Movies were destroyed and awards given to the destructors at the 12th annual Melbourne Underground Film Festival, which was held back on Aug. 19-28.
The Best Film of the fest, as chosen by jury head Jimmy the Exploder in in consultation with The Muff team, was the controversial A Serbian Film by Srdjan Spasojevic, which has been banned in some parts of the country, but now available on DVD in others.
Other big winners are: Larry Wessel who took home Best Director and Best Documentary for his epic 4-hour profile of cult figure Boyd Rice, Iconoclast (Watch the trailer.); Viva Bianca and Hanna Mangan Lawrence appropriately shared the Best Actress award for their starring roles in Jon Hewitt‘s X (Watch the trailer); and John V. Soto”s Needle took home numerous awards such as Best Actor (Michael Dorman), Best Cinematography (D.P. Stephen F. Windon), Best Poster (Horror Version) and the Special Jury Prize.
The Best Film of the fest, as chosen by jury head Jimmy the Exploder in in consultation with The Muff team, was the controversial A Serbian Film by Srdjan Spasojevic, which has been banned in some parts of the country, but now available on DVD in others.
Other big winners are: Larry Wessel who took home Best Director and Best Documentary for his epic 4-hour profile of cult figure Boyd Rice, Iconoclast (Watch the trailer.); Viva Bianca and Hanna Mangan Lawrence appropriately shared the Best Actress award for their starring roles in Jon Hewitt‘s X (Watch the trailer); and John V. Soto”s Needle took home numerous awards such as Best Actor (Michael Dorman), Best Cinematography (D.P. Stephen F. Windon), Best Poster (Horror Version) and the Special Jury Prize.
- 8/31/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Birthday Trailer. James Harkness‘ Birthday (2011) movie trailer stars Natalie Eleftheriadis, Kestie Morassi, Richard Wilson, Travis McMahon, and Ra Chapman. Birthday‘s plot synopsis: “M (Natalie Eleftheriadis) is the highest paid professional of the many girls at Scarlet’s, but, even on her 25th birthday, it’s business as usual. M’s trade is sex, but sex doesn’t sell the way it used to; what client’s are searching for, paying for… is love. Instead of celebrating, her day is spent answering the silent prayers of Father Phillip (Travis McMahon), who has lost his faith and providing counsel to her colleagues, the vivacious Lily (Kestie Morassi) and troubled Cindy (Ra Chapman).
Amidst the many dramas that unfold and the demands of the ‘no- nonsense’ Scarlet (Chantal Contouri), M’s secret birthday wish goes unanswered. That is, until Joey (Richard Wilson) knocks on her door; a young man, forgotten by the world,...
Amidst the many dramas that unfold and the demands of the ‘no- nonsense’ Scarlet (Chantal Contouri), M’s secret birthday wish goes unanswered. That is, until Joey (Richard Wilson) knocks on her door; a young man, forgotten by the world,...
- 8/22/2011
- by filmbook
- Film-Book
When one thinks of kinky sex (well, there’s a lot to think about…) one immediately thinks of Secretary, the hit Sundance film from the late 1990s, starring James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Maybe Birthday could change that? It premiered recently at the Melbourne International Film Festival and Twitch has the trailer.
Directed by James Harkness, the erotic drama follows M, who is the highest paid professional of the many girls at Scarlet’s, but even on her 25th birthday, it’s business as usual. M’s trade is sex, but sex doesn’t sell the way it used to; what client’s are searching for, paying for… is love. Instead of celebrating, her day is spent answering the silent prayers of Father Phillip, who has lost his faith and providing counsel to her colleagues, the vivacious Lily and troubled Cindy. Amidst the many dramas that unfold and the demands of the ‘no-nonsense’ Scarlet,...
Directed by James Harkness, the erotic drama follows M, who is the highest paid professional of the many girls at Scarlet’s, but even on her 25th birthday, it’s business as usual. M’s trade is sex, but sex doesn’t sell the way it used to; what client’s are searching for, paying for… is love. Instead of celebrating, her day is spent answering the silent prayers of Father Phillip, who has lost his faith and providing counsel to her colleagues, the vivacious Lily and troubled Cindy. Amidst the many dramas that unfold and the demands of the ‘no-nonsense’ Scarlet,...
- 8/22/2011
- by Jon Peters
- Killer Films
Movies will be destroyed once and for all! The 12th annual Melbourne Underground Film Festival is upon us with their great theme of Destroy All Movies. The fest runs Aug. 19-28 and to mark the anarchic occasion, filmmaker Palomar has created two official festival trailers, embedded above and below.
MUFF12 opens on the 19th with the highly controversial A Serbian Film by Srdjan Spasojevic, which has been banned all over the world, including most recently in South Australia! So, if you’re an Australian citizen living in or near Melbourne, take this rare opportunity to see this movie that many of your fellow countrymen won’t be able to.
Other films screening at the fest include the epic documentary on the world’s most dangerous artist, Boyd Rice, Iconoclast directed by Larry Wessel. Plus, there are homegrown flicks like Chris Sun’s Come and Get Me, Boronia Backpackers by Timothy Spanos,...
MUFF12 opens on the 19th with the highly controversial A Serbian Film by Srdjan Spasojevic, which has been banned all over the world, including most recently in South Australia! So, if you’re an Australian citizen living in or near Melbourne, take this rare opportunity to see this movie that many of your fellow countrymen won’t be able to.
Other films screening at the fest include the epic documentary on the world’s most dangerous artist, Boyd Rice, Iconoclast directed by Larry Wessel. Plus, there are homegrown flicks like Chris Sun’s Come and Get Me, Boronia Backpackers by Timothy Spanos,...
- 8/18/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Destroy All Movies! That’s the cheeky theme to the 12th annual Melbourne Underground Film Festival, which will run on August 19-28.
Festival director Richard Wolstencroft lays out his philosophy for this year’s Muff in an excellent Director’s Statement, which is published in the fest’s program guide. He explains his provocative statement as thus:
“Destroy All Movies” can be taken as a query, a question and even a complaint about cinema itself. Most of us love movies. I still do, of course. I am obsessed by them as ever. Making, watching and showing them. But how often do we question our passion in this kind of ontological sense?
In that regard, Muff is a much more focused and scaled back event this year with less films screening, but with a tighter consideration of local talent, as well as a larger, more provocative stance as ever.
Muff has...
Festival director Richard Wolstencroft lays out his philosophy for this year’s Muff in an excellent Director’s Statement, which is published in the fest’s program guide. He explains his provocative statement as thus:
“Destroy All Movies” can be taken as a query, a question and even a complaint about cinema itself. Most of us love movies. I still do, of course. I am obsessed by them as ever. Making, watching and showing them. But how often do we question our passion in this kind of ontological sense?
In that regard, Muff is a much more focused and scaled back event this year with less films screening, but with a tighter consideration of local talent, as well as a larger, more provocative stance as ever.
Muff has...
- 7/29/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
It's not often an Australia film returns to Australian shores on a wave of critical praise but this is what occurred with the new drama from director James Harkness, Birthday. After being screened to sold-out audiences at the Anchorage International Film Festival (Aiff), Birthday's Australian premiere will be held Sunday, February 28 at the Randwick Ritz Cinema as part of the inaugural Australian Film Festival. Based on the play of the same name by director James Harkness, Birthday is the story of M (Natalie Eleftheriadis), a sex worker reflecting on her uneventful 25th birthday. She goes to work like she does every day but learns that even the most unexpected birthday wishes can come true.
- 2/24/2010
- FilmInk.com.au
While some don't believe wishes come true, they certainly are for writer and director J. Harkness (Shot Of Love) as his latest film, Birthday, has been Officially Selected In Competition for the Anchorage International Film Festival, and will be releasing in Australia in 2010. J. Harkness' first wish was to adapt his stage play, Birthday, into an independent feature film. This wish came true when he found financial backing, a passionate and impressive cast, and the support of the sex industry, in which the film is set. All were inspired by Birthday's story of human intimacy and love within the conflicting and compelling world of sex workers, and the film was filmed in Harkness' home town of Adelaide in 2008, with a cast that includes Kestie Morassi (Wolf Creek), Richard Wilson (Clubland), Travis McMahon (Kokoda), Chantal Contouri and newcomer and co-producer Natalie Eleftheriadis in the lead role.
- 12/1/2009
- FilmInk.com.au
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