TheThe PunPundit your free,indep endent guide to the 2006 melbo urne internatio nal fi lm festival Welcome to The Pundit 1 A New Leaf Media Publishing Editor ....................................... Lefa Singleton Associate Publishing Editor .............................. Tim Norton Surviving MIFF3 Editorial Editor in Chief ..................................................... Tim Norton Film Index4 Sub-Editorial Manager .................................... Jane Watkins Submissions Manager .............................. Paul D’Agostino Contributing Editors .................................... Lefa Singleton Critiquing the Critics5 Jane Watkins Paul D’Agostino Art Director ........................................................ Tim Norton Farewell Mr Hewison7 Photography ....................................................... Max Milne Hybrid Rooster .............................................. tin&ed design Zombie Melbourne8 Sub-Editors: Patricia Bieszk, Kate Blanch, Alice Gage, Ben Gook, Rachael Howlett, Alethea Kinsela, Irene Korsten, Melissa Krafchek, Andrea MacGlashan, Laura MacIntyre, Sarah Nichols, Jana Raus, Australian Showcase9 Jonathan Rivett, Varunika Ruwanpura, Janette Sato, Vivienne Scott, Michaela Skelly, Gillian Terzis International Showcase11 Contributors: Tim Adams, Tom Arup, Patricia Bieskz, Kate Blanch, Sarah Bones, James Brown, Tamara Caddy, Paul Callaghan, Karen Cudal, Mel Campbell, Queenie Chan, Emergence: New Women Filmmakers24 Lisa Dempster, Kim Edwards, Seb Fowler, Jess Friedmann, Alice Gage, Sophie Gaston, Ben Gook, Ewan Gordon, Jade Gulliver, Joel Guye, Glen Hancox, Rebecca Harkins- Return of the Vikings25 Cross, Richie Hebden, Rachael Howlett, Richard Ibrahim, Madeleine Jenkins, Melanie Joosten, Mike Katsieris, Alethea Kinsela, Irene Korsten, Kirsten Law, Germaine Danmark Nu26 Lim, Magenta Magenta, Kathryn Martin, Carla McConnell, Sarah Miller, Greg Ng, Claire O’Boyle, Anne-Marie Peard, Rees Quilford, Jana Raus, Varunika Ruwanpura, Animation Gallery28 Janette Sato, Maggie Scott, Anna Sutton, Gillian Terzis, Emma Watts, Richard Watts, Sam Wilson, May Yong ISSN: 1833-7848 An Interview with Jafar Panahi29 Thanks: James Hewison, Louise, Asha, Penny, the board, guests & staff of MIFF, Dave & Andy @ Crumpler, Martin Jafar Panahi: Filmmaker In Focus30 @ The Big Issue, staff @ Greater Union, RMIT Capitol Theatre, the Regent Theatre, ACMI & the Forum, Ghita Loebenstein, Peter, Anne & Brendan @ Slingshot, Axle Hitting Home32 Glass, The Is Not Crew, Jim Schembri, Adrian Martin, Pauk, Megan Spencer, Erin Free, Thomas @ Fitzroy Shorts, Simon @ Realm of the Senses, Dante’s Restaurant, Homelands Now33 Lynette @ Loop, Caffe Centro Venti, Max Milne, Anne & Rode, Judy & Lawrence, tin&ed design, Cafe CoCo, Richard Watts, Major Tom, & cinefiles everywhere. Long Way from Asia35 The opinions expressed in The Pundit are the views of the authors alone. They do not necessarily represent Regional Focus36 the views of the editors or of A New Leaf Media – its management, staff, or sponsors. The Pundit aims its material to be accurate at the time of print but this is sometimes not always possible. The Pundit, all articles, Transcience: The Asian Metropolis38 interviews and reviews are published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- No Derivs 2.1 Australia Licence. Brain Monkey Sushi40 Published by A New Leaf Media The Pundit Globalised41 PO Box 1426 Fitzroy North VIC 3068 (03) 8486 2154 www.thepundit.com.au Unholy Confessions42 Editor: [email protected] Submissions: [email protected] Design: [email protected] Documentaries43 The Pundit is produced with the support of The Foundation for Young Australians, Crumpler Bags, RMIT Trespass & Trickery in LA50 Union Arts & the Melbourne City Mission Slingshot Program. We gratefully acknowledge that we would be unable to produce this magazine without their assistance. Super SK8MM + Mixed Cheese Bits51 Printed by Multi Art Printing (03) 9329 3833 A New Leaf Media wish to acknowledge that we Film On Film52 are on Indigenous ground - this land is the spiritual and sacred place of the Wurrundjeri, Bunurong, Woiwurrung and Wathurong ancestors and continues Searching for a Backbeat Pulse53 to be a place of significance for all people of the Kullin nations. Further, we thank them for sharing this land with us and agree to respect their laws and lores. Backbeat: Music On Film54 3 Surviving MIFF: MIFF is upon us once more, ready to More than just allowing writers these ensnare the better part of Melbourne in opportunities, The Pundit offer a truly the allure of dark, comforting cinemas, independent voice. Whilst you may not bad popcorn and amazing cinematic always agree with the opinions of our your guide to experiences. In this, James Hewison’s final writers, you can take their advice in year as Executive Director, we see a truly whatever form it appears. The Pundit eclectic mix of films, combining to make a is free to any good home, and what whole far greater than the sum of its parts. better home than in your cold hands as From the ever-powerful documentary you wait in line for what I hope will be making the section, to the resurgence of Danish cinema, a rewarding experience. Our magazine right through to skateboarding movies is intended to give you a snapshot of an from the 1970s; MIFF 06 is everything to incredible film festival, written by the next anyone who calls Melbourne home. generation of journalists and critics. Richard Watts, Martin Hughes and most of your But who are we to tell you such things? Penny Modra deserve a special mention. We are an independent magazine, born Their advice enabled us to make the from the ashes of a dying breed of student right decisions with this magazine. I writers. Dying because our government give unmeasurable thanks to my partner is determined to do in student unions Lefa, without whom this project would festival with VSU legislation, cutting the lifeline not exist; editors Paul and Jane, who to student magazines and newspapers tirelessly work at making our publications that give young writers their first chance a reality; our many sub-editors and writers; at a writing career. Through the support and of course you, the loyal punter. Richard Watts offers advice on maximizing of The Foundation for Young Australians, your enjoyment at the festival Crumpler Bags and RMIT Union Arts, the Remember: no one person’s opinion opportunities available to young writers is worth the world. Pick a random film, Tackling a film festival of MIFF’s your ears and tune in to the conversations eye out for friends and acquaintances have increased with this magazine. It’s a take a punt and discover for yourself. I magnitude takes planning, courage and a around you: you might chance upon further up the line, and claiming that magazine for you, the public; you, the critic; hope you’ll be pleasantly surprised. degree of strategy that would not be out something special as a consequence. you need to use the toilets in the Capitol you, the cinema-goer; you, The Pundit. of place in a seasoned military campaign. foyer, or the upstairs candy bar at the Chief Editor Tim Norton Regardless of whether you’re a festival Make new friends Forum, and afterwards merging with novice or a seasoned trouper, here are a Introduce yourself to the person sitting the line as it begins to flow forward. A few suggestions that might help you get next to you. Ask them what they’ve seen, little cheating goes a long way when it the most out of your MIFF experience. what they recommend, and what films they ensures that you can grab a good seat. would avoid this year. Not only will this pass Research the time until the film starts, but it’s also Eating Every film in the program is written up in an excellent way of widening your radar to Plastic bags rustling noisily behind me in such glowing terms that it’s hard to know include some film choices you may not have the cinema are one of my pet hates, and I which of them are actually any good. If you considered. It might also encourage you to know I’m not alone in this. If you’re taking have limited time and money, you don’t cross a film off your list if your neighbour supplies of food and other substances to want to waste your Mini Pass selections describes it as ‘a cinematic abomination’ help sustain you through the Festival, then on a dud. This is where websites such or ‘the single worst film I’ve ever seen’. try to ensure that they’re not going to impact as the Internet Movie Database (www. on the crowd around you when you decide imdb.com), Senses of Cinema (www. Take some risks to have a nibble halfway through the film. senseofcinema.com) and even plain old Are you normally the sort of person who Nuts, dried fruit and other healthy snacks Google are invaluable. Finding a few avoids a particular genre of film the way are recommended, as is a thermos of good reviews of the films you’re interested in John Howard avoids apologies? Maybe this coffee or a revitalizing hipflask of scotch. from other festivals or overseas press year it’s time to let your hair down. Take in can go a long way towards helping you a documentary on a subject unknown to Documenting determine your final Festival selection. you, or submerse yourself in a short film If you’re seeing three or four films a day, package. If you adore Iranian cinema, take they’re going to start blurring together Eavesdrop the chance on a British horror film as well. after a while. A notebook is handy for Queues are a part of life at MIFF, and Think of the festival as a buffet—pile up jotting down comments on the films that while they may be annoying, they also your plate with a little bit of everything. you’ve seen, and will also proves useful provide an excellent means of discovering MIFF is a cinematic feast for all manner should you manage to score a date—or which films are the hot favourites of the of palates, and you shouldn’t be afraid at least the suggestion of a good film in Festival each year.