How'd you like to work alongside some of the most creative minds in Melbourne? Well, you may soon get the chance, thanks to a brand new initiative from the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. The publicly funded exhibition space and cinema today announced the launch of ACMI X, a collaborative work space in the Southbank Arts Precinct. The 60 seat, 2000sqm office space will be the new home of ACMI's team of curators, programmers, producers and administrators, and will also house the Melbourne offices of the National Film and Sound Archive. The remainder of the space will be available for long and short term hire by members of the creative industries, such as tech start-ups, filmmakers, artists, writers, web developers and graphic designers. "ACMI X is an exciting new model that rethinks the role our major cultural institutions play in our creative ecosystem," said Martin Foley, State Minister for Creative Industries. "It addresses one of the most critical needs of our creative industries sector – access to affordable accommodation – breaks down existing barriers, and creates new opportunities for cross-pollination and collaboration." "ACMI X will not only leverage our resources back into the creative sector – and bring the energy and ideas of practitioners directly into our daily practice – but will actively foster collaboration between the creative industries," added ACMI director and CEO Katrina Sedgwick. ACMI X was designed by award-winning architects Six Degrees, with amenities including high speed internet, meeting rooms, a multipurpose events space, a cafe and kitchen hub, bicycle parking and discounted car parking and – perhaps most importantly – access to games consoles and retro arcade machines. The space will be open for business in April, but you can lodge membership applications now. For more information, visit acmi.net.au/acmi-x.
While Shannon Bennett's best known for his work helming fine dining institutions like Vue de Monde, the acclaimed chef reminded us he can also make a pretty mean burger, launching Benny Burger within Sydney Airport's international terminal last April. Now it's Melbourne's turn for a slice of the action, with Bennett set to unveil the first of three Victorian Benny Burger venues in Richmond this weekend. Officially opening its doors on Saturday, June 17, the Swan Street store's built on the same philosophy as the original, championing real ingredients, organic local produce and ethical practices. The name pays homage to Bennett's father Benny, and the food menu is peppered with childhood memories of the homemade burgers he'd throw on the barbie each weekend. Speaking of, the menu is an impressive lineup of 11 burger varieties, a couple of all-day brekkie options, fries and daily salads. Get your hands around a classic beef-filled Mr Burns, or go meat-free with the beetroot and chickpea Yoga Burger. There's even a cheeky reference to American Momofuku chef David Chang, who famously claimed "Australia has no idea what a burger is". He's invited to eat his words with The Chang, a hefty combo teaming beetroot relish, wagyu beef and a fried egg, with lots of other locally-sourced goodies. Plus, to kick things off, the store will be slinging free burgers for the first 100 customers through the doors from 11am this Saturday, June 17. There'll be lots of burgers beyond that, as well as a live set from Kingswood at 7pm. Benny Burger will open at 11am at 95 Swan Street, Richmond. For more info, visit bennyburger.com.au.
Melbourne's summer festival calendar scored a wild and wonderful new addition: Can't Do Tomorrow is taking over the warehouses of Kensington's famed underground space The Facility with a ten-day festival of music, discussion and art. The new festival promises to be immersive, eclectic and entirely thought-provoking. The lineup includes more than 100 artists, galleries, crews and collectives who will transform the former wool stores into a large-scale smorgasbord of urban art for you to look at, interact with and even buy. One of the highlights of the event will be a giant hand-painted boat floating in a shipping container by Archibald Prize finalist and Melbourne artist Michael Peck. Elsewhere on the program, new media artist Nick Azidis will take over the exterior walls and tunnel of The Facility with mind-bending projections, UK artist Mysterios Al will transform an area into a multi-dimensional work with "hidden secrets" and street artist Kaffeine's Infinite Thanks will celebrate LGBTQI+ icons with paintings and stories inside a shrine, which you'll also be able to add to with your own offerings, too. Callum Preston — who's behind Melbourne's famed milk bar installation — will create a new work inspired by 80s gangster movies that'll make you feel like you've stepped into Scarface. Street artists Ruskidd, Jason Parker, Unwell Bunny, LucyLucy, David Hooke, Steve Leadbeater and Heesco are some of the other big names on the bill, too. As well as looking at (and contributing to) the artists' works, you'll be able to chat to them, thanks to a series of talks and workshops. Rone, who recently transformed a deserted 30s mansion into a haunting installation earlier this year, is one of the artists who'll be sharing their tips. To round out the festivities, there'll also be live music, pop-up food stalls and bars and warehouse parties at Tallows Club, which will be open until 1am throughout the festival.
On November 3, The Astor Theatre will become the most magical place in Melbourne, as all nine films grace the St Kilda cinema's screens for 20 hours of wizarding wonder. BYO time-turner if you don't think you'll be able to stay awake. Nine films, you say? Yep, this really is a celebration of every Potter-related flick there is, which means the eight movie versions of J.K. Rowling's original seven books, plus the film adaptation of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as well. Watch Harry, Hermione, Ron and co. spend their first day at Hogwarts, play quidditch, search for the deathly hallows and battle He Who Must Not Be Named. And, then jump back several decades earlier to explore the exploits behind one of their textbooks — as presented in glorious 70mm, too. The marathon will be a nice little catch-up before the Fantastic Beasts sequel (The Crimes of Grindelwald) comes out in November. Kicking off at 11am on Saturday and screening through until the following morning, Potterfest will also include plenty of other Potter nerdery, with dressing up in costume as highly recommended as a pint of butterbeer. Tickets are $45 each (only five bucks a film) and, like with last year's debut event, are bound to sell out.
When Chinese restaurant Lee Ho Fook made the move from Collingwood to the CBD last month, there was suddenly a vacancy at their original location on Smith Street. Next year the old owners will reopen the site as Goldfish, a new casual dining endeavour overseen by head chef Victor Liong. Until then, the space has been handed to a pair of award-winning sommeliers, who have transformed it into an impressive looking pop-up wine bar. Hey, it sure beats an empty storefront. Fittingly christened Semi-Permanent at 92 Smith (no relation to the design conference), the temporary venture begun trading yesterday and is expected to occupy the site until Christmas Eve. Running the show are Liz Carey and Paul Guiney, previously of MoVida and The Town Mouse, respectively. Customers can expect a large, rotating wine list, with Carey telling Gourmet Traveller the selection would be "constantly changing, international, accessible ... wine from people who make really good booze, and wine that likes food." They'll also be serving sake, because why not? Food will be handled by chef Tanya Bertino, who Carey and Guiney recruited from the Gem in nearby Wellington Street. The focus will be on simple, rustic food that compliments the wine, such as terrines, rillettes, cheeses and sliced meats. They'll also welcome a number of guest chefs for special pop-up dinners, including O Tama Carey in October and Christine Manfield in December. Once they shut up shop to make way for Goldfish, Carey and Guiney hope to find a permanent home for the wine-bar — although presumably at that point they'll have to change the name. Semi-Permanent at 92 Smith is located at 92 Smith Street, Collingwood (obviously). For trading hours visit their website. Via Gourmet Traveller and Good Food.
You'll never run out of juice in the Big Apple again, thanks to a new kind of public seating popping up around the city. Over the next 30 days, the Parks Department in Manhattan will unveil five solar-powered park benches that double as mobile charging stations for New Yorkers on the go. Developed by the MIT Media Lab, Soofa Benches come fitted with solar panels and a pair of USB charging ports, where pedestrians can plug in their phone or tablet for a much needed top-up. The first of the three person benches will be installed at Highbridge Park in the Bronx next week, with the rest due to pop-up over the course of the coming month. "We are super-excited about New York City," Soofa CEO and co-founder Sandra Richter told New York Daily News. "People are staying outside longer and using parks as their backyards. The Soofa benches are a perfect fit." Soofa Benches are already in use in a number of US cities, including Los Angeles and Boston. In addition to providing the public with a handy place to recharge, they can also keep track of park visitor numbers by counting Wi-Fi enabled devices as they go by. Via NY Daily News.
Get your bingo cards ready, movie lovers — the Oscar nominations have arrived! This year's contenders are a motley crew, ranging from action blockbusters to little-seen indie flicks and worthy social dramas. And while there aren't many surprises, there are still plenty of great films on the ballot. Let's dive right in, shall we? Leading the pack with a dozen nominations is the grizzly DiCaprio vehicle The Revenant, although box office favourite Mad Max: Fury Road is hot on its heel with ten. Both scored nods for Best Picture, where they'll compete against current favourite Spotlight as well as The Martian, Room, The Big Short, Brooklyn and Bridge of Spies. The Best Director race, meanwhile, will come down to Alejandro G. Inarritu for The Revenant, George Miller for Mad Max, Tom McCarthy for Spotlight, Adam McKay for The Big Short and Lenny Abrahamson for Room. Were Innaritu to come out on top, it would mark back-to-back directing wins for the Mexican filmmaker, following his gong for Birdman last year. Perennial runner-up Leonardo DiCaprio might finally be in with a chance of taking home Best Actor for his work in The Revenant. He'll be competing in the category against last year's winner Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl, Matt Damon in The Martian, Bryan Cranston in Trumbo and Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs. Australia's Cate Blanchett has been nominated for Best Actress for her role in Carol, along with Brie Larson in Room, Jennifer Lawrence in Joy, Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years and Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn. Worth noting is that, for the second year in a row, no person of colour has been nominated in any of the acting categories. Other notable omissions include the absence of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in all major categories, although the film has been nominated for a number of technical awards including Best Film Editing and Best Special Effects. Quentin Tarantino missed out on a screenwriting nomination for his racially-charged Western The Hateful Eight, though the film is up for Best Cinematography and Best Original Score, and earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Jennifer Jason Leigh. The 88th Academy Awards will take place next month on February 28, and will be hosted by Chris Rock. For the full list of nominations, go here.
From 47 wild, WTF and wonderful finalists, the Art Gallery of New South Wales has announced their 204 Archibald Prize winner. Newcastle artist and former armed robber Nigel Milsom has taken out the coveted trophy (and a cheeky $100,000 prize) for his straight-up Edgar Allan Poe-like portrait of Australian author, barrister, and filmmaker Charles Waterstreet. Awarded the top gong at the Art Gallery of New South Wales's fancy award ceremony this afternoon, Milsom beat out 46 other finalists — including Bruno Jean Grasswill’s Packing Room Prize-winning portrait of Australian actor and The Castle legend Michael Caton. It's not the first time Milsom's cleaned up at a prestigious art competition; he won the 2013 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize and the 2012 Sulman Prize, and casually, this is his third time in the Archibald. Unlike many subjects for the Archibald, Waterstreet has been in Milsom's life for longer than a portrait sitting. "I’ve known Charlie indirectly and directly since birth," says Milsom. "I was born in Albury around the corner from the Waterstreet Hotel, owned and managed by his parents. On Friday afternoons, my father used to sell them freshly caught Murray cod to earn extra money for materials he needed to complete a boat he was building at home, which later sank to the bottom of the Murray River during its maiden voyage one freezing afternoon. "My relationship with Charlie took on more significance a few years ago when he represented me and in the pursuit of justice stood up to what seemed an unfair, impenetrable brick wall. He put his head on the chopping block and restored my faith in the legal system. "Charlie is a very complex person. He isn’t just a law man. He’s a writer, a social environmentalist and is involved in film, photography and theatre too. Despite personal struggles with his own demons over the years, he has managed to dedicate most of his time to the welfare of others. My portrait is an attempt to depict him as a giant: part-man, part-mythical creature with hands that appear otherworldly, as though the anatomy of his hands has been designed to grasp unnatural disasters, naturally." The Archibald Prize exhibition opens to the public at the AGNSW on Saturday, July 18. To view all the Archibald, Sulman and Wynne finalists, head over here. Images: Archibald Prize, AGNSW.
You grape-happy, foot-stomping folks did it. You dug deep into your pockets, put your cash where your wine-loving taste buds are and rocketed Melbourne’s first people-powered urban winery into existence. And now, you get to reap the sweet, sweet rewards. Come late February, Noisy Ritual, as the winery is known, will lurch into action. First step is the production of four batches of wine, concocted from grapes sourced from Victorian vineyards. Pinot noir will be making the trip from Geelong and Sunbury, while shiraz will be scuttling over from Geelong and Heathcote. If you’ve been forward-thinking enough to sign up as a Noisy Ritual member, you’re invited to every part of the process. That means blanking out as many Saturdays in your diary while vintage lasts: 28 February to 11 April. What else could possibly compete for your time with communal stomping and pressing, anyway? The good news is, if you’re not yet a member, you’re still welcome to the party. Noisy Ritual will also be hosting a pop-up bar throughout the period. Open between 7pm and 11pm on Saturday nights at 130 High Street, Preston South, it’s a place to check out the wine-making process, sample wines made by Noisy Ritual’s winemakers and try the latest drops from a handpicked selection of Melbourne’s craft beer creators. If, at some point along the way, you feel inspired to join, you might be able to grab one of the few memberships left. Initiated by a trio of Melbournians, Noisy Ritual is all about boosting wine-love in a friendly, welcoming environment. Too often, people who are new to wine feel intimidated by the tasting scene, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The team is made up of professional winemakers Alex and Sam, and their school mate Cam. After accidentally discovering a fermenter underneath Cam’s house, they decided to get their friends together to make a batch of wine. The process was so much fun, they wanted to share it with the rest of Melbourne. Following a successful crowd funding campaign, Noisy Ritual was born. Find the Noisy Ritual pop-up bar at 130 High Street, Preston. Open Saturdays 7pm-11pm from February 28 through April 4.
Staying sun smart over summer might have just gotten simpler, thanks to a new piece of wearable tech from cosmetic giant L'Oreal. Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this week, the My UV Patch is a temporary tattoo that syncs with a mobile app in order to monitor levels of UV exposure. Developed by L'Oreal in partnership with design firm PCH and heath technology company MC10, the blue and white patch, which is less than 0.05mm thick, uses photosensitive dyes to measure UV levels, and changes colours depending on the wearer's level of exposure. Then all you need to do is snap a photo of the patch and the mobile app lets you know if it's time to head indoors. The patch is showerproof, and is designed to last approximately five days. "The partnership with L’Oreal really identified an area around skin health where this technology could have value—not just like, cool stuff in a material science lab," said MC10 co-founder and vice president Roozbeh Ghaffari to Wired. Tech companies have long speculated that smart tattoos could be the future of wearable tech. The My UV Patch will be available for free in 15 countries beginning later this year, although exact distribution details are still being hammered out. Via Wired.
Dust off your deckchairs and shake out those summer-lovin' picnic rugs because the lineup for A Day on the Green's November/December instalment has just dropped and phwoar, it's pretty darn good. Playing dates at various luxe wineries around the country, alt-rock superstars Garbage will make their triumphant return to Australia, joined by local legends The Temper Trap, The Preatures, Adalita and Tash Sultana in a lineup that champions some seriously killer frontwomen. Picture Shirley Manson, Isabella Manfredi and Adalita on the same stage — fingers crossed for an all-in song. This is the first time Garbage has played in Australia since 2013, and is culminating with their latest release Strange Little Birds. Take a moment to revisit their 1995 hit 'Only Happy When It Rains', because Thursday. The Temper Trap will also be playing their first shows since releasing their third album Thick As Thieves, which has been garnering some widespread airtime both locally and internationally. Early Christmas present anyone? A DAY ON THE GREEN 2016 TOUR DATES: Sat Nov 26 — Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley Sun Nov 27 — Leconfield Wines, McLaren Vale Tues Nov 29 — Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth (*Tash Sultana/Adalita not playing Perth) Sat Dec 3 — Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley Sun Dec 4 — Sirromet Wines, Mt Cotton Tickets go on sale Monday, August 8 at 12pm, starting at $99.90 +BF from ticketmaster.com.
The dynamic duo behind the lava-powered barbecue and 'anatomical whisky tastings' have something new and wonderfully creepy up their sleeve. Masters of blending gastronomy and performance art, Sam Bompas and Harry Parr have unveiled their latest project: the pop-up PharmaCafe in Dubai, a cafe which serves bespoke 'cocktails' based on your DNA. Entering Bompas and Parr's futuristic pop-up cafe, set up at the 2015 Museum of Future Government Services exhibition, visitors have their hand scanned for DNA. Then, lab coat-wearing 'bartenders' pair your genetic make-up with just the right medicinally beneficial ingredients; from rosemary and turmeric to chamomile and violet. According to LSN, violet can be used as an antiseptic, and turmeric gives your BDNF hormone a little boost — it's all down to optimising benefits according to your DNA. Whatever you're want for is whacked in a glass and served as a restorative health mocktail — something much more beneficial to your person than those Long Island Iced Teas you've been healthily guzzling. The PharmaCafe is just one of the creepily mindblowing projects happening at the 2015 Museum of Future Government Services show, a project by the Prime Minister’s Office of the UAE and directed by Tellart. The exhibition explores the future possibilities of travel, healthcare, education and urban services — featuring real and totally weird prototype services like smart mirrors that assess your appearance. Including the PharmaCafe, the first-of-its-kind exhibition features projects by over 80 designers, technologists and futurists from nearly 20 countries, like Specular, SOFTlab, Future Cities Catapult, Idee und Klang and Octo. Via LSN.
Confetti cannons up, we've got something bloody huge to celebrate. Concrete Playground has been nominated for a 2016 Webby Award, in the category of General Website - Cultural Blog/Website. Look, we're not pulling your leg, here we are, with fellow nominees VICE, Nowness, Jazz at Lincoln Centre and Polygraph. So we're drinking prosecco for afternoon tea, what of it? Celebrating their 20th year, The Webbys have seen the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences handing out top tier awards since 1996, celebrating "excellence on the internet including websites, interactive advertising, online film and video and mobile content." Along with our mates and website designers Canvas Group, Concrete Playground is now celebrating our first ever Webby nomination. Concrete Playground founder and director Rich Fogarty was understandably excited. "FUUUUUUUUUCK!" he said in a statement. Fellow Australian/NZ nominees include triple j's Hottest 100 site for Music (they're up against Beyonce's official site, kudos), and Trusted Housesitters — based in Australia as well as globally — for the Community category. Best part of the Webbys? Once the nominations have been announced, the winners are internet-voted. So you can give us a hand! Used CP to find your never-fail date spot (with BYO)? Chase more waterfalls nowadays? Look, we told you what nap desks are, so show us some love and vote for us. How about some ol' fashioned incentive? We know you're short on time (and that you love transparent nudges like this one), so to sweeten the deal we're giving one reader a $1000 dinner at the restaurant of their choice. To enter, all you have to do is vote for us on the Webby's website, email us a screenshot of the vote confirmation screen to cpftw@concreteplayground.com. That's it. Get on it. VOTE FOR CONCRETE PLAYGROUND HERE
Festivals, much to our loudly vocal approval, have lately been inundated with epic foodie collaborations, bringing about a new wave of bespoke, one-off edible creations that float in and out of our grasp on the festival tide. And now, this special edition trend is taking over events that aren't traditionally known for their food or drink offerings — more for their cosplay dress code and Xena-starring headliners. Proving there's a beer for every occasion, the boys from Sydney's Young Henrys have announced they've crafted a limited release lager just for this year's Oz Comic Con. It's a one-off collaboration with legendary Melbourne artist Doug Holgate (Regular Show, Red Sonja), who's created the anti-hero personality you never even knew you wanted in a beer. Meet Dr. Röt Fifer. Yep. Terrifying. Apparently Young Henrys were asked to create a hero, and they came up with this sinister character. He's been magicked up by Holgate as known for two things: his bloody pied piper melodies and the keg of Vienna Lager strapped to his back. We're not entirely sure if this bloke is an anti-hero or an actual, no-holds-barred villain, but the beer he represents is the real star. Young Henry's Dr. Röt Fifer Vienna Lager is brewed with Hallertau Blanc hops and stone fruit flavours and is available at the Melbourne 2016 convention, alongside appearances by Lucy Lawless ((ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧), John Barrowman of Torchwood, Doctor Who and Arrow and Robert Patrick of Terminator 2: Judgement Day. You can also grab longnecks from various bottle shops around the city (keep an eye on the website for a distribution list). Sydney and Brisbane, keep 'em crossed. Oz Comic-Con kicks off in Melbourne on June 11-12, Sydney on September 10-11 and Brisbane on September 17-18. The official (and free) launch party for Dr Röt Fifer is happening on June 10 (RSVP here) so start planning your cosplay now. *looks dramatically at night sky* Friends, Dr Röt Fifer is the anti-hero beer Melbourne deserves but also the one it needs right now.
We thought it was Photoshopped. Twitter thought it was Photoshopped. The whole damn town thought, nay, could this be true? Hath Cadbury gone truly mad? Creating what could potentially be the most horrific melding of worldly flavours imaginable this side of ox tongue gelato (it's a thing)? Alas, it's true. Cadbury Australia have created a Dairy Milk chocolate variation, which adds a little caramel and a whole lot of Vegemite. That's right. Vegemite. BuzzFeed confirmed the terrible union this afternoon after noticing a sneaky snap on a Reddit feed in April. Cadbury itself confirmed the fusion on Twitter with this dramatic video. Behold. The Vegemite chocolate will be unleashed on the Australian public from June 1 (or sooner, as the Cadbury has mysteriously hinted in the video). Expect "Dairy Milk milk chocolate with smooth flowing caramel and VEGEMITE." Why Cadbury? Why? Was Pineapple Snack not enough tomfoolery for an age? Ah. We'll probably try it. Via BuzzFeed. Image: Reddit.
In August of last year, something amazing happened in Tasmania. Tasmania is like that distant cousin you never paid much attention to, but then, when you hit your mid-twenties, you take a second and realise that, hey, they're actually pretty cool. Yep, that's Tassie. While you might not have appreciated your 1999 family holiday to Hobart, now they've got that whole rugged landscape, quality art and bar scene thing going on and, all of a sudden, everyone's totally into it. And to blow your mind that little bit more, the island state did something really, really awesome. They passed in-principle support for marriage equality in the Parliament of Tasmania and, in turn, skyrocketed itself up the ladder of people everywhere to become Australia's coolest state. Both houses passed theoretical support for same-sex marriage (the Lower House passed the motion seventeen months ago) with a vote of 8-5 — which is big deal as Tasmania has traditionally had a pretty conservative government. Tasmania's display of support further erodes the notion that the (super exxy) plebiscite was never a good idea (may the marriage equality plebiscite rest in peace and never, ever rise again as a zombie). Each state has a varied history on support of same-sex marriage, but let's just remember that in March of this year, an Essential Media poll found that 64 percent of respondents agreed that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. Ultimately, it's up to the Federal Parliament to make the call — not the states. The Coalition have proposed a potential plebiscite on the issue, which would have cost Aussie taxpayers anywhere between $158 million and half a billion, was smacked down in the Senate. However, if all states show their support for same-sex marriage, it could have a lot of influence on what happens at a Federal level. Tassie's shown their support, but where's the mainland at on the issue? In partnership with SKYY Vodka, which showed its support for marriage equality throughout March by donating $1.00 from every product purchased in Australia to just.equal, we take a look at where everyone's sitting at the moment. [caption id="attachment_584233" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Parliament of NSW[/caption] NSW In June of 2015, the NSW Parliament passed a conscience vote (unanimously, mind you), calling on the Federal Government to pass the Marriage Equality Bill 2015, showing their support of the issue. In 2013, they nearly passed a bill to legalise same-sex marriage but it fell through at 21 votes no to 19 votes yes. Close, but no cigar. And in 2014 they finally abolished the gay panic defence (pretty late to the game though). The state is generally moving in the right direction and seems to support same-sex marriage, but hasn't been able to coax the Federal Government to do the same. VICTORIA Victoria has just has passed the Relationships Amendments Act 2016 (which came into effect on October 1 2016) that allows immediate recognition of domestic partnerships, de facto relationships and international same-sex marriages and acknowledges civil unions on death certifications (hooray, now you can be yourself in the afterlife too!). While Victoria's government has been generally more liberal than other states, they haven't made huge headway on the marriage equality issue — but they've made a lot of noise about it. According to Australian Marriage Equality, 73 percent of the Victorian House of Reps support gay marriage and 50 percent of the Senate too. Since September 1 2016, Victoria has allowed same sex adoption as well, thanks to the Adoption Amendment Act 2015, a bill that was several years in the making. The Victorian Government introduced a bill in February of 2016 that aimed to crack down on 'gay conversion' therapist. Why on earth, in this state, gay conversion therapists are rampant enough to require a crack down, we'll never know. But from February 1 2017, a new commission has been set up to execute permanent bans on health providers peddling 'gay conversion'. QUEENSLAND In Queensland same-sex activity was considered illegal until 1990, which is disturbingly recent. Further to that, Queensland laws don't allow convictions to be expunged, meaning there are people alive today with a criminal record for being gay (come the heck on, Queensland). But the state has traditionally been incredibly politically conservative, and that's reflected in their stance on gay marriage. One little win of note, however, is the recent abolition of the gay panic defence on March 21 2017. About goddamn time. It only took a petition with 289,000 signatures and the support of Stephen Fry. So, heads up to the terrible people of the world – an 'unwanted sexual advance' from someone of the same sex as you is no longer grounds for self-defence murder. ACT Canberra is the dark horse in the running competition for Australia's best state. The capital briefly passed a marriage equality bill in December of 2013, but it was quickly returned to the earth by the High Court, who deemed it inconsistent with the Federal Marriage Act and hence unconstitutional (boo hiss boo). Since then, they've been pretty quiet on the gay marriage front. WESTERN AUSTRALIA In September of 2015, Western Australia (like NSW) passed a conscience vote calling for the Federal Government to pass the Marriage Amendment Bill 2015, which would grant full marriage rights to same-sex partners. The Feds didn't pass it, but snaps for Western Australia. The recent Labor victory in Western Australia s also a positive sign for the progression of LGTBQI rights. As the incoming party ran on a platform that promised to fully fund the Safe School program, expunge criminal records of consensual homosexual acts, and potentially legislating for civil unions. Let's hope they make good on their promises. NORTHERN TERRITORY Although the NT came to the party on legalising homosexuality pretty early, unfortunately they're pretty backwards when it comes to recognising same-sex marriage. Unlike all other Australian states, the NT government doesn't offer relationship registration or domestic partnerships to same-sex folk, but classifies them as 'de facto unions'. This grants them some of the same financial benefits as married couples but is not equal in any sense of the word. No snaps for the NT. Particularly since in November of 2016 they banned same-sex couples from adopting, while the rest of Australia legalised it. Absolute baloney, NT. SOUTH AUSTRALIA For a southern state with such a banging music scene, South Australia is pretty backwards on gay marriage and gay rights in general. They've shut down several attempts in parliament to consider same-sex civil unions and, despite support from some members of parliament, they still don't even recognise overseas same-sex marriages. And SA is the only to retain the gay panic defence within common-law. Very sad. However, they've made some strides recently. The Relationship Register bill was passed, meaning gay couples can register their relationship all official like (although, let's note that ABS don't count these registered relationships as marriages when totting up the number, boooo). And the bill also allows same-sex couples access to altruistic surrogacy and IVF treatment for the gals. And they've amended their adoption laws to allow adoption for same-sex couples, which went into effect on February 17 of this year. Better. Still not good. But definitely better. So some states are doing well to put pressure on the Federal Government to change same-sex marriage laws, but it's in no way unanimous yet. Ultimately, it's up to the Federal Government to decide if they introduce a marriage equality bill into the House of Reps like every other piece of legislation. If you want to make some noise on the issue, you can go visit just.equal to find out how to best take action. Show some SKYY Vodka support for marriage equality by taking a selfie and tagging it with #CheerstoEquality and #AusPol. Top image: Azhar J via Flickr.
Some things just get better with age. And if its first 2017 program announcement is anything to go by, Melbourne Music Week (MMW) is certainly one of them. Celebrating its eighth run this November 17–25, the festival will again transform spaces throughout the city into unique live music venues — and, as usual, expect a few surprises. The biggest is the addition of a new all-ages event called Miscellanea, which'll take over all three levels of the Melbourne Town Hall on Sunday, November 19. You'll see the iconic building as never before, its many varied spaces playing host to a program of gigs, DJ sets and performances from the likes of HTRK, Tyrannamen, Taipan Tiger and Underground Lovers. The multi-genre event will even feature a Grand Organ takeover in the Main Hall. Also on the agenda is a November 11 performance by American singer-songwriter Ariel Pink at Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, and the return of the annual Face The Music industry conference, with its diverse lineup of workshops, conversations and performances. This year, hear from the likes of legendary Ramones drummer Marky Ramone and German promoter Silke Westera, along with local minds like triple j music director Nick Findlay and Brisbane-based artist Mallrat. Meanwhile, Harvey Sutherland's Bermuda headlines an evening of live music gold for The Age Music Victoria Awards after-party, and Saturday, November 25 sees Ferdydurke and Section 8 join forces to host the ZOO street party. This will be a smorgasbord of visual art, live music and performance, featuring the likes of indigenous rapper Briggs and UK duo Fatima and Alex Nut.
FBI special agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder are returning to find that truth after 13 years off the air. The X-Files is officially returning to your screens, with creator Chris Carter, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson locked in for the reunion fans have been waiting for. While it's not a full-blown season — just six episodes are planned — it's news to the ears of X-Philes worldwide. "I think of it as a 13-year commercial break,” Carter told TIME. "The good news is the world has only gotten that much stranger, a perfect time to tell these six stories." Here's hoping we don't pick up where we left off in 2008's cinematic casserole The X-Files: I Want to Believe. No cameos of Billy Connolly playing a convicted paedophile thanks. Let's hope Carter throws back to 1993, when The X-Files first kicked off years of killer dolls, literal substitute teachers from hell, creepy skateboard dudes and Texas Chainsaw-like creepo families. And aliens, o'course. According to TIME, the six episodes will indeed head back to the show's original format — we're talking one show, one mystery, all sexual tension. The X-Files is heading into production this winter, with no release date in sight yet. But we want to believe early 2016. Via TIME. Image: Diyah Perah, 20th Century Fox.
The Australian Centre for the Moving Image has announced its latest filmmaker retrospective — and in good news for cinephiles living in other cities, it won't just be screening at ACMI or within Melbourne. Setting their sights on the movie classics crafted by Roman Polanski, they've teamed up with Palace Cinemas to take the eleven-film lineup to Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane too, with the program travelling around the country in November and December. ROMAN: 10 X Polanski will feature ten of the Franco-Polish director's features, ranging from his Polish New Wave debut, Knife in the Water, to his 2010 political thriller, The Ghost Writer. In between, the showcase will also give audiences a chance to see masterpieces such as the film noir-infused Chinatown and supernatural horror Rosemary's Baby on the big screen, which is no mean feat. Plus, it'll step through the British-made likes of Repulsion and Cul-de-sac, as well as the European-set The Tenant, Frantic and Bitter Moon — and present his co-starring role, alongside his late second wife Sharon Tate, in undead spoof The Fearless Vampire Killers. As for that eleventh title we mentioned, it comes in the form of Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, which is clearly the retrospective's way of addressing the director's infamy beyond his helming career. Any celebration of Polanski's work can't ignore his well-publicised flight from the United States in 1978 after being charged with sexually assaulting a minor, aka the main topic of Marina Zenovich's 2008 documentary. Polanski has still worked steadily and even won an Oscar for 2002's The Pianist in the nearly four decades since; however championing his filmmaking prowess is bound to cause some discomfort, even if the touring season does try to put the movies, rather than the man behind them, front and centre. ROMAN: 10 X Polanski screens at ACMI in Melbourne from November 5 to 20, Palace Electric in Canberra from November 24 to 30, the Chauvel Cinema in Sydney from December 1 to 7, and Palace Centro in Brisbane from December 1 to 7. For more information, visit the ACMI and Palace websites.
Food, art, music and great wine are all coming together over at Earth Angels for just one night — all in the name of celebrating Persian culture. A Taste of Persia, running on Saturday, October 12, is a mega collaboration between social enterprise Welcome Merchant, Persian cooking star Mahshid Babzartabi and North Melbourne's Earth Angels Wine Bar — where the party will take place. Traditional Persian dishes will be pumping out of the kitchen throughout the night — dreamt up by Babzartabi and cooked by Chef Narit Kimsat (formerly of La Pinta). You can expect zereshk polo (chicken barberries with saffron basmati rice), gheymeh (lamb and yellow split lentil stew with saffron and rosewater infusion) and halva for dessert. Beyond the food, Reza Kashi will be playing Persian tunes on the tar, setar and oud, and calligraphy artist Jodi Kashani is taking over the upstairs gallery space. Earth Angels is a fairly small space, but the team manages to fit a lot within it — there's even a cheeky courtyard out back for those wanting to sip and snack in the sunshine before the event starts at 6pm. And as it is with all of Welcome Merchant's events, A Taste of Persia is giving those who identify as a refugee, a former refugee and as a person seeking asylum the opportunity to share their experiences and culture with those who attend the dinner. Funds raised at events like this also go back to people within these communities, empowering them to make the most of life in Australia. [caption id="attachment_974922" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tasha Tylee[/caption]
Throw those GoPros, bubble bottles and novelty gumboots in your rucksack, Splendour in the Grass is returning to North Byron Parklands for another year of festival merriment. After a fake lineup posted was 'leaked' prior to the official triple j announcement to catfish all us suckers eagerly awaiting the list of acts that will be appearing, the details for Splendour 2016 are finally here. In what is the best news we've heard this year, The Strokes (The Strokes!!!) will be Splendouring for their only Australian show. It also seems the predictions for The Cure were incredibly, amazingly correct — meaning that we'll be seeing both The Strokes and The Cure this July. It's almost too much to handle. Joining them is one heck of a lineup that includes The Avalanches — who haven't played a gig (that wasn't a DJ set) in over ten years. Fingers crossed the show coincides with new music. Iceland's Sigur Rós and Irish artist James Vincent McMorrow will also being doing one-off Australian shows at the festival, Courtney Barnett will make her first appearance at Byron, while James Blake and At the Drive-In will return, as will locals Flume and Sticky Fingers. Anyway, we know what you're here for. We'll cut to the chase. SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2016 LINEUP The Strokes (only Aus show) The Cure Flume The Avalanches (only Aus show) James Blake At The Drive-In Violent Soho Hermitude Band of Horses Sigur Ros (only Aus show) Santigold Matt Corby Sticky Fingers Boy & Bear Courtney Barnett Jake Bugg The 1975 Leon Bridges Duke Dumont (DJ set) James Vincent McMorrow (only Aus show) The Kills The Preatures What So Not Years And Years Gang Of Youths Illy Peter, Bjorn & John Golden Features Crystal Fighters Ball Park Music Tegan & Sara DMA'S Jack Garratt Hayden James City Calm Down Snakehips Mark Lanegan Michael Kiwanuka Jagwar Ma King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard The Jungle Giants The Internet Motez Marlon Williams Lido Emma Louise Kim Churchill Nothing But Thieves Lapsley Kacy Hill Slumberjack Robert Forster (10 Years On) Beach Slang Urthboy Little May Boo Seeka Ganz Spring King Melbourne Ska Orchestra Fat White Family Total Giovanni Methyl Ethel Slum Sociable L D R U In Loving Memory of Szymon Blossoms High Tension Roland Tings Sampa The Great The Wild Feathers Harts Ngaiire montaigne Tired Lion Green Buzzard Jess Kent Gold Class Lucy Cliche Opiuo Mall grab Dom Dolla Paces Just A Gent Dro Carey Running Touch Wafia World Champion Suzi Zhen Remi Nicole Millar Dreller Feki Kllo Banoffee Plus... Moonbase Comander The Meeting Tree Twinsy Purple Sneaker Djs Human Movement Panete Swick Amateur Dance Ribongia Splendour will return to North Byron Parklands on Friday 22, Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 July. Onsite camping will once again be available from Wednesday, July 20. Tickets go on sale Thursday, April 21 at 9am sharp AEST. More info will soon be available at the official Splendour In The Grass site. Image: Bianca Holderness.
Does your crew struggle to pick a cuisine for group dinners? There's a cute new eatery in the CBD called Oak and Vine, and they've got one heck of an eclectic menu — sure to suit all preferences. Best of all, while it's undeniably fancy, it's also super reasonable. Oak and Vine's menu takes a paddock-to-plate approach in celebrating local, homegrown and small batch produce and pairs it up with boutique beer and wine, but don’t expect that to limit the scope at all. This shiny new eatery boasts one of the most widely-ranging menus we’ve seen in a long while, pulling the best parts out of your favourite cuisines and somehow making them work cohesively. You’ll find crab tacos with green mango slaw ($14) alongside arancini balls with porcini mushrooms ($14). There's chicken parma served with house Napoli and buffalo mozzarella next to po’ boy sandwiches with Korean fried chicken and Asian pickle ($16). The dessert menu features an Eton mess (with passionfruit, baby meringue and toasted pistachios, $14) and a banana-fritter with house made coconut sago and green tea ice-cream ($16). Steak and seafood and pasta and classics and tacos. It’s a Mecca for big groups of people who crave different cuisines and refuse to compromise. And to simplify your night even more, the menu is divided up in a way that makes intuitive, emotional sense to most food-lovin’ people: bar food, all-day comfort food, substantial food, on-the-side food and sweet food. Mmm sweet, sweet food. Why aren’t all menus this easy? Oak and Vine is quickly settling in on Market Street and establishing itself as one of the CBD’s must-do night spots for those among you who thrive on variety (although you may have a hard time picking just one). Find Oak and Vine at 60 Market Street, CBD. Bookings (03) 8631 1111. Open daily from 11.30am to late.
Gin: a juniper spirit of botanicals, varied aromatics and oh-so-many mysteries. The gin resurgence has lasted over a decade now, with new local distilleries joining the larger, more established gin maestros — and libation aficionados everywhere, just can't seem to get enough of the stuff. But with all those G&Ts and Negronis you've been chasing around town, how much do you really know about gin? Well, we've teamed up with Tanqueray No. TEN to expand your horizon with five fun facts about gin that you (probably) didn't know. GIN IS CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL IN MODERN VERSIONS OF CLASSIC COCKTAILS From the reinvigorated Negroni to the new Tom Collins and the many versions of fizzes and slings, few spirits can match gin for mixing attributes. Let's not forget about the Martini, which classically consists of gin, dry vermouth and optional bitters, with a cheeky olive if you're so inclined. Thank the Mad Men era of Martini lunches and that roguish chap James Bond for this modern menu mainstay. But although Mr Bond favours a vodka base, Martini purists often argue that gin is the way to start this highly elegant classic, using something truly classic like the iconic Tanqueray No. TEN. Importantly, unlike 007's preference, many bartenders believe in a stirred Martini, as some consider shaking overly dilutes the gin. THE PHILIPPINES DRINKS THE MOST GIN IN THE WORLD Russia drinks the most vodka in the world and the US/Mexico drink the most tequila, but neither of these fun facts are at all surprising. What doesn't seem as obvious, though, is that the Philippines drinks by far the most gin — and when we say by far, we mean over 22 million cases of the stuff a year, accounting for 43 per cent of the global gin market. Much of this popularity is due to the long-standing presence of Ginebra San Miguel, a company that also makes the region's most popular beer and was established in 1834. Locals even have a term for these gin-drinking sessions: ginuman, literally translated as 'gin drinking time'. THE G&T ORIGINATED IN INDIA This classic bar drink was actually created in 19th century India as a combatant for malaria. The 'Indian Tonic Water', as called by the army of the British East India Company, contained high levels of quinine, which was said to prevent and treat the disease. Quinine provides the bitter flavour in today's tonic, but is completely undrinkable on its own. Since the British soldiers were already given a regular gin ration, they took to adding it to the quinine tonic, along with a mixture of water, sugar and lime, sprucing the drink up a little. It turns out quinine does not actually prevent malaria (what? no!) and so is a minor, non-curing — albeit highly effective — component in the modern G&T. GIN HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN USED FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES Apart from the G&Ts original medicinal purpose, gin itself has been used medicinally since the 13th century. This is primarily due to the presence of juniper, the main and necessary botanical in all gins. Juniper is good for you — it's a natural antibacterial, antiviral, diuretic and antiseptic. That being said, historically gin's uses weren't always the most medically sound — the Bubonic plague was considered to be spread by nothing more than bad odour, so laymen started eating, drinking and bathing in the stuff. The Royal Navy mixed gin with lime cordial to stop scurvy. If we'retalking morningafter a party, gin and tomato juice was the number one option in 1928 NYC, years before the Bloody Mary came on the scene. And that is medicine. THERE IS A LOT OF LITERATURE DEDICATED TO GIN DRINKS Gin, in all its wonder and cures, has compelled many a comment over the centuries, some of which distiller and contemporary author Jared Brown happily compiled a list of. Writer E. B. White called the Martini "the elixir of quietude", while journalist H. L. Mencken said it's "the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet". In 1823, one Londoner published a 149-line poem in a newspaper praising said virtuous gin, while Winston Churchill's own love affair with gin is well documented. He's quoted as saying, "I would like to observe the vermouth from across the room while I drink my Martini." Photography by Steven Woodburn at Moya's Juniper Lounge. Still want to know more? Check out our bluffer's guide to gin.
Stars, street dancing musicals and plenty of Spanish-language cinema treats: yes, it's that time again. 21 years since the Spanish Film Festival first showered Australian audiences with its filmic delights, it's celebrating the occasion in its usual vibrant style. That means 25 movies showcasing the best the country has to offer, from recent crowd-pleasers to beloved classics, side-splitting comedies to gothic fables, and beloved talents to new up-and-comers. The list goes on, spanning Oscar winners, international hits and fresh discoveries alike as this year's event tours Australia until May 13. Whether you want to see two of Spain's biggest stars share the screen at two different points in their careers, revisit one of the biggest animated movies of the past six months or delve into the works of acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Bigas Luna, it's on the bill — including these five must-sees. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzRjIMt2Wl8 LOVING PABLO From its titular drug baron subject, to its acclaimed Spanish director, to its high-profile stars, Loving Pablo comes to the Spanish Film Festival stacked with highlights. Here, Javier Bardem stars as Pablo Escobar opposite Penélope Cruz as journalist Virginia Vallejo — and while there's no shortage of movies telling the Colombian kingpin's tale, this one explores their romance. Helmed by A Perfect Day's Fernando León de Aranoa and based on Vallejo's memoir, it's an account of charisma, crime and trying to come out the other side in a world where violence and death threats are commonplace. Both leads were nominated for Spanish Academy Awards for their efforts, which shouldn't come as a surprise given their talents. Plus, if you're keen on another dose of the duo at the fest, they also feature in retrospective title Jamón Jamón. THE TRIBE There just aren't enough movies about cleaners turned street dancers, let alone cleaners turned street dancers who shoot to fame while strutting their stuff with the son they once put up for adoption. That's the story at the centre of The Tribe, and it's a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction scenario. Sure, it all sounds like something out of a feel-good, crowd-pleasing flick — which is exactly what this lively song-and-dance effort aims to be — however the film is based on a real-life dance troupe. There's more twists and turns to the on-screen tale, which features Spanish stars Carmen Machi and Paco León, but it isn't a spoiler to say that the actual group became a Spain's Got Talent hit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaLeUkqNfnE JULIA IS It's a scenario that everyone can relate to: you arrive in a new city with huge hopes and plenty of enthusiasm, but your new surroundings just don't match your dreams. In Julia Is, that's how the Catalan architecture student's arrival in Berlin starts; however, as anyone who has faced the same situation knows, sometimes you just have to persevere. In the directorial debut of filmmaker and star Elena Martín, the feature tracks Julia's efforts to do just that as she finds her place in the German capital. The film won best feature and best director at last year's Málaga Film Festival, and it's certain to achieve something unusual at the Spanish Film Festival — instead of inspiring a trip to Spain, it'll make you want to go to Germany. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVLnw6PScuU ABRACADABRA The last time that director Pablo Berger teamed up with actress Maribel Verdú, the enchanting Blancanieves was the end result. For their second collaboration, they're not dabbling with a different take on Snow White, but with ghosts. Expect something just as out-of-the-ordinary as their initial team-up, however, courtesy of a comedy that's also filled with horror flourishes, insightful commentary and an all-round offbeat air. That's what happens when Verdú's housewife attends a wedding with her husband, who then get possessed by the spirit of a murderous waiter. Unsurprisingly, the experience drastically alters his behaviour — and inspires plenty of laughs as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFbJrR7XBQ8 GOLD No matter how many films chart treacherous treks through jungle landscapes, more keep coming. That's not a bad thing. As everything from Aguirre, the Wrath of God and Fitzcarraldo to The Lost City of Z and Jungle have demonstrated, there's something particularly alluring and fascinating about this sub-genre of movies, mirroring the obsession and passion of their protagonists. Gold is Spain's latest addition to the fold, not to be confused with the very average Matthew McConaughey flick of the same name from last year. Set in Central America in 1540, this adventure epic follows Spanish deserters trying avoid capture or death in their quest for freedom, with El Dorado their destination. The Spanish Film Festival tours Australia from April 17, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from April 17 to May 6; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Brighton Bay, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from April 19 to May 6; and Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from April 26 to May 13. For more information, visit the festival website.
Your days of eating last night's leftovers alone at your desk may soon be at an end. A new app on the market called Never Eat Alone is linking employees in large companies with co-workers keen to grab lunch. Better yet, some businesses are already encouraging their staff to log on. The app is the creation of Marie Schneegans, who told TechCrunch she came up with the idea while completing a summer internship with finance company UBS. Eager to meet people in different departments, she started emailing people to set up lunch dates, and eventually wound up dining with the company CEO. Unlike most social networking apps, Never Eat Alone is being pitched directly to the heads of large businesses, who can then choose to distribute it to their employees as a means of improving company culture and morale. Once an employee has the app on their phone, they're able to create a profile that lists their interests – and before they know it, they're breaking down the latest Game of Thrones episode over sushi with Linda in accounting. Never Eat Alone is currently only available in France, but there are apparently plans to expand into the United States in the next few months. Via TechCrunch.
We've all been there: you're interested in a movie, check Rotten Tomatoes to see what the critics thought, and disagree with the consensus. That's exactly what Suicide Squad fans are going through at the moment. Unhappy at the far-from-positive word the comic book adaptation has been receiving (especially on the popular online review aggregator), these fans don't just want to get on a soapbox — they want to shut down the whole site. In fact, Suicide Squad defender Abdullah Coldwater was so angry that took to Change.org to mobilise his fellow aficionados. Yes, really. At the time of writing, that petition had 17,614 signatures protesting against the site, motivated by the film's paltry 31 percent Tomatometer rating and the large number of negative reviews. Anyone who has caught a glimpse of similar backlash in recent times — take, for example, the huge response when reviewers dared to like the female-focused take on Ghostbusters — won't be surprised, because this type of behaviour is becoming all-too-familiar. A highly anticipated movie comes out, critics reveal their thoughts, and the online masses react. The next big title comes out, and the cycle repeats. But there's excitement about an upcoming movie, and then there's this. We see it all the time. Just read the Facebook comments on Concrete Playground's own take on Suicide Squad — many readers voiced their displeasure at our negative review, which is how it should be. Our critic didn't love, or even like, or find much of merit in the film. Scrolling through the responses provides just a glimpse of the general social media outrage swirling around the David Ayer-directed, Margot Robbie, Will Smith and Jared Leto-starring entry in the DC Comics movie. Sure, this might just be a storm in a teacup. But the worrying part of this move isn't just the instantly-attacking mindset of fans upset that someone — or more than a few someones — doesn't think the flick they've been counting down the days to watch isn't the best film ever made. Agreeing to disagree doesn't always happen on the internet, we know, but there's also the matter of timing. Given that Suicide Squad didn't start releasing around the world until today, most of those in the distressed camp — like Coldwater — haven't seen the film yet. Coldwater has since changed his tune, with the last post on the petition page noting that it was supposed to be "just for fun". After grabbing plenty of headlines with his action — something that he calls a victory in an earlier post — he has now deemed it pointless. "The only thing that it does is spreading a speech of hate and online fighting among the supporters and objectors," he writes. He's right.
One of the most hyped films of the year, soon-to-be-released action thriller Baby Driver has received outlandishly large attention for its defining soundtrack. Written and directed by Edgar Wright (Ant-Man, Shaun of the Dead), the film follows Baby (Ansel Elgort), a young, best-in-the-business getaway driver who moves in time with his own personal soundtrack. Soon enough, Baby finds himself coerced into working for a kingpin crime boss (Kevin Spacey) and meeting the girl of his dreams (Lily James, Downton Abbey) — two paths that can't exist separately for long. Considered a 'jukebox musical' action film, Wright choreographs action scenes to the film's lauded soundtrack. After premiering at SXSW in Austin, Texas back in March, the film earned the prestigious SXSW Audience Award and a 100 percent critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is said to be the breakout lead role for Elgort (Divergent series, The Fault in our Stars), and, apart from Spacey and James, the cast also includes Jon Hamm and Jamie Foxx, along with Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, Fury, The Accountant) and Mexican actress Eiza González. [competition]626810[/competition] Images: Wilson Webb. © 2017 Columbia TriStar Marketing Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
"There's nothing to watch" is something Melburnians can't reasonably utter in August. When the Melbourne International Film Festival rolls around for its 66th instalment between August 3 and 20, it'll bring with it a whopping 358 films in total, representing 68 countries, and including 251 features, 88 shorts, 17 virtual reality experiences and 12 talks. Indeed, this year's lineup offers up everything from tense wilderness treks to science fiction retrospectives and all-night marathons, plus all of the Cannes hits and virtual reality aplenty. And, that's just a taste of the jam-packed program that'll be taking over the city's screens. As for what else you should feast your eyes on while you're ostensibly living in a cinema come MIFF time, here are our must-watch recommendations. THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER If we could only see one film at this year's MIFF, this would be it. One of the Greek weird wave's leading voices, Yorgos Lanthimos makes the kind of movies that audiences either love or hate — Dogtooth, Alps and The Lobster — but if you fall into the first category, his films are compulsory viewing. Dark, absurd, scathing and insightful is his niche, which The Killing of a Sacred Deer promises to fit into nicely. Reuniting with Colin Farrell, and enlisting Nicole Kidman, Alicia Silverstone and Dunkirk's seafaring Barry Keoghan as well, Lanthimos' latest charts a strange friendship between a doctor and a teenager. Thoroughly intrigued. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNndmppBgwM HAVE YOU SEEN THE LISTERS? After making the best Australian documentary of 2014 — skating effort All This Mayhem — filmmaker Eddie Martin returns with another distinctively local story. This time, he's jumping into quite the creative juxtaposition in Brisbane, where street artist Anthony Lister was once encouraged to paint dozens of the city's traffic signal boxes, only to be taken to court by them on graffiti-related charges 15 years later. The tale that unravels between those two extremes is one of ups and downs, which Martin captures in candid detail. Whether you've seen his Brissie work, his large-scale gallery pieces or are new to Lister's output, this probing portrait is essential viewing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dEksjpe0Ds CELIA If rare chances to see seldom screened classic films is your idea of film festival fun, then coming-of-age horror effort Celia should definitely be on your MIFF list. Newly digitally restored by the National Film and Sound Archive, the Melbourne-set movie takes '50s communist paranoia, a rabbit plague and a grief-stricken nine-year-old, throws in visions of scary monsters, and comes up with a politically astute examination of growing up and navigating Australian suburbia. The debut feature from Aussie filmmaker Ann Turner, it screens as part of MIFF's ace Pioneering Women retrospective. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fybwL9tY9qY FACES PLACES Trailblazer Agnes Varda is a genuine filmmaking treasure. The Belgian-born director made her first feature in 1955, was an instrumental part of the French New Wave, and turns in her latest documentary at the age of 89. Called Faces Places, it whisks the delightful Varda and street artist JR on a tour of rural France, with the duo not only taking photos — and driving around in a van kitted out as a mobile photography lab — but leaving them wherever they go. The end result shapes up as a snapshot not only of the countryside they're travelling through and its inhabitants, but of the pair at the centre of the doco. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKaJ2fIVBfE IN THIS CORNER OF THE WORLD Think Japanese animation, and Studio Ghibli instantly comes to mind thanks to their gorgeous visuals, expert handling of story and emotion, and all-round enchanting vibe. In This Corner of the World isn't a Ghibli film, but saying that it feels like one really is the highest praise we can muster. Indeed, writer/director Sunao Katabuchi was an assistant director on Kiki's Delivery Service, however, his latest effort is all his own. Exploring the life of a teenager wed to a young naval clerk in Hiroshima, the World War II-set movie is as poetic as it is perceptive as it combines a coming-of-age tale with a personal account of times of combat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZX7HsIWty0 BEATRIZ AT DINNER Director Miguel Arteta and writer Mike White last joined forces on acclaimed TV series Enlightened, so saying that their latest collaboration is eagerly anticipated is a bit of an understatement. And, they're just some of the talented folks involved with Beatriz at Dinner, which stars Salma Hayek as the titular character, and also features John Lithgow, Chloë Sevigny, Connie Britton and Jay Duplass. As the name gives away, an evening meal is on the menu — and as anyone who has seen a dinner-set flick can predict, so is quite the social satire. Come for a great performance by Hayek, stay for a timely comedic look at the state of modern America. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KLLkj84GAo LUCKY Twin Peaks fans, rejoice. MIFF mightn't be screening the best thing to hit TV this year, but it does have the big screen Harry Dean Stanton and David Lynch collaboration you didn't know you needed. Directed by actor turned first-time filmmaker John Carroll Lynch (Zodiac), Lucky follows an elderly man's interactions with his fellow residents in a small desert town. It shouldn't come as a surprise that it was actually written with the now 91-year-old Stanton in mind. BPM Taking out two top awards at this year's Cannes Film Festival — the Grand Prix and the Queer Palm — BPM dives headfirst into the world of '80s AIDS activism. Drawing upon his own experiences as a member of advocacy group Act Up-Paris, Eastern Boys filmmaker Robin Campillo steps back into the fight for recognition, medical treatment and fairness, charting the changes that spring when a new member joins the group. Given the writer/director/editor's personal ties to the material, and the general topic, expect a film seething with passion, authenticity and urgency. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLQGWawyRmA TEHRAN TABOO It's not every day a filmmaker crafts an animated account of sexual taboos in Islamic society — and it's not every day that audiences get to see one either. The first film by Iranian-born, Germany-based director Ali Soozandeh, Tehran Taboo lifts the veil on the reality of life for three women coping with everyday oppression. Here, a sex worker, a trapped wife and a struggling musician share their stories, in a feature that shines an unblinking light on repression, corruption and double standards through the use of abstract animation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbsOq2uPDBI BOBBI JENE Named best documentary at this year's Tribeca Film Festival, and receiving awards for cinematography and editing as well, Bobbi Jene dissects the story of American dancer Bobbi Jene Smith. A star at the Batsheva Dance Company in her teens, her life proves significantly different a decade later as she endeavours to chase new dreams and find her place in the world. While that might sound familiar, it's the intimacy and honesty of Elvira Lind's doco that has won the film fans — and is helping this dance-focused portrait pirouette its way to the top of the genre. Still have some room on your mini-pass or passport? Don't worry, we have more picks. We've been buzzing about quite a bit of MIFF's program for a while now — and we've already seen some of it — but we'll try to keep it brief. From the international festival circuit, Sundance titles we've been keen on include Ingrid Goes West, Beach Rats, I Dream in Another Language, Marjorie Prime, Step, Patti Cakes, Tokyo Idols, Axolotl Overkill, 78/52 and The Nile Hilton Incident, while SXSW's Song to Song and Most Beautiful Island also have our tick of approval. And, we saw and loved Call Me By Your Name, A Fantastic Woman, The Party, On Body and Soul, Spoor, I Am Not Your Negro, On the Beach at Night Alone and God's Own Country at Berlinale. We've also been eager for Wonderstruck since it played at Cannes. Closer to home, we were bubbling over about The Untamed, Spookers, Mountain, In the Fade and Otherlife before this year's Sydney Film Festival — and about Ali's Wedding, Good Time, The Square, Austerlitz and Brigsby Bear afterwards. Queensland Film Festival's Claire's Camera, The Endless and Nocturama got us running to the cinema, while Melburnians can catch the Scandinavian Film Festival's Sami Blood at MIFF as well. Plus, don't forget opening night's Jungle and Michael Haneke's Happy End too. Yes, we've just added even more flicks to your MIFF must-see list — but you do have 18 days of cinema viewing to fill. The 2017 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from August 3 to 20. To view the complete program and buy tickets, visit the MIFF website.
Seeking out sanctuary in the heart of the city is sometimes a challenge. Luckily in Melbourne, there are bars peppered around the CBD that deliver some serenity. Some of them are not exactly easy to find – hidden at the ends of laneways, perched on rooftops with inordinate flights of stairs, and such. We'll have you know, they are worth the scavenger hunt. In partnerships with the Hahn Brewers, we've wrapped up ten of the best bars to seek sanctuary in, and wind down. MADAME BRUSSELS Whimsical and packed with mismatched furniture, Madame Brussels provides visitors with spaces inside and out to unwind. The space lies opposite to Bourke Streets sky piercers, and you can still enjoy the lights during winter as blankets are offered on particularly frosty nights. GRAND TRAILER PARK TAVERNA From the vintage caravans to the checkerboard floor tiles, Grand Trailer Park Taverna is all about the old-school vibes. The restaurant and bar's renowned burgers add huge incentive to pay a visit. You can chomp down on 'The Jorge', filled with beef, capsicum, chilli cheese kransky and sriracha mayonnaise, or a stack of waffles during your visit. Enjoy while sipping down a cold beer and looking over Bourke St from up high. PALMZ ROOFTOP BAR The Carlton Hotel is home to Palmz Rooftop Bar, which is decked out with tropical greenery. A combination of bougainvillea and full-sized palm trees fights the urbanity of the bar's concrete surroundings. It stands out from other bars, with tiki-style furniture and bamboo huts, making for a playful environment. Know that The Palmz is only open Friday and Saturday nights. LOOP ROOF Warning – getting up the stairs to this rooftop bar is not exactly, easy. But after four (particularly long) flights you can treat yourself to sliders and a beer on tap while surrounded by some luscious greenery. The outdoor rooftop is lush with potted and suspended plants, and decorated with lines of wires holding quirky sulphur-crested balls. Loop Roof has a retractable awning system for those not-so-consistent Melbourne days where a hailstorm decides to make an appearance. And for those scorching heat waves, Loop Roof relieves patrons with its misted air-conditioning system. THE HILLS If you want casual, head to The Hills. The rooftop bar is part of the Tuxedo Cat complex, welcoming visitors with an eclectic mix of lanterns shaped like fruit, umbrellas, crates as seats, canary yellow furniture and a mural of a border collie, painted on a mattress. Go ahead, we dare you to find a more random, peaceful drinking hole right in the middle of the CBD. IMPERIAL HOTEL Don't worry, the Imperial Hotel rooftop isn't as regal and lordly as it sounds. Rather, it's a laid-back, open space bar reminiscent of a beach club – with sleek, patterned couches and tall bar stools. Its proximity to Parliament Station makes it one of the most accessible bars in the city, and the view of Parliament glowing at night isn't too shabby, either. Alongside beers, snacks such as jalapeno poppers and Cuban sandwiches are on offer. SIGLO A little more upmarket on Melbourne's bar scene is Siglo – a refined bar without the pretentiousness. Siglo is just the atmosphere you want when going out with a group of friends for a calm, civilised evening. Cocktails and cigars are on offer, alongside small bites such as polenta chips and jamon ham. Topped off with views of Parliament House and St Patrick's Cathedral, it shows off the best of Melbourne. TRANSPORT BAR Occupying the ground floor of the Transport Hotel is Transport Bar. The bar — which sits in Federation Square — always has people in it, but is spacious enough to ensure you don't feel suffocated. Find space outside on the communal tables, or inside in the roomy glass box-like fit-out which offers views of the Yarra River. Transport Bar attracts a diverse range of people — sports lovers, travellers and those who just want a peaceful drink after work. [caption id="attachment_611786" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Arbory Bar via Facebook.[/caption] ARBORY BAR & EATERY In our opinion, Arbory Bar is one of the craftiest train platform transformations in the world. The old Sandridge platform was converted into a 150-metre bar, lined with bar stools that face the Yarra River and Princess Bridge. Smaller and communal tables also make up the space, making it ideal for a date, or evening drinks with a group of mates. The Arbory provides some stretching space for those who have just hopped off a chock-full train, or have been cramped up in an office cubicle all day. COMMON MAN Common Man sits at the doorway to DFO South Wharf, but dining there is a little more reminiscent of a suburban bar. Greenery is aplenty, in the form of a monstrous plant wall inside, to a fake grass area outside which holds sling chairs and round tables. To combat the heat, there's a fan outside that sprays cold mist; pair it with a cold beer or frozen margarita to bring that body temperature right down. Sign up to Hahn Brewers and head out for a drink this weekend.
Warehouse parties are great. Secret Mexican holiday-inspired, neon-drenched, immersive warehouse experiences are even better. Curated by a group of Mexican visionaries and artists, Day of the Dead 3.1. promises to be one heck of a Burning Man-channeling spectacle you'll want to lock down tickets for — on sale this Saturday, August 15 at 12.30pm. And with the demand already high, this event is expected to sell out within hours, so your crew had better be ready. For hundreds of years, El Dia de los Muertos has been one of the biggest parties in Mexico honouring the dead. The 4000 year-old tradition's history can be traced back to Mexico's indigenous beliefs of the afterlife — that death is only the beginning. Now it's Australia's turn to delve into the underworld, as The Day of the Dead finds its way to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this spring, in secret locations within each city. Expect interactive art installations, light projections, extravagant costumes, murals created by renowned street artists and an exclusive lineup of local and international DJs and musicians — including one big ol' festival favourite headliner. The lineup will be released closer to the day, so stay tuned. Pop-ups by a handpicked bunch of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane's go-to local Mexican eateries, like Playa Takeria, have been selected to create Dia de los Muertos menus. Plus, there'll be Mexican cervezas and tequila/mezcal cocktails to provide you with enough sustenance to dance the night away. With instructions being sent to ticket holders just one week before the event, this is secret warehouse party business at it's best. Each city's locations are more closely guarded than an abuela's special mole sauce ingredient and will only be released one day before the party. Get ready to nab a ticket and start preparing your best Dia de los Muertos outfit. Day of the Dead will visit Sydney on October 24, then Melbourne on October 31 before ending in Brisbane on November 7. Tickets are $75 and go on sale here on Saturday 15 August at 12.30pm and are expected to sell out super fast. Don't stall on this one, it'll be the death of you.
Fancy being able to shop an expert curation of wine, handpicked by two of the state's industry heavyweights? That's exactly the situation you're in for when you visit the new CBD bottle shop by restaurateur Christian McCabe (the man behind Embla and Lesa) and renowned winemaker Patrick Sullivan. The excellently named Punchin' Bottles made its home in the space next door to Embla on Russell Street in January 2020. The new drinks destination shines a spotlight on Victorian drops alongside a solid collection of carefully sourced European wines. Expect to find a rotating lineup of locally produced small-batch labels and top international finds, with plenty flying the flag for sustainable winemaking practices. And, if you've ever had the pleasure of being expertly guided through the wine list next door, you'll also know to expect some pretty top-notch service and advice to match the store's winning selection of wine. [caption id="attachment_758648" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kristoffer Paulsen[/caption] Punchin' Bottles is also set to host a series of weekly wine tasting sessions, showcasing favourites from both close to home and overseas. The program kicks off Wednesday, January 22, with a tasting of Adelaide Hills' Gentle Folk Wines, followed by some treats from Campbell Burton Wines on January 24 and 25 from 5–9pm. Keep an eye on the shop's Instagram for future events, too. Images: Kristoffer Paulsen
Inventive Philadelphia-based company La Colombe Coffee Roasters has developed coffee on tap, pulling cold draught lattes from nitro kegs. They're claiming their new device as the world's first tap coffee, although it goes without saying this isn't your regular, purely extracted, traditional espresso. More "naturally sweet milkshake" than actual latte, La Colombe's draught is apparently like cold-press with frothed cold milk, according to Daily Coffee News. Company founder Todd Carmichael is pretty proud of the new taps, which took six months to invent with his rum distillery engineer buddy in his underground Philly coffee lab. Carmichael assures consumers that this is the first time tap coffee has made its way into your mouth. "The draught latte combines the simplest coffee beverage ingredients and creates a revolutionary drink," he said in a media announcement. "It’s the process we use to pull the drink from the keg that creates a textured milk that doesn’t exist anywhere else.” Wielding his iced invention, seems Carmichael has a pretty hardcore plan to destroy Starbucks, and he's not keeping it to tap coffee. The Philly coffee fiend also just announced the launch of La Colombe's low-calorie canned coffees — a product Starbucks has been doing pretty well with in American supermarkets for some horrific, god-forsaken reason. If you're keen to try draught coffee, you'll have to pop over to the US. La Colombe is planning to roll out the taps to its 12 venues in Philly, NYC, Chicago and Washington D.C. in July. Via Daily Coffee News.
Master of all smooth tunes and poster child of Melbourne's enduring obsession with beards, Chet Faker has just announced a huge national tour for 2015. And we really do mean huge — this local legend is returning from a string of massively successful European and American shows to play Sydney's Hordern Pavilion, Melbourne's Palais and the freakin' Brisbane Convention Centre. His shows are officially pulling the same numbers as the G20. This is no doubt welcome news for those that missed out on his national tour earlier this year. With Hordern Pavilion holding roughly 4,000 more people than the Enmore where he played in June, tickets will be much easier to come by. In Brisbane that difference will be even more pronounced. The Brisbane Convention Centre can host a whopping 8,000 rampant Chet lovers. All this hype comes after a stellar run of critical acclaim for the Melbourne musician. He's been nominated for a spectacular nine ARIA awards this year including Best Male Artist and Best Breakthrough Artist — and he's already won three, including Producer of the Year at the ARIA Artisans. His much-loved debut album Built On Glass is also a hot tip for winner of Australian Album of the Year at the J Awards. However this arena setting is sure to affect the show itself too. Specialising in croony electronic ballads and music that makes you feel all warm and gooey inside, it's hard to see how Chet will translate well to the big stage. How are we supposed to snug up and get a little intimate around the stage where Barack Obama talked just a few months prior? Melbourne, on the other hand, may get treated to a rare glimpse of this intimacy. His show at the Palais — assuming it's still standing by then — will actually be smaller than when he played the Forum earlier in the year. Get ready for some hometown lovin' — after he picks up all of the ARIAs he'll probably be graduating to Rod Laver Arena. Tour dates: Wednesday, February 11 – ANU Bar, Canberra Friday, February 13 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Saturday, February 14 – Convention Centre, Brisbane Friday, February 20 – Chevron Gardens, Perth Festival Saturday, February 21 – Chevron Gardens, Perth Festival Friday, February 27 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne Saturday, February 28 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide Tickets go on sale 9am, November 20. To find out more about about Chet Faker and his killer debut album check out our interview from earlier in the year.
The team behind quintessential Melbourne cafes Top Paddock and The Kettle Black have finally cut the ribbon on their long-awaited new venue. Located at the Southern Cross end of Little Bourke Street, Higher Ground has been in the works for well over a year, and after a technical fault that further delayed the opening last week, they finally opened their doors to the public this morning, Monday, July 4. And boy is it a beauty. The huge, high-ceilinged 160-seat venue sits on the corner of Little Bourke and Spencer Streets in a former warehouse. The interior is impressive to say the least; a palette of exposed brick and green marble is spread across a multi-level space, which includes a raised area, an open kitchen, and a large mezzanine that holds couches, tables and its own bar. This is what it looks like: A photo posted by Concrete Playground Melbourne (@concreteplaygroundmelbourne) on Jul 3, 2016 at 9:11pm PDT The venue is serving up the same kickass cafe fare that its two siblings are known for, with the all-day menu including the likes of avo on toast, spiced cauliflower scrambled eggs and semolina porridge with cherry, umeshu, shiso and plum. The famous Top Paddock ricotta hotcake has made the menu too. But they'll also be departing from the usual formula by staying open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. If you come by after dark, expect some pretty well-priced dinner dishes, like cured kingfish, ricotta gnocchi, lamb ribs and half a chook with truffle and lemon. When we visited today, the eatery was already running like a well-oiled ship, even on their first day of service. Unsurprisingly, it seems these hospo legends have done it again and elevated Melbourne's cafe scene to — dare we say it — higher ground. Higher Ground is now open at 650 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne. They're open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week, and dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. For more info, visit higherground.com.au. Words: Tom Clift and Lauren Vadnjal. Images: Tim Grey.
After last week dropping a couple of new tracks from his forthcoming album Starboy, The Weeknd again has fans hopping with excitement, announcing the locations for four new pop-up stores around the world. The Canadian musician took to Twitter to reveal the locations of four more Starboy merch pop-ups: Tokyo, Toronto, Berlin and our very own Melbourne. They follow a round of stores that popped up in Miami, LA, New York, and London earlier this month. SEE YOU IN TORONTO pic.twitter.com/kF42jdlQXn — The Weeknd (@theweeknd) November 21, 2016 The Australian outpost will pop up in Melbourne Central this weekend, from November 25-27. Of course, if this retail venture proves to be anywhere near as insanely popular as Kanye's Pablo pop-ups, you'd best start lining up now. Find The Weeknd's Australian pop-up shop from November 25-27 at shop 239, level 2, Melbourne Central Shopping Centre, 211 La Trobe Street, Melbourne. It will be open from 10am - 8pm on Friday, 10am - 6pm on Saturday and noon - 6pm on Sunday.
This spring, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia will host an extensive retrospective by renowned South African photographer David Goldblatt, as part of the Sydney International Series. Running from October 19 until March 2019, David Goldblatt: Photographs 1948–2018 will dive deep into the life and work of one of recent history's most legendary photographers, covering a career of more than sixty years. Goldblatt is best known for his portrayal of South Africa's tumultuous history, especially surrounding apartheid. As the photographer's first major retrospective in the southern hemisphere, the exhibition will feature Goldblatt's most famous photo series, along with early vintage prints, never-before-seen footage from his personal collection and a new feature-length documentary. As MCA Director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE explained, "visitors will discover an extraordinary artist whose documentary eye has not strayed from the complexities of his country of birth, but resonates with other global histories (including Australia's own) through narratives of race and racism, and industry and the land." The Sydney-exclusive exhibition is the first major retrospective of Goldblatt's work in the southern hemisphere. The exhibition was also the Goldblatt's final project before his death earlier this year. Images: David Goldblatt, A plot-holder, his wife and their eldest son at lunch, Wheatlands, Randfontein. September 1962 (3_4907), 1962. Image courtesy the artist and Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg © the artist; David Goldblatt, Shop assistant, Orlando West, 1972. Image courtesy Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg and Cape Town © The David Goldblatt Legacy Trust.
If you've ever queued your way to the front line of your local Messina cabinet, only to shuffle away after seeing the CASH ONLY sign and cursing your empty pockets, your nightmare is over. Messina has launched its very own app. And it lets you pay for your gelato with your phone. That's right, from now on, the only thing standing between you and all that deliciousness is an easy swipe. What's more, the app comes with a bunch of bonuses. For a start, if you're one of the first to download it, you'll nab ten bucks worth of Messina credit. Secondly, your purchases will score you points, which you can use to get things, like Messina tote bags and other merch, tickets to gelato classes, entry to the Gelato Messina Creative Department and free ice cream. Yep, free ice cream. You'll also be provided with access to special, app-only gelato creations. And you'll get to vote for your favourite Messina specials, helping them to make a reappearance. long live 'Homer's Odyssey' — VB and peanuts. The Gelato Messina app is available now as a free download via Apple and Google Play.
When your last festival screened 48 films to 168,000 people around Australia, what comes next? It's a problem many events wish they had, however, in their 28th year, the Alliance Française French Film Festival is on the case. With the massive celebration of Gallic cinema continuing to draw huge crowds, the beloved annual festival is offering up more of the same. The lineup has changed, of course, but the eclectic nature audiences have come to expect of the event is back. Kicking off on March 7 in Sydney before touring to Melbourne, Canberra, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, Parramatta and Casula until April 9, the 2017 program begins and ends with a bang — or, with two very different journeys. In pole position at the start of the fest sits The Odyssey, an adventure-filled biopic focused on famous oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, and co-starring Audrey Tautou as Cousteau's wife Simone. Then, after running through the bulk of its 45-film selection, the fest comes to a close with maternal comedy A Bun in the Oven, featuring The Bélier Family's Karin Viard as an unexpectedly expectant 49-year old. In between, the AFFFF delivers on two fronts: stars and a vibrant array of big screen stories. There's plenty of both. The former includes 2017 Oscar-nominees Isabelle Huppert and Natalie Portman, with Huppert showing up twice — playing a woman with a secret past in the rom-com Souvenir, and a philosophy professor in Things to Come — and Portman joining forces with Lily-Rose Depp (yes, Johnny's daughter) in Planetarium. Depp also stars with French singer-actress Soko in The Dancer, while Marion Cotillard does double duty too in romance From the Land of the Moon and the Xavier Dolan-directed family drama It's Only the End of the World. Inglourious Basterds actress Mélanie Laurent co-directs environmental doco Tomorrow, the great Gérard Depardieu takes a road trip in Saint Amour, and one of the last roles played by Amour's Emmanuelle Riva, as an elderly aunt in Lost in Paris, also features. Elsewhere, the 2017 fest tells the tale of the first popular Afro-Cuban artist of the French stage in Monsieur Chocolate starring The Intouchables' Omar Sy opposite James Thierrée (aka Charlie Chaplin's grandson), examines the real-life circumstances surrounding a pregnant nun in The Innocents, dives into coming-of-age affections with Being 17 and gets ghostly with the haunting Daguerrotype. Or, viewers can catch Juliette Binoche at her most slapstick in farcical detective effort Slack Bay, and enjoy the kind of moral dilemmas the Dardenne brothers explore so well in The Unknown Girl. Looking back as well as forwards, a two-movie retrospective steps into the court of Versailles courtesy of the Marie Antoinette-centric Farewell, My Queen and music drama Mozart's Sister. Plus, if all of the above isn't enough for the most eager film buffs, dedicated cinephiles can take A Journey Through French Cinema for 191 minutes of movie history. The Alliance Française French Film Festival tours Australia from March 7, screening at Sydney's Chauvel Cinema, Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace from March 7 to 30; Melbourne's Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from March 8 to 30, and Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from March 16 to April 9. For more information, visit the festival website.
Sleeping under the stars on holiday is a romantic notion of old, taking us back to the days of our ancestors and bringing us closer to nature — that is, until nature finds its way into your campsite and rummages through all of your Tim Tams. Hotels and resorts around the world are finding creative ways to bring the open-air to you in style, allowing guests to embrace their surroundings in pure luxury. If you love glamping, you're going to go nuts for these five-starry retreats. [caption id="attachment_582573" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Atelier für Sonderaufgaben.[/caption] THE ONLY STAR IS YOU WHERE IN THE WORLD: Swiss Alps, Switzerland WHAT IT WILL COST: $310AUD per night Making headlines for the last couple of weeks, this brand new hotel in the Swiss Alps lets travellers experience a roofless, door-less and even wall-less night's stay — the luxury double bed is all that makes up this hotel 'room'. Be prepared to really immerse yourself in your surroundings, since the great outdoors will act as your bathroom and shower. This project comes as the antithesis to Null Stern Hotels' 2008 project, Zero Star Hotel, which was built in a nuclear bunker. THE LOISABA STARBEDS WHERE IN THE WORLD: Loisaba Conservancy, Kenya WHAT IT WILL COST: $300AUD per night Among Loisaba Conservancy's 56,000 acres of wildlife lies their Starbeds — handcrafted, four-poster beds which are wheeled onto raised wooden platforms. These are built into the rock face and offer unrestricted views of the African night sky, as well as the illusion of being suspended in mid-air. The communal area includes brass-fitted bathrooms, wooden decks and dining rooms, all overlooking the Kiboko Waterhole which is frequented by hippos and other wildlife. AMANGIRI WHERE IN THE WORLD: Canyon Point, Utah WHAT IT WILL COST: $3000AUD per night Open-air hotels don't get more glamorous, or pricier, than Amangiri. The 600-acres of protected desert is approximately two hours from the Grand Canyon. The resort is built into the rock-face for maximum exclusivity, with each suite offering indoor and outdoor sleeping arrangements. Travelling with friends? The four-bedroom mesa home includes a 15-metre private pool, fireplace, underfloor heating and personal bar, and will cost you a cool $12K per night. CABRIOLET ROOM WHERE IN THE WORLD: L'Albereta Resort, Italy WHAT IT WILL COST: $550 AUD per night If you're looking for romantic star gazing, nothing beats the Cabriolet room at L'Albereta, where a push of a button reveals a retractable roof and the gorgeous Italian night sky beyond. The plush canopy bed is only out-luxed by the marble-clad bathroom, which includes a hydro-massage tub. The views aren't limited to the stars, either — the balcony faces the resort's vineyards, as well as Lake Iseo. VIEW WITH A ROOM WHERE IN THE WORLD: Bangkok, Thailand WHAT IT WILL COST: $285 per night Bangkok Tree House is an eco-conscious, 12-room boutique located on the island of Bang Krachao, just outside the smog of Bangkok. The hotel takes us back to the basics, allowing visitors to sleep in a seven-metre-high, bamboo floored treehouse which is open to both the sky and surrounding mangroves. The showers are heated by the sun, and free homemade fruit ice cream is available 24/7. In this case, living out your childhood will also do some good — the hotel removes one kilogram of rubbish from the nearby Chao Phraya River with every booking made, having removed over 3000 kilograms of trash to date.
One of the most significant works in the new Andy Warhol / Ai Weiwei exhibition will be staying in Melbourne permanently. Speaking at the opening of the exhibition on Thursday night, Ai donated the major installation Letgo Room to the National Gallery of Victoria. Made from more than two million Lego-like bricks, the piece pays tribute to Australian human rights activists who have become symbols for a broader movement – much like the artist himself. Constructed by a team of nearly 100 local volunteers and artists on directions from Ai, Letgo Room features portraits of 20 Australian activists who have fought for justice and equality on issues including asylum seekers, women's rights, social welfare and freedom of information. Among those depicted in the work are family violence campaigner Rose Batty, barrister Julian Burnside, indigenous activist Dr Gary Foley, journalist Peter Greste, transgender icon norrie mAy-welby and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who Ai met in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London earlier this year. A photo posted by Ai Weiwei (@aiww) on Sep 16, 2015 at 10:10am PDT The Letgo Room received considerable media attention ahead of its construction after Lego refused Ai's bulk order of bricks on the grounds that Lego "cannot approve the use of Legos for political works." Many saw the refusal as being itself political, with the artist pointing out that the company had just inked a deal to open a Legoland in Shanghai. The decision sparked outrage on social media, while many galleries and museums around the world set up Lego donation points, where art lovers could drop off their excess bricks for use in Ai's art. Andy Warhol / Ai Weiwei at the NGV is now open to the public.
We don't know if you've noticed this, but Australians seem to really enjoy their cooking shows. Whether we're having an anxiety attack over a stubborn souffle on MasterChef, or scoffing about menu use of Comic Sans on The Hotplate, we're a nation who likes their telly cooked to perfection, ideally served by a photogenic or crazy, crazy chef. Luckily for us, the cordon bleu team at SBS have taken note of our gluttonous viewing habits, and are gearing up to launch Australia's first ever free-to-air food channel. We're already drooling. "The channel will take one of our strongest and well-known genres to new heights," said SBS managing director Michael Ebeid. "We know how much audiences love to be taken on a journey of culinary and cultural discovery with our food shows every Thursday night. This new channel is an opportunity to extend that offering with a world of food programming available all day, every day, for free." The new channel will launch in November on SBS 3, and will become the network's fourth free-to-air channel behind SBS, SBS 2 and NITV. According to their website, the lineup will include a mix of "food, cooking and travel programs inspired by food handpicked from around the world, alongside some of the networks much-loved, locally made shows." Key to the new channel's success is a licensing deal SBS has inked with American company Scripps Networks Interactive, whose portfolio includes high profile media and lifestyle brands such as Food Network, Cooking Channel, Asian Food Channel, HGTV, DIY Network, Fine Living Network, Travel Channel and Great American Country. The current lineup of culinary programming on SBS includes Nigella Express, Luke Nguyen's France and Kriol Kitchen. More information about SBS's new food channel, including a name, launch date and programming schedule, is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Image: Luke Nguyen. UPDATE OCTOBER 22, 2015: SBS's new 24-hour food channel is called Food Network and will launch on November 17. Programming will include Destination Flavour, Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen Notebook, the Luke Nguyen series, several of celebrity chef Curtis Stone's shows like Kitchen Inferno and Surfing the Menu, Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals, Giada at Home, Reza: Spice Prince of Vietnam, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, Diners, Drive Ins & Dives, Chopped by Ted Allen and more. The channel will air 24 hours a day and also through SBS On Demand. For more info, head to SBS's website.
It’s time to fire up your barbecues and perfect your spice rub recipe, because Melbourne is about to host their second Barbecue Festival. The one-day event — which made its debut at the Queen Vic Market last year — will feature free classes and demonstrations, more barbecued meat than you can poke a skewer at, live entertainment and, of course, the great barbecue cook-off. The cook-off is sanctioned by the too-legit-to-quit Kansas City Barbeque Society, and the winner will go on to compete at the world championships in the U.S., as well receive as a sweet cash prize and — most importantly — unrivalled barbecue glory. We spoke to festival director Matt Vitale about the festival, the different styles of American barbecue, and got all the pro tips on how to barbecue like a boss. MEET THE EXPERT: MATT VITALE Matt had always been an avid backyard barbecue cook, and a few years ago he decided to try his luck at the big time by entering a barbecue competition for the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Matt teamed up with his wife and they won — sending them to the World Championships of barbecuing, held at the Jack Daniel’s distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. "It was an amazing experience, and unexpected," he says. "I met a bunch of great people from the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS), which is the largest organisation of barbecue enthusiasts in the world, and the organising body for this sport — it is a sport in the States.” The KCBS wanted to sanction a contest to Australia, and with Matt's assistance the first Yaks Barbecue Festival was brought to Melbourne. Now, it's back for a second year, with the festival also being held in Sydney for the first time. THE FOUR TYPES OF AMERICAN BARBECUE According to Matt, there are four different regional styles of barbecue in the U.S. Texas barbecue is mostly beef-focussed; the rubs are a lot simpler, mostly salt and pepper, with not much sauce that is usually served on the side. In Memphis, they generally favour a dry rub on their ribs, and again sauce is usually on the side. North and South Carolina have more of a focus on pork where the sauce is more vinegary with a bit of chili thrown in for good measure. But it's Kansas City, Matt says, that takes the best elements from all of the regions. "They're really well known for their beef brisket and burnt ends, which are these cubes of meat taken from the point end of the brisket. They’re also known for their ribs with rich, tomato, sticky sauce, which I think a lot of people really associate American barbecue with. That’s what Kansas City barbecue is really famous for.” [caption id="attachment_555155" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dollar Photo Club[/caption] HOW TO COOK THE PERFECT BBQ CHOOK Kansas-style barbecue may be well known for their trademark tomato-based sauce, but sometimes it's worth knowing how to perfect the basics before you go slathering on a sticky sauce left, right and centre. One never-fail barbecue recipe that Matt is happy to divulge is his cherrywood-smoked chicken. "Smoked chicken is an achievable dish to do," he says. "A lot of these things you need to cook for a long period of time, but chicken you can get done in a couple of hours." So how do we recreate this magic for ourselves? First, grab a split chicken from a good butcher or poultry and game supplier, as getting it split makes it easier to cook. You're going to need a smoker for this recipe — a very worthy investment if you're serious about your meat. Fire it up to a bit over 100 degrees celsius, and put some wood chunks in there. Matt recommends cherrywood because it's easily available in Australia. Cook the chook for about an hour and a half breast-side down, then turn it over, baste it with olive oil, and leave it for another 30 minutes. Unlike beef brisket, which can take 10-12 hours, this takes a little over two hours and you're ready to eat. Matt recommends pairing this with fresh vegetables cooked over charcoal, such as charred corn, sliced eggplant and asparagus, as they get nice and caramelised. Drink of choice? Beer, of course — either a Fat Yak or a Lazy Yak goes perfectly with any barbecue. PRO TIPS FOR BBQ NOOBS While a lot of Australians love to consume barbecued goods, not all of us are as talented at making it as we are eating it. Matt recommends starting with a solid fuel BBQ to get the most out of your meat. "Gas BBQs are great, but there's so much more that you can do on a solid fuel BBQ. Cooking with wood and charcoal, you'll always get a better result.” Another piece of advice Matt leaves us with is to not be afraid to just give it a go: “sometimes you’ll get it right, other times you’ll get it wrong, but the more you practice, the more you'll get it right." The Yaks Melbourne Barbecue Festival is happening on Saturday, February 6 at Flemington Racecourse. For more information, check out the event. Top image: Dollar Photo Club
A 3D printed house? Ten years ago, we would have thought this a mere pipe dream. But since we're printing everything from office blocks to bikes tailored to your body these days, this shouldn't come as a shock. Chicago-based architecture firm WATG has unveiled solid plans to turn this lofty idea into reality, proposing the world's first freeform, 3D printed house. Winning first prize in the Freeform Home Design Challenge, a competition sponsored by Branch Technology, the WATG design, entitled 'Curve Appeal', consists of two structural components: an interior core and an exterior skin. The living spaces are all open and include a kitchen, bath, living area and one bedroom. Stunning 360-degree glass walls are meant to give the sense of being directly connected to the natural surroundings of the house — so you might want to keep some distance between you and your neighbours. The whole futuristic, spaceship-like envelope is connected with carefully calculated archways that are said to "establish an organic presence" — whatever that means. The design, while clearly pushing the envelope of possibility, also uses economical methods for building — as well as sustainable, with solar panels hidden within the design. This world-first house is not only unconventional, but has previously been wholly inconceivable. This type of work from WATG is no surprise — the firm is internationally renowned for their innovation, with previous designs including a few Four Seasons, a Saudi Arabian city called 'King Abdullah Economic City' and a SkyPark in the Gulf. All of their designs look like structures from an incredibly well-funded sci-fi film, not buildings that will, and do, actually exist. Construction on 'Curve Appeal' is expected to start as soon as 2017 and Bonnaroo Festival-goers will be happy to hear the first site is in Chattanooga, Tennessee. While the public has been given no indication of how much the house will cost to build, we can only imagine how epic this would be if future iterations are made affordable to the masses. With 3D printing becoming more accessible by the day, this future may not be too far from reality. Via Design Boom. Images: Daniel Caven, WATG.
Forget stale chips and overpriced packets of lollies. Two Australian companies are looking to change the way you think about vending machines, with new, healthy options coming to Melbourne and Brisbane (Sydney, fingers crossed). First up, Melbourne's FüD vending machine, is officially up and running. Built out of recycled timber, the new automatic outlets dispense a variety of gourmet meals made using healthy, organic produce, including salads, falafel and even freshly-chopped celery and carrots. Best of all, unsold salads are donated to Homeless of Melbourne, ensuring that nothing goes to waste. Total legends. Jars of salad will cost you $10 a pop, and come in a number of different varieties including the ‘Pump It Up’ (pumpkin, roast shallots, beetroot chips and white bean mousse), the ‘Super Soba’ (green tea soba noodles, zucchini and carrot) and ‘Overnight Oats’ (organic oats soaked in coconut milk, with banana, hazelnut and rice malt syrup). Got dietary requirements? The FüD vending machine is stocked with a number of choices for people on paleo, vegan, sugar-free or gluten-free diets. All meals are made fresh and delivered daily, and the machine is refrigerated to ensure nothing spoils. Brisbane's taking the healthy vending machine thing one step further — to a 'self-service cafe'. That's not just marketing jargon, that's what health food merchants All Real Food are calling their automated eateries, and it's a name that fits. With no junk food in sight, what you'll find instead are delicious, healthy snacks and meals, all freshly packaged and stocked each and every day. Think ready-to-go breakfasts and sweets, and soups down the track. Their touchscreen machines also feature a vertical herb garden to bring you back in touch with nature, and a gratitude board filled with health tips and inspiring messages that change daily. Just where and when they'll start popping up all over Brisbane is yet to be determined, but one thing is certain: eating on the run has never been so appetising (or so good for you). For more information, visit The Fud Revolution or All Real Food's websites. Via Good Food. Words by Sarah Ward and Tom Clift.
The Sydney-born social enterprise Welcome Merchant has been supporting small businesses run by refugees and asylum seekers in Australia for over four years now. The wonderful organisation has provided people in need with a platform and space to sell their goods while also teaching them a heap of business skills. And in the leadup to Christmas this year, the team is taking over Melbourne CBD's Section 8 on Saturday, December 14, with a heap of market stalls. Aheda's Kitchen and Sebastian Pasinetti from OKO Cafe will both be pumping out a range of dishes in the beer garden throughout the afternoon, while Rick Fean plays a mix of hip hop, Afro-pop and electronica tunes. When it comes to shopping, you'll find sustainably made, African-inspired clothing and accessories from RJ Dradi the Label; kids' toys and books from Small Fires Play; and plenty of clothing from Juan Du. This pop-up market brings together entrepreneurs from a diverse range of cultures, who'll be selling all kinds of unique goods. Who knows, you might just find your next go-to beauty brand or local artist on Tattersalls Lane. Get down from 12–5pm to support these local businesses, grab some drinks from Section 8's bar and groove to some live tunes. A good time for a good cause.
Hold our calls, feed our fish, tell our mums we love 'em. There's a brand new, purpose-built pop-up hotel travelling around Australia called 'The Spontaneity Suite', and it's just landed in Victoria's Yarra Valley. Hotel booking app HotelTonight (which just launched in Australia in June) and Ovolo Hotels (Sydney's 1888 and Blue Hotel and Melbourne's Laneways Hotel) are behind this, teaming up for one jaw-dropper of an activation. This stunning little moveable hotel room, valued at $32,000, is built from — what else — two shipping containers, and will be travelling around Australia. It's a fully-stocked suite with all the trimmings, with interiors designed by Coco Republic. We're talking rooftop hot tub, cocktail station, rain shower, stone bathtub, Egyptian cotton robes, lambskin recliners, terrace and straight-up insane panoramas of the nearby vineyards, framed by a floor-to-ceiling glass window wall. Sick of that horrible, horrible view? The suite's equipped with Apple TV. Available to book exclusively through the HotelTonight app, lucky adventurers can book a stay in The Spontaneity Suite for a one-night stay for just $99, with limousine transfers from Melbourne, a personal concierge, a TarraWarra Estate wine-tasting tour, all your meals and everything from the minibar included. Yep, what the actual. The catch? It's only available between August 27 and 31. There's another night you could aim for on September 1, but the price starts at $32,000, dropping by $1000 every ten minutes until someone snaps it up. All dosh raised from this night and all other nights booked will go straight to OzHarvest, top marks. Sydneysiders, if you can't make it to the Yarra Valley, keep your hat on. The Spontaneity Suite will pack up and move to a secret location somewhere in Sydney next, then head on to other pretty Australian sites. Want to try your luck at booking a night? Download the HotelTonight app via Google Play or iTunes. Via Traveller.
When it comes to must-watch movies, Australian cinema has gifted audiences with plenty in recent times. The outback noir of Mystery Road and Goldstone, the chills of The Babadook, the high-octane glory that was Mad Max: Fury Road, the mountainous terror captured in Sherpa, the race riots comedy of Down Under: they're just some of the great local fare our talented filmmakers have been serving up. That was then, this is now — and don't worry, this year looks set to deliver too. So which homegrown flicks should you put on your 2017 viewing list? A hint: a heart-wrenching true tale, serial killer thrills and a long-awaited reunion are just the beginning. LION The 2017 slate of Australian-made films really couldn't kick off with a bigger title. At the time of writing, Lion has already been nominated for four Golden Globes, five BAFTAs, two Screen Actors Guild awards and two Directors Guild of America gongs — and expect that list to keep growing. Recounting the real-life story of the Indian-born, Tasmanian-raised Saroo Brierley (played by charming newcomer Sunny Pawar as a child, and Dev Patel with a spot-on Aussie accent as an adult), the first feature directed by Top of the Lake's Garth Davis will earn your tears and then some. Rounding out the cast for this rousing take on a tale 60 Minutes viewers will be familiar with is Nicole Kidman, David Wenham and Rooney Mara. JASPER JONES One of the nation's favourite novels makes its way to the big screen with Jasper Jones, and it's in great hands. Bran Nue Dae's Rachel Perkins directs the adaptation of Craig Silvey's best-selling book, with local treasures Hugo Weaving and Toni Collette, and young up-and-comers Angourie Rice (The Nice Guys), Levi Miller (Red Dog: True Blue) and Aaron L. McGrath (TV's Glitch) among the onscreen talent. For those that haven't read the source material, it tells the '60s-set, racially charged tale of the titular teen, the 14-year-old who becomes his new friend and the mystery that brings them together. HOUNDS OF LOVE Prepare to be unnerved — and to be surprised and a little shocked by Stephen Curry of The Castle fame. He was once best known for playing hole-digging Dale Kerrigan, however the actor's performance in Hounds of Love will make you see him in a completely new light. That isn't just an indication of the different realm he's in, with the first film from director Ben Young taking inspiration from real-life true-crime cases dating back to Perth in the '80s, but also a sign of just how effective Curry is. The unsettling effort has been compared to Snowtown and Animal Kingdom for a very good reason. JUNGLE How far will Daniel Radcliffe go to escape a certain boy wizard? Playing a farting corpse in last year's polarising Swiss Army Man helped, and heading to the Bolivian rainforest in Jungle might too. Directed by Wolf Creek's Greg McLean, the Queensland-shot feature charts four backpackers in the thick of the Amazon wilderness. Yes, that means that it is a survivalist tale — but given that it's from the filmmaker that made outback Australia oh-so menacing, expect plenty of thrills. SWEET COUNTRY Did you think that David Wenham and Hugo Weaving were only going to pop up on this list once? Not a chance. Two of Australia's hardest-working actors feature in Sweet Country, as do Bryan Brown, Sam Neill and Last Cab to Darwin's Ningali Lawford-Wolf, however it's the director behind the movie that should grab your attention. Making a drama about the killing of a station owner by an Aboriginal stockman, and the corresponding fallout in 1920s Australia, the film marks the long-awaited next effort from Samson & Delilah's Warwick Thornton (pictured). CARGO He's already played Tim from The Office, Bilbo Baggins and John Watson — and now, Martin Freeman will take on the guise of a father trying to save his baby during the apocalypse. Based on Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke's Tropfest short of the same name, the South Australian-made film plunges into dystopian sci-fi territory, and takes a host of local talent along for the ride, including Susie Porter, Anthony Hayes and David Gulpilil. Oh, and for added fun, there's zombies as well. BERLIN SYNDROME It has been five years since Cate Shortland's Lore became Australia's best German-language film, and 13 since her debut Somersault won an astounding 13 Australian Film Institute awards (the gongs they gave out before the AACTAs). For her third effort, she opts for psychological thrills — and for the titular European city. Here, Hacksaw Ridge's Teresa Palmer plays an Aussie photographer who has a fling with a local teacher, only to find herself unable to escape from his apartment. Expect to hear a whole lot more about Berlin Syndrome very soon, given that the movie premieres at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in mid-to-late January. FLAMMABLE CHILDREN If we had to summarise Flammable Children in just a few words, it'd be this: Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce's post-Neighbours reunion. You're already sold, right? The former Charlene and Mike turned internationally successful pop star and actor, respectively, will once again share the screen — and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert's Stephan Elliott is the person responsible. His latest flick ventures back to the '70s, when Aussie teens flocked to the beach, and their parents got up to some swinging fun, with Radha Mitchell and Julian McMahon also starring. [caption id="attachment_606189" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Lion.[/caption] HOTEL MUMBAI In 2008, Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace Hotel was attacked by terrorists, with at least 167 people killed. Australian writer/director Anthony Maras recreates the horrific incident, which proved harrowing for locals and tourists alike. Because 2017 seems to be all about familiar faces gracing local flicks more than once, Dev Patel (pictured, from Lion) helps lead an international cast that also includes Red Dog: True Blue's Jason Isaacs, 52 Tuesdays' Tilda Cobham-Hervey and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s Armie Hammer. ALI'S WEDDING Australia doesn't make all that many romantic comedies. Australia doesn't make many films focusing on the country's Muslim community either. Combine the two, and Ali's Wedding is the end result. Starring Iraqi-born Aussie actor and comedian Osamah Sami as the eponymous character, there's no prizes for guessing that marriage sits at the centre of the film as the son of a Muslim cleric tries to remain true to both his family and his heart. Top image: Lion.
