After a first-look tease in June, the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) has now shared its full 267-film program for its 71st outing in August. The new announcement includes several notable music videos and even a VR rave experience.
The 71st Melbourne International Film Festival will run from August 3 to August 20 in cinemas and August 18 to August 27 online. Read about the latest additions to the festival below, then head over to MIFF site for the full program and submissions.
There are perhaps few other Melbourne bands with a reputation as legendary as The Birthday Party. IN Mutiny in the Sky: The Birthday Party, Nick Cave, Rowland S. Howard, Mick Harvey, Tracy Pew and Phill Calvert speak directly to camera about the chaos of their punk youth. Director Ian White also draws on unreleased tracks and unseen letters, diaries, artwork and photos.
In the Ben Affleck and Matt Damon-produced Kiss the future, U2 goes to Bosnia to play in solidarity with local musicians in 1997. The film mixes historical footage of the conflict with contemporary interviews before culminating in dramatic footage of U2 playing a concert amid the rubble of a bombed city. What may seem cynical and selfish to some is inspiring to others.
IN It’s only life after all, home video footage, archival footage and heartfelt interviews come together to tell the story of the three-decade career of the Indigo Girls – one of the first proudly out queer groups to hit it big in the 80s and 90s. The childhood friends enter the sessions with the humor and honesty so beloved in their songs.
As the first artist signed to David Geffen’s now-iconic label Asylum, it’s surprising that American singer-songwriter Judee Sill has been largely left out of the conversation when it comes to discussing the greats of the 70s. Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill aims to set the record straight through interviews with contemporary artists including Weyes Blood, Fleet Foxes and Big Thief’s Adrienne Lenke; as well as glimpses into Sill’s own notebooks.
Abebe butterfly song travels to Port Moresby and Rabaul to tell the story of the enduring friendship between Papuan musician Sir George Telek MBE and Not Drowning, Waving’s David Bridie. Footage of notable recording sessions throughout the Pacific is interspersed with interviews with Telek and Bridie, Peter Garrett, Archie Roach and David Byrne. Telek and Bridie perform live at the end of the film.
In search of repetitive beats takes audiences on a VR ride using 3D modeling, volumetric capture and animation with firsthand accounts set to iconic tracks by Orbital, Joey Beltram and Neal Howard. Viewers will be equipped with sensory vests that replicate the pounding pulse of the dance floor.
Melbourne International Film Festival’s full Music On Film programming is:
Abebe butterfly song
Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story
It’s only life after all
Joan Baez I Am A Noise
Kiss the future
Little Richard: I am everything
Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill
Higher than you think
Mutiny in the Sky: The Birthday Party
Squaring The Circle