You need to login to submit an event!
The first Cockatoo Island Film Festival will prove to be the biggest and most competitive film festival in Australia. Taking place from the 24th – 28th of October, celebrating the best in film from 15 countries with four state-of-the-art cinemas (one of which being a 1100 seat 3D cinema located at the centre of the island and an outdoor ‘silent’ cinema with the soundtrack coming through wireless headphones) are showing the films throughout the festival’s five day run.
Allanah Zitserman, co-director of the Cockatoo Island event, said the festival has attracted world-class film makers as well as some of Australia’s most successful international directors, actors and producers. These include what some consider the greatest director and writer alive, Paul Thomas Anderson visiting the festival on opening night.
“This has been in the planning stages for almost two years and we’re excited to announce such a diverse and high-quality list of feature films that will compete for the Best Feature Film Award,” she said.
“The films are from all corners of the globe including South America, Asia, Europe, the US, Britain, Russia, Scandinavia and from local directors and casts.”
The prestigious film festival’s opening night film is one of the year’s most anticipated films, The Master, which along with some controversy over its subject matter has been praised by audiences and film reviewers alike at some of the most prestigious film festivals on the planet including the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto international Film Festival. The film opens nationally on November 8th through Roadshow films.
With over 50 films in the official line up there’s more than a few options available including: The Sessions, Seven Psychopaths, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, Robot and Frank, Berberian Sound Studio (excellent), 360, Maniac and many more to choose from with some being their official Australian premiere at the festival. Each film will compete for a series of prestigious awards to be presented at a red carpet gala awards ceremony on Saturday night, 28 October, including Best Feature Film, Jury Prize for Artistic Vision, Best Documentary, Best Australian Short, the Young Film-maker of the Year and a $20,000 NSW Mining Young Indigenous Documentary Fellowship.
Cockatoo Island Film Festival Co-Director Stavros Kazantzidis said Cockatoo Island will be transformed into a celebration of films and music where the focus is as much on experiencing the event as being part of it.
“We have a vision to bring to Sydney a world class festival on the scale and with the multi entertainment appeal of other international festivals such as Cannes and Sundance,” he said.
“This will involve many Australian leading lights in film including actors, directors and cinematographers as well as internationally renowned celebrities and musicians.”
The Cockatoo Island Film Festival’s ambitious and lavish set up and events will prove to be the driving force in the creative industry in Australia that’s needed and deserved. It’s an event for film fans, lovers of culture and all facets of the beautiful island itself that cannot be missed in any way, shape or form. Tickets for the event are available online via the Cockatoo Island Film Festival website.
