PROOF

Dir: Jocelyn Moorhouse, Aust., 1991, 86 mins, 35mm, (M)

Proof heralded the dark, slightly surreal and gently satirical style of Australian cinema in the 1990s, and introduced a new wave of actors who would become stars in world cinema. With Hugo Weaving, Russell Crowe and Genevieve Picot. New print from the NFSA’s Deluxe/ Kodak Project.

AMOS OZ: THE NATURE OF DREAMS

Dir: Masha Zur Glozman/Yonathan Zur, Israel, 2009, 86 mins, video, (G)

Directors Glozman and Zur delve into the public persona and private concerns of Israel’s controversial novelist and social critic, Amos Oz. “I commend the film ... to all those troubled by fanaticism and intolerance in any of their modern guises.” (Evan Williams, The Australian.) Canberra Premiere.

PROOF

Dir: Jocelyn Moorhouse, Aust., 1991, 86 mins, 35mm, (M)

Proof heralded the dark, slightly surreal and gently satirical style of Australian cinema in the 1990s, and introduced a new wave of actors who would become stars in world cinema. With Hugo Weaving, Russell Crowe and Genevieve Picot. New print from the NFSA’s Deluxe/ Kodak Project.

IN THE WILD MOUNTAINS

(Yeshan) Dir: Yan Xueshu, China, 1985, 105 mins, 16mm, (unclassified 18+)

Two Shaanxi provincial housewives, unhappy with their lazy husbands, contemplate their erotic alternatives, including a swap of husbands. Well ahead of Zhang Yimou’s Ju Dou and the Fifth Generation filmmakers’ fascination with the political dimension of peasant women’s erotic lives, Yan’s film opens in conventional Chinese realism, but reveals that there’s more to be learnt from the Sexual than the Cultural Revolution. “Daringly sexualising the new capitalist energies bubbling down from above, the film humanises and physicalises social change …” (Shelley Kraicer). From the collection of the NFSA. Courtesy of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.

HYPE!

Dir: Doug Pray, USA, 1996, 84 mins, 35mm, (M)

Considered the quintessential documentary on a brief but explosive music genre, Hype! follows the grunge movement in its hometown of Seattle: its inspirations and founders, how American pop-culture jumped on board, and the eventual corruption by its own popularity. Includes early live footage of acts that would become superstars, including Nirvana and Pearl Jam, but also the often brilliant bands who were left behind in a Generation X phenomenon that was over too soon.

THE CIRCLE

(Dayereh) Dir: Jafar Panahi, Iran, 2000, 90 mins, 35mm, (PG)

Eight Teheran women; one just born, another aged and embittered, the rest somewhere in-between. Mostly they are criminals of one sort of another, on the run or trapped where they are. Their ‘crimes’ are vague, their guilt or innocence unimportant, as they are really themselves the victims: of fate and of a social system that criminalises most of their economic options. Panahi’s Venice Film Festival award-winning film was one of the first to bring out some of the darker secrets (including prostitution and sexual violence) of how many women live in the Iranian republic.

THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS

Dir: Judith Ehrlich/Rick Goldsmith, USA, 2009, 92 mins, video, (PG)

This is the story of the Nixon White House's Public Enemy Number One: the high-level Pentagon insider whose change of mind and heart led to the leaking of 7,000 pages of top secret documents to The New York Times, the eventual end of the Vietnam War and the fall of a President. Best Documentary Oscar nominee and winner of a Special Jury Award at the Amsterdam Documentary Film Festival.

Daniel Ellsberg will join Canberra audiences via video, for a post-screening discussion.

BIG SHOTS, SMALL PACKAGES, NO. 1

2009–10, 60 mins, digital, (unclassified 15+)

GLOW
(Dir: Jenna Byun, Canada, 2009, 3 mins, digital)
Luc the glow-bug desperately wants to fly – and glow! Just when all hope seems lost, a new friend arrives to lend a helping hand. Animation.

OWL AND RABBIT PLAY CHECKERS
(Dir: David B. Levy & Robert M. Charde, USA, 2009, 6 mins, digital)
Mismatched pals Owl and Rabbit are supposed to be meeting to play checkers, but today Rabbit has a different plan in mind. Will his chaotic ways ruin the game, or could they end up saving the day? Animation.

ZOKKY THE KANGAROO: “ZOKKY ON SAFARI”
(Dir: Tim Smart, Aust., 2009, 6 mins, digital)
Lions, zebras and giraffes – oh my! Join Zokky, a curious and adventurous kangaroo, as he sets off on safari to meet some exotic furred and feathered creatures. Live-action.

THE SHOW WITH THE ELEPHANT: “BUNNY AND ELEPHANT PAINT EACH OTHER’S BOTTOMS”
(Dir: Matthias Bruhn, Germany, 2008, 2 mins, digital)
When Elephant stumbles across Bunny painting a beautiful picture, he gets a funny idea involving a rather unusual canvas. Animation.

CUDDLIES – A FANCY DRESS PARTY
(Dir: Tami Berenstein, 2008, England, 5 mins)
The four Cuddlies – Tickles, Uh-Oh, Yum Yum and Dodo – are gearing up for Yum Yum’s fruit fancy dress party. See who turns up in the most original costume as each of the four face their own challenges while getting ready. Animation.

A LITTLE SYMPHONY IN THE FOREST
(Dir: Masataka Hiroysu, Japan, 2009, 3 mins, digital)
When a musical squirrel decides to strike up the band, the result is a magical symphony sound. Join all the animals in the forest for this gorgeous musical journey. Animation.

I LOVE MY TEDDY
(Dir: Grade Prep and 6, Poowong Consolidated School, Aust., 2009, 3 mins, digital)
In this fun film clip, a group of students from Poowong Consolidated School introduce us to their favourite furry pals: their teddy bears. Live-action.

TUCKY TALES: “ELEPHANT”
(Dir: Lizzy Bahcar-Gavish, England, 2009, 5 mins, digital)
This curious bird likes to imitate other animals in the jungle, and his encounter one day with a playful elephant quickly leads to hilarious results. Animation.

BLUE MAGIC
(Dir: Ivona Levar, Croatia, 2009, 2 mins, digital)
When a young girl finds a mysterious treasure chest on the beach, she is transported into a magical underwater world of adventure and discovery. Animation.

DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS!
(Dir: Pete List, USA, 2009, 7 mins, digital)
When a bus driver needs to take a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer pops up to take his place – a pigeon! Will you let him drive the bus? Animation.

THE ADVENTURES OF PIM AND POM: “FAMOUS”
(Dir: Gioia Smid, Netherlands, 2009, 5 mins, digital)
When mischievous feline pals Pim and Pom turn their paws to music, they soon realise that they’re going to need to work together to play a wonderful concert. Animation.

Films for kids 2 to 5 years old.

THE FOX AND THE CHILD

(Le renard et l'enfant) Dir: Luc Jacquet, France, 2008, 92 mins, 35mm, (G)

Our school holiday favourite returns for another by-request screening. The March of the Penguins director Luc Jacquet’s latest film hovers in a magical place between wildlife documentary and children’s moral fable. It’s a story of a mutual fascination shared between a winsome red-haired French schoolgirl and an enigmatic red-fox, set in the French Pyrenees and told with a beautiful naturalism and with an astonishing control over the performances of both. Narrated by Kate Winslet.

BIG SHOTS, SMALL PACKAGES, NO. 2

2009–10, 60 mins, digital, (unclassified 15+)

BIG PLANS
(Dir: Irmgard Walthert, Switzerland, 2008, 4 mins, digital)
When the construction of an apple vending machine proves to be particularly challenging, this junior inventor learns to think outside the square and work with what he’s got on hand. Animation.

ROSASOMMER
(Dir: Lale Nalpantoglu, Germany, 2008, 5 mins, digital)
While riding her go-cart around Barcelona, a young girl notices something unusual: it seems everyone she passes breaks into a little dance!

FLETCHER AND THE FALLING LEAVES
(Dir: Cha-Pow!, USA, 2009, 11 mins, digital)
Fletcher the little fox is terribly concerned when all the leaves fall from his favourite tree. Is the tree sick, or is Fletcher about to get a magical surprise? Animation.

IWANNA WANDA IN "DON'T WANNA BRUSH"
(Dir: Barbara J. Parks, USA, 2009, 4 mins, digital)
Five-year-old Iwanna Wanda is a stubborn little girl with a mind of her own. One day, she decides that she never wants to brush her teeth ever again, but things don't turn out to be as much fun as she hoped. Animation.

POPPY HEARTWOOD
(Dir: Fleur McArthur, Aust., 2009, 4 mins, digital)
A gentle tale of friendship set within a beautiful garden, where the delivery of a single letter makes everything come into full bloom. Animation.

YELLOW NO MONKEY
(Dir: Louis McLeod, England, 2009, 2 mins, digital)
Can the mysterious yellow monkey and his babies escape from the aliens? It’s Cat Man to the rescue, in this gorgeous romp through the wild imagination of a budding young filmmaker. Animation.

THE BLUE SHOE
(Dir: Peter Reynolds, USA, 1999, 6 mins, digital)
The beautiful tale of a blue shoe searching for its ‘sole mate’ and learning to keep an open mind along the way. Animation.

HEDGEHUG
(Dir: Dan Pinto, USA, 2007, 5 mins, digital)
For this romantic hedgehog, Valentine’s Day is the most special day of the year. Armed with a hand-made card, he sets out to woo his very own sweetheart, but finds the going a lot tougher than he expected. Animation.

DRACO – PRESENT
(Dir: Pil Animation, England, 2008, 5 mins, digital)
Draco the baby dragon is thrilled to be given a special present, but has some trouble unwrapping it. Will he be able to discover what’s inside the box? Animation.

SEVEN DAYS OF THE WEEK (I NEVER GO TO WORK)
(Dir: David Cowles & Sean McBride, USA, 2008, 2 mins, digital)
In this fun, animated music video, one young boy shares with us all the amazing things he is able do because he doesn’t go to work. A catchy tune from They Might Be Giants. Animation.

Films for kids 3 to 7 years old.

BIG SHOTS, SMALL PACKAGES, NO. 3

2009–10, 60 mins, digital, (unclassified 15+)

THE ANIMAL BOOK
(Dir: Natalie Ann Hinchley & Chris Randall, UK, 2006, 10 mins, digital)
A girl and her big sister live in an immense and crumbling industrial world of cogs and metal machines. One day, while her sister naps, the young girl finds a magic book, grabs hold of a helium balloon and escapes to a beautiful world. Animation.

I THINK I MIGHT BE
(Dir: Jimi Bonogofsky, USA, 2009, 2 mins, digital)
What do you want to be when you grow up? This short film explores the answers of a group of children through animated flights of fancy.

CRAZY HAIR DAY
(Dir: Virginia Wilkos, USA, 2009, 12 mins, digital)
Poor Stanley has mixed up Crazy Hair Day with School Picture Day and now risks being immortalized with a blue and orange spiky do. Can his classmates help him find a way out of this embarrassing situation? Narrated by Zach Braff. Animation.

THE BRUNSWICK BROWNS
(Dir: Ollie Ivin-Poole, Aust., 2009, 3 mins, digital)
Six-year-old Ollie is a typical Brunswick boy and this film – his first – is about his three pet chickens, known as The Brunswick Browns. Live-action documentary.

LOST AND FOUND
(Dir: Philip Hunt, England, 2008, 24 mins, digital)
One day, a little boy finds a penguin on his doorstep and decides to help it find its way home. A magical tale of an unlikely friendship based on the award-winning book by Oliver Jeffers. Animation.

Films for kids 4 to 10 years old.

THE DISPOSSESSED

(aka The Restless and the Damned/L'ambitieuse) Dirs: Yves Allégret / Lee Robinson, Aust./Fr., 1959, 98 mins, digital, (unclassified 18+)

Planned as the biggest of the Chips Rafferty / Lee Robinson French co-productions, French studio veteran director Yves Allégret plus Hollywood stars Edmond O’Brien and Richard Basehardt were imported for a Greed-like tale of business rivalry, adultery and betrayal over a wildcat Tahiti mining scheme. Failure at the French box office and to even get US, UK and Australian distribution led to the collapse of the Rafferty-Robinson production business – and the cessation of most Australian commercial feature film production until the late- 1960s. From the collection of the NFSA.

WOMAN, DEMON, HUMAN

(Ren gui qing) Dir: Huang Shuqin, China, 1987, 106 min, 16mm, (unclassified 18+)

Woman, Demon, Human is an unorthodox biography of famed Beijing Opera star Pei Yanling, whose career was noted for her portrayal of male roles, especially the male underworld god Zhong Kui. As the film increasingly takes on its protagonist’s point of view, it creates a world that traverses fantasy, gender roles, subjectivity and the psychological; especially in a series of mirror-world like scenes where Pei co-inhabits the identity of her famous and immortal creation. From the collection of the NFSA. Courtesy of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.

NO DISTANCE LEFT TO RUN

Dir: Will Lovelace / Dylan Southern, UK, 2010, 104 mins, video, (MA15+)

Showcasing Blur’s 2009 reunion tour, No Distance Left to Run also takes a raw look back at the band’s beginnings and success in the early 90s, their rivalry with Oasis, and their split in the
mid 2000s amid arguments and disillusionment. Their frank and honest recollection about the band’s path to date seems to be cathartic, an emotional connection that has no doubt contributed to them still being one of the most influential of Brit-pop bands.

AMOS OZ: THE NATURE OF DREAMS

Dir: Masha Zur Glozman / Yonathan Zur, Israel, 2009, 86 mins, video, (G)

Directors Glozman and Zur delve into the public persona and private concerns of Israel’s controversial novelist and social critic, Amos Oz. “I commend the film ... to all those troubled by fanaticism and intolerance in any of their modern guises.” (Evan Williams, The Australian.) Canberra Premiere.

RED, WHITE AND GREEN

Dir: Nader Davoodi, Iran, 2009, 57 min, video, (unclassified 18+)

Nader Davoodi’s Red, White and Green focuses on Teheran in the three weeks prior to the Iranian elections in June, 2009 and the enormous sense of optimism felt by so many regarding the possiblity of change and reform for the Iranian Republic. How differently things would turn out is best indicated by how many of the political, social and cultural leaders interviewed during the film – including Jafar Panahi– have since been arrested or gone to ground.

Following the screening a panel of Iranian cinema watchers will look at the case of Jafar Panahi in the context of the complex relationship between Iran’s political and film cultures.

BIG SHOTS, SMALL PACKAGES, NO. 4

2009–10, 60 mins, digital, (unclassified 15+)

SIGNALIS
(Dir: Adrian Flückiger, Switzerland, 2008, 5 mins, digital)
Erwin the weasel has an unusual job and an unusual home. His unique life depends on a strict routine, until one day when things don’t go to plan and a whole new world of opportunity opens up. Animation.

DUE TOMORROW
(Dir: Danny Madden, USA, 2009, 5 mins, digital)
When a creative student runs out of brown ink the night before his orangutan project is due, what else will he be able to use to colour the ape in? Live-action.

MAGIC WATER
(Dir: Maris Brinkmanis, Latvia, 2009, 10 mins, digital)
Munk and Lemmy, two unusual desert critters, struggle to grow a small apple tree in their sandy garden until Munk comes across a magic water source. Unfortunately it’s not just the apple tree that this magic water brings to life. Animation.

THE WOLF’S SURPRISE
(Dir: Ella Upiter, Aust., 2009, 3 mins, digital)
A young wolf, who is afraid of a werewolf, gets a pleasant surprise when he one day finds himself in terrible trouble. Animation.

BREAKING THE MOULD
(Dir: Luca Paulli & Rebecca Manley, England, 2008, 2 mins, digital)
Come join us on a colorful journey through the life of an adventurous apple. Animation.

DEDH FOOTIYA
(Dir: Suresh Triveni & Ghopal Krishnan, India, 2009, 10 mins, digital)
In this clever animation, see how one vertically challenged boy manages to still stand tall, despite his short comings. Live-action/animation.

Q&A
(Dir: Mike & Tim Rauch, USA, 2009, 4 mins, digital)
In February 2006, 12-year-old Joshua, who has Asperger's Syndrome, interviewed his mother Sarah as part of the StoryCorps oral history project. This animation beautifully illustrates their one-of-a-kind conversation. Animation.

BACK STAGE
(Dir: Pierce Davison, Aust., 2010, 3 mins, digital)
See what happens back stage at auditions for the school drama club, where emotions are high, expectations are higher, and a girl dressed as a maggot threatens to steal everyone’s limelight. Animation.

WEE DREAMING
(Dir: Robin de Crespigny, Aust., 2009, 15 mins, digital)
When seven-year-old Kosmo defied his mother and wagered he wouldn’t need to pee on their long drive, no-one could have foreseen the extraordinary consequences of his stubbornness. Not one for the faint-of-bladder! Live-action.

Films for kids 5 to 15 years old.

THE WHITE BALLOON

(Badkonake sefid) Dir: Jafar Panahi, Iran, 1995, 85 mins, 16mm, (PG)

Little Razieh wants a new goldfish for the family’s courtyard fishpond. She nags her mother into giving her the money. However there are many a slip between the goldfish seller’s shop and the fishpond, and the adventure becomes one about the choices Razieh has between her mission and all the temptations the streets can offer a little girl with big dreams. Written by Abbas Kiraostami, Panahi’s breakthrough film was a charming tale of innocence distracted, that became an instant children’s classic and also delighted a new western audience for Iranian cinema. From the collection of the NFSA.

KICK-OFF

(Badkonake sefid) Dir: Shawkat Amin Korki, Japan / Iraq, 2009, 35mm, 81 mins, (unclassified 15+)

Conditions are grim for refugees in a shanty town built in a half-destroyed Iraqi football stadium. So much that it takes the idealistic young son of one of the families to realise the best thing they can do is use their downtrodden patch of ground for the purpose for which it was intended, and arrange a football match between the Kurdish and Iraqi boys of the camp. One of the first of a slowly emerging crop of new Iraqi cinema comes from Kurdish director Shawkat Amin Korki. Winner of the New Currents prize on its debut at Pusan Film Festival.