“I knew that band before they were famous” Does anyone have that friend who seems to say this constantly? For the people in my life, I was that friend. In my 20s, it was my life’s mission to discover every fantastic band before anyone else. I wanted to be the guy who always had an…
Read MoreA psycho-thriller about a woman’s search for a missing monster hunter and her growing realisation that she is inescapably linked to the creature being pursued, Kryptic is sure to be one of SXSW’s most talked about projects. And it’s why Peter Gray had to speak to the film’s director, Kourtney Roy, and lead actress, Chloe…
Read MoreTowards the beginning of the creepy and ambiguous Kryptic, a tour guide overseeing the Cedar Springs Women’s Walking Club explains what cryptozoology is. “It means the study of the hidden,” he states as he details Barb Valentine, a cryptozoologist who went missing in the very same British Columbia hinterland the group is currently hiking through….
Read MoreMen behaving badly is at the core of Annick Blanc‘s Hunting Daze, a surreal visualisation of toxic masculinity that refuses to ever pigeonhole itself into one category. It’s horrific without ever devoting itself entirely to that genre. It’s blackly funny, though never satirical. And it’s always engaging, even if the extreme manner in which Blanc…
Read MoreAfter losing everything in a cryptocurrency scam, a ragtag team of vigilante Redditors attempt to kidnap the kingpin who screwed them over. But when the home invasion takes a turn for the worst, they become victims in a sadistic game. Directed by Sundance-awarded Best Director Cutter Hodierne, Cold Wallet is a topically relevant genre blend of…
Read MoreThough there’s an enjoyable “Robin Hood”-like mentality to the narrative of Cutter Hodierne‘s always watchable thriller Cold Wallet, this cryptocurrency-heavy tale takes a less jovial approach to the world of tech talk and monetary scams than last year’s similarly themed Dumb Money. But, despite opting for a more intense, oft-violent approach, the emerging filmmaker has…
Read MoreNina, a young and headstrong exotic dancer, finds herself stranded in the far North. She convinces her recent customers, five men on a bachelor hunting trip, to put her up for a few days. In this masculine microsociety, by turns hilarious and philosophical, she starts to feel a sense of belonging she never has before. But…
Read MoreThe annual convergence festival that takes over downtown Austin, Texas, is back for another year, and this year, it is going to be impossible not to feel the presence of Australia at South by Southwest. 32 Australian artists will be featured in showcases and pop-ups around the Texas capital. South by Southwest is a one-of-a-kind…
Read MoreFollowing on from yesterday’s poster debut, Amazon MGM Studios have released the first full-length trailer for Doug Liman and Jake Gyllenhaal‘s Road House, an adrenaline-fueled reimagining of the 80s cult classic, about an ex-UFC fighter who takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not…
Read MoreFor those in the know, South by Southwest (always referred to as SXSW) is an institution. It’s an all-encompassing media, technology, gaming, film and music conference, networking opportunity and party that lasts a week and –some would say – takes a year to get over. It’s been going for 35 years in its hometown and…
Read MoreSXSW celebrated its inaugural event in Australia with events happening all across the city of Sydney. While there were over 500 events to choose from, we managed to whittle it down to the five best gaming experiences we had during our time across the various events. Please note, these are in no particular order. Troy…
Read MoreFrom the humblest of beginnings, where Australia’s ABC network weren’t sure on investing in their talent, to multi-million selling music artists that sold out Madison Square Garden and can count the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, John Travolta, and Sarah Jessica Parker as fans, The Wiggles defied the expectations of many to form a global brand…
Read MoreWhilst it’s always best to go into films with zero expectations, plot synopses and narrative outlines at least provide an idea of what audiences can expect from a storytelling perspective – however loose the product itself wants to determine as such. For New Strains, there was the idea of this being sold as a romantic…
Read MoreThe act of (or is it the art of) lip-syncing is one that practically goes part and parcel within the realms of pop music. Some artists do so because their studio vocals can’t possibly be emulated live. Others rely on such due to demanding dance routines. And then there are those that, well, can’t sing…
Read MoreHopefully a film that won’t just become infamous for its lack of being seen – after it previewed one single screening at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival it was withdrawn due to “rights issues” – The People’s Joker is a bold, bonkers debut feature from Vera Drew that reimagines the mythology of a slew…
Read MoreInspired by Hotel Coolgardie, Pete Gleeson’s shock 2016 documentary about two female Finnish backpackers and their work experience at a predominantly male-frequented pub, The Royal Hotel similarly shines a light on the the disturbing, toxic nature that can spawn from a small, isolated town that exploits Australia’s “drinking culture” mentality. An ironic title that will…
Read MoreThe world premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s Faraway Downs, an inspiring epic adventure and reimagined extended version of his 2008 film Australia, will be presented by the celebrated filmmaker in person, on closing night of the inaugural SXSW Sydney Screen Festival on October 21st, 2023. The film, told in six chapters, will premiere all at once…
Read MoreAustralians in Film (AiF), the Los Angeles based artist development organization, and their new presenting partner, Screen Australia, have just announced that they are adding two stand out conference sessions to the Festival line-up for SXSW Sydney 2023. Thursday 19th October: “A Spotlight on Blossom Films” Go inside the workings of Blossom Films with Australian screen…
Read MoreAnnouncing its House of Music Discovery at the inaugural this year’s event, SXSW Sydney invites locals and international guests to enter into a world of music rediscovery as TikTok Australia takes over the eccentric cultural hub, Pleasures Playhouse, on Wednesday, 18 October. TikTok’s House of Music Discovery will bring the magic of music exploration to life by transcending the digital realm…
Read MoreMulti-Grammy award-winning Chance the Rapper will be speaking at this year’s inaugural Sydney SXSW this October. He joins a stacked program of over 1,000 ground-breaking events and sessions on Tech and Innovation, Games, Music, Screen and Culture. Chance has won the respect of both his industry peers and former President Barack Obama, who described him…
Read MoreScreen creatives of all stripes will gather for the inaugural SXSW Sydney Screen Festival this October (15th – 21st) as a collection of compelling and next generation screen content from across the Asia-Pacific region is highlighted at the renowned festival. Following the announcement of the first wave of premiere titles (you can read about them…
Read MoreFor the first time in its history, the renowned futurist conference and festival, South by Southwest (SXSW), is expanding beyond its Texan roots to Sydney, Australia. Taking place from October 15 to October 22, 2023, SXSW Sydney promises to be an extraordinary event, bringing together the world’s most inspired thinkers, creators, and innovators right here…
Read MoreThe inaugural SXSW Sydney has just revealed an unmissable line-up of headline speakers. Initially an annual event in Austin Texas famous for launching the careers of the likes of Billie Eilish and Uber, this year the “festival of festivals” has been expanded to Sydney, and will comprise of 1000+ events, speakers and music acts. Coachella…
Read MoreWith a spotlight on the Asia-Pacific region, but inclusive of all corners of the globe, the SXSW Sydney 2023 Screen Festival will bring together screen creatives to deliver an experience at the forefront of discovery, creativity and innovation. With an aim to platform, showcase and support the most exciting new voices, new forms and new…
Read More“A film festival is a gathering of diverse perspectives that offers a collective snapshot of the global zeitgeist, allowing us to delve deeper into our present reality,” said Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley as he unveiled this year’s stellar line-up of programming, running from June 7th – 18th. “For 70 years, Sydney Film Festival has…
Read MoreDescribed as a “traumedy” and navigating a narrative I have no personal connection to – or even a right to comment on in all honesty – Molly McGlynn‘s Bloody Hell has the same footprints as a coming-of-age comedy, but laces such with a queer mentality and the potential dehumanising reality of when your body “rejects”…
Read MoreThe parallels between an invasive parasite and an unwanted pregnancy are navigated with intricate delicacy and subtle terror throughout Until Branches Bend, Sophie Jarvis‘s disturbing drama that offsets its small physicality with a growingly unnerving mentality. At the centre of both converging narratives is Robin (Grace Glowicki, incredible), a fruit packing plant line worker who…
Read MoreWhilst there’s no doubt that Megan Stalter is a talented comedienne (“Hi Gay!”, anyone?), the type of social-media-sketch-performer-turned-feature-actress trajectory isn’t always a guaranteed translation for both their respective humour and an audience’s positive reaction. Thankfully, her starring role in Cora Bora is a more dramatic transition for the actress, displaying a more vulnerable, shaded, even…
Read MoreSupernatural terror and deep-seated personal revelations come to light in the tonally unbalanced, but no less interesting Brooklyn 45. Written and directed by Ted Geoghegan, Brooklyn 45 gradually unravels over the course of its 90 minutes as it centres around a group of battle-hardened friends and their overdue rendezvous in a Brooklyn brownstone. Set between…
Read MoreEven though one of the experts interviewed in Satan Wants You expresses that the 1980’s phenomenon known as “Satanic Panic” is seen as something of a joke through the eyes of today, there’s nothing particularly funny about the accusations that were being thrown around at the time. Perhaps it’s something of an absurdity when looking…
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