Australian New Wave filmmakers at Thornbury Picture House, 2019

Curated and presented by Bill Mousoulis
With assistance from Chris Luscri


Hosted by Thornbury Picture House in Melbourne


Three bold new Australian indie features from emerging filmmakers

Tue, Sep 17, 8:30 pm
Tue, Sep 24, 8:30 pm
Tue, Oct 1, 8:30 pm
Repent or Perish!
by Matthew Victor Pastor

Reflections in the Dust
by Luke Sullivan


You Can Say Vagina
by Jack Baka
(Siobhan Jackson & Mischa Baka)


All sessions with Q&As with the directors.
Facebook event page

MEDIA:

Luke Sullivan radio interview
by Peter Krausz, Movie Metropolis, WYN-FM, Sep 21.

THE AUSTRALIAN NEW WAVE- Bill Mousoulis Interview
by Dave Griffiths, HEAVY Cinema website, Sep 17.

Fil-Aus indie film to screen in the Australian New Wave film showcase
by Claudette Centeno-Calixto, SBS Filipino Radio, Sep 17.

Bill Mousoulis and Chris Luscri radio interview
by Peter Krausz, Movie Metropolis, WYN-FM, Sep 14.

You Can Say Vagina review
by Adrian Martin, Film Critic: Adrian Martin, Sep 13.

Chris Luscri and Siobhan Jackson radio interview (from 2hr 28mins)
by Richard Watts, SmartArts, 3RRR-FM, Sep 12.

Repent or Perish! review
by Fiona Villella, Pure Shit: Australian Cinema, Sep 11.

Is Reflections in the Dust going to sweep the 2019 AACTA Awards?
by Matthew Eeles, Cinema Australia website, Sep 6.

Australian New Wave Filmmakers Showcase returns to Melbourne
by Anthony Frajman, FilmInk, Sep 6.

 

Tuesday, September 17, 8:30 pm:

Repent or Perish! by Matthew Victor Pastor      Unsuitable for persons under 15
Tickets on sale here SOLD OUT

(Australia, 2019, 84 mins)

Directed by Matthew Victor Pastor
Produced by Odin. B Fernandez & Matthew Victor Pastor
Original Musical Score by Fergus Cronkite aka Andrew Tran (credited as Jayden in the film)
Featuring Alfred Nicdao, Celina Yuen, Kevin Pham, Rachel E. Zuasola, Bridget O'Brien.

Intro and Q&A with director, conducted by Jake Wilson (film reviewer, The Age).
World Premiere.

A film about generational indifference. Amos is a young gay man, his sister Jewel is a drug dealer and their father Julian is a conservative Filipino Christian. Set over the course of 24 hours, their lives will intersect. Repent or Perish, what choice does this family have?

Repent or Perish! review
by Fiona Villella, Pure Shit: Australian Cinema, Sep 11.

Fil-Aus indie film to screen in the Australian New Wave filmmakers showcase
by Claudette Centeno-Calixto, SBS Filipino Radio, Sep 17.

“Stylistically, Matthew Victor Pastor is in full flourish in Repent or Perish! He revels in the lively hand-held camera shots and zippy editing, the music (Fergus Cronkite), the touching voice-overs from the characters, and the documentary interludes.” – Bill Mousoulis, Pure Shit: Australian Cinema.

“Along the current wave of interest in a ‘new Australian cinema’ rising up from the underground ... Matthew Victor Pastor is an energetic and prolific filmmaker worth keeping tabs on.” – Adrian Martin, Film Critic.

"If anyone can lay claim to the mantle of Australia’s most prolific indie filmmaker – and the fastest – it would be Matthew Victor Pastor." – Don Groves, IF Magazine.

   




Matthew Victor Pastor is a Filipino-Australian filmmaker, and an alumnus of the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts. His Masters' film I am JUPITER I am the BIGGEST PLANET won Best Director at VCA, and completed a successful festival run.

At the 2018 Sinag Maynila Film Festival (Philippines) his feature film MELODRAMA / RANDOM / MELBOURNE! was awarded Best Original Score for Fergus Cronkite.

It had its Australian Premiere at the Adelaide Film Festival in October 2018.

A very prolific filmmaker, he also released the feature MAGANDA!: Pinoy Boy vs Milk Man last year, premiering it at MonsterFest.

This year, as well as premiering Repent or Perish! here, yet another feature A Bigger Jail will premiere at MonsterFest in October.

He also has several more features in production or post-production.



Photos from the screening night

Click here for full gallery on Facebook


Video of the intros and Q&A discussion at the end

 



Tuesday, September 24, 8:30 pm:

Reflections in the Dust by Luke Sullivan     MA 15+  (Strong Coarse Language)
Tickets on sale here

(Australia, 2018, 74 mins)

Written and Directed by Luke Sullivan
Produced by Giovanni De Santolo & Luke Sullivan & Carla Sullivan
Cinematography by Ryan Barry Cotter
Music by Dylan Sullivan
Featuring Robin Royce Queree and Sarah Houbolt
Distributed in Australia by The Backlot Films

Intro and Q&A with director (direct from Sydney)
conducted by Cerise Howard (critic, Cinémathèque co-curator & teacher @ RMIT).

An unspoken event has caused civilisation to crumble, leaving the survivors to cluster in the wilderness. Among them is a blind girl who struggles to survive with her father – a tormented and emotionally abusive clown. There is no future anymore, so the past becomes their only resource for meaning.

Is Reflections in the Dust going to sweep the 2019 AACTA Awards?
by Matthew Eeles, Cinema Australia website, Sep 6.

Luke Sullivan radio interview
by Peter Krausz, Movie Metropolis, WYN-FM, Sep 21.

“Watching Sarah Houbolt in this film is simply a gift, and filmmakers – not just in Australia, but around the world – should take Luke Sullivan’s lead and continue to create roles of this depth, diversity and value for actors of this caliber.” - Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Alliance of Women Film Journalists.

“This wholly confounding work shows that there are still some who are willing to push what the medium and its audience are capable of ... it manages to leave an indelible impression on the mind’s eye.” - Cain Noble-Davies, Film Ink.

“It would be too easy to compare Reflections in the Dust to a Beckett play or a drama by Tarkovsky, but Sullivan’s docu-drama is unique.” - Meredith Taylor, Filmuforia.

“A potent statement, both as a genre work in line with the most ambitious this country has produced and, perhaps more importantly, a profound and timely social commentary.” – Simon Foster, Flicks.

“This film is a unique once in a lifetime masterpiece that will leave you in a sense of suspense throughout.” - Caroline Russo, Hush Hush Biz.

   


 


Luke Sullivan graduated from the Australian Film Television and Radio School in 2014. During his time there he directed the short film Bad Luck, Paddy (2014), which went on to screen at the Sydney Underground Film Festival.

With very little resources he then directed his first feature film You’re Not Thinking Straight (2016), which was released on iTunes and Ozflix. Cinema Australia called him "a filmmaker years ahead of his age" and "someone to keep a very keen eye on".

His sophomore feature Reflections in the Dust (2018) world premiered to acclaim at the 53rd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic, followed by an appearance in competition at the 22nd Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia. The film was released in Australian cinemas on March 7 2019 to both controversy and praise.

Luke was recently shortlisted for the prestigious Cannes Cinefondation Residence in Paris.



Photos from the screening night

Click here for full gallery on Facebook


Video of the intros and Q&A discussion at the end





Tuesday, October 1, 8:30 pm:

You Can Say Vagina by Jack Baka      Unsuitable for persons under 15
Tickets on sale here SOLD OUT

(Australia, 2018, 71 mins)

Written and Directed by Jack Baka (Siobhan Jackson & Mischa Baka)
Featuring Lucy Orr, Tom McCathie, Jesse Richards, Josh Price, Liza Dennis, Leah Landau and Jess Devereux.
Music by Waterfall Person.

Intro and Q&A with the directors and lead actress Lucy Orr,
conducted by Philippa Hawker (film reviewer, The Australian).

Melbourne Premiere.

A young woman moves to a new city and finds herself describing vaginas for money, dancing with dogs, washing old men and falling apart. She’s fucked up and demanding answers.

You Can Say Vagina review
by Adrian Martin, Film Critic: Adrian Martin, Sep 13.

“With a very relaxed approach to filmmaking, Siobhan Jackson and Mischa Baka – Jack Baka collectively – have created a very sedated, very unique Australian film.” - Matthew Eeles, Cinema Australia.

"I had no idea what to expect from this indie feature, so, with an open mind I watched the plot unravel, until every inch of me was caught up in the gripping narrative of the film ... For me, so much of the beauty of this film comes from its featuring of complex issues that many women may identify with - how to exist in a world where we are expected to giggle inanely in the face of gender injustice and power discrepancies ... The film is executed in a traditional dramatic way, however, it establishes a tone that is neither cinema verite nor indie hipster comedy, but something that slightly echoes both." - user reviews on IMDb.

“This film tells a story of a searcher and as I watched her journey I saw echoes of myself. We hide how lost we often feel but the quiet, haziness of it is there under our skin ... A daring, refreshing and bold insight into the complexities of human emotion, awkwardness and yearning to belong and find self expression ... A joy of a film. Such a great balance of comedy and tension. Filled with hope and longing. Raw, tender, hilarious ... Such beautiful tender performances, lovely languid cinematography and wonderful story of a young woman's sexual awakening.” – user reviews on the film’s website.

   


 


Siobhan Jackson is a screenwriter and director lecturing at the University of Melbourne, Victorian College of the Art, School of Film & Television. Siobhan’s research and practice examines improvising for the screen, contemporary ‘silent’ cinema, alternative approaches to screenplay and performance generation and collaborative practice. After a dozen or so shorts over the past 15 years, You Can Say Vagina is her first feature film (collaboratively devised and directed with Mischa Baka).

Mischa Baka holds a Masters by Research degree from the University of Melbourne, where his practice-led research incorporates dance, linguistics and screen writing. He holds an undergraduate degree and honours from the Victorian College of the Arts film school where his graduate film Last Beautiful Friend (2009) won 3 awards at VCA, and was screened at Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival. He is also a producer of Yogini Melbourne, a popular Yoga YouTube channel. After numerous shorts, You Can Say Vagina is his first feature film (collaboratively devised and directed with Siobhan Jackson).



Photos from the screening night

Click here for full gallery on Facebook


Video of the intros and Q&A discussion at the end









Published July 30, 2019, and adjusted continuously since. © Bill Mousoulis 2019