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WELCOME FESTIVAL SPONSOR

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 2007 Rosemount Dublin Australian Film Festival. The Australian Embassy in Dublin is proud to be involved with an event that showcases the diversity of contemporary Australian cinema. The film industry in is continuing to produce many high quality feature and documentary films. These films reflect, question and FESTIVAL PARTNER challenge how we see ourselves, while simultaneously offering the world a glimpse of contemporary Australia. Their quality showcases Australia as a vibrant, diverse, creative, talented and highly competitive player in every aspect of film production. FESTIVAL SUPPORTERS Australian actors such as Nicole Kidman, Geoffrey Rush, , Russell Crowe, Naomi Watts, , and Eric Bana have amassed a body of work that has won critical acclaim and commercial success around the world. Australia’s directors, producers, costume designers, writers, cinematographers and animators are attracting growing international attention and many overseas film producers come to Australia to take advantage of the world-class studio facilities, highly-skilled local FESTIVAL PATRON technical crews and the stunning diversity of the landscape. Jane Scott, film producer The selection of films featured in this year’s Festival provides audiences with the opportunity to sample an interesting and broad cross section of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS recent Australian cinema. Our thanks to those involved in assisting the IFI in producing this festival each year, I would like to thank all those who contributed their time and effort in most notably the good work of Trish bringing the collection to Dublin as well as the sponsors for supporting Crerar, who each year gives tremendous such a wonderful event. energy to this project, and to Leah McLennan from the Australian Embassy and Melissa Maloney of Austrade. Anne Plunkett Australian Ambassador to Ireland The Australian Ambassador to Ireland has, since her arrival here last year, shown fabulous enthusiasm for this CALENDAR festival, and a warm welcome to Amanda OPENING FILM Luttrell, her new first secretary, who began here last month. 48 SHADES MON 2 8.30 A big thanks to Barry Costello in Edward Dillon for his support. He brings Rosemount to the table, and without TEN CANOES TUES 3 6.30 Rosemount we would be missing both a THE CATERPILLAR WISH WED 4 6.30 fine wine and an Australian film festival in this country. SUBURBAN MAYHEM THURS 5 6.30 And finally a welcome and thanks to FIVE MOMENTS OF INFIDELITY FRI 6 6.30 everyone in Tourism Australia, who have decided to use this event to STRANDED [PLUS SEXY THING] SAT 7 2.30 showcase Australia to Ireland and to MACBETH SAT 7 6.30 support its future. KOKODA SUN 8 2.00 LIKE MINDS SUN 8 6.30 THE BALANDA & THE BARK CANOES MON 9 1.50 IRRESISTIBLE WED 11 6.30

6 Eustace Street CLOSING FILM Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Box office: 01-679 3477 2:37 THURS 12 APRIL 6.30 Buy online: www.irishfilm.ie ifi_aus_film_fest_07 23/03/2007 17:13 Page 3

48 SHADES TEN CANOES THE CATERPILLAR WISH

April 2 (8.30) April 3 (6.30) April 4 (6.30) director: Daniel Lapaine director: Rolf de Heer director: Sandra Sciberras

When 16-year-old Dan (Richard “A story like you’ve never heard In a small coastal town in Victoria, Wilson) declines to go to Geneva before” claims well-known Aboriginal 17-year-old Emily (Victoria Thaine) is with his parents for a year and actor David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril anxious to find out who was her father. instead shares a house with his Dalaithngu’s droll off-screen narrator, Her single mom Susan (Susie Porter) young aunt Jacq (Robin McLeavy) and this deeply enjoyable fable fully wants to keep the past closed off, and and fellow young tenant Naomi delivers on his promise. maintains that the father was a “tom (Emma Lung), he begins an Directed by Rolf de Heer and cat”—a tourist who came through the adventure which leads him to Peter Djigirr, Ten Canoes was town one summer and never returned. parties, new friends, and his first, conceived in collaboration with Local boatman Stephen (Robert troubled romance. the indigenous community of Mammone), however, is haunted by Through Daniel Lapaine’s deft Ramingining and developed into a the past and memories of his deceased script and direction, Nick Earls’ stylishly told ancient tale with a wife and daughter. Carl (Philip Quast), best-selling novel 48 Shades of Brown refreshingly modern feel. Setting out the town policeman, is hiding the past springs to the screen with as much on an annual goose egg collecting from his wife Elizabeth (Wendy freshness as its endearing and expedition, old Minygululu (Peter Hughes), while their older son Joel diverse characters. An observant and Minygululu) discovers that his (Khan Chittenden) has a secret affair thoroughly enjoyable coming of age younger unmarried brother Dayindi with Emily. story coloured by circumstance, (Jamie Dayindi Gulpilil Dalaithngu) Writer-director Sandra Sciberras emotions, expectations and dreams, has designs on his third and is making her second feature (after the film is as charming as it is funny. youngest wife. To “help him live the Deeper than Blue), and her storytelling We instantly warm to Richard proper way”, Minygululu decides to is more confident and accomplished Wilson’s protagonist Daniel, who tell him a salutary tale of wrong love, this time around. Sciberras’ focus is stumbles headfirst into situations he kidnapping, sorcery and inept on character, not action, and her had not even considered. Lapaine revenge set in the mythological past, scripts attract top-flight actors. She meticulously creates a mood and replete with plentiful digressions writes particularly well for women. environment that immediately gives and ample bawdy humour. In The Caterpillar Wish, Victoria us a sense of place. From Brisbane’s Combining ethnographic detail Thaine is a good fit for Sciberras’ sparkling harbour and cityscape of with an entertaining narrative, theme of the optimism and inno- suburban houses propped up on showing respect without being cence of youth. stilts, the mood, like the music, is preachy, this guilelessly enchanting AUSTRALIA, 2006. COLOUR. multi-faceted. Delightful. film is an unmissable one of a kind. DOLBY DIGITAL STEREO. 95 MIN. louise keller, Urban Cinefile. sandra hebron. AUSTRALIA, 2006. COLOUR. AUSTRALIA, 2006. SUBTITLED. MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE FUNDRAISER DOLBY DIGITAL STEREO. 96 MIN. COLOUR. ANAMORPHIC. DOLBY DIGITAL A number of tickets for The Caterpillar Wish are being made available for a fundraiser for this STEREO. 90 MIN. charity (CHY 14187) which will be followed by a Festival guest of honour wine reception in the IFI. Tickets for this are writer-director Daniel Lapaine See also The Balanda and the 140 and every cent will reach its destination will introduce his film. Bark Canoes, about the making of at the Department of Neuroscience at Ten Canoes. St Vincents. If you would like to support this, please contact Trish Crerar 086 356 7373. 1 ifi_aus_film_fest_07 23/03/2007 17:13 Page 4

SUBURBAN MAYHEM FIVE MOMENTS OF STRANDED INFIDELITY April 5 (6.30) April 7 (2.30) director: Paul Goldman April 6 (6.30) director: Stuart McDonald director: Kate Gorman Katrina Skinner (Emily Barclay) is a Made under an Australian Film single mum living with her baby and This thought-provoking first feature Commission initiative to develop her single dad. She manipulates her from former theatre and TV director emerging writers and directors, father to support her, just as she Kate Gorman chronicles moments of Stranded is a black comedy about a manipulates all men, using sex as infidelity across five different worlds girl trying to start a new life after the currency and an abnormal in the same city. There is the carefree loss of her mother. Claudia (Emma determination to get what she wants. sexy young things who think they Lung) lives and fights with her When her dad urges her to get a job have nothing to lose; the upwardly loving but inept father and psychotic and generally get real, Katrina fights mobile thirty-something couple with little sister. Moving into her back, with murderous consequences. perfect careers and family; the gay mother’s abandoned car in the drive- Wild and out of control, she’s pair with an open relationship; the way, Claudia plans to fix it and take rebellion in a mini-skirt. Emily frustrated urban duo hanging onto off—that’s if she can avoid falling in Barclay’s Katrina is a wonderful familiarity; and the suburban family love with the cute kleptomaniac invention, her sexy, bold exterior that’s riddled with secrets and lies. from the local supermarket. masking a cold, heartless vamp A believer in the Mike Leigh Taking his cue from Kathleen who instinctively tries to control approach of developing her scripts O’Brien’s excellent script, director everyone around her. Barclay is through a process of research and Stuart McDonald wisely opts for sensational, combining defiant rehearsals, Gorman has produced a dark humour rather than sentimen- callousness with a youthful complex and non-judgemental tality. There are serious themes innocence that begs forgiveness. In portrait of modern-day relationships here—hopelessness and suicide, her first screenplay, acclaimed writer in which infidelity is a common intimacy and responsibility—but the Alice Bell unleashes high energy and feature. “You have to appreciate that film-makers resist the temptation to emotional chaos. Director Paul people have different guidelines, so resort to emotional catharsis. Goldman’s film is brash and cloaked you can’t judge them,” says Gorman. AUSTRALIA, 2005. COLOUR. in a coat of black humour. It’s a bold “I’m not really saying that infidelity DIGITAL VIDEO. 52 MIN. Australian drama that stabs at is right or wrong. However, weaknesses and revels in misfortune, somebody gets hurt every time, so Plus Sexy Thing, director Denie yet the tone is surprisingly uplifting. the film is showing that infidelity Pentecost’s imaginative portrait of a louise keller, Urban Cinefile. does cause upset. That doesn’t mean day in the life of a 12-year-old girl AUSTRALIA, 2006. COLOUR. we should judge people.” who dives in and out of an DOLBY DIGITAL STEREO. 95 MIN. AUSTRALIA, 2005. COLOUR. underwater fantasy world. DOLBY DIGITAL STEREO. 90 MIN. (AUSTRALIA, 2006. COLOUR. 14 MIN.)

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MACBETH KOKODA LIKE MINDS

April 7 (6.30) April 8 (2.00) April 8 (6.30) director: Geoffrey Wright director: Alister Grierson Director: Gregory J. Read

Director Geoffrey Wright is faithful Kokoda is a film made as a Armed with more imagination than to Shakespeare’s written dialogue commemorative tribute to most thrillers, this Australian-UK but utterly transforms its context. Australian fighting forces in 1942. co-production is an intriguing Macbeth (played with wit and The title simultaneously represents whodunit centred on two privileged ferocity by Somersault’s Sam the closest Australia came to being schoolboys with an unhealthy Worthington) is recast as a pimped- invaded by the Japanese and an awful interest in the Knights Templar. out drug baron. Lady Macbeth theatre of war that defines the WWII Nerve centre of the elliptical tale (Victoria Hill) is Posh Spice on Aussie fighting spirit as uniquely as is a British police interrogation room valium, waking occasionally from does Gallipoli for WWI. where 17-year-old Alex Forbes (Eddie her bathtub stupors to engineer a The battles along the Kokoda Redmayne) has been charged with plot for her husband and his brutish track in New Guinea were fierce and the murder of Nigel (Tom Sturridge), friends to seize control of a crime gruelling. The punishing terrain and a fellow student Alex openly empire from glamorous Duncan weather conditions, combined with despised. Alex appears indifferent to (), lord of ’s dysentery, malaria and starvation, the gravity of his situation during a underworld. Once they commit tested both seasoned soldiers and grilling by police inspector McKenzie their infamous act, the pair young recruits. Avoiding the (), who has to call gradually give way to macho unwieldiness of the entire in forensic psychologist Sally Rowe Macduff (Lachy Hulme) and a snotty seven-month campaign, the film (Toni Collette) to secure a confession. Malcolm (Duncan’s son, played by focuses on a fictional small patrol As Sally discovers, everything fits Matt Doran), as Macbeth loses the of irregular soldiers (derisively into Alex’s belief in Gestalt—the confidence of the gang. nicknamed ‘chocos’ or ‘chocolate attainment of a unified whole that’s Wright—the gifted, rancorous soldiers’), cut off behind enemy much more important than the sum Australian who brought us Romper lines, who must rejoin their of its parts. From this intriguing set- Stomper—sets himself a monumental battalion in the lead up to the deci- up, the film darts cleverly between task here. Without making trite, easy sive battle. The ensemble cast shines Alex’s present psychiatric evaluation associations, he constantly draws through the mud and blood of battle, and flashbacks to his relationship parallels between his rampaging the action is confidently handled by with Nigel. All this might come Melbourne hoods and the great deputing feature director Alister across as absurd if it weren’t for a moments of crime cinema, from Little Grierson, and Jules O’Loughlin’s well-honed screenplay that casts fur- Caesar to GoodFellas. This is cinema at cinematography is evocative, ther suspicion in several directions. its most daring and compelling. dramatic and creative. richard kuipers, Variety. noah cowan. AUSTRALIA, 2006. COLOUR. AUSTRALIA-U.K., 2006. COLOUR. AUSTRALIA, 2006. COLOUR. DOLBY DIGITAL STEREO. 95 MIN. ANAMORPHIC. DOLBY DIGITAL STEREO. DOLBY DIGITAL STEREO. 109 MIN. 109 MIN.

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THE BALANDA AND IRRESISTIBLE 2:37 THE BARK CANOES April 11 (6.30) April 12 (6.30) April 9 (1.50) director: Ann Turner director: Murali K. Thalluri directors: Molly Reynolds, Tanya Nehme, Rolf de Heer Book illustrator Sophie (Susan In a contemporary urban Australian Sarandon) is still grieving over her high school three months before Several notches above a regulation mother’s death as she tries to year’s end, a terrible incident is making-of documentary, this is an complete an assignment, with discovered behind the locked door enlightening excursion to the remote support from her busy architect of a toilet. It is the culmination of set of Rolf de Heer’s Ten Canoes. husband Craig (Sam Neill) and her a story about half a dozen of the Centred on cross-cultural issues teenage daughters. When she begins students who are each dealing with tackled by writer-director de Heer, to hear noises in the house, Sophie’s deeply troubling personal issues. co-director Peter Djigirr and their suspicions fall on Craig’s pretty new There’s nothing new about Aboriginal collaborators, the film assistant, Mara (Emily Blunt), whom teenage angst, but there’s plenty gracefully illustrates storytelling she believes is preying on her family. that’s new in the way first time methodology on both sides of the Susan Sarandon, who can always young director Murali K. Thalluri cultural divide. be relied upon to give depth to treats the subject in 2:37. It’s a Concerned with more than troubled, highly strung characters, stunning debut, in which the film’s simply the practicalities of working is well cast in this psychological design is handled with as much with non-professional actors in drama-cum-mystery thriller from complexity as the topic. Circular in crocodile infested locations, de director Ann Turner (Celia). There structure, dipping back in time from Heer’s eloquent narration lays bare are echoes of classic suspense films different perspectives like a rewind what went right and what didn’t. like Vertigo, Suspicion and Gaslight in button, the film’s narrative is Long before cameras roll, de Heer is this genuinely scary tale about the coloured by documentary-style involved in complex consultations psychology of paranoia. Brilliant at insights from each of the main with Aboriginal cast and community projecting a combination of strength players. It is about their hopes and members. Taking misunderstand- and vulnerability, Sarandon brings dreams that they confide as though ings and near-disasters in its stride, total conviction to the role of a they are sharing their innermost this heartfelt documentary emerges woman on the edge. There’s strong thoughts with a secret friend. as an uplifting account of how a support from Neill as the seemingly Superb performances and a clever free-for-all topic evolved into a innocent husband, while Blunt structure make for a tense and viable cinematic entity. exudes a potent sexuality as the intriguing drama. richard kuipers, Variety. younger woman intent on AUSTRALIA, 2006. COLOUR. AUSTRALIA, 2006. COLOUR. infiltrating the family. DOLBY DIGITAL STEREO. 94 MIN. DIGITAL VIDEO. 52 MIN. AUSTRALIA, 2006. COLOUR. DOLBY DIGITAL STEREO. 100 MIN. Plus Welcome 2 My Deaf World, Helen Gaynor’s captivating documentary about two deaf teenagers who are going through the same rites of passage as any other young people. (AUSTRALIA, 2005. COLOUR. DIGITAL VIDEO. 52 MIN.)

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