Media Release

The National Film and Sound Archive’s Big Screen Film Festival comes to Cairns and Babinda for the second year in June, presenting some of the best and newest Australian films.

Babinda will host the local premiere of Two Fists, One Heart at the gala opening on Thursday 18 June at the Babinda Munro Picture Theatre. Anthony Argo (Daniel Amalm – Underbelly) is a young Italian/Australian boxer, being pushed to the limit by his Sicilian father and trainer. Anthony meets Kate (Jessica Marais – Packed to the Rafters) who opens his eyes to a world beyond his boxing–obsessed upbringing and fuels further rebellion against his father’s values. Also screening will be a selection of short films made by young people from the Cairns region for The Flicks program.

Award winning short film and commercials director, Glendyn Ivin will be the special guest at the Queensland premiere of his debut feature length film, Last Ride on Friday 19 June at Flecker Botanic Gardens. Starring Hugo Weaving, Last Ride tells the story of a desperate father, who takes his ten year old son, Chook, on the run after committing a violent crime. As the two journey into the desert and an unknown future, their troubled relationship and the need to survive see them battling the elements and each other. Also screening is Glendyn Ivin’s Cannes Film Festival award winning short film, Cracker Bag.
 
Come and support local filmmakers in the Cairns region on Saturday 20 June at Flecker Botanic Gardens with a showcase of short films from The Flicks program. Screening after this will be Mary and Max, a claymated feature from the creators of the Academy Award® winning short animation Harvie Krumpet. It is a simple tale of a pen-friendship between two very different people; Mary Dinkle, a chubby lonely eight year old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne and Max Horovitz, a 44 year old, severely obese, Jewish man with Asperger’s Syndrome living in the chaos of New York. Featuring the voices of Toni Collette, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Eric Bana and narrated by Barry Humphries.

Big Screen is a traveling film festival presented by the National Film and Sound Archive that brings new and archival Australian films to audiences across regional and rural Australia.  The Big Screen Film Festival is just one way the NFSA ensures our rich cinematic history is made available to inspire the next generation of Australian filmmakers and artists.

Don’t miss your chance to experience the delights available from the national collection of moving image.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

The Program

Two Fists, One Heart; since he was a boy, Anthony Argo (Daniel Amalm – Underbelly) has been pushed to the limit by his passionate Sicilian father, Joe (Ennio Fantastichini). Anthony meets Kate (Jessica Marais – Packed to the Rafters) who opens his eyes to a world beyond his boxing–obsessed upbringing. The Flicks, a selection of short films will also be screening.
Screening Thursday 18 June, 7.00pm.
Tickets $6 includes wine and cheese before screening.
Babinda Munro Picture Theatre.

Don’t miss the Queensland Premiere of Last Ride starringHugo Weaving. A story about a young boy, his dysfunctional father, the journey they take while on the run from the law and the price survival demands of love. Award winning short film Cracker Bag will also screen.
Screening Friday 19 June, gates open 6.00pm, movies start 7.00pm
Tickets for sale at the gate for just $10 or $8 for Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Friends of the Gallery or End Credits members.
Flecker Botanic Gardens.

Mary and Max; from Academy Award ® winning writer and director Adam Elliot comes a beautiful, witty and moving film that explores the innate human need to connect. Also screening is The Flicks, featuring a selection of short films made by young people from the Cairns region. Come and support your local filmmakers.
Screening Saturday 20 June, gates open 6.00pm, movies start 7.00pm
Tickets for sale at the gate - gold coin entry.
Flecker Botanic Gardens.

For more details grab a copy of the Big Screen Festival program in town or visit the Big Screen website