The Melbourne International Film Festival has released 32 titles from its 2018 program, including the reveal of the opening night film: Paul Dano’s directorial debut WILDLIFE starring Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal and Australia’s Ed Oxenbould.
Already a hit from Sundance, the film – based on the 1990 Richard Ford novel of the same name – is co-written by Zoe Kazan. It tells a tender and empathetic story about a teen dealing with his family falling apart in 1960s Montana. “Paul Dano’s debut as a director provides a glimpse into a successful shift in his career from on screen to off,” said MIFF’s Artistic Director Michelle Carey.
Asia in Focus
For The Reel Bits, we always have Asia in Focus. Veteran slow-cinema auteur Tsai Ming-liang makes his debut foray into virtual reality with THE DESERTED, a 55-minute experience with a wordless, near-feature length tale of ghosts, grief and fish; and a little closer to home. Even slower cinema comes in AN ELEPHANT SITTING STILL (China), a four-hour journey as Hu Bo paints a compelling, empathetic portrait of contemporary China in this FIPRESCI Prize-winning debut.
The winner of SXSW’s Grand Jury Prize for documentary, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE is Hao Wu’s unsettling and fascinating look into the online world of live-streaming, social media and virtual relationships. THE SEEN AND UNSEEN is the second feature from Indonesia’s Kamila Andini and winner of best youth film at the 2017 Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Vivian Qucontinues to interrogate crime, corruption and control in modern-day China in ANGELS WEAR WHITE, which won her the Best Director award at the Golden Horse Film Festival.
First Glance
It’s such a fun program announced so far too. Spaghetti Western, ’70s Euro-pulp and delirious psychedelia collide in LET THE CORPSES TAN. Ethan Hawke appears twice, once in Paul Schrader’s FIRST REFORMED, and his directorial outing BLAZE. The Sundance Grand Jury winner THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST comes with all of the buzz, being a comedy-drama set in a “gay conversion” camp. We also can’t resist the title of THE BILL MURRAY STORIES: LIFE LESSONS LEARNED FROM A MYTHICAL MAN.
Closer to home, the Venice-premiering WEST OF SUNSHINE stars Pawno’s Damian Hill alongside his real-life step-son Ty Perham and Offspring’s Kat Stewart (Sucker, MIFF 2015). Shot in Melbourne, it explores fatherhood, trauma and second chances.
The full program will be revealed on Tuesday 10 July. MIFF Members have exclusive access to a pre-sale period from 10-12 July. All tickets go on sale Friday 13 July. You can check out the full list of titles announced so far below. Check out miff.com.au for more details.
An Elephant Sitting Still (China)
Angels Wear White (China)
Apostasy (UK)
Beast (UK)
Blaze (USA)
Bodied (USA)
First Reformed (USA)
I Used to Be Normal – A Boyband Fangirl Story (Australia/USA)
Island of the Hungry Ghosts (Australia)
John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection (France)
Let the Corpses Tan (Belgium/France)
MATANGI /MAYA /M.I.A. (USA/UK)
McQueen (UK)
Mr Inbetween (Australia)
People’s Republic of Desire (China / USA)
Pig (Iran)
Pity (Greece/Poland)
The Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned from a Mythical Man (USA)
The Cheaters (Australia)
The Deserted (Taiwan)
The Guilty (Denmark)
The Insult (Lebanon)
The Miseducation of Cameron Post (USA)
The Seen and Unseen (Indonesia)
Tigers Are Not Afraid (Mexico)
Transit (Germany)
United Skates (USA)
Wayne (Australia/NZ)
West of Sunshine (Australia)
Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? (France)
Wildlife – Opening Night Gala (USA)
You Were Never Really Here (USA/France)
Zama (Argentina/Brazil/Spain/France/Netherlands/Mexico/Portugal)
