Richly drawn portrait of modern family, “the kids are all right” is allright !!

This Fridays Film screening at Port Fairy’s Reardon Theatre is a much talked about and lauded American film starring Annette Bening and Juliette Moore exploring the life of a modern family with the added complexity of a same sex couple, their two teenage children and the arrival of the biological father(Mark Ruffalo) into their lives after many years. “The Kids are All right” unfolds with many emerging dramas and is funny, vibrant and entertaining throughout.

At the Movies shows David Stratton sums it up as;

“The Kids are All Right is funny, touching and honest, all the elements that make independent cinema so much more rewarding, most of the time, than the mainstream.”

All the performances of the five main actors are convincing and particularly fine is the performance of Annette Bening, most deserving of an Oscar nomination for this role.

“The Kids are All right” is rated MA and screens at 7:30pm on Friday November 19^th. Membership tickets go on sale from 7:10pm. All welcome, free tea and coffee provided.

15/15 International Film Festival Screening Friday 29th Oct 7.30pm

On Saturday 19^th June 2010, filmmakers from around the world participated in the 15/15 International Film Festival’s annual filming day creating a short film within 15 hours. Now we get to see the results.

The Port Fairy screening of the 15/15 International Film Festival includes locally made films followed by the award winning films of the 2010 International film competition. Film Festival Director, Amadeo Marqez-Perez will be presenting the films. The night will conclude with a Q & A with the filmmakers.

FREE Admission

Looking forward to seeing you there supporting local filmmakers

Soul Kitchen brings a bit of light relief, food, fun and colour this month at Port Fairy….

This months movie offering is a film set in Hamburg which centres around a struggling restaurant in a warehouse owned by a Turkish man named Zinos, and a series of humorous events and interactions between a curious gathering of characters. Everything that can go wrong for Zinos does go wrong; tax collectors, health inspectors, relationships, family, staff, customers and much more. Some of the stories and events are predictable and a bit slapstick but as David Stratton of “At the Movies” points out

“SOUL KITCHEN is cheerful, wild, colourful and sometimes a little silly, but it's thoroughly enjoyable.”

This comedy is a far departure from Fatih Akins previous award winning movies including the very broody “Head On” And “Edge of Heaven” but he has assembled a fine cast making Soul Kitchen a “delicious treat” of great music, amazing food, life and colour.

Soul Kitchen is rated MA and screens at 7:30pm this Friday October 15^th after the AGM of the Port Fairy Film Society, which will be held in the presence of all the members just prior to screening.

The Film Society welcomes nominations to the committee for the 2011 year. Contact Kathy Sanderson –President prior to the AGM on 0407 685 686 if you are interested.

The Tuesday Classic Matinees continue to be a big hit in the community and at 1.30 on Tuesday 26 October we screen “Philadelphia Story”, the third in this seasons set of films free to existing PFFS members. It is rated PG and goes for 112 mins. Made in 1940, This is a very witty romantic comedy with Katharine Hepburn as a socialite whose wedding plans are complicated by the simultaneous arrival of her ex-husband (Carey Grant) and an attractive journalist.(Jimmy Stewart).

Film Society partners with ABC Open to create local stories

Over the past few months, Colleen Hughson, ABC Open Producer and Port Fairy Film Society member, delivered a number of filmmaking workshops to interested punters in the community. The workshops were supported by the film society and run at the Port Fairy Community House.

The aim of the workshops was to create a number of photo stories on the theme of change. So workshop participants found subjects and stories that interested them and created short films (2-3 min duration) through audio and photographs.

You watch the stories by going to the abc southwestvic local website:

www.abc.net.au/southwestvic/open

You can find out more about ABC Open and ABC Projects by visiting the ABC Open website http://open.abc.net.au/

You would be amazed with the diversity of the stories and the quality of the projects created locally by the community. If you are impressed with the stories then let the filmmakers know by making a comment on the ABC Open South West Vic page: http://open.abc.net.au/posts/4072

The ABC Open website was launched on September 15th. You can read all about the ABC Open project, how to get involved, who is doing what around Australia and how you can create your own local story to contribute to ABC Open by checking out the website or by contacting Colleen Hughson at the local ABC Radio Station.

We hope you enjoy the stories

“Welcome” to come to Port Fairy

A Kurdish boy from Iraq trying to reach the UK strikes up an unusual friendship with a middle-aged Frenchman.

This month the Port Fairy Film Society has the pleasure of screening “Welcome” a provocative and topical French film by writer director Philippe Lioret. The film is described as an emotionally affecting drama about intersecting lives, unlikely friendships and the hope of new beginnings. It depicts a modern day migration dilemma where Bilal, a modern 17 year old Kurdish refugee, has spent the last three months of his life traveling across Europe to reunite with his girl friend who has emigrated to England.

Without the required documentation he decides to swim across the channel and goes to the local swimming pool hoping to train. There he develops a friendship with Simon the swimming instructor who is initially uninvolved and indifferent to Bilal, but over time they form a strong bond which establishes the human connection across race, age, culture and political divides. This deeply personal story shines a light on the impact of decisions and laws made by modern governments which affect the lives of asylum seekers and refugees and those who become part of their struggle. This particular film was widely received and debated in France due to a controversial French law which penalizes those citizens who help refugees. It is indeed food for thought as a deeply personal reflection on the issues of illegal immigrants given the current conversation in the Australian landscape.

Welcome was screened to the French and European Parliaments.

Welcome is rated M and screens this Friday at the Reardon Theatre Bank St Port Fairy at 7:30pm.

South Solitary a Fundraiser for Pakistan

On 24 September, the Port Fairy Film Society will screen a fundraiser for Pakistan Disaster Relief.

Whilst the Port Fairy Film Society encourages everyone to support the Pakistan disaster relief in whatever way they feel they can, the PFFS will screen “South Solitary” as a fundraiser for the purchase of water purification filters for water purification plants used by the Australian Red Cross.

The plants have their origin in Port Fairy from Peter O'Keeffe and Bob Handby. A further marvelous example of what we can do.

http://www.standard.net.au/news/local/news/general/handbys-key-role-in-pakistan-floods/1913025.aspx

Whilst the pumps are beyond the scope of our fundraiser, we can contribute directly to this program through the purchase of filters. The pumps use a number of different types of filters, from paper filters costing seven dollars to carbon filters at one hundred and eighty dollars each. Depending upon the nature of the water to be purified the pumps can use up to two sets of filters per day.

The cost of these filters is normally borne by the Red Cross programs.

http://www.theage.com.au/world/pakistan-floods-how-to-help-20100823-13dv5.html?rand=1282621764740

“South Solitary” is a gentle romantic drama by Shirley Barrett set on a remote Tasmanian lighthouse in the 1920s when Meredith Appleton (Miranda Otto) arrives with her uncle, (Barry Otto) the replacement light house keeper. The island is home to the assistant keeper(Rohan Nicol), his family(Essie Davis, Annie Martin) and their hand (Marton Csokas).

In giving “South Solitary” four stars, David Stratton, ABC, said “Performances are outstanding MIRANDA OTTO is particularly fine….. Stunningly photographed by Anna Howard, SOUTH SOLITARY is a very special film, both original and in its own way, quite a daring one." Margaret 3 Stars.The film opened this year’s Sydney Film Festival. The film was shot at Cape Nelson and Cape Otway. (M) 120 mins

http://www.abc.net.au/atthemovies/txt/s2946032.htm

Icon Films, the film distributors, have supplied the film for the fundraiser at a reduced rental. Thank you, Icon.

South Solitary will screen at 1.30pm and 7.30pm. Peter O’Keeffe will outline the uses of the water purification pumps prior to the screening.

Tickets, $12 and $10 concession, can be booked on ph. 5568 1339 and purchased at the door, the Port Fairy Visitor Information Centre ph 5568 2682 and in Warrnambool. Tea coffee and biscuits will be provided.

http://www.worldvision.com.au/Issues/Emergencies/Current_Emergencies/Pakistan_Floods.aspx

White Ribbon screens again this Friday 27 August

The Port Fairy Film Society wishes to apologize for the technical problems we encountered during last Friday's screening of The White Ribbon.

The problem has been fixed.

A further screening of The White Ribbon will be held at 7.30 pm this Friday 27 August at the Reardon Theatre.