Overview
Earlier in 2018, a massive change was announced for this year's Brisbane International Film Festival, with the festival heading to the Gallery of Modern Art for the next three years. With its previously revealed October berth fast approaching, further details have been unveiled for this year's fest — namely its specific dates and broader range of venues, as well as its opening night film and a retrospective series.
While the South Brisbane gallery's Australian Cinémathèque will present and host the event from October 11–21 (and in 2019 and 2020 as well), BIFF will also take place at a range of cinemas around town. Cinephiles can expect to catch the festival's program of more than 100 films at Event Cinemas Myer Centre, New Farm Cinemas, the Elizabeth Picture Theatre and Reading Cinemas at Newmarket, with events also at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Powerhouse and the State Library of Queensland.
As for what'll be screening, the full lineup won't be announced until mid-September; however the fest will open with the north Queensland-shot Celeste, which was directed by Brisbane-born filmmaker Ben Hackworth, stars Radha Mitchell and is set in the rainforest splendour of the Innisfail region.
Across this year's BIFF, it'll be joined by a selection of movies either involving or considered inspiring by festival patrons Bruce Beresford and Sue Milliken — who've worked together on a number of titles, including this year's Ladies in Black, and will also feature in an in-conversation session about their careers. Retrospective screenings will include key films that Beresford has directed, as well features he's specifically enjoyed, such as 1928's The Passion of Joan of Arc, 1947's Odd Man Out and and 1995's Casino.
Elsewhere, a curated series will explore current ideas from Iranian, Asian, and African filmmakers, while other sessions will come with live music, conversations, panel discussions.
Of course, whatever else ends up on BIFF's screens, 2018's festival marks a landmark year after a period of significant upheaval and uncertainty for Brisbane's major government-supported festival. It was first run from 1992 to 2013, then cancelled in favour of the short-lived Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival between 2014 to 2016, which was also axed after a three-year stint. BIFF was brought back in 2017 via Palace Cinemas, but when that decision received criticism — both for awarding the festival exclusively to one commercial operator, and for doing so without calling for tenders from other interested parties — funding body Screen Queensland opened the event to submissions, with GOMA emerging victorious.
The 2018 Brisbane International Film Festival will take place from October 11–21 at the Gallery of Modern Art, Event Cinemas Myer Centre, New Farm Cinemas, the Elizabeth Picture Theatre, Reading Cinemas Newmarket, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Powerhouse and the State Library of Queensland. The full program and tickets will be released in mid-September — visit the GOMA website for further details.