Sydney Film Festival wrap up

Compiled by Matthew Donlan

Well there it is folks, another Sydney Film Festival has been and gone, and what an incredible programme it was! An amazing number of Cannes films, powerful tales from around the world, and plenty of local hits to celebrate too!

Check out some rapid reviews below from guest contributors, and my top 3 films of the festival (pending any late changes from the encore screenings...)

The Blood Countess (words by Eliot)
Besides Huppert’s magnetic presence and the eye candy of red costumes and sets, The Blood Countess is ultimately a let down. It’s half baked jokes that ceaselessly bombard us and messy plot lends the film to a tiresome two hour journey. Each side character is a bit of a shell to be used one or two times and then never develop further. While it’s fun to see a vampire film try to take camp to an extreme, we’re sat waiting for it to get better, but holding our breath for something that never came seemed more dangerous than the vampires themselves.

Dry Leaf (words by James)
Dry Leaf is a strange, elusive road movie and missing persons case that exists within the parameters of what we can and quite literally cannot see. Has 144p every looked so painterly? In a renewed beautified era of 8-35mm film it's bold to see someone tout low-res as their selling point. Koberidze is not afraid to push cinema's boundaries, and our attention spans, to its extremity. Prepare for a mysterious, intriguing and sometimes frustrating watch. This is your proof that cinephiles will watch anything (complimentary) so long as the sound design is good.

Silent Friend (words by Nic)
Such a contemplative, patient meditation on the relationship between humanity and nature. Incredibly clever in using its multiple storylines to reflect how nature contains so many tender memories and histories throughout time and it’s so gorgeously shot (the use of B&W 35mm, 16mm and digital photography!). A deeply moving, spiritual film that made me want to get a potted geranium afterwards!

Palestine 36 (words by Valerie)
In its first screening at the State Library, Palestine 36, directed by Annemarie Jacir, not only sold out the auditorium but left a visible imprint on the attendees which led to chants of “Free Palestine” during the end-credits. For me, the heart of the film was in the relationship between Father Boulous and his son Yusuf. We see the layers of violence and betrayal witnessed by the youth as they watch how the adults react and resist in different ways to the colonial oversight and loss of self-determination. As each person exited the cinema, many were teary-eyed, contemplative or stunned into silence. Soon after all the audience can do is unpack what they collectively witnessed and how to go from there, repositioning oneself from audience member to a global citizen grappling with these enduring human rights violations.

Coward (words by Molly)
Coward continues the emotionally driven filmmaking of Lukas Dhont’s oeuvre. The film is about finding escapism through art and love in World War I. Dhont masterfully contrasts between the moments of laughter and fun with scenes of horrific violence and death to convey the mental state of the characters. The intimacy between Pierre and Francis is believable and tender. The theatrical pageants allow for them to connect and explore gender expression. The connection of the two invests the audience into the story and the stakes at hand. Coward is a fresh take on a WWI film, which is emotionally moving and unapologetically queer.

The History of Concrete (words by unholy teddy)
It could’ve been one long joke, but John Wilson finds so much around him that’s interesting- be it people, their jobs, or their environment, that it’s endlessly charming, engaging, and human.

Barbara Hammer: A Visual Poet (words by Shobhit)
The 'visual poet' screening was comprised 9 of shorts of Barbara's work throughout her career, where some experimental filmmakers are known for finding their truth in certain film forms, like Brakhage with painted film or Len Lye and his animated textural films, and some for exploring concepts of art through medium of film, like Michael Snow or Paul Shartis, Barbara is open, like her proud identity as a lesbian women, to all forms of experimentation in film, and arrays a wide dynamic range with her shorts, with the main takeaway being truth incarnate, I really felt the truth of this women and her identity, and little of her work feels out of place.

My top three films of the festival:

1 - La Bola Negra
This is an absolutely electric and powerful tale of queer resistance across a century in Spain. It captures the strength of queer people telling queer stories against a backdrop of turmoil and fascism.

2 - Once Upon A Time In Harlem
William Greaves' documentary was 50 years in the making but it could not have come at a better time. It was such a privilege to witness these conversations and be welcomed into the space. It is a candid and moving film which is incredibly relevant for today.

3 - Dao
A swirling epic of a film that builds 'a real fake family' before your eyes to then evolve into one of the most authentic ensembles I've seen in years. Full of emotion and sincerity, Dao is a marvel to watch unfold and you cannot help but be swept up in its heart.

No weekly guide this week! It will be returning soon!