BFS: Program 2002

FEBRUARY
23rd

Central do Brasil (Central Station), Walter Salles, Brazil 1998 (M)
Sentimental Brazilian drama about a cynical woman's relationship with a young boy. 106min

Tango, Carlos Saura, Argentina 1998 (M)
A middle-aged tango dancer, deserted by his spouse, decides to make a film about the dance he loves. 117min

Blue Velvet, David Lynch, USA 1986 (R)
A man returns to his home town and discovers a severed human ear in a field. Not satisfied with the police's pace, he carries out his own investigation. 120min

24th
Hollow Man, Paul Verhoeven, Neth 2000 (MA)
Sci-fi thriller about scientists who invent a formula for becoming invisible. When one of them experiments with the process, he begins a spiral of psychological decay and begins terrorising the group. 114min

Oscar & Lucinda, Gillian Armstrong, Aus 1997 (MA)
A preacher and an heiress share a passion for gambling in this eccentric 19th-century romance. 132min

Il Conformista (The Conformist), Bernardo Bertolucci, Italy 1970 (MA)
Tense historical thriller about an Italian who joins Mussolini's secret police. Intricate plot and strong character studies. Enjoyable European cinema. 108min

28th
Australian Dream, Jacki McKimmie, Aus 1986
Satirical look at Queensland politics and suburban lifestyle. This film elicited scathing reviews and damnation from the Queensland press when it was released. 85min

The Clinic, David Stevens, Aus 1982
Drawn from real life experience
working in a Sydney VD clinic. Honest and often humorous. 92min

MARCH
14th
Unfinished Business, Bob Ellis, Aus 1985
Comedy about a forty-something journalist, Clayton. Suffering a mild case of midlife crisis, he renews the acquaintance of a one-time girl friend. Now married, she is dissatisfied with her childless state. Clayton has the perfect solution: he'll impregnate her, and hubby will be none the wiser. 78min

Gebroken Spiegels (Broken Mirrors), Marleen Gorris, Neth 1984
different kind of thriller, drawing together the almost ritualised degradation experienced by the main characters, one who works in a brothel, and the other a victim of the atrocities of a serial killer. 110min

28th
AZ en XX. Szazadom (My 20th Century), Ildiko Enyedi, Poland 1988
Identical twins, mysteriously separated, come together unknowingly nineteen years later, on the Orient express to Budapest. One a gorgeous con artist, the other an anarchist with a plan for a bomb. 102min

La Muerte de un Burocrata (Death of a Bureaucrat), Thomas Alea, Cuba 1966
A comedy about a widow who makes increasingly bizarre attempts to exhume her husband, since he was buried with the union card she needs in order to collect his pension. 83min

APRIL
11th

7.30pmAnimations under consideration include: Bambi Meets Godzilla, Ballet Robotique, Rick & Steve (a leggo-mation), Adam Elliot's clay-mation trilogy Uncle, Cousin and Brother, The Ugly Duckling, and a range of local wines

25th
Soldaat van Oranje (Soldier of Orange), Paul Verhoeven, Neth 1978
Sweeping, true-life drama about six Dutch classmates torn apart by WWII. With its richly developed characters, moving narrative, and engaging suspense, this is guaranteed satisfaction for war, drama and art-house fans. 156min

MAY
9th
Take Off, Gunvor Nelson, USA 1960,
The Stripper, Siew Beh, USA 1960,
Schmeerguntz, Wiley & Nelson, USA 1960,
Once Upon a Prime Time, Bernard Devlin, Canada 1966,
Behind Closed Doors, Ludo McFerran, Australia 1980

High Tide, Gillian Armstrong, Aus 1988
Art-house sleeper about an Australian backup singer, stranded in a backwater town, who meets the daughter she abandoned years before. This hip, redemption drama appeals to lovers of non-mainstream, multi-layered character portraits. 103min

23rd
Strange Fits of Passion, Elise McCredie, Aus 1999
Quirky romantic comedy/drama from Oz about a hapless young woman trying to lose her virginity. It twists and turns and takes you on a trip of self realisation. The secondary story line, of her best friend, is heart wrenching. 88min

Macunaima, Joaquim de Andrade, Brazil 1969
About a native Brazilian born a Dark-Black baby to a White mother and all White siblings. Now fully grown, Macunaima faces the harsh reality of his colour. He then finds a well that spurts water which turns him White, it changes his life and opens doors of opportunity. 98min

JUNE
6th
Japanese Animations

Ai No Corrida (The Realm of the Senses), Nigisa Oshima, Japan 1976
Based on a true story. Acclaimed, explicit, controversial erotic trailblazer paints a portrait of a sexually obsessive relationship set in '30s Japan. Stunning, sensual photography, a cult favourite. 97m

20th
Bedevil, Tracey Moffatt, Aus-Abor 1993
This unique collection of stories sits alone in the "Indigenous Australian supernatural mystery-comedy" genre. The stories are different, being amusing and slightly chilling at the same time. 86min

Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque Nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), Pedro Almodovar, Spain 1988
Wickedly funny movie about an actress who gets dumped by her lover, and how she responds. Full of zany characters, and everyone's path keeps crossing each other's in a very complicated and confusing manner. 89min

JULY
4th
Apocalypse Now Redux, Francis Coppola, USA 1979-2001 and symbolic sequences detailing the confusion, violence, fear, and nightmarish madness of the Vietnam War. It still remains a brilliant evocation of the madness and horrors of war. Twenty-two years after its original release, a longer, expanded and restored version of the film was released. Find out what Coppola really meant ! 197min

18th
Porklips Now, Ernie Fosselius, 1980
A parody of "Apocalypse Now". A fine piece of film, pointing out the absurdities of another fine film. 22min

Guelwaar, Ousmane Sembene, Africa 1992
Burial of a Christian political activist in a Muslim cemetery forces a religious conflict. A satiric portrayal of religion and politics, sometimes humorous, sometimes deadly serious. 113min

26
th
Mid-Winter Movie Marathon – All night long !
F**kland, Jose Marques, Argentina 2001. A docu-style film on a very diabolical plan for revenge on Argentina's defeat in the Falklands. The BFS will screen it before its commercial release !

Other films under consideration: Blade Runner, Ridley Scott, USA 1982, Deep Red, Dario Argento, Italy 1975; gems from the Melbourne Underground Film Festival, The Masturbating Gunman, Mark Savage Aus 1997, Sensitive New Age Killer, Mark Savage Aus 2000, Narcosys Aus 2000. The night will close with the musical tour-de-force Gimme Shelter, Albert & David Maysles, USA 1970

AUGUST
1st
Chaplin's First Films, USA 1916, Lumiere Programme, France 1896, News from Home, Movietone & Cinesound, 1946

The Elephant Man, David Lynch, 1980
A man is a human freak until he is discovered by a London doctor (Anthony Hopkins) who treats him with the kindness and intelligence he deserves, although unfortunately he can never lead a 'normal' life. 123min

15th
Don't Call Me Girlie Stewart Young, Andree Wright, Australia 1985
A survey of the role of women in the Australian cinema from the beginning to 1940 using interviews and archival footage. Includes extracts from 'A Girl of the Bush' (1921), 'The Cheaters' (1929), 'The Squatter's Daughter' (1933), 'The Silence of Dean Maitland' (1937) and 'Dad and Dave Come to Town' (1938).

Die Verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum (Lost Honour of KB), Germany 1975
The story of a woman falsely accused of being a terrorist. Civil liberties compromised because of terrorist threats, sounds actual, doesn't it ?… 106min

29th
Seduction 101, Tony McNamara, Aus 1996, Experiment in Romance, Robert Sdraulig, Aus 1981

Z, Costa Gavras, France 1968
Based on true-life incident. Concerns political assassination and the chilling aftermath. Chronicles the overthrow of the democratic government in Greece. 125min

SEPTEMBER
12th
Teapot Town, 1936,
Marijuana, 1968,
Drugs and the Nervous System, 1972,
Beyond LSD, a Film for Concerned Adults & Teenagers, 1968

Dune, David Lynch, 1984
Visually sumptuous far-future epic about intergalactic clans battling to control a strategically vital desert planet. Its rich scenery, often-surreal atmosphere, has acquired a sizeable cult following. 137min

26th
Naughty Nostalgia, USA 1988
Three of the earliest known naughties of the 1920ies. Each complete with title-cards, honky-tonk music, and vintage automobiles and hats. 51min

The Ploughman's Lunch, Richard Eyre, UK 1983
A deceitful journalist tries every trick in the book to enable him to claw his way to the top of his profession. In the midst of his mendacious plans, he is astonished to discover that he has been the object of a deception far more clever than his own. 105min

OCTOBER
17th
Lost Highway, David Lynch, 1997
A successful saxophone player begins to think that his wife is cheating on him. A mysterious set of video-cassettes start to appear at his doorstep, one of them showing him killing his wife. A whole new portrayal of 'deja-vu', cleverly confusing. 135min

Pretty as a Picture, Toby Keeler & David Lynch, 1997
Documentary on David Lynch. 80min

31st
Il Gattopardo (The leopard), Luchino Visconti, Italy 1963
A great landowner has to watch the decrease of his power and influence after 'Il Risorgimento', the unification of Italy. 161min

NOVEMBER
14th
The Bed, USA 1968