After months of uncertainty and postponements it’s a great to have news that the 23rd annual Revelation Perth International Film Festival is set to return in 2020, screening across multiple venues from Wednesday, December 9 until Sunday, December 13.
“CV19 has devastated the film fest scene globally, but a microbe isn’t going to stop us presenting some of the most exciting, vital, vibrant and acclaimed new and international short, feature and documentary films to WA audiences,” says Festival Director, Richard Sowada.
“It’s a program packed with special events, industry networking opportunities, a sister online component of around 15 additional titles and some of the most acclaimed festival titles you’ll find anywhere. In the most challenging of cultural times, we’re continuing to redefine what a film festival can be – and we can’t wait to see how audiences respond.”
The Festival will open on Wednesday, December 9 with the inspiring and evocative Firestarter; The Story of Bangarra – a documentary marking the 30th anniversary of Australia’s most iconic performing arts company, Bangarra Dance Theatre, co-directed by Perth’s Nel Minchin, which tells the story of three young Aboriginal brothers who turned a newly born dance group into a First Nations cultural powerhouse.
Locally produced highlights within the program include murder-mystery The Xrossing (pictured above) which premieres as part of the festival ahead of its theatrical release on January, 7 2021. Laura’s Choice explores the family experience of three generations of women coming to terms with a radical approach to dying. An Ideal Host is a horror, comedy, sci-fi mash up shot in just 13 days that tells the story about a quest to host a perfect dinner party on a newly purchased rural property. The Beloved is a documentary about The Orange People, a conspicuous presence in the Fremantle community in the 80s.
Other local offerings come in smaller and shorter packages with the annual Get Your Shorts On! and City of Vincent Film Project films being showcased on the big screen at Luna Cinemas Leederville on Thursday, December 10.
Family-friendly short films will screen free of charge at Luna Cinemas Leederville daily from 10.30am from Thursday, December 10 – Sunday, December 13 and are suitable for all ages.
Additionally, Revelation presents a Westralia Showcase of WA content at The Backlot on Saturday, December 12.
Indie darlings direct from Sundance include the fun, low budget film Save Yourselves, which tells of millennials disconnecting from devices, and the coming-of-age comedy Dinner in America, which explores two misfits finding each other through music and chaos.
The 90s flop Showgirls features in a double-bill with 2020’s You Don’t Nomi, a the masterful documentary about the aforementioned box office disaster – and a fitting pre-film introduction from Fanta-Sea.
Music fans will revel in documentaries including Crock of Gold, which chronicles Pogues’ front man Shane MacGowan, directed by Julien Temple and produced by Johnny Depp. My Darling Vivian, a story about Vivian Liberto, the first wife of Johnny Cash, and Lydia Lunch – The War is Never Over is a career-spanning documentary retrospective of the confrontational, acerbic American singer, poet, writer, actress and self-empowerment speaker whose career was spawned by the New York no wave scene in the 1970s.
Those seeking to experience what has been billed as “the must-see documentary of the year” presenting an exposé of corporate malfeasance need look no further than The New Corporation; the sequel to the 2003 film The Corporation, which profiles new developments in the political and social power of global corporations and brands.
Whilst those seeking to experience one of the most controversial films of the year which was banned from MIFF and numerous other festivals can quell their curiosity with The Trouble With Being Born; winner of a special jury prize at the Berlin Film Festival in February whilst also prompting audience walkouts.
Revelation Film Festival’s virtual reality arm, XR:WA, returns for its second year running just prior to the official festival from Thursday, December 3 to Sunday, December 6, as a major conference and public exhibition showcasing the ideas, works, technology and constantly evolving environment of the VR and digital screen industry. The program features panel discussions, a Games and Experience Emporium, trade exhibitions and workshops with keynote speakers. See www.xrwa.com.au for more information.
Another highlight of this year’s program is FourByFour; which comprises of four four-minute short films which will premiere as part of the festival created as a multidisciplinary cross-art-form collaboration with Co3 Dance Australia, Tura New Music and some WA’s best VR film practitioners.
The full program will be revealed in November.
Revelation Perth International Film Festival is screening at Luna Leederville, Luna on SX, Windsor Cinema and The Backlot from Wednesday, December 9 until Sunday, December 13, with online films streaming until Sunday, December 20. For more information and to buy tickets head to revelationfilmfest.org.
