Two Flat Whites is giving our lucky readers the chance to win a double pass to see the film ‘Knowing’, starring Nicolas Cage, only at the movies from the 26th March 2009. Many of the cast & crew is Australian including Rose Byrne (Troy, Two Hands) & the movie is the next gripping action-thriller of global proportions from Australian visionary Alex Proyas (I, Robot, The Crow) .

When a professor stumbles on a set of coded numbers, written in 1959 and buried in a time capsule at his son’s school, he makes a startling discovery. The cryptic message predicts every major disaster of the past 50 years and holds chilling predictions about future catastrophes—the last of which hints at destruction on a global scale.

We have six (6) double passes to giveaway thanks to our friends at Icon Film Distribution. If you would like to win the tickets, please email your name & postal address to info

Competition closes Sunday, 22nd March 2009.

The really wonderful thing about film is that it can be open for anyone and everyone to participate.  All that is required is a video camera and an idea – whether you’re making a movie in Hollywood, in Bollywood, or…in Glebe.

Indeed, there I was – just five days after Hollywood’s night of nights, the Oscars – strolling through the gritty streets of Glebe on my way to a community cinema event put on by Glebe Youth Service.  One of the primary goals of the Youth Service has been to help guide the young (and often disadvantaged) people of Glebe to a positive future.  The youth workers firmly believe that this can be achieved by working with the youth on activities that bring the community together.  Tonight’s event was coordinated by one of their tireless workers, Keiran Kevans.  Keiran is surely one of the most selfless people you’re likely to meet in the welfare industry – and that’s saying something!

One of the movies screened – a short-film called The Badge – was produced by Short Black Films.  Short Black Films is an initiative funded by the City of Sydney Council and run by Australian actor Vincent McManus.  The idea behind Short Black Films is that they go into various inner-west suburbs and work with the local Aboriginal youth to put together short-films.  The young people are involved in all aspects of the process.  This includes initial brainstorming and discussion of themes, through to writing the script, acting in the film, and even producing music for the sound track.  It is through this open collaboration that the great success of Short Black Films reveals itself.  Show me a teenager who wouldn’t be excited to see him/herself in a movie.  Or be thrilled to hear their music accompany a movie.  Or revel in hearing a crowd laugh at a joke they had written.  As soon as any form of ownership is associated with a project, there comes a feeling of pride, worth, and ultimately, inspiration.

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Heading into our fourth year in 2009, the Blue Dandenongs Young Filmmakers Festival is a unique voice in the crowd of film festivals across the country. A vibrant celebration of film culture, the focus of BDYFF is on artistic excellence and innovation rather than just participation, resulting in an annual showcase of the best original short films from emerging young filmmakers.

To compliment the feature screening program BDYFF09 also includes a wide range of events, arts, entertainment and more in celebration of film culture, catering for everyone from the film curious to full bloom celluloid addicts. This years program includes a twilight market at Cameos outdoor cinema, afternoon tea party in the gorgeous gardens at Earthly Pleasures café, screening of Little Big Shots kids film festival selection at Burrinja Theatre, kick on at Scarab Bar or Oscar’s Ale House, and as much live music, roving performance, and tall green forest as we could fit into one eccentric hilltop village.

See what state the future of Australian film is in on Saturday, 21st February 2009. See you there!

When: Staurday, 21st February 2009
Where: Dandenongs, Victoria
Phone:
Email:

Two of Australia’s most widely recognised and respected film critics are undoubtedly David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz .  Both have a long-standing, often symbiotic, relationship with the Australian film industry, and both are as supportive as they are critical towards any new release film produced by our nation.  Like most others with an interest in quality adult cinema, it is with great pleasure that I tune into their weekly film review TV show, ‘ At The Movies ‘.  Mostly I agree with their opinions.  However, while discussing the 2008 Australian film, ‘ Ten Empty ‘, a bemused David pondered, “what audience the film is targeting?”  Margaret hummed in agreement.  This comment has been floating around in my head whenever I think about the state of the Australian film industry.

Having seen, and really enjoyed “ Ten Empty ”, I struggled to understand this somewhat dismissive remark from such highly influential reviewers.  The film is basically a winter version of the comparatively sun-tanned Australian production ‘ The Black Balloon ‘ (a film which was both critically and commercially well received).  Both films centre around the son in a disadvantaged family and his journey to find his position within the family. The films are thematically similar, though the tone is much bleaker and more realistic in ‘ Ten Empty ‘.  Both are very powerful films, and both are superb representations of Australian filmmakers exploring meaningful social realism.

What audience does it target?  My immediate reaction was “anyone and everyone”.  Whether or not you personally relate to the situations in the film, there is still a great deal of empathy one can gain through the shared experiences of others – on and/or off screen.  However, I understand where David and Margaret were coming from: both are well aware of the dire state of the general public’s attitude towards Australian films.  Over the last 10 years an average of just 4.3% of box office revenue in Australia has come from Australian films.  American films swallow up a greedy 82%.

Should this mean that we gear our movies towards a more US-centric audience?  Well, they would probably be more profitable (‘ The Black Balloon ‘ focused its marketing campaign around its tabloid magazine co-star, Gemma Ward ), but would they remain an honest and credible reflection of Australian culture and values? ( Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Australia ‘, for all its joy and heart, is still very much tailored to an American mythology of Australian life).

And since when does the notion of profitability act as any kind of barometer of the success or relevance of a film?  That in itself is an Imperialist American theology. Discussing his most recent film, 2007’s ‘ The Diving Bell & The Butterfly ‘, artist/director Julian Schnabel scoffed at the question of how profitable the film would be:  “I make money from selling my paintings, I don’t expect to make any money from my films, I make them because they are stories I want to tell”.  If one were to judge the success of  “ The Diving Bell & The Butterfly ” by how it affected people, then it wouldn’t be off the mark to label it as one of the most successful films ever made.  The film, based on the real-life story of a man with a severe disability conveying his memoirs to a nurse, was screened in hundreds of hospitals around Europe, inspiring patients who were uplifted by the brave and determined tale.

Filmmaking coming from this ethos – of giving rather than taking – is what makes cinema, as an art form, so wonderful.  “Film should act as a mirror to society, it should make people think”, declared Greek director Costa Gavros .  Australian cinema has a long, proud history of making good quality Australian stories.  Whilst the general public’s apathy towards our industry is an issue that needs to be addressed, I don’t think that compromising to cater for their current tastes is in any way helpful.

Finally, a quote from James Jupp (author of ‘From White Australia To Woomera, The Story Of Australian Immigration’), which I believe can be aptly applied to the future of the Australian film industry –  “I accept that politicians must work within limits set by public opinion.  But I do not accept that majority opinion is always right.  Changing public opinion is a necessary feature of democracy and, in this area, often essential”.

Article written by Ryan Nance.

Ryan’s passion for good adult cinema has really blossomed, and shows no sign of waning. Check out some of his other reviews right here .

Horror films are not normally my cup of tea, but don’t let that stop you from watching this little Aussie gem, low budget, no stars cast of a film set in one of the most beautiful places in the world, outback Australia.

Three everyday, exoteric Australians stop by to visit Mum. From there, they hump the bluey on a short holiday to the Northern Territory. They come across a little tour company & decide to embark on a spot of angling. There fishing trip turns into a thrilling adventure whereby a 12 foot Crocodile spoils there party. The cast of Diana Glenn, Maeve Dermody, Andy Rodoreda, Ben Oxenbould & Fiona Press turn this flick into one must see movie. They ensure that your eyes are glued to the big screen.

Black Water depicts mate ship, hard ache, love, terror, ingenuity & courage. Directors David Nerlich & Andrew Traucki debut with a wonderful effort showing that the Australian film industry has much to offer. Get out & grab yourself a copy of this Australian film today.

Article written by Liam Gibbs

Professional first time writer/ director Jasmine Yuen-Carrucan does a good job with this Australian film. It’s a suspense/ thriller which is well made with plenty of shots of outback Australia.

A make shift kidnapper (Travis McMahon) is in desperate need of money for his little girl & in these hopeless times he resorts to delivering a talkative conman (David Lyons) to a group of thugs for a small fortune. He travels thousands of kilometres across the country & the two of them build quite a bond & camaraderie towards each other.

Bryan Brown plays the local cop & as you would expect knows everyone from Broken Hill to Alice Springs. He is a likeable character with plenty of charm & an evil side to boot. The versatile Shane Jacobson plays the country truckie & finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The film can be a little slow going, but I did enjoy the characters who really brought this movie alive. The scenes from the soaring outback & the smooth story line were quite enjoyable. If you’re a revhead you’ll enjoy the reference in the movie to the old Australian rivalry of Ford v Holden. Not a bad effort for a low budget Australian flick!

Article written by Liam Gibbs

The ATOM Awards were established in 1982 by the Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) – an independent, non-profit association promoting media education and screen literacy in primary, secondary and tertiary education and the broader community.

Each year, the ATOM Awards recognise excellence in over thirty categories of Film, Television, Animation and Multimedia and celebrate the very best of Australian and New Zealand production.

The call for entries for the 2009 ATOM Awards will open on Monday 1st December 2008. Download the call for entries online here or pick up a copy with your issue of Metro Magazine, Screen Education or Encore. Entry forms will also be available from selected cinemas, cafes and universities in your capital city.

We had a wonderful response to the Newcastle tickets giveaway & the winners are in. The winners are: –

M. Haertsch – Newcastle, NSW
C. Abouchar – Surry Hills, NSW
M. Hopkins – Berefield, NSW
M. Richa – Sydney, NSW
W. Zheng – Erskineville, NSW
K. Hatch – Melbourne, VIC
E. Bakkalis – Dingley Village, VIC
M. Charters – Glenelg, SA
T. Parker – Hervey Bay, QLD
M. Went – Canberra, ACT

Well done to you all & the tickets will be with you this week. Thank you to everyone that entered the competition.

Dan Castle is the Writer & Director of the new Australian Film – Newcastle , which began in cinemas this weekend. Dan has written & directed a number of critically acclaimed short films, including The Visitor , starring Barry Otto, which received awards at the national & international festivals including an AFI (Australian Film Institute) nomination for the Best Short Fiction Film in 2003. Newcastle is Dan’s eagerly anticipated debut feature film. Catch it in cinemas now!

Where did you grow up & where do you hang your hat?

Hi – I grew up in New Castle Delaware on the east coast of the US – about 2 hours south of NYC, forty minutes from Philadelphia and 3 hours from Washington DC – so in a lot of ways my New Castle is a lot like Australia’s – in the shadow of a bigger smoke! And similar to Jesse in the film I wanted to hurry up and get onto a bigger playing field.  Went to NYU in NYC then moved to LA at 25… I live in between LA and OZ/Bondi.

In your own words, what do you do?

I am a writer/director of films

Where did you learn your craft?

Mostly self taught but my education and training was all in music growing up then in my early twenties I started acting, then writing, then painting, photographing and then took a stab at directing in my early 30s and got hooked – finally had a venue to throw all my guts into and past training and pursuits!

Who or what inspires you?

Beauty and different cultures – whether they be sub-cultures like surfing or communities or overseas countries – I have a story I wrote set in St. Tropez France and am working on something that will shoot in S. Africa.  But I also have my Hollywood Film Noir flick I want to make and anther surf film called Surf Mom about a 40 something Laguna Beach mom who chucks in the botox for surf wax!

Childhood Memories:

TV Show –  Six Million Dollar Man!  Charlies Angeles, Baretta!
Hobby – guitar – blues, rock n roll, song writing, painting, yoga, photography
Food – Pizza!
Fear – Speaking in public ☺)
People –grounded – self aware, tuned in and conscious good energy is the crowd I walk with.
Defining moment – seeing KISS in concert – December 22, 1977 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia – hands down – changed my life and my perception of what is possible – I was 11!!

Schooling memories, chore or cherished?

Bit of both – was definitely a chore when in school but now looking back can see how much it all grounded me and gave a positive start and value system to work with as I grew up and dealt with the world at large.

Where is the most beautiful place in Australia you have visited?

Well – Newcastle!!  Love its diversity and duelling images – working port, coal barges and those beaches and waves!! Besides that I love driving out to Broken Hill – get great shots in that light and open space!

From the hours of 9am to 5pm, what do you get up too?

Lots of exercise, yoga, swimming, email, phone calls, writing, take photos, play too much guitar some days and sometimes allow a meeting of some importance to take place ☺

Who are your favourite film personalties? And is there anyone we should keep a look out for in Australia?

Favourite film personalities – Al Pacino!  Gael Garcia Bernal, Johnny Depp Sophia Loren, Fellini as a filmmaker, Reshad Strik – Victor in Newcastle – guy is going to be HUGE!

Where can people see your work?

Some of my films are on the internet or for sale through Amazon – right now Newcastle at the movie theatres starting Nov 6 in OZ ( Oct 30 in NC)  then on DVD in OZ in early 2009 – in US theatrical release of NC in March – I have tons of photos for sale on my website – www.dancastle.com

For love or money?

LOVE  – haven’t been paid a dime yet for anything I’ve done creatively! True! I am so in debt – but do what you love and the money will come!

What future endeavors are in the pipeline?

Depending on what gets funded first – some that I wrote or something a bit bigger that some companies are considering me for to direct!  We’ll see – I hope to be behind that camera sooner than later!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Making bigger and better films!

If you could invite 3 people to chat over coffee, who would they be & why?

Bill Clinton – Love the guy and what he has survived and accomplished as a man and leader

Farrah Fawcett – just to let her know I love her and think she is the most beautiful woman to ever hit the world stage and give her a pep talk as she fights her cancer battle!

If we’re talking alive or Dead – Picasso – all the way! Genius

If only alive – Gael Gracia Bernal – he’s just got it in spades!

Coffee or Tea?

Tea – mostly green – but I like my English Breakfast with milk, no sugar at times and in OZ I’ll take a flat white any day but don’t drink coffee in US – just can’t get a flat white!

Each & every week, Two Flat Whites will gaze into it’s crystal ball & provide you, our readers, with ‘What’s On’ in your area. Whether you’re from the city,the burbs, interstate or rural Australia we have something for you!

We will post links to events from all of the Two Flat Whites categories. So if you would like to promote an upcoming event, let us know, email us & we’ll help you get the word around town. ben

The Arts

MindBodySpirit Festival

Mark Alsweiler @ palmer projects

Food

Street Smart – Helping the homeless

Music

Newtown Festival 2008

The 19th Annual Glebe Music Festival

Fashion

2threads Fashion Awards

Film

The Homeless World Cup documentary film, Kicking It

Newcastle the movie – starts in cinemas this weekend!

Interstate

Djerriwarrh Festival

Rural Australia

Gundaroo Bush Festival

Coffs Coast Food & Wine Festival

Days Of Wine, Arts & Roses Festival