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FACT IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN FICTION
Four new major movies are based on real events, ranging from an
episode in the history of Australian Aborigines’ Stolen Generation, through a decade
in the life of world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, to a bitter battle in
Somalia’s civil war in 1993, and the tragedy of Patrice Lumumba’s assasination
in the newly independent Congo of 1960. They all demonstrate what little progress we have
made as a species towards tolerance, argues Andrew L. Urban.
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FAMILY CRACKERS: HOW CRACKERS IS YOUR FAMILY CHRISTMAS?
The 71 year old Warren Mitchell and the 13 year old Daniel Kellie
co-star in Family Crackers, the new grown up comedy shooting in
Melbourne, where Andrew L. Urban attends a chaotic dinner on set.
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FAVOURITE FILMS OF 2005
We have published reviews of 283 films which were released in Australian cinemas this calendar year, ranging from arthouse to farthouse; here – after a robust discussion between the editors - is our (alphabetical) list of the 40 favourites - and our 10 least favourites [see right hand column].
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FCCA AWARDS 2002 - NOMINATIONS
David Caesar’s engrossing story of a singular young man’s sudden
return to his country town, Mullet, has evidently stunned Australian film critics, earning
six nominations including Best Film, in the awards presented by Film
Critics Circle of Australia.
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FCCA AWARDS 2002 - WINNERS
Loved or hated, film critics play a role as one interface between filmmakers and the
audience. This year’s Film Critics Circle Awards reflect the high standard of
Australian filmmaking evident in films released in 2001: every nominee deserves to be a
winner, says Andrew L. Urban, from the presentation ceremony (22/2/2002).
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FCCA AWARDS 2004 NOMINATIONS
Young people, old people, new people, lost people – and finished people: this year’s batch of nominees for Best Film awarded by the Film Critics Circle of Australia shows there were at least four excellent feature films released in the past 12 months. (Pic, The Finished People)
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FCCA AWARDS 2004 WINNERS
While Somersault continued its winning streak at the Film Critics Circle Awards, Tom White also won some major awards, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Actor.
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FCCA AWARDS 2006 - WINNERS
Film critics award Ten Canoes and Jindabyne, and Kenny’s Shane Jaconson gets
Best Actor nod.
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FCCA AWARDS 2007 – NOMINATIONS
Happy Feet won George Miller the AFI’s Global Achievement Award and the film
took out the IF’s Box Office Award with its $31 million takings (not to mention
an Oscar and a BAFTA for Best Animated Feature) but Australian film critics have
not found any aspect of the film outstanding enough for a nomination or a
special mention, reports Andrew L. Urban.
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FCCA AWARDS 2007 – WINNERS
With six awards, Noise was the biggest winner in last week’s Film Critics Circle
of Australia awards for films released in 2007 – the first time in years that
the FCCA has held its awards after the end of the calendar year.
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FCCA AWARDS 2008 - NOMINATIONS
Considering the mixed reviews it received, the public may be surprised to see
Baz Luhrmann’s Australia nominated in the Best Film category of the Film Critics
Circle of Australia (FCCA) awards – but not Baz. And in a radical change, this
year’s awards have expanded the documentary section to three categories, two of
them (feature length and short) selected by a special jury.
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FCCA AWARDS 2009 – WINNERS
The Black Balloon and Unfinished Sky were both recognised by the critics at the
2009 FCCA Awards, presented on Friday February 13 at Greater Union Cinemas at
Bondi Junction, Sydney.
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FEEDING FRENZY - MAN AND FISH IN PERIL
There’s a lot more to what we eat than what we see in our shops, and two new
investigative documentaries opening within a week of each other in May deliver
shocking insights into the hidden worlds of food manufacture (Food Inc, May 20)
and commercial fishing (The End of the Line, May 13). Andrew L. Urban reports.
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FEELING SEXY - ON LOCATION
ANDREW L. URBAN visits the set of Feeling Sexy, where
artist Davida Allen is making her first, nerve wrecking foray into filmmaking – with some helpers on hand.
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FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING – FELLOW-TALK
Richard Taylor is no mere backroom boy - he’s the driving force behind the
physicality of Middle-earth; the Hobbits are central to the story and its spirit; Hugo
Weaving is Elrond, the elf lord who wanted the Ring destroyed; Barrie M. Osborne is the
midwife producer: making The Lord of the Rings required more reality than fantasy and the
making of Middle-Earth artefacts, not mere props, they tell Andrew L. Urban.
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FESTIVAL FILMS TO OWN – VIA BROADBAND
Broadband users can collect independently made, festival-selected films at a fair and
reasonable price (US$0.99 for shorts, US$5.99 for features); download shorts, features
and documentaries that have been screened at festivals around the world but often are
never seen again. Urban Cinefile and Canada’s CineClix.com have forged an agreement
to make it easy for internet users to own their own collection of quality independent
productions – including Australian films. Here is a selection to whet your appetite;
to explore the ever expanding range of films available, visit CineClix
News Flash: Aussie CineFest an ever expanding section featuring a selection of Australian films.
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FESTIVAL OF GERMAN FILMS 2008
Oscar winning Austrian/German drama, The Counterfeiters, is one of the
highlights of this year’s Festival of German Films, along with some tuff stuff
as well as crowd pleasing comedies, reports Andrew L. Urban.
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FESTIVALS IN QUESTION
Now that all three major capital city film festivals are
over for another year, a new debate is emerging: what’s the
function of a film festival as arthouse films are becoming more
and more popular? Are these festivals just advance previews of
films that are lining up for commercial release? ANDREW L. URBAN
enters the debate.
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FIFTH ELEMENT (THE) : DOOR BETWEEN DIMENSIONS
Selected as the opening film for the prestigious 50th
Annual Cannes Film Festival, The Fifth Element opened in Australia on May 15, 1997. Louise Keller compiles background data on how the film got made.
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FIGHT CLUB
Brad Pitt and Edward Norton star in Fight Club, David Fincher’s new movie. Like
Fincher’s previous film, Seven (in which Pitt also starred), it’s not easy viewing,
but it’s already being labelled a masterpiece. Pitt expects it to be 'hammered' for
immorality, he tells our UK correspondent NICK RODDICK. But there's more to it than that;
like, how hard is it to be a man today.
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FILM CRITICS AWARDS 1999
Sydney - midnight, Friday February 12, 1999: Renowned Australian filmmaker Peter
Weir’s The Truman Show was voted Best Foreign Film (English language) and The Boys
edged out Head On in this year’s Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards for the Best
Film award.
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FILM CRITICS AWARDS 2000: WINNERS & NOMINEES
There are peer group awards (The Academy Awards, BAFTA, etc), there are popular awards
(The People's Choice) and there are critics' awards - perhaps the most interesting of them
all, since a) critics see more films - and look more closely - than anyone else, b) are
not confused by personal loyalties as peers may be, and c) declare their opinions on films
in public. (Two Hands, pic)
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FILM CRITICS AWARDS 2003 - NOMINATIONS
With gloom and doom ringing in our ears about the doldrums of the Australian film industry, it is heartening to realise that the year has had some notable artistic successes, as demonstrated by the first of the year’s movie award nominations – the professional film critics of Australia, who will present their awards on October 31, in Sydney. Andrew L. Urban reports.
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FILM CRITICS AWARDS 2003 - WINNERS
With five major awards from Australia’s professional film critics this week, Japanese Story is emerging as the year’s locally made movie success story, with not just critical acclaim but commercial success, having taken over $2.5 million in five weeks and still at No 10, reports Andrew L. Urban.
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FILM CRITICS AWARDS FOR 2002 - NOMINATIONS
In the first nominations of the 2002 film awards season, the FCCA (Film Critics Circle of Australia) has signaled the recognition of films with Aboriginal themes with three of the Best Film nominees – and the nomination of Aboriginal filmmaker Ivan Sen for the Best Director award.
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FILM CRITICS AWARDS FOR 2002 - WINNERS
Australian filmmakers can rest assured that even if their films are sometimes dissed by the public, the country’s professional film critics are quick to recognise works of lasting value, as this year’s FCCA awards demonstrate, reports Andrew L. Urban.
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FILM CRITICS AWARDS, FEB 1998
Bill Bennett won the prize he most wanted at this year's Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards - the one for Best Original Screenplay, for his thriller, Kiss or Kill, which won four other awards, including Best Film.
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FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS 2001: NOMINATIONS
With eight nominations each, Chopper and The Dish lead the field in the Film
Critics Circle of Australia Awards, to be presented in February, followed by Looking for
Alibrandi with seven nominations. All three are Best Film nominees, as is Innocence, which
has a total of five.
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FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS 2001: WINNERS
Sydney movie critics hosted their annual awards presentation at the trendy Dockside in Darling Harbour last night (9/2/2001), handing top honours to Chopper, with a generous and wide ranging award ceremony that also recognised films like Innocence, Looking for Alibrandi and The Dish. Hosted by newly elected Critics Circle President Margaret Pomeranz and radio jock James Valentine as the MC, the event was 'a critical and popular success'.
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FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS 2006 – NOMINEES
With eight nominations each, Jindabyne and Candy are this year’s critics’
favourites, closely followed by Ten Canoes, The Book of Revelation and Last
Train to Freo with five each. And Kenny has three, but that includes Best Film.
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FILM CRITICS CIRCLE OF AUSTRALIA AWARDS - NOMINATIONS 2005
Little Fish, directed by Rowan Woods, dominates this year’s Film Critics
Circle of Australia Awards with a total of eleven nominations, while Sarah
Watt’s Look Both Ways picked up eight nominations in the categories of Best
Film, Director, Actress in a Lead Role, Supporting Actress, Actor in a Lead
Role, Original Screenplay, Composer and Editor. The Proposition has six.
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FILM CRITICS CIRCLE OF AUSTRALIA AWARDS 2005 - WINNERS
Look Both Ways has collected five of the top awards from the film critics,
including Best Film, while Hugo Weaving has been voted Best Support Actor for
his role in Little Fish – despite being nominated in the Best Actor category in
both the AFI and IF Awards. Andrew L. Urban reports.
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FILM, TV, NEW MEDIA 2000 - THE EVENT
Film, TV, New Media, Broadcast - if you are in any of these
industries, you will want to tune in and drop in to at least one
of the conferences at Sydney's Convention Centre, between
February 9 and 11. Drop our name and get a 25% discount - or winone of 10 passes; competition closes February 2,
2000.
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FILMINK AWARDS 2006 - WINNERS
Crash was voted Best Film and Bewitched Worst Film, in Filmink Magazine’s first
publicly accessible awards presentation at Sydney’s State Theatre on Wednesday
May 3, 2006, with Wolf Creek taking home the awards for Best Australian Film as
well as Best Movie to Ruffle Feathers.
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FILMMAKERS STUDIO - EXCLUSIVE CLIPS 7/9/2006
Writer/producer/director Robert Connolly will be Andrew L. Urban’s guest at this
month’s Filmmaker’s Studio at Sydney’s Metro Screen (7pm, Sept. 21, $20), where
he will show the first clips to be seen in public from his latest production –
and actor Richard Roxburgh’s directing debut – Romulus, My Father, starring Eric
Bana, Franka Potente and Marton Csokas. (Bookings: 02 9361 5318 or metro@metroscreen.org.au)
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FILMS THE ACADEMY IGNORED - AND WHY
Oscar is in danger of becoming irrelevant argues ANDREW L.
URBAN, by failing to keep up with the cinematic times.
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FILMS WE LIKE
An appreciation of Woody Allen's DECONSTRUCTING HARRY - By Hunter Cordaiy, just because he likes it.
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FINAL FANTASY
Innovative use of various camera angles, lighting and special
effects on the action scenes were all vital to the creation of
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. “But most important, we
were able to create a computer-generated human character. That’s
the CG artist’s dream,” says the film’s creator,
Hironobu Sakaguchi.
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FINDING FORRESTER
Screenplay writer Mark Rich, explains how Sean Connery's involvement at script stage meant
his work had only just begun; and Connery explains why he wanted to not only star in
Finding Forrester, but also to produce it.
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FIRTH, COLIN - A SINGLE MAN
After dozens of acclaimed performances playing a variety of characters, Colin
Firth is riding high on a Venice Best Actor award and an Oscar nomination for
playing a gay college professor in A Single Man; what makes this role stand out,
asks Andrew L. Urban.
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FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN - INSIDER BRIEFING
Inspired by a true story, Five Minutes of Heaven touches on the deepest aspects
of human nature, the complex emotional and psychological storms of guilt,
revenge, forgiveness and redemption. And it came about by chance.
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FOCUS ON FRANCE: ALAIN DUCASSE
Two terrific French films open this month – The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie
(Dec 20); The Closet (Dec 26) - and the French tourist bureau is on the case, reminding us
that fabulous films are just one of the things you can find in France. Food is another
…. Andrew L. Urban reports (happily).
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FOG OF WAR - EAVESDROPPING ON DESTRUCTION
Robert S. McNamara was intimately involved in some of the key historical moments of the past half century. In The Fog of War, renowned documentary maker Errol Morris turns his camera on him - with startling results. Martin Donnelly reports.
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FORBIDDEN SIREN 2: THE GAME & THE MOVIE
A dark sky hangs over Sydney, clouds looming with the threat of rain. On
the pier, a dozen strangers stand around, waiting for a mystery ride across the
water. Then the party boards the water-craft, headed for an island - somewhere.
As we approach our destination the earlier promise of rain is fulfilled, with a
light drizzle falling, creating an eerie atmosphere – hauntingly appropriate, as
we disembark on Cockatoo Island. Its history as a convict prison, and later, a
shipyard, showing clearly this night. The darkness swallows all but the sounds
of our footsteps us as we venture through a pitch-black tunnel and beyond, into
a disused hanger to preview Sony's new Playstation 2 horror game, Forbidden
Siren 2, which has now spawned a movie of the same name, plus an upcoming
Hollywood franchise via Ghost House. Sebastian Urban reports.
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FOREIGN LANGUAGE OSCAR NOMINATIONS 2005
There are 49 films in line for five nominations and one Oscar in the Foreign language category, down from 55 last year, but still fiercely competitive – and including a Touch of Spice, currently playing in Australia. Among the better known directors in the list are Daniel Burman, Zhang Yimou, Lars von Trier, Bernd Eichinger, Bahman Ghobadi and Alejandro Amenabar.
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FOREIGN LANGUAGE OSCARS 2001
Sweden’s fabulous entry is unlikely to get a nod, but Asia seems certain to be
prominent in this year’s Foreign Language category of the Academy Awards, says Nick
Roddick.
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FOREIGN LANGUAGE OSCARS 2001: THE ODDS
Australians are famous for betting and it is in that spirit that we present Nick
Roddick’s Oscar Odds table. But remember, the Academy Awards are not about
‘winners and losers’ as some callous jokesters have remarked; all the Nominees
are winners in the sense of being selected as the best. And we’re betting that Ang
Lee’s Wo hu zang long will win the Best Foreign Language Oscar…it’s hardly
a long shot.
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FOX BACKLOT - THE OPENING REPORT
Proven by the fact that some of the lesser VIP guests had to stand for lack of seats
during the live show, the Fox Backlot opening night was a major attraction, enticing
everyone from the Murdoch camp's opposite number Kerry Packer to writer David Williamson
to attend. Urban Cinefile's Andrew L. Urban and Louise Keller were there, too, grabbing
red carpet interviews for the WEBCAST effected through the technology of Fox Studios and
Telstra.
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FOX BACKLOT: PREVIEW OF GRAND OPENING
On Sunday November 7, 1999, Fox Studios Australia opens its Backlot to the public -
a much heralded and often controversial project. It's a big night of big stars and a big
show. If you're not on the guest list, see it on the Nine Network - or follow it through
the Telstra webcast, where Andrew L. Urban conducts 'red carpet' interviews as the guests
arrive - and also looks behind the scenes.
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FOX SPECIAL EDITION 2-DISC SETS
Alien? Moulin Rouge? Fight Club? Braveheart? Master & Commander? It may seem
like just a marketing gimmick to ramp up sales of already released DVDs, but the
release this month of 30 2-disc Special Edition titles is a great example of how
far DVD has taken us into a more meaningful and repeatable movie experience,
reports Andrew L. Urban
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FOX STUDIOS: THE BACKLOT
Driven by the creative energies of some of Australia most adventurous and iconoclastic
individuals, The Backlot at Fox Studios seems set to offer the definitive 'studio tour' -
without the fakery and without the schmaltz: it's all a celebration of filmmaking,
Australian style. ANDREW L. URBAN reports.
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FOXTEL MOVIES - OCTOBER 1999
Here is our selection of movie reviews for Foxtel movie channels, a regular
monthly feature for pay tv subscribers. (Pic, Titanic)
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FOXTEL MOVIES - September 1999
The Boxer is one of the major movies on Foxtel this month - here is our selection of that and other movie reviews for Foxtel movie channels, a regular monthly feature for pay tv subscribers.
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FOXTEL MOVIES: August 1999
Here is our selection of movie reviews on the Foxtel movie channels, a regular monthly
feature for pay tv subscribers.(Pic, As Good As It Gets)
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FOXTEL MOVIES: July 99
Welcome to the first of our regular features with reviews of a selection of movies on
Foxtel. You will find links to interviews and other related stories on the review pages.
If you’re an OPTUS subscriber, see our selection of reviews of movies on the Optus
Channels.(Pic, Alien Resurrection)
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FRANK CAPRA COLLECTION
Frank Capra often made films that depict ordinary people caught up in the insensitive
workings of ‘the system’ – whatever that system may have been. But he
managed to make us laugh and feel good, without being cheesy.
Here are some of his best works, out on video as a special library. (Pic: It Happened One Night)
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FRANKLIN, RICHARD – OBITUARY
Richard Franklin’s death was reported by Sandy George in The Australian; this
is an edited version.
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FREE AS A DOG – AND FUNNIER
Veteran surf movie maker Jack McCoy premiered his latest film, Free As A Dog
– A True Dog’s Tale, at Sydney’s State Theatre on January 2, 2006 to kick off
the fifth annual Billabong Jack McCoy Surf Film Festival. Starring champion
Australian surfer Joel Parkinson, it’s possibly not McCoy’s best film, but it is
probably his funniest, reports Bruce Andrews.
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FREE SPEECH SPEECH
Milos Forman told Washington’s
National Press Club exactly what he thought about free speech,
censorship - and that ghastly Larry Flynt.
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FRENCH FESTIVAL - CINEMATIC DIVERSITY
Paul Fischer previews the 1999 French Film Festival, which offers discerning film goers
a broad menu
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FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL 2006 – PREVIEW
This year’s French Film Festival is the biggest yet, and offers Australians a
window to one of the world’s most robust film industries, with award winning,
challenging and entertaining films, ranging from zinging romantic thrillers like
Anthony Zimmer to gripping dramas like The Child.
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FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL 2007 - PREVIEW
The 18th edition of the French Film Festival tours Australia through March
and April, offers laughter, drama and melancholy – and lots of great French
stars.
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FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL 2008 – PREVIEW
Some of France’s leading filmmakers and actors are assembled in the 2008
programme curated for Alliance Francaise by Jean-Jacques Garnier, the biggest in
the Festival’s 19-year history, with 38 films, 36 of which have never before
screened in Australia, reports Andrew L. Urban, like Opening Night film, the
appropriately titled, Paris.
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FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL 2009 - PREVIEW
Celebrating its 20th anniversary (already!) the Alliance Française French
Film Festival has boosted its quantity and its ‘freshness’ with more new films
and a broader program, ranging from the retro musical of the Opening Film, Paris
36 by Christophe Barratier through the farcical, Francis Veber’s A Pain in the
Ass, to the dramatically revealing, JCVD, the surprise hit of Cannes 2008, with
Jean Claude Van Damme in a bold, self-deprecating role – as himself.
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FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL 2010 – PREVIEW
The French have a reputation and a tradition unmatched in globally successful
cinema, except perhaps by Hollywood, and the 21st Alliance Française French Film
Festival gives Australians a chance to savour a selection of recent movies –
more than ever before, with almost 40 features in the tasty program (supported,
appropriately enough for a nation of food lovers, by Tefal the cookware giant).
Andrew L. Urban samples the menu
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FRENCH RENDEVOUZ IN JULY AT WORLD MOVIES
Throughout July, the World Movies Channel offers viewers a rendezvous with
some of the brightest stars of French Cinema, including Romain Duris, Thierry
L'hermitte, Daniel Auteil, Brigitte Bardot, Jean Dujardin and Jean Reno, in a
mix of contemporary and classic movies – including The Young Girls of Rochefort,
starring Catherine Deneuve.
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FRESH AIR – ON LOCATION
A handmade film uses Sydney streets, young actors and a cut and paste approach to
approximate what its maker, Neil Mansfield, calls Zinema. ANDREW L. URBAN visited the set
in a suburban location to catch some cinematic Fresh Air.
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FRESH AIR ON THE BUSES
Fresh Air, the fresh and inventive debut feature from Neil Mansfield, is a low
budget film about three young people finding their way through life, set in Sydney. To
help you get there – and in the spirit of the film’s own ethos – the
producers are giving away FREE BUS PASSES as part of a Fresh Air Prize Pack. This low
budget (but high value) package contains a 6-track sampler CD from the soundtrack, two
‘unlimited stops’ bus passes to get two of you there and back, a special edition
‘Zine plus a double pass to the film, screening from May, 1999 at the Dendy Newtown.
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FROM HELL
In the autumn of 1888, an unnamed killer went on a 10-week murder spree which still
fascinates us 124 years later. The Hughes brothers joined the ranks of the
‘Ripper-freaks’ when they were seven. Now they’ve put everything they know
(including ‘Ripper-freak’ Johnny Depp) about Jack the Ripper into the
aptly-titled From Hell. Eleanor Singer reports.
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FRONT UP
Andrew L. Urban talks about the show that took him from
print journalism to television, without knowing a thing about the
medium.
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FRONT UP - END UP
The 6th series of Andrew L. Urban's award winning SBS television show,
Front Up, on Tuesday nights at 7.30, will end on June 15, 1999. LOUISE KELLER
reports.
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FRONT UP LETTERS
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FRONT UP SERIES 8
Front Up, a social documentary TV series that defies categorisation, continues in its
eighth successful year, relying on nothing more than impromptu conversations conducted by
Andrew L. Urban with people around Australia. Simple but far from simplistic, Front Up
feeds the benign voyeur in us all.
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FRONT UP: SERIES 7
What's the secret, people ask, why do people openly discuss their lives with you on
national television? ANDREW L. URBAN, who thought up the idea and who talks to anyone he
meets, answers the question.
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