train in Melbourne's inner-west. A young cop, beset with doubt and afflicted with tinnitus, is pitched into the chaos that follows this tragic event. He struggles to clear the noises in his head while all around him deal with the fallout of the crime. Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize (World Cinema) at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Matthew Saville and stars Brendan Cowell, Maia Thomas and Henry Nixon. (From Australia) (Drama) (2007) (Rpt) MA (V,L) CC
Monday, 27th May
00:05
Death Note
A law student, disillusioned by the justice system, gets hold of a mystical notebook that gives him the power to kill by writing down a victim's name. He starts to bring criminals to justice himself by killing them using the notebook. A dark fantasy based on a successful manga series that was a huge box office success in Japan. Directed by Shusuke Kaneko and stars Tatsuya Fujiwara, Asaka Seto and Kenichi Matsuyama. (From Japan, in Japanese) (Thriller) (2006) (Rpt) M (H,V)
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