BIFF NEWS
Special Events that will occur throughout the 23rd BIFF. These events are in addition to the Showcases, Centrepiece and Open and Closing Night Galas. Do not miss our Opening and Closing Night Galas that include the After Parties as they are selling fast!
LIFE IS A VERY STRANGE THING | FACES PLACES
WORLD PREMIERE
LIFE IS A VERY STRANGE THING
BIFF is proud to host the World Premiere screening of life is a very strange thing (Australia, 2017). This delightful and thoughtful documentary is sure to please as we follow Frederic throughout his daily musings and chance-meetings in the Paris and Bordeaux that he loves. Meet Australian filmmakers Les McLaren and Annie Stivan who will be in attendance to discuss the wide-ranging themes in this labour of love. Enjoy a wine and cheese tasting on arrival and a post-film conversation with the filmmakers moderated by Alliance Française.
Co-presented with The Alliance Française de Brisbane and this special event World Premiere screening will take place on Thursday August 31, 6:15PM Barracks.
FACES PLACES (VISAGES VILLAGES)
Co-presented with The Alliance Française de Brisbane, BIFF is delighted to screen a winner and popular screening from this year’s Cannes Film Festival where master filmmaker Agnés Varda (aged 89) received a long standing ovation at its in-competition premiere screening.
Watch the standing ovation here.
Co-directed by Varda (89) and renowned street artist JR (34), they explore the nooks of rural France in JR’s van that doubles as a photo-booth. Winner of the prestigious Golden Eye Documentary Prize at this year’s 70th Cannes Film Festival Faces Places (France, 2017) is one of the best ways to spend a few hours.
Join us for an evening of wine and cheese tastings at this Showcase Screening on Sunday 20 August, 6:00PM Centro.
ALI’S WEDDING
Meet the filmmaker, Director Jeffrey Walker on Saturday 19 August 6:45PM Barracks. Hot of the heels from winning the Audience Award Best Feature, Sydney Film Festival and with screenings soon at the Melbourne International Film Festival it is now Brisbane’s turn to experience this joyous crowd pleaser. Q&A with Director Jeffrey Walker will follow the screening of Ali’s Wedding (Australia, 2016).
BROKEN GHOST
WORLD PREMIERE
We are very excited here at BIFF to announce another World Premiere of a very smart film by Australians working both here and in LA. Join Australian-LA based Director Richard Gray, lead actress Autry Haydon-Wilson (Imogen), lead actor Nick Farnell (Will) and writer Abe Pogos after the screening for a celebratory Q&A about their fabulous screen achievement. This is a clever coming-of age tale wrapped in a ghost story that looks a million dollars on screen. Filmmakers and Cast in attendance plus Q&A Friday 1 September, 6:15PM Centro and Saturday 2 September, 1:00PM Barracks.
THAT’S NOT ME
Meet the filmmakers on Friday 18 August, 6:15PM Barracks. Director/Writer/Producer Gregory Erdstein and Writer/Producer/Actress Alice Foulcher (Polly and Amy) will be in attendance plus a Q&A after the film for this engaging, enjoyable crowd-pleaser.
NAMATJIRA PROJECT
Filmmaker and cast in attendance plus Q&A on Tuesday 29 August, 6:00PM Centro. BIFF guests are Producer Sophia Marinos and granddaughter to Albert Namatjira, Gloria Pannka.
Original landscape water colour paintings on display including Lenie Namatjira, Gloria Pannka, Melvyn Rubuntja.
THE LAST DALAI LAMA?
Join renowned Tibetan musician and composer Tenzin Choeygal as he discusses his involvement with this close-up and personal comprehensive documentary of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, directed by his friend Mickey Lemle. Brisbane-based Choeygal will perform prior to the screenings on Saturday 19 August, 12pm Barracks and Sunday 27 August, 12:45pm Centro and comment on his association with the extraordinary master of music Philip Glass as they collaborated on the breathtaking score for this documentary.
“Soaring vocals, whispering melodies, circling rhythms, uplifting crescendo’s – it’s a magical score that only a bold collaboration between Glass and Choegyal could have created.” -Tendor Dorjee NYC
REFUGEE WOMEN: HISTORY’S SILENT HEROES
Join us for a very special free one-off International Premiere event REFUGEE WOMEN – HISTORY’S SILENT HEROES (Turkey, 2016)
“What we have here is a new platform for emerging Turkish filmmakers that brings together artistic endeavour and social responsibility.” – Zeynep Atakan, Art Director of the Short Form/Long Impact program.
This series of Turkish short films is in response to young filmmakers commenting on the statement: Refugee Women – History’s Silent Heroes – Please give them a voice…
Multicultural Development Australia (MDA) is proud to co-host an engaging panel of extraordinary women from refugee backgrounds to share their experiences and journeys. Join us for this intimate and thought-provoking discussion as we explore and change the conversation centering around refugees. Screening Saturday 19 August, 12:15pm Centro.
FREE event tickets going fast. Please register for your tickets via the website.
