Flying interstate can be frustrating at the best of times — especially during peak periods — but you can expect more than a few cancellations and delays this weekend as some Jetstar employees prepare to strike over three days, on Friday, December 13 until Sunday, December 15. Last week, both the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) and the Transport Workers' Union (TWU) voted to proceed with industrial action in response to ongoing failed negotiations with the airline. The TWU has announced that it will hold a series of two-hour work stoppages on the Friday, while the AFAP will hold two four-hour stoppages — one on Saturday, and one on Sunday. In a statement released today, Jetstar Group CEO Gareth Evans said that, because of the action, Jetstar will cancel 44 flights on Saturday and another 46 on Sunday — which is 90 of an estimated 740 across the weekend. If you're flying with Jetstar on these days and your flight is affected, you've probably been sent your new flight details. Jetstar has re-timed flights and transferred some passengers to Qantas flights to avoid too much chaos, but there's likely to be delays to across Sydney, Melbourne, Avalon, Brisbane, Cairns and Adelaide airports. https://twitter.com/YourAFAP/status/1204269727264034816 The TWU is at loggerheads with Jetstar after failed negotiations with the airline that sought to secure a number of demands for employees – like more rest breaks, annual wage increases of four percent and a guaranteed 30 hours of work a week. TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said that "disappointingly, Jetstar have rejected the vast majority of the workers' demands outright". Jetstar, however, says the impact of the TWU action is likely to be "minimal" as it would involve "less than half" of its regular ground staff. In a statement released last week, Evans said that the airline has offered a three percent annual wage increase to the union. The AFAP strikes are set to be more disruptive — as they will leave aircraft without anyone to actually fly them. However, despite earlier reports that the action could impact flights over the upcoming busy Christmas period, the union has said that it won't strike between Saturday, December 21 and Friday, January 3. The strikes will take place this weekend, December 13–15. If your flight has been cancelled or changed, Jetstar will contact you directly. For any further flight status updates, check the Jetstar website.
This summer, the Heide Museum of Modern Art is celebrating the works of famed British artist Barbara Hepworth through its new In Equilibrium exhibition. Dame Barbara Hepworth is known for being one of the greatest modernist sculptors during the 20th century, and the first female sculptor to achieve international recognition and accolades. The Heide Museum has curated more than forty of them for this exhibit, many of which have never been seen in Australia. [caption id="attachment_874063" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Eidos, 1947, Barbara Hepworth, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. © Bowness[/caption] They will take over the main galleries of the Heide Museum from November 5, 2022, to March 13, 2023 and will trace Hepworth's career, including her early figurative carvings, forming a complete retrospective of her life's works. Much focus will be on her inspirations, too. Nature was one of Hepworth's main influences, with the artist inspired by the coastal landscape of St Ives in Cornwall, where she lived and worked for much of her artistic career. From the movement of tides to Cornwall's magnificent and towering ancient standing stones, the artist's later sculptures are a nod to much of the patterns and shapes found naturally formed in nature. In Equilibrium offers up a rare opportunity for Australians to experience Hepworth's sculptures and learn more about Hepworth herself — who was one of the leading British artists of her generation. [caption id="attachment_874064" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Drawing for sculpture—Santorin, 1955, Barbara Hepworth, Image courtesy The Hepworth Wakefield. © Bowness[/caption] Tickets to Barbara Hepworth: In Equilibrium cost $22 (+ booking fee) for adults, $17 (+ booking fee) for concession holders and are free for Heide Museum of Modern Art members. Top image: Sculpture with Colour and Strings, 1939, Barbara Hepworth, Ingram Collection, London. © Bowness
John Sugar adores cinema. It makes sense, then, that the Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin)-led Apple TV+ series about the Los Angeles-based detective loves movies just as devotedly. Sugar is styled like a classic film noir. It splices in clips from the genre's pictures, other Hollywood-set fare and fellow retro titles, swinging from The Big Heat, Kiss Me Deadly, Sunset Boulevard and Double Indemnity to Sherlock Jr and The Thing. It watches Sugar watch flicks. It listens to him drop references to and wax lyrical about them in his evocative narration. It pays tribute to its influences eagerly — and it gives its audience a helluva post-viewing watchlist. Sugar is also set in Tinseltown, going all in on LA noir like many of the movies that it references — and also The Big Sleep, Chinatown, LA Confidential and Under the Silver Lake as well — with its tale of a PI looking for a missing woman. The show's namesake might be introduced in Tokyo, where he has the case of a yakuza gangster's kidnapped grandson to solve, but he spends the bulk of the series in the City of Angels on a gig that his handler Ruby (Kirby, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) advises against. He can't say no for the ultimate cinephile reason: one of his film idols is doing the hiring. But from the moment that iconic movie producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell, Succession) puts him on the books and in search of his granddaughter Olivia (Sydney Chandler, Don't Worry Darling), Sugar may as well be in a twisty flick himself. A cinema-heavy pedigree behind the lens brings Sugar to streaming queues, too. Creator Mark Protosevich made his debut with the script for sci-fi thriller The Cell back in 2000. Director Fernando Meirelles came to prominence, complete with an Oscar nomination, for co-helming City of God. Executive producer Simon Kinberg wrote Mr & Mrs Smith back when it was a Brad Pitt (Babylon)- and Angelina Jolie (Eternals)-starring movie, not a 2024 TV show, and has a wealth of X-Men titles on his resume. A mystery fan himself, he also produced recent Agatha Christie adaptations Murder on the Orient Express and A Haunting in Venice, executive producing Death on the Nile in-between. Speaking with Concrete Playground, Kinberg notes that this detective series that's also a genre-bender and a love letter to LA noir equally has character study in its list, crucially. "I'm hoping that the audiences fall in love with John Sugar. Definitely feel intrigued, and tense in all the right ways about the suspense and the mystery and the danger of the show — the things that we love about detective stories — but I think ultimately, I hope that they fall in love with how complicated and nuanced and ultimately surprising John Sugar is as a character," he says. "When I think about my favourite television shows — and often my favourite movies, but definitely my favourite shows — it always comes back to character. And I believe that the construction of John Sugar with the portrayal by Colin is something that will grip audiences and make them love the show." Sugar might be at the heart of the series, naturally, but there'd be no Sugar without Ruby. In the show's second-billed part, Kirby adds to a killer resume that's also no stranger to detective tales thanks to 2019's fourth season of Veronica Mars. The Good Place, Why Women Kill, Love, Killing Eve, Hacks and Barry all sit among her past credits — but none had her basically playing a take on a legendary page and screen character. "I was really excited by Ruby. I was excited for Ruby before I even read about Ruby. Ruby was pitched to me as 'Ruby is to Sugar what M is to James Bond', and I felt like I loved that description of that relationship, because I knew that it would be a relationship that was layered and that had shifting power dynamics, but also was strong," she tells us. We chatted with Kirby and Kinberg about the eight-part first season of Sugar, which is available to stream in full now. On the agenda: their initial responses to its premise, which isn't afraid of twists, surprises and veering into science fiction — and also Farrell leading the show, what keeps drawing people to mysteries, the research that goes into playing the righthand woman to a PI, what gets them each excited about a new project and more. On Kinberg and Kirby's First Response to Sugar's Genre-Bending Angle on Detective Stories Simon: "Mark Protosevich, the creator of the show, had written the first script. And so I read that first script and was just so drawn to a lot of things, but primarily Sugar himself as a character. I loved the combination of this chivalrous, strong, capable leading man side with this vulnerable, human, innocent, kind side, too. I just thought that mashup between different elements was really interesting. Then I liked a similar mashup within the tone between classic Hollywood storytelling, like very film noir, obviously detective storytelling, with something fresh and new and different and bold. So I fell in love with the pilot script, and we got involved at that point, and then brought in Colin and then brought in Fernando, and then built the whole show. But yeah, it was just reading a script where I felt like 'this is a voice and tone and character I haven't seen before'." Kirby: "I actually read the script after I had been cast in the role, so I came into this project with blind faith, which is daunting. But I think that knowing the creatives involved, it felt like a calculated risk. I knew that Colin was attached to it. He was attached to it as an EP and as an actor before I before I became part of the process. And knowing his body of work — I've watched Colin for a very long time, and I think that he is an actor that does incredible work. There's incredible quality and passion there. But at the same time, there is such diversity in the roles he's taken. So I knew that this would be a project that, if he put his name on it, it would be something that would be really exciting and really new. And then knowing that this would be a neo-noir, that piques your interest, because it's not every day that you tackle that, that there are people that can tackle such a huge concept. It's very high-concept to be able to do a noir, but then to make it feel contemporary, to make it contemporary, to have it tackle contemporary issues and have a contemporary cast. And then on top of that you layer in a brilliant director like Fernando Meirelles, and I think that you have a winning formula. So whether or not you've read the script, I think that it's a project that you can get behind very early on." On Casting Colin Farrell as Sugar — and Finding a Rhythm with Him On-Screen Simon: "He was one of the first people we thought of for it because he does have that duality in in himself as a man and in his work as an actor — which is, he is very leading man and gorgeous and charismatic and witty and strong, and yet he's also vulnerable and human and flawed and fragile and sweet and innocent. That is who Colin is as a person, and it is what he brings to the character of Sugar. And he read the script and and flipped out for it as well. We met with him and immediately could see that he not only could do it as an actor, but had a natural affinity for it as a person." Kirby: "Colin is very personable, he's amiable, he's incredibly generous as a human and that really translates when you start working with someone — because the easier your chemistry is off screen, the better it will be on screen, I have found. And so for me, I think just having a really good rapport with him —we spent a lot of time there, and the majority of my scenes are either alone or with Colin — just spending long days together, in your down time you're chatting and things like that, and I think that lends itself to what you see on screen." On Working Through the Layers to Ruby's Relationship with Sugar Kirby: "I think that they have a really beautiful relationship. They have a deep connection. They've known each other for a very long time. There is a lot of trust and care and love there. But at the same time, it's a relationship that is complicated, which it is always is complicated when you are in a relationship that is both professional and personal. You find that that adds an additional layer to a friendship that not everyone has experienced, and doesn't always understand how complex that can make certain decisions." On Kinberg Being a Detective and Mystery Fan, and What Appeals to Him About the Genre Simon: "I grew up reading detective fiction. Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christies were huge for me when I was a kid. And then ultimately more hard-boiled writing like Jim Thompson, James Ellroy, that whole generation of crime writers. I think there's a few things. One is I am someone who genuinely struggles with OCD, and there is an OCD element to detectives where they are really good at, and sometimes overwhelmed by, seeing clues in everything. So they're very attuned to the details of our world, which is something I live through. So there's that element. But the other part of it is, even when I was a kid, I looked at the world — and the world was even more this now — but I looked at a world that was chaotic, that had a lot of disorder in it. And I loved the idea that there was this sort of angel of restoring order. That detectives were there — and where, out of the chaos and muddle and mystery of life, they found order and they found truth. So that for me was always part of what was compelling about detective stories: that at the very end, there was going to be an answer, and it was going to be objective. And if you were clever and you paid attention, you could arrive there with the detective." On Thinking About Why People Are So Drawn to Mysteries While You're Making a Mystery Kirby: "I am guilty of it myself. I am very drawn to a mystery and to a documentary and a thriller, and things like that. But I think part of that is because there is so much that is unknown in our world, both on a huge, cosmic level, but also on a personal level. And I think that uncovering a mystery and figuring things out gives you a sense of control in a world that I think can feel often quite chaotic and quite out of your control. So I think that why people gravitate towards these stories is it feels very satisfying to ask a question and get a definitive answer. And these shows present something, there's a question, there is a mystery afoot, and when you figure that out you find the answer — and there is absolutely something that is completely gratifying for audiences in that." On the Affection for LA Noir and Classic Cinema That Sugar Splashes Through Its Frames Simon: "It's a huge part of the DNA of the show, this love letter to classic American cinema, specifically film noir stories. It was in the script — not the clips, the clips in the show were something that Fernando Meirelles and his editor Fernando Stutz [The Sympathizer, which Meirelles also directed episodes of] discovered in post. In the edit, they actually just started inserting these clips into it and it brought even more life into the show and made what was implicit in its homage very explicit. So yeah, it's a huge part of the show. It's a show that's for cinema lovers, but it's also for people that maybe don't know this genre of film and can discover it and learn about it by watching the show, and maybe it'll have them delve back into those classic movies. It was something that excited all of us because you were cutting to these old clips from old movies while juxtaposing them with something really modern and really new. And that juxtaposition, that dance between the old and the new, is very much at the core of the show." On the Research That Goes Into Playing the Righthand Person to a Private Detective Kirby: "For me, a lot of the research was researching the genre, because I am familiar with film noir but I don't have this film school encyclopaedic knowledge of the genre. So it was really helpful for me to take suggestions from Mark, and go in and watch Chinatown — and I had a book that was given to me at the beginning about the history of noirs and some of the biggest touchstones within that genre. That was really helpful, because I think once you start to know the tropes and the archetypes in that world, you can also start to subvert those characters and make them contemporary." On What Gets Kinberg and Kirby Excited About a New Project Simon: "A great character. It's always a great character. Sometimes people ask me this and I'll be like 'what would get you excited if you were at a party and you met somebody, a new friend, a new partner, whatever it is? You met somebody that you wanted to see again, they got you excited, and you went told your friends the next day — I just met this great woman/man/person last night'. It's the same thing for me when I read something or I hear about something, I'm like 'oh, that's an exciting person I just met and I want to spend more time with that person'. Because it's a lot of time that you're investing. Whether it's a feature or or a show, it's years of your life. So it always starts from character for me." Kirby: "Good storytelling gets me excited about a role. Creative people, creative collaborators get me really excited. So coming into a project where I know the way people work and I've seen their work, like this — I don't have to have seen this type of thing from the creators, I just have to have seen something that gets me excited. In this, knowing Fernando was attached, and being such a huge fan of City of God and his previous work, got me so excited. I think that sometimes we are in dire need of just good simple stories that that show genuine human connection — and then you can add all the other layers on top of it and that just serves to heighten the experience." Sugar streams via Apple TV+. Read our review.
Memories don't just dwell in the mind — they also linger in places. Gazing at a piece of furniture may inspire recollections of younger, wilder days, just as playing a particular record in a specific room can conjure up visions of times gone by. In Aquarius, as retired music critic Clara (Sônia Braga) battles to save her seaside apartment from developers, this is what she's fighting for. Her home, where she raised her three now-grown children, is more than simply a lucrative piece of real estate in an area undergoing gentrification. As she's reminded with every glance, it's where her life has unfolded. Understanding that sentiment is easy in Kleber Mendonça Filho's second fictional film. Or, to be more accurate, the Brazilian writer-director makes it look easy. Named after the structure at its centre, Aquarius starts with a flashback to the 1980s, ensuring that viewers will already appreciate just what Clara's home means to her once developers come calling. "This is a generous offer," she's told when her doorbell rings in the present. But you can't put a price on what Clara has, and what she wants to hold on to. Before long, they begin to push harder, and even her kids start chiming in. Still, our protagonist remains unfazed, embracing her quest to save her very own castle. In truth, Clara's fight for her right to live where she wants is tied to and heightened by several other factors. Focusing on a beloved, rough-around-the-edges building that's being cast aside for supposedly bigger and better things, the film's statement on the current climate of upheaval in Brazil is inescapable. And then there's Clara herself: an older woman who refuses to be ignored or bulled by a younger generation that thinks they know better, or to behave in a more 'age-appropriate' way. In short, Clara is a force to be reckoned with – and that goes more than double for the magnetic actor portraying her. Spying parallels between Aquarius' protagonist and its main place of interest aren't hard, and nor are they meant to be. But what would have likely been clumsy and clichéd in most other hands proves complex and nuanced here, largely thanks to Filho's leading lady. A stock-standard crank well past her prime Braga's character most definitely is not. After spending much of her recent career popping up in American TV shows such as Luke Cage, Alias and Sex and the City, the veteran actress couldn't be more commanding, whether Clara is flirting with the young lifeguard across the street, dancing in her living room to Queen's 'Fat Bottomed Girls' or reminding her nemesis at the construction company that she won't be pushed around. The movie might be given room to grow and breathe over the course of 142 minutes, but Braga ensures that her performance is memorable from the outset. From the steely glint in her eye to the confident swagger in her walk, she makes Clara the passionate and determined 65-year-old everyone wants to grow up to become. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zln78CcFkA
Nothing says summer like ice cream and ice cold ciders, and you'll find both — along with a variety of other tasty morsels — at the Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Club Summer Pop-Up. Open from Boxing Day to the Australia Day long weekend at the Surf Club House at 52 Ocean Road, Point Lonsdale, the month-long multi-storey pop-up restaurant and bar will feature food and beverages from local vendors perfect for munching under the sun. Savoury snacks will come courtesy of Fodda Food Truck — think summer tacos, BBQ prawn skewers and sweet potato cakes. Dessert, meanwhile, will be provided by The Scandinavian Ice Cream Company, who've created a special chocolate and honeycomb 'bumblebee' flavour just for the occasion. For their part, The Flying Brick Cider Company will keep punters thoroughly hydrated, sponsoring the pop-up's downstairs lawn bar featuring cider as well as beer and a selection of local wines.
If life has you travelling regularly between Melbourne and Geelong, here's a little win for you: you'll soon be able to do so via ferry. After trials in July 2018, Port Phillip Ferries will run a regular service between the two cities from December this year. Transporting commuters between Central Geelong, adjacent to the Cunningham Pier, and Victoria Harbour, the ferries will run twice daily. While times haven't yet been announced, the test runs ran departed Corio Bay for Docklands at 6.15am, then made the return trip to Geelong at 5.30pm. Last year's trip took around one hour and 45 minutes, aka a bit longer than the train journey, which typically takes an hour and a half. That said, it might be quicker than driving in peak hour traffic — especially if you work in or near the harbour. Thanks to a new 'fast ferry', it could be speedier still — although those details haven't been revealed either. Built by Tasmanian-based company Incat, the new route will be sailed by a purpose-built Geelong Flyer catamaran, which'll boast indoor and outdoor spaces, and can seat 400 people. Either way, with the added bonus of free wifi, phone charging stations, bike racks and an on-board licensed cafe (perfect for that post-work tipple), the ferry ride sounds a whole lot more picturesque than the train journey — and much more tempting than a peak-hour crawl over the West Gate Bridge. If you don't get seasick, that is. Committing to the route continues the expansion of Port Phillip Ferries' commuter services. It has already been running a daily service between Portarlington and Melbourne, the Bellarine Express, for the past three years, and promised that the Geelong route would be considered for a permanent fixture if trials proved successful. Port Phillip Ferries' new Geelong Flyer will hit the water from December 2019. For further details, visit the Port Phillip Ferries website.
For the second year in a row, North Byron Bay Parkland won't be welcoming in bands and music lovers this July, with Splendour in the Grass' 2021 festival already rescheduled to November. But if enjoying a jam-packed lineup of tunes is a cherished part of your winter routine, that's still on the cards, with the fest's organisers announcing that a new virtual Splendour event will take place in its usual midyear times slot. Called Splendour XR, the mud-free two-stage event will pop up across the weekend of Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25 — but you'll be watching along from home. Or, from wherever you choose to tune in via your mobile, tablet, browser, desktop or VR headset, all to watch more than 50 acts take to the virtual stage over two days. Leading the charge are headliners Khalid and The Killers. The former will do the honours on Saturday, while the latter will take over on Sunday. They'll be joined by a hefty list of talent, including Chvrches, Denzel Curry, Duke Dumont, Tash Sultana, Violent Soho, Phoebe Bridgers and Band of Horses on the first day, plus Charlie XCX, Vance Joy, The Avalanches, Of Monsters and Men, The Jungle Giants and Ocean Alley on the second. If you're wondering how Splendour XR will work, that's understandable — and no, you won't just be watching old gig footage or clips from past Splendours. Instead, the fest will feature new, never-before-seen live sets that have been created especially for the virtual event. And, while they'll be available to watch worldwide, the fest will operate on Australian time — running from 12pm–2am AEST each day, with tunes starting from 2pm. You'll also be able to view the performances for seven days afterwards. Splendour organisers are also aiming to take as much of the IRL festival experience with them into the virtual realm, too, with attendees set to access "an imaginatively embellished but faithful recreation of Splendour's Byron Bay venue", according to the festival announcement. You'll also create your own schedule so that you can hop between stages to see whoever you like, and you'll be able to virtually meet up with your mates in the process as well. Also part of the fest: raising funds for live music industry workers, mental health and wellbeing, and sustainability. There'll also be an online medical centre designed to help anyone that's struggling with their mental health after the chaos of the past 15 months or so. Obviously, attending Splendour XR will be much, much kinder to your bank balance than going to the real thing. Tickets start at $17.49 for one day for existing Splendour IRL ticketholders during early bird sales, which are open now — and max out at $49.99 for both days when it gets down to final release tickets (just a couple of days out from the event). SPLENDOUR XR LINEUP: DAY 1 Khalid Chvrches Denzel Curry Duke Dumont Tash Sultana Masked Wolf Russ Millions Band Of Horses Little Simz Violent Soho Aurora Phoebe Bridgers Vera Blue Pink Sweat$ Client Liaison Griff Pond Tayla Parx Dune Rats Methyl Ethel The Chats Triple One Cat & Calmell King Stingray The Southern River Band DAY 2 The Killers Charli XCX Vance Joy Grimes Metaverse (Super Beta) The Avalanches Of Monsters and Men Kaytranada Black Pumas Hot Dub Time Machine Millennium Parade The Jungle Giants Ocean Alley Jungle What So Not King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Sinéad Harnett Holly Humberstone Spacey Jane Crooked Colours Amyl and The Sniffers Wafia Aviva The Snuts Band-Maid Ziggy Ramo Gretta Ray Splendour XR will take place on Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25. For further details or to buy tickets, head to the festival website. Top image: Mitch Lowe.
The National Gallery of Victoria International is putting a spotlight on female artists with its latest large-scale exhibition. Designing Women will open on level three from September 28, 2018 to March 24, 2019. The exhibit showcases nearly 40 years of work from 1980–2018 and focuses on the ongoing role of women in contemporary design culture. It will collate the NGV International collection to highlight over 50 pieces that span multi-disciplinary creative fields — including fashion, jewellery, product design, architecture and digital breakthroughs. Works from groundbreaking designers Zaha Hadid and Neri Oxman will be joined by those by local heavy-hitters Elliat Rich and Helen Kontouris. An NGV commission will also be showcased as part of the exhibition — Lee Darroch, a Yorta Yorta, Mutti Mutti, Boon Wurrung artist from Gippsland, has designed a 25-pelt possum skin cloak that depicts the enthralling history of her family and the region. Accompanying the exhibition is a discussion titled Curator's Perspective: Modern Day Trailblazers, which will take place at 12pm on Sunday, October 14. The talk will be hosted by Simone LeAmon (NGV's curator of contemporary design and architecture) and discuss how the female artists on display have succeeded in this male-dominated industry. Image: Carlotta de Bevilacqua, Yang Metamorphosis 2000 for Artemide, Italy. Courtesy of the designer.
Arc One Gallery are kicking off 2014 with a bang, hosting the work of seven prominent Australian artists in this impressive new group exhibition. From the end of January till the start of March, you may stumble across some local greats such as Julie Rrap, Anne Zahalka, Peter Callas, Pat Brassington, Peter Daverington, or Rose Farrell and George Parkin; and though there's no solid theme to the show, it seems each work may well end up subtly complementing the next. Though renowned in different mediums and styles, each artist Arc One represents seem enthralled in an exploration of different kinds of dissonance. Whether that be a conflict of cultures as in Peter Callas' work Japanese Uncle Sam, or a convergence of styles as in Anne Zahalka's photographic appropriation of Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait, The Marriage of Convenience (pictured above). In fact, a tension between the new and old seems to be a recurring theme exhibited especially in Peter Daverington's cheekily titled oil painting Miniature Self Portrait #Selfie. With all this in mind, the show's title seems somehow spot on — exploring the differences and divides in our shared histories these artists are all in some way trying to unite these things which at first seem a world apart.
Melbourne’s very own international biennial festival dedicated to contemporary video practice has come around once more to thoroughly bend our minds. This year, Channels Festival will host a series of exhibitions, screenings, talks, performances, and workshops that will disrupt your reality, challenging the historical context of video and make suggestions as to where the future lies for this artform in an increasingly tech-saturated world. The official opening night kicks off on September 18, at Screen Space. The night will feature international festival guest Same Smith's new exhibition Slow Fragmentation downstairs, as well as a selection of contemporary video work from Australian and New Zealand artist-run initiatives, curated by Screen Space, upstairs. Some highlights from this year’s program include In the Epoch of the Near and Far exhibition, featuring works from Petra Cortright (USA) and Heath Franco (AUS) and curated by Amelia Winata, and Jessie Scott’s exhibition/lending library, Miraculous Ribbon. The festival will run for ten days in total in venues across the CBD, Fitzroy and Collingwood, as well as online.
Back at the beginning of December, life in Australia seemed like it was largely returning to normal after a tough year spent coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. Then Sydney experienced a cluster of cases in the northern beaches region, cases popped up in Victoria as well, and now Brisbane is responding to the country's first local case of the new, more contagious coronavirus strain. Due to the latter situation — with a hotel quarantine worker testing positive to COVID-19 — the nation has been reacting at both the state and federal government levels. The Greater Brisbane area is going into lockdown for three days, and New South Wales is requiring anyone who has been in the region since January 2 and is now down south to also stay at home under the same conditions for the same period. In the latest announcement on the news-filled day that is today, Friday, January 8, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has made a similar statement, covering the whole country. Firstly, following the first Australian national cabinet meeting for 2021, the Prime Minister revealed that the Greater Brisbane area has been declared a COVID-19 hotspot at the commonwealth level. That applies to the Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands local government areas. Secondly, the PM has said that anyone who is in the rest of Australia but has visited Greater Brisbane should "treat yourself as if you are in those places". "Our message to Australians who are in those areas is — stay where you are," the Prime Minister said. "Don't go anywhere. Don't go home to another state or any other part of your state. Over the next few days, stay where you are. If you're somewhere else and you are planning to go there, don't. You should get tested. You should monitor your symptoms. And until you've gone through the testing process, you should remain isolated." https://twitter.com/ScottMorrisonMP/status/1347311954625396737 Queensland Health has made a similar statement about travellers from the state itself, announcing that anyone from Queensland who has been in the Greater Brisbane area since January 2 but is now elsewhere must quarantine wherever they are. They'll also need to wear a mask when they leave their homes — for one of the four reasons permitted during Greater Brisbane's lockdown. Other states and territories around the country have also been implementing their own restrictions on folks from Greater Brisbane, or who've visited there recently — and on the entirety of Queensland in some instances. As has been the case for much of 2020, the rules vary depending on the state and territory. As today's development's have shown, they're changing fast. At the time of writing, Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services advises that anyone who has arrived in Victoria from Greater Brisbane since January 2 should get tested, and remain at home or wherever they're staying until Monday, January 11, when a further assessment about the situation will be made. Tasmania has declared the Greater Brisbane region a high-risk area. Anyone who has arrived in Tasmania after spending time in Greater Brisbane since January 2 must immediately self-isolate and contact the state's Public Health Hotline, while anyone who has been in the area and intends to travel to Tassie won't be allowed to enter, unless they receive an exemption. In the Northern Territory, travel limits have also been put in place, affecting folks from the Greater Brisbane area. The hotspot declaration came into effect this morning, on Friday, January 8, and means anyone entering the NT from the region will have to go into quarantine for two weeks. South Australia is bringing in a quarantine requirement, too, from midnight as Saturday, January 9 begins, which means that arrivals from Greater Brisbane will need to isolate for two weeks. Anyone currently in SA who has been in the Greater Brisbane area since January 2 must get tested immediately. The Australian Capital Territory will require anyone who has been in the Greater Brisbane area since January 2 to go into isolation for 14 days from when they were last in the area. That comes into effect from 3pm on Friday, January 8. https://twitter.com/MarkMcGowanMP/status/1347373468585660417 Over in Western Australia, a hard border has been brought back in with all of Queensland. At midnight tonight, the border will close to anyone who has been in the Sunshine State since January 2, and anyone who receives an exemption to still enter WA will have to go into quarantine for 14 days and undertake COVID-19 testing at two different points. Those currently in WA who have been in Queensland since January 2 must self-isolate until they have spent 14 days in WA, and must get tested by January 12 and then have another test on day 11 of their quarantine. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, visit the Australian Government Department of Health website.
In a week that's already revealed the closure of The Commune Group's short-lived Alter Dining and celebrated fine diner Estelle by Scott Pickett, another Melbourne restaurant has announced its farewell. The latest news sees Andrew McConnell's St Kilda eatery Supernormal Canteen up for sale, 12 months after the chef transformed the space from its previous incarnation as Luxembourg. McConnell has had the Fitzroy Street site for seven years, since launching his first solo venture Golden Fields there back in 2011. Now, it's on the market as the owner moves to focus his attentions on the rest of his hefty restaurant stable. A Supernormal spokesperson confirmed the news, saying, "After seven years in St Kilda, we have decided to consolidate our focus on existing venues and projects." At this stage, no closing date has been set and the venue will kick on as usual, at least until a new buyer snaps up the site. The restaurant's CBD sibling, Supernormal will continue operating as usual. Pay Supernormal Canteen a visit while you still can, at 157 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. Image credit: Nikki To
Coburg Night Market, the much-loved northside summer pop-up, is back for a 23rd time, taking over Bridges Reserve from Friday, December 15–Sunday, December 17. Whether you're stocking up on prezzies or just want to soak up the start of those long summer nights, the free, dog-friendly market promises three nights and two days jam-packed with good stuff. Not least of which are the live tunes that go well beyond your stock standard neighbourhood p festival lineup. Pull up a picnic rug and treat your ears to sounds from the likes of Pirritu, Hooper Crescent, Muma Ganoush, OUZO!, Fonzie, Sunny Morris, Sunfruits and DJ Jas Moore from Triple R. The Coburg Night Market is also introducing the Mindful Mob Healing Market for the first time. First Nations songwriter and producer Maylene Yinarr has curated a stacked program featuring performances, a children's mindfulness workshop, cultural healing sessions, Elders stories and more. Visitors will be encouraged to enter this cultural space within Coburg Night Market of the broader market to learn more about the local First Nations community and their connection to land and Spirit. Shoppers will also find an impressive curation of 68 market stalls from local creatives and businesses. This will include a heap of food and drink vendors slinging a diverse range of eats throughout the weekend. The market will run from 5–10:30pm on December 15, 12–10:30pm on December 16 and 12–8:30pm on December 17. Images: Nic Cleary and Coburg Night Market
After one of the hottest summers on record and heading back into the cooler months, the thought of throwing on a suit is just becoming bearable. And, in perfect timing, menswear label M.J. Bale has announced a huge archive sale. Running from Thursday, March 21 to Sunday, March 24, at 255A Chapel Street, the sale will get you sorted for the season ahead (and maybe a few after that, too). Since Matt Jensen founded the quality menswear brand in 2009, it's become a staple in many of Aussie men's wardrobes. From quality office attire to special occasion wear, the label prioritises maintaining a close supply chain between Australian wool growers, Italian weavers and Japanese tailors, so you're guaranteed to find clothing that is stylish, breathable and top quality. Along with suit wear, the brand also offers laidback linen, knitwear, cotton and lightweight flannel styles, plus a great selection of accessories. And you'll be able to score some of it for up to 75 percent across the four-day sale. The M.J. Bale Archive Sale will be open 8am–8pm on Thursday, March 21 to Friday, March 22 and 9am–5pm on Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24 — head to the event page for more.
A party can always be made better with pinot, so one with nothing but the ancient red grape is sure to be a wild one. But who throws such decadent gatherings? That'll be Pinot Palooza. And judging by the last two bashes they've thrown, this years instalment is sure to be a party indeed. Since launching in 2012, the Palooza has become the biggest date on any pinotphiles calendar. The event only keeps on growing, and this year pinot producers from around the world will take their wines to a bigger venue, the basement car park of Circa, The Prince, this Saturday, October 4 from 1pm. So here's the deal: 150 wines, $60, unlimited tastings. If you break it down, that's just 40 cents per tasting glass. Whatta bargain! We don't know if anyone's actually managed to try all 150 varieties within five hours, but we'd encourage you to give it a red-hot crack. If there's any event where you're allowed to get a little boozy, it's this one. More than just a straight-up wine tasting, the Palooza will have music, local food offerings and even a selection of craft beer (just in case). So whether you're a pinot pro, or you just know that you like the stuff, Pinot Palooza is the best way to learn a few things and sample more wines than you can poke a wine glass at. Although, we can't promise you won't wake up with the red wine sweats the next day.
St Kilda Festival, Melbourne's long-running celebration of live music, is officially returning this February for its 42nd edition. Scheduled to run from Saturday, February 18 to Sunday, February 19 at the iconic St Kilda Foreshore and surrounds, the jam-packed summer event will see a lineup of big-name acts and emerging talents alike playing across multiple stages. And, as always, it's free, and welcomes visitors of all ages. Saturday go-ers are invited to join First Peoples First, a celebration of First Nations music, culture and community, with performances from the likes of Christine Anu, Jem Cassar-Daley, Lady Lash, Dean Brady, Jungaji and more performing at O'Donnell Gardens and the St Kilda foreshore main stage. The Archie Roach Foundation has curated a good chunk of the lineup — and that same evening, the late Uncle Archie will be further honoured with a musical tribute featuring a range of special guests. [caption id="attachment_885113" align="alignnone" width="1920"] www.nathandoranphotography.com[/caption] On Sunday — also known as Big Festival Sunday — Aussie musical legends Hoodoo Gurus and electro-pop act Confidence Man will take the main stage, so be sure to get in early to nab prime position. Genesis Owusu, Yothu Yindi, Hatchie, Alice Ivy, Mick Harvey, Ashwarya, Phoebe Go, THNDO, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, JK-47, Jen Cloherand and more will also be showcasing their talents throughout the day. Both days of the festival will also see plenty of family entertainment, sports demonstrations, market stalls, local community group activations and street performers popping up around St Kilda to add to the festive vibe. For more information and to check out the full lineup, head to the St Kilda Festival website.
Nestled behind a service station, down some cobblestone alleys, past a greasy mechanic and hidden snugly behind huge red stable doors is arguably one of the most secret and unique cafes in Carlton. Named after a 1960's handbill advertising the medicinal and therapeutic properties for coffee, Vertue of the Coffee Drink is all about the black brew. It's no surprise then that founder, Mike Cracknell, and his team of passionate (and highly caffeinated) staff are putting the coffee first. Operating as an in-house micro roaster, cafe and coffee paraphernalia retail outlet, the space is full of sunlight and warmth. Natural timbers, copper light fittings, high ceilings and a leafy green wall garden enrich the place with a relaxed and inviting feel, perfect for large groups and solo coffee drinkers alike. The open kitchen window allows a glimpse of what's to come to your table with an all-day breakfast offering of the usual favourites, and a few surprises. For something a little more adventurous, order the chickpea chips with charred asparagus, preserved cherry tomato with poached egg ($18), or the scotch eggs with onion marmalade, crispy pig skin and brioche ($21). And with the kitchen open until 3pm daily, the lunch offerings are just as tempting; eight hour lamb shoulder with dukkah, baby broccoli and tabbouleh ($22) and a heirloom tomato and stone fruit salad with feta-stuffed zucchini flowers and hazelnut vinaigrette ($18) take the top spots. As well as the exceptional pour overs, batch brews and espresso there are some stronger adult drinks available with a neat selection of beers, cider and wine. For those looking to get away from bustling Lygon Street for a great coffee and bite to eat, Vertue is well worth hunting down and checking out. Image credit: Tomas Zagoda & Greg Curio via Instagram
Pirates of Australia: prepare to panic and startle the parrot perched on your rough, sea dog shoulder. The Pirate Bay, the worst enabler of petty criminality in Australia (probably), will be blocked in the next 15 days. According to ABC News, in a case before the Federal Court of Australia, Foxtel and Village Roadshow have asked for five major torrent sites, including The Pirate Bay, to be blocked by major internet service providers. Other sites include Torrentz, TorrentHound, IsoHunt and SolarMovie. It'll be up to the ISPs to decide how to do the blocking. In what is presumably favourable news for piraters, the ISPs haven't been granted a rolling injunction, which means new sites can't be added to the block list as they spring up. This means mirroring can (and most probably will) spring up, making the whole legal exercise a little redundant. One commenter on the ABC post offered their experience of similar legal orders in the UK. What the lack of rolling injunction means is that if a site like TorrentHound (which doesn't actually exist anymore), closes down and restarts under a different name, they will have to go back to court to shut it down. It's been noted (again and again, mind you) that VPNs are an easy and cheap way around the blocks, but Graham Burke — co-chief executive of Village Roadshow, who, as well as being one of the copyright-holding applicants, have also proposed a plan to fine illegal downloaders — told the ABC he doesn't think they are a significant issue. "The experience overseas is not many people use VPNs because they cost money as well," he told ABC News. Sure thing. While the outcome of this court case doesn't worry most people — and there's nothing in the act that mentions any fines or penalties for people who try to access the blocked sites — the precedent has been set, so it'll be easier in future to litigate. In a live Facebook video chat, ABC journalists Will Ockenden and Jake Sturmer note that piracy rates have dropped since sites like Presto, Netflix and Stan have become widely available in Australia, so it's possible a solution is out there. What did they expect, though? Australia was colonised by a steady stream of low-key crims from the start. If they could have downloaded bread in the 1700s, you know the convicts would have been racing home every Monday to download the latest tastiest loaf from HBO. Via ABC News.
When the annual World's 50 Best Restaurants announced its picks in 2023, Australia was completely absent, missing out on spots in both the top 50 itself and the 51–100 longlist. Which eateries have made the cut in 2024 is only just starting to be unveiled, beginning with the tail end of the choices — and trust Josh and Julie Niland to help get Aussie hospitality back among the rankings. Saint Peter has taken out 98th place on the 2024 51–100 longlist, and it's the only Australian restaurant named so far. The top 50 itself will be unveiled on Wednesday, June 5, so there's still hope that some more love will be sent Down Under. The last time that there was an Aussie showing in the full 100 was in 2022, when Andrew McConnell's Melbourne diner Gimlet at Cavendish House came in at 84 for its World's 50 Best debut. [caption id="attachment_952313" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christopher Pearce[/caption] Named ahead of its move in July into The Grand National Hotel, Saint Peter is similarly a new entry, earning praise for the Nilands' famed nose-to-tail approach to the ocean's finest. That ethos has already seen Josh's applauded The Whole Fish Cookbook win him the prestigious James Beard Book of the Year Award back in 2020, becoming the first Australian to ever take out the prize. In 2022, he was the only Australian chef to feature in The Best Chefs Awards for 2022 — aka the list of the top 100 best globally — too. The same year, both Josh and Julie picked up the Game Changer Award from France's La Liste. "Not every restaurant can legitimately claim to be spearheading a movement. Yet this cool concept from Josh Niland takes the great Australian seafood tradition to previously unexplored heights," said the team behind 2024's World's 50 Best Restaurants 51–100 list in this year's rankings. "Known as 'the fish butcher', Niland favours techniques typically associated with meat. With a gill-to-fin approach, he utilises as much of the fish as possible, from eyes to organs, bones to scales – and everything in between. The innovative menu changes daily to reflect that morning's catch," the shoutout went on. [caption id="attachment_952314" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christopher Pearce[/caption] Australia's hospitality scene hasn't ever dominated the World's 50 Best Restaurants gongs, but not placing at all for 2023 didn't escape attention. Just two Aussie restaurants claimed spots in 2021's awards, both of them Victorian, with Dan Hunter's Brae placing 57th and Ben Shewry's Ripponlea fine diner Attica coming in at number 97. There were no awards in 2020, but Brae and Attica also placed in the longlist in 2019. In 2018, Attica came in 20th and Brae 58th. Australia has had up to four restaurants in the top 50 before, including three when the awards debuted in 2002. The World's 50 Best awards are chosen by a panel of over 1000 culinary experts, guided by a strict voting procedure. They're now hosted by a different country each year, with Melbourne playing host city back in 2017. In 2023, Central in Lima, Peru acme in first. The year's other picks included Disfrutar in Barcelona in second, Diverxo in Madrid in third, Atxondo's Asador Etxebarri in fourth and Copenhagen's Alchemist in fifth. Next came Maido in Lima, Lido 84 in the Gardone Riviera, Atomix in New York, Quintonil in Mexico City and Table by Bruno Verjus in Paris to round out the top ten. Wondering about the best places to eat Down Under, regardless of what the World's 50 Best Restaurants chooses? Check out our picks for the best Sydney and best Melbourne restaurants. [caption id="attachment_811440" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] To check out the World's 50 Best Restaurants 51–100 list, head to the awards' website. The top 50 will be announced on Wednesday, June 5 — and we'll update you then. Top image: Christopher Pearce.
If you're a pet owner, you'll know if can be difficult getting your dog/cat/iguana/parrot/rat from A to B — especially if you don't own a car. Example A: your friend has given you and Fido a ride to the park, then bailed and left you and the fluffy boy stranded. Fido's too big for a box on a bus or a tram, you're nowhere near a train, so you book a taxi, but the drive takes one look at muddy Fido and says no. Thankfully, this type of scenario will be left in the past now Uber Pet has launched in Melbourne today, Thursday, June 25, after successful trials in Sydney and Brisbane. Now available in your Uber app as a separate option — alongside UberX, Comfort and Pool — Uber Pet will match you with a driver who's happy to pick up pets. It'll cost an extra $6–7 per ride, with some of that passed onto the drivers, too. While the cat below may not agree, it's really a win-win scenario. It has been now been rolled out nationally as a permanent option on the app. So, you can plan more trips to dog-friendly pubs, beaches and parks. And get to the vet a little easier (don't tell your cat). While Uber expects cats and dogs will be the most common passengers, it allows any kind of domesticated animal use the service — at the driver's discretion. Assistance and service animals are still allowed in regular Ubers, as they are on all forms of public transport. You can read more about travel for assistance animals in Melbourne here. Uber Pet is now available nationally.
At this point, it's not really a surprise when Uber announces some strange, attention grabbing promotion. Sometimes they bring you ice cream. Other times, it's puppies. And this Australia Day/Invasion Day/January 26, they're delivering the most important (and oft-forgotten) addition to any barbecue: bags of ice. Now, there's a heap of things to do for tomorrow's public holiday — we've put together a handy list for Sydneysiders, Melburnians and Brisbanites. You can attend one of the rallies happening around the country, head to a Survival Day festival, take the opportunity to learn up on Australian history or simply go to see an Australian film (Lion just got a heap of Oscar noms), but if you're attending a barbecue, this delivery service might come in handy — especially when you run out of ice and all your mates are already four beers in. Starting from 11am on January 26, UberEATS users in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide will be able to log onto the app and, by typing 'backyard hero', see all the locations selling bags of ice and order one. If you've never used Uber before, use the code 'backyard hero' for free ice — otherwise it'll cost you $10. By Tom Clift and Lauren Vadnjal.
Finding a beach Down Under isn't hard. According to Tourism Australia, this nation girt by sea has 11,761 such coastal spots. But each year, only one is named the best beach in the country by beach expert Brad Farmer AM. When you stop being envious about his dream job, you can use his selection as travel inspiration for this year's sun-, sand- and surf-fuelled getaways. Your 2024 destination: Squeaky Beach. The Wilsons Promontory spot in Victoria has taken top place on Farmer's annual top ten for the year ahead, after South Australia's Stokes Bay, which is located on Kangaroo Island, earned the honours for 2023. Past winners include Misery Beach in Western Australia in 2022, Cabarita Beach in New South Wales in 2020, Nudey Beach on Fitzroy island in Far North Queensland in 2018 and Cossies Beach in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, in the Indian Ocean, in 2017. [caption id="attachment_939139" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Watson[/caption] Squeaky Beach emerging victorious as Australia's Best Beach for 2024 is the first time that a Victorian beach has placed number one on the ranking. Farmer, who is one of Tourism Australia Friends of Australia, called the location 220 kilometres out of Melbourne — which is a three-hour drive — an "acoustic squeaky-clean delight of compressed quartz and silica sand underfoot" and "one finely tuned favourite to its many fans". "The crashing waves and clear waters of Squeaky Beach stretch for some 700 metres, gracefully enclosed by impressively coloured granite boulders at either end. It's also one of the region's most photographed beaches for good reason. It's simply beautiful," Farmer continued. He also gave Victoria's Bells Beach an honourable mention after his first-place pick — which would make the OG 1991 Point Break proud. [caption id="attachment_939141" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kramer Photography[/caption] Officially in second spot on 2024's list is The Farm in Shellharbour in New South Wales, followed by Tasmania's Cockle Creek, which is Australia's southernmost beach, in third. Spreading the love around the mainland and beyond, Farmer's fourth placing went to Madfish Bay in Western Australia, his fifth to Pulu Blan Madar Island in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and sixth to Cylinder Beach on Queensland's North Stradbroke Island. Lord Howe Island's Lagoon Beach came in seventh, South Australia's Long Beach in Robe sits at eighth and Queensland's Cow Bay in Far North placed ninth. Tenth takes the rankings to the Northern Territory, to Casuarina Beach in Darwin. [caption id="attachment_939131" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @jmax[/caption] "The list of 'best beaches' attracts headlines both here in Australia and in key international tourism markets around the world. That's why I take the chance to uncover some of those destinations that might not be well-known but are home to some of Australia's and, in my opinion, the world's best beaches," explained Farmer. "The year's list includes at least one beach from each state, the Northern Territory and even an Australian external territory, which is well off the coast of Australia, but the search for best beaches extends far and wide and one island on the far-flung archipelago caught my eye." [caption id="attachment_939136" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Colby James[/caption] "Of course all of the 'best Australian beaches' for 2024 are worthy of the recognition and so are the many thousands of others in Australia and off our coast, making it a tough, sometimes controversial job to come up with a list of just ten but it has been an honour to do just that once again," Farmer said. You know what to do from here: start making holiday plans that involve your togs. Given the spread of spots across the top ten in the 2024 Australia's best beach list, Aussie in every state and territory except the Australian Capital Territory can hit up one of the year's picks without travelling interstate. For motivation to travel further afield, though, you can't get much better. [caption id="attachment_939137" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaxon Roberts[/caption] The Top Ten Best Australian Beaches for 2024: 1. Squeaky Beach, Wilsons Promontory, Victoria 2. The Farm, Shellharbour, New South Wales 3. Cockle Creek, South East, Tasmania 4. Madfish Bay, Great Southern, Western Australia 5. Pulu Blan Madar Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands 6. Cylinder Beach, North Stradbroke Island, Queensland 7. Lagoon Beach, Lord Howe Island, New South Wales 8. Long Beach, Robe, South Australia 9. Cow Bay, Far North, Queensland 10. Casuarina Beach, Darwin, Northern Territory [caption id="attachment_939133" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @in focus studios[/caption] [caption id="attachment_939134" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @_markfitz[/caption] [caption id="attachment_939135" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @visualjon[/caption] For more of Brad Farmer's beach tips, head to his Best Australian Beaches website. Top images: travelsoftnt, @lillypollard and P Fleming. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
What's huge, oval-shaped, usually confined to the realms of fiction, belongs to a creature that's played a key part in the biggest TV series of the past decade, and currently sitting in Melbourne this very instant? A dragon egg, of course. What can you mosey over to Federation Square to see for the next two days in all of its four-metre-tall glory? What's surrounded by dragon eyes and the flying, fire-breathing critters' silhouettes across buildings around the Victorian capital? That very egg — to the joy of wannabe Targaryens, naturally. Always felt like you belong in the Game of Thrones House with an affinity for scaly beasts? Keen to live out your George RR Martin fandom in any way you can? Need something to do before the Iron Throne visits Melbourne in September? Just so excited about GoT prequel House of the Dragon that you don't know how to cope until it starts airing on Monday, August 22?Here's your answer. If you live elsewhere in the country, though, you'll want to do one of two things: plan an impromptu trip this weekend, or get one of your mates to go along so you can live vicariously through their photos. Either way, the towering egg is only on display at Fed Square from 10am–7pm on Friday, August 19 and 8am–7pm on Saturday, August 20. And, as well as seeing it, taking snaps next to it and peering upwards to spy signs of dragons around Melbourne, you'll want to keep your ears pricked as well — there's a soundscape filled with the calls and noises of dragons echoing around the place, too. The reason for this ovoid pop-up? Promoting House of the Dragon, of course. The series is finally coming after years of speculation, development and announcements about various spinoffs are under consideration (including a Jon Snow-focused sequel) — and this egg is here to prove it. If you've somehow missed all the House of the Dragon news, the show is set 200 years before the events of GoT, and focuses on House Targaryen. Yes, that means that dragons are obviously part of the series — again, hence this giant egg. Also pivotal: a Succession-style battle over who should sit on the Iron Throne, because it wouldn't be a Game of Thrones prequel without it. Anyone in the vicinity of Fed Square can head over to see the egg for free, and get a taste of Australia's latest pop culture-themed installation — after a barber giving out The Gray Man-style goatees and moustaches also did the honours in Melbourne recently, and an Everything Everywhere All At Once-inspired multidimensional laundromat before that. Cinema Nova also decked itself out The French Dispatch-style last summer, while Sydney has seen the giant 'Red Light, Green Light' doll from Squid Game made an appearance by the harbour, and a Stranger Things rift open up on Bondi Beach. This isn't the dragon egg's first local stop, actually. It first arrived at Anglesea, on the beach, on Thursday, August 18 — which clearly would've made quite the sight. Then, it travelled along the Great Ocean Road to Melbourne, ready for two days of GoT devotees in Fed Square. Check out the full House of the Dragon trailer below: Find the House of the Dragon dragon egg at Federation Square, the corner of Swanston and Flinders streets, Melbourne, from 10am–7pm on Friday, August 19 and 8am–7pm on Saturday, August 20. House of the Dragon will start airing on Monday, August 22 Down Under via Foxtel and Binge. Images: Aaron Walker Photography.
On the long list of streaming services on offer to Australian viewers, DocPlay has carved out a pivotal niche: showcasing the best factual filmmaking both locally and globally. It's where you can watch 2025 Oscar-winner No Other Land — and 2024 and 2023's equivalents, 20 Days in Mariupol and Navalny — then catch the remastered version of Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense, plus not one but two recent films about Blur. It's also where you can enjoy a range of docos about Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander culture without paying a cent during NAIDOC Week 2025. Between Sunday, July 6–Sunday, July 13, DocPlay is making 11 films available to stream to everyone, no subscription required, to mark Australia's annual week to celebrate First Nations history, culture and achievements. Some of the documentaries in the platform's free collection step into the world of sport. Others contemplate art, battles to protect Country and the education system. Canberra's Aboriginal Tent Embassy and efforts to gather support for the Australian Indigenous Voice referendum are also covered. The Adam Goodes-focused The Australian Dream is one title that audiences will be able to watch for free — and, as it examines the hurtful treatment directed the former AFL player's way at the height of the champion's career, it makes for powerful and essential viewing. Still in the realm of Aussie Rules, Like My Brother charts the efforts of young women from the Tiwi Islands as they attempt to chase their dreams in the AFLW. In You Can Go Now, Richard Bell is in the spotlight, exploring both his art and his activism. With their jumps back to 1972, Ningla-A'na and Still We Rise each also follow the latter thread. Voice heads to Cairns in the lead up to 2023's referendum, while Incarceration Nation examines the impact of the judicial and prison system upon Indigenous Australians. With The Dark Emu Story, Bruce Pascoe's book of the same name is in the spotlight. Via In My Blood It Runs, so is First Nations childhood in Australia via a ten-year-old boy's experiences. And in Connection to Country, the fight to protect sacred sites in the Burrup Peninsula is front and centre. Rounding out the collection is Winhanganha, which was commissioned by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, and sees Wiradjuri artist Jazz Money examine archives through a First Nations lens. Check out the trailers for the films in DocPlay's 2025 NAIDOC Week collection above and below: DocPlay's NAIDOC Week 2025 collection streams for free — no subscription required — from Sunday, July 6–Sunday, July 13. Head to the streaming service's website to watch.
On a hot summer's day, a sweet frozen treat will always hit the spot. A new brand has just launched in Australia that's providing a dairy-free solution to your sweet summer cravings. Originating in Thailand, Buono has created 100 percent plant-based frozen desserts that are vegan, gluten-free and contain no artificial colours or flavours. Buono has two types of frozen treats available in Australia currently. The first, Buono Boru Boru, is a tub of bubble tea-inspired ice cream. It's vegan, of course, made using coconut milk and containing flavour-filled balls reminiscent of the those you get in bubble tea. The Buono Boru Boru comes in two different flavours: classic Thai tea and genmaicha, which combines the flavours of green tea and roasted rice. The second range of dessert goodness Buono has created are called Mochi Ice. Made with coconut milk, these ice cream-filled mochi balls are a great bite-sized snack, but, be warned, you might find yourself returning to your freezer multiple times a day to grab one. They come in a range of flavours including strawberry, black sesame, vanilla, mango, coconut, chocolate and Japanese green tea. If you find yourself craving a cold creamy treat this summer, the Buono range is available at Coles and Woolworths stores nationally — and can be delivered to your door via Coles Online. Buono's range of plant-based desserts are available to order online or at select Coles, Woolworths and specialty stores nationwide. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
At just under two hours drive southeast of Melbourne, Inverloch is a seaside town that's perfectly primed for an outdoorsy weekend escape. And if you book into one of The Inverloch Glamping Co's luxury bell tents, you can spend the night sleeping under the stars. The glamping site opened in 2017, transforming a livestock paddock into an eco resort with luxury bell tents and a beachside cabin. There's a communal, purpose-built camp kitchen onsite, too, with a timber bar overlooking the ocean. It's truly glamorous camping, as there's a fridge, dishwasher, planted herbs and a choice of indoor and outdoor fire pits. For the accommodation, the beach cabin is where you'll want to rest your head if you're after maximum cosiness. There's a queen bed, wood fire heating and a private chimenea on the outdoor deck. You'll get ocean and farm views, plus all the comforts of a USB port and bluetooth speakers. If you prefer sleeping under canvas, the bell tents are just as cosy but with limited standing room. There's a queen-sized bed, blankets, a heating/cooling system and private bathroom cabins nearby. Just like in the cabins, you'll also get to charge your phone and play your favourite tunes as there's USB port and speakers here too. [caption id="attachment_734998" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] Aside from proximity to the beach, and the possibility of stargazing the night away, the glamping site is also close to Eagle's Nest coastal lookout point. There is also walking trails like Screw Creek Townsend Bluff Estuary Walk, George Bass Coastal Walk, or Bass Coast Rail Trail, which is also good for cycling. And when you want to engage with civilisation again, you're a seven-minute drive from Inverloch's local shops, cafes and conveniences. Images: Visit Victoria
The reformer pilates wave isn't slowing down in Melbourne. Ever-new spins in the flexible exercise practice are always arriving, like disco-themed sessions with eucalyptus-scented cool-down towels. Or classes at ultra-luxe wellness clubs that grant access to futuristic recovery facilities. Amidst the high-end hype, a different trend is on the come up — affordable movement. Coming to Richmond on October 5, Reformer Space is shaking up the scene with classes as low as $5. At first glance, the studio looks bright and airy like the rest, except for one key difference: crystal-clear cues and demos are delivered from a screen mounted on the studio's brick walls. The fitness industry has been moving towards tech-driven solutions for years now — with instructor-led workouts at home taking off during the pandemic era, now coalescing into a space dedicated to virtual workouts, complete with all the equipment you need (and don't want cluttering up your living room). These virtual instructions are best for seasoned pilates goers who don't need their form corrected — but don't think that it's easier than a regular class. The physical absence of the pilates instructor doesn't mean that someone isn't counting down your holds excruciatingly slowly (and far too cheerily), if Guardian writer Michael Sun's encounter with the screen-led format is anything to go by. There are over 20 classes at Reformer Space daily (including lunchtime sessions), all accessible via four membership plans. Intense hobbyists can opt for the $118 unlimited monthly plan, which works out to five bucks a pop even if you pace yourself. The priciest (and least frequent) caps off at $14 per class — still a steal from the $25–35 you'd usually pay. And plans run month-to-month, so you can take a break when life gets busy. With a focus on flexibility and affordability, Reformer Space looks like a genuine cost-of-living win. Reformer Space will open on Sunday, October 5th. For more information or to sign up for a membership, visit the website.
Over summer, plenty of folks spent their time getting reacquainted with their couches while watching gossip-fuelled, 19th-century-set antics. After launching on Netflix on Christmas Day, the first season of Bridgerton caught the attention of 82 million households around the globe in its first four weeks. Yes, that sounds like something Lady Whistledown would love to gossip about in her society papers. As a result — and to absolutely no one's surprise — more Bridgerton is coming. When you become Netflix's most-watched original show ever, beating out last year's favourites such as The Queen's Gambit and Tiger King and the debuts of older series like Stranger Things, that's bound to happen. But viewers can actually look forward to quite a few more episodes, with the streaming service just announcing that it has renewed the show for seasons three and four. No, the show's second season hasn't streamed as yet, and doesn't even have a release date at present. But Netflix is falling head over heels for its episodic adaptation of Julia Quinn's novels and committing to many scandal-filled instalments to come. That'll either give you even more chances to dive into Bridgerton's high-society hijinks, or give you a reason to see why everyone you know has been talking about the show this year. For the unacquainted, the first season follows the ins and outs of Daphne Bridgerton's (Phoebe Dynevor) quest to find a husband, her dalliances with the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page), the controversy in the Featherington household and all the other dramas that come with Regency London's marriage market — plus whatever else inspires Lady Whistledown to put pen to paper. Check out the trailer for the show's first season below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpv7ayf_tyE The first season of Bridgerton is available to stream now via Netflix. The show's second, third and fourth seasons don't yet have release dates — we'll update you when details come to hand. Top image: Liam Daniel/Netflix.
This time last year, the Brisbane Street Art Festival was in full swing, with creative folks brightening up the Queensland capital with their artistic work. While the fest ranks among the many, many events changing their plans in 2020, you can still watch street art come to life before your eyes this weekend — via a two-day live stream. Teaming up with Brisbane art space Superordinary, BSAF is unleashing 19 artists on the building. Naturally, they'll be painting up a storm. Every inch of the space will be transformed, and everyone can see it happen. That doesn't just cover street art-loving Brisbanites, either, because online streams are handy that way. The weekend-long event runs across Saturday, May 16–Sunday, May 17, with the action streamed via Twitch. As well as oh-so-much painting, there's also interviews, Q&As and roving performances — all while social distancing. https://www.facebook.com/BrisbaneStreetArt/photos/a.10150176402908346/10158102825878346/?type=3&theater Top image: Gus Eagleton.
It has been 12 years since RuPaul's Drag Race first premiered in the US, and its mission to unearth the next drag superstars shows no signs of stopping. Currently, the original series is reaching the pointy end of its thirteenth season, while international versions also exist in the UK — also hosted by RuPaul — plus Thailand, Holland, Chile and Canada. Next, it's finally making the leap to Australia and New Zealand. RuPaul's Drag Race already airs locally, but now it's being made here as well. The eight-part RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under will focus on Aussie and NZ drag queens battling for supremacy, and will air on Stan in Australia and TVNZ OnDemand in New Zealand. That was announced back in January, with the show's debut set for Saturday, May 1. If you've been wondering exactly what's in store, though, you've probably hanging out for a trailer. And, just a couple of weeks out from the show's arrival, a proper sneak peek is finally here — complete with drama and eye-catching outfits, naturally. While not all overseas iterations of Drag Race are hosted by RuPaul, RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under definitely is. RuPaul is also taking on judging duties, alongside show veteran Michelle Visage and Australian comedian Rhys Nicholson. Ten contenders will strut their stuff for drag supremacy, spanning seven Australians and three New Zealanders. So, prepare to see plenty of Art Simone from Geelong, Melbourne's Karen from Finance, and Sydney's Coco Jumbo, Etecetera Etcetera and Maxi Shield. Newcastle's Jojo Zaho and Perth's Scarlet Adams round out the Aussie queens, while Auckland's Kita Mean, Anita Wigl'it and Elektra Shock comprise the NZ contingent. Fans already know the format, which features fashion challenges, workroom dramas and lip sync battles aplenty. If you're a newcomer to all things Drag Race, you'll watch these Australian and NZ competitors work through a series of contests to emerge victorious, and join the likes of US contenders Jinkx Monsoon, Sasha Velour and Sharon Needles in being crowned the series' winner. Check out the RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdcgf5I6Qb8&feature=youtu.be RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under will start streaming via Stan and TVNZ from Saturday, May 1, with new episodes airing weekly. Top image: RuPaul's Drag Race.
Avocados: everyone loves them, not just Aussies accused of spending all their cash on smashed avo for brunch. In Amsterdam, one person loves them so much that he's opening up a restaurant dedicated to serving the green creamy fruit up in as many ways as possible. Yum. The aptly named The Avocado Show is due to open in February in Amsterdam's De Pijp district, and is calling itself "Europe's first and finest avocado bar". Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, late at night, any time in between: if you've got a hankering for avo on bread, avo between two pieces of bread (aka avocado sandwiches), burgers made with avocado buns and more, you'll find it here. Owner Ron Simpson told MUNCHIES that he found the inspiration for his new single-ingredient eatery in two obvious places, the internet and his own diet. "I looked at the internet and how people react to certain products like Nutella, Oreo, and peanut butter and figured I want to find a main mono ingredient that's adaptable to almost anything," he said. "People, including myself, throw avo on just about any dish and are making extremely creative dishes with it. So we decided to open a valhalla for anyone who loves avocado." As you've probably noticed, avocado isn't literally the only thing on the menu, although every item will include it in some shape or form. Just imagine the Instagram pics. Of course, this isn't the first time someone has had this idea, with a pop-up showering London with avo across four days in 2016, New York boasting a few avo-centric places, and plenty of Australian cafes only really a few non-avo dishes away from fitting the bill. Via MUNCHIES.
Are you a big shot professional with no time for trams and trains? Do you scoff at the mere mention of Myki or cringe whenever a commoner has the audacity to breathe on your Armani suit? Well, you're in luck. Melbourne's first business-class commuting service is here. No longer will you have to associate with our city's unwashed riff raff. Officially launched yesterday, SuitJet is a startup bus service for white-collar workers to commute to and from the city. Set to start operating next month, SuitJet offers its users a seat on a customised Mercedes-Benz coach and allows them more space and comfort in which to complete their Very Important Work en route to the office. "[It's] a club for people who wish to leverage modern transport and technology to upgrade and simplify their weekday travel," their website reads. Importantly, "Membership is open to all corporate dress city commuters." With a return ticket to the city setting you back $30, riding with SuitJet will cost significantly more than any Myki fare. However, with roughly an hour more time to work on board per day, they claim the long-term benefits will greatly outweigh the initial expense. "That's an hour of work you don't have to do after having dinner with the kids and a cup of tea with your wife," SuitJet co-founder Darren Heiberg told The Age. Many of the finer details are yet to be decided, with the pick up and drop off points to be dictated by consumer demand. However, registrations so far have elucidated something unexpected. Most members seeking entry to this exclusive club are not disgruntled suits seeking respite from the perils of the train lines from Brighton or Toorak, but those who have been overlooked by the public transport system entirely. Most registrations have reportedly come from suburbs without train stations at all. Despite outwardly naming it a 'business class' service, founders of the company reportedly deny the accusation that their service would create a class divide. Though Mr Heiberg is apparently considering changing the name to something that doesn't include the word 'suit'. Good idea. Via The Age.
It's common for restaurants and bars to offer discounts to their own staff, but it's even better when they extend deals to anyone working in hospitality. Owners of such joints know how hard it can be to enjoy luxe nights out when working on these wages, so it's great when they can make their spaces more accessible to those who actually work in the industry. The latest spot to do this is Purple Pit, home to one of the city's best martinis. Seriously, anytime we have a hankering for a dirty gin martini, this is where we head. And now, the team offers a generous 20% discount to service industry workers every Wednesday night. This includes hospo staff, as well as anyone working in healthcare, social services and education industries. It's a huge win. Either treat yourself to a few classic Euro-centric cocktails and call it a night, or go all out by ordering caviar bumps, aperitivo-style dishes and a heap of martinis. Aussie hospo mainstay Maurice Terzini (Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, RE and Jackson on George) and Joe Jones are the minds behind this outstanding basement bar. And this Wednesday night deal is the perfect excuse for service workers to visit. You'll find Purple Pit at 380 Collins Street, Melbourne. Its 20% discount runs every Wednesday night and applies to anyone who works in the hospitality, healthcare, social services and education industries. You can find further details on the venue's website.
When cinemas were forced to close their doors back in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry had to adapt. Some individual films started moving to streaming and video on demand, while a number of picture palaces created their own online viewing platforms. Following in the footsteps of Sydney's Golden Age, as well as the teams behind the city's Ritz and Melbourne's Lido, Classic and Cameo cinemas, national chain Palace Cinemas is now making the leap to digital — with its new Palace Home Cinema venture launching during this year's Italian Film Festival. Palace Home Cinema will focus on world cinema, and on a curated movie lineup; however, when its first films become available to watch on Thursday, October 15, they'll all hail from the 2020 IFF program. The chain is calling its debut selection the 'IFF Piccolo', with eight movies on offer to watch on a pay-per-view basis until Wednesday, October 21. Cinephiles around the country can check out IFF's opening night film, a live-action, whimsy-heavy version of Pinocchio from Gomorrah and Dogman filmmaker Matteo Garrone — or watch its two special presentation flicks for this year, The Goddess of Fortune and Martin Eden. Also on the bill: comedies Once Upon a Time... in Bethlehem and Say It Loud, dramas Bad Tales and Ordinary Justice, and the family-friendly The Most Beautiful Day in the World. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rIcXgMx7hU&feature=emb_logo Prices vary — with Pinocchio costing $20 to view and the rest of the program costing $14 per title. Once viewers make their purchase, they can watch their chosen film or films at any time during the seven-day IFF Piccolo window. That said, after you first press play, you'll have to finish watching within 48 hours. The Italian Film Festival is currently showing physically in cinemas in Sydney, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth — but if you're a Melburnian eager to get your fix while theatres are still closed, you live in a regional area or you can't attend in-person, you now have an at-home way to enjoy the fest. While Palace hasn't revealed what else will screen on the Palace Home Cinema platform, the service will focus on the kind of films shown in the chain's venues. "People look to Palace for a special kind of entertainment. We want to accompany them on their journey, making fine cinema easy to find and play, even as we spend more time at home than ever before," said Palace Cinemas CEO Benjamin Zeccola. Palace Home Cinema is available via the service's website. The Italian Film Festival Piccolo is available to stream from Thursday, October 15–Wednesday, October 21.
When the eighth season of Game of Thrones finished its run in 2019, bringing the highly popular series to a conclusion, everyone knew that it wasn't really the end. The world created by George RR Martin will live on in his books, whenever the author finally publishes the long-awaited next instalment of his A Song of Ice and Fire series. And, because HBO likes both ratings and advertising dollars, the US cable network will keep the GoT-related TV shows going as well. Like residents of Westeros hoping that summer (or at least autumn) will last for ever, HBO isn't ready to let go of its highly successful commodity. Before GoT even finished, there had been plenty of chatter about what it'll do next, in fact. First, HBO announced that it was considering five different prequel ideas. It then green-lit one to pilot stage, scrapped it and later decided to adapt Martin's House Targaryen-focused Fire & Blood for the small screen instead. Now, the channel is reportedly in the early development phase for another GoT-related series also stemming from Martin's books. This time around, novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg looks set to get the TV treatment, Variety reports — with HBO still eager to keep building upon GoT's massive success, as the network is likely to be for the near future. The project is in the very early stages, however, so there's no word yet on who'll be involved either on- or off-screen. If it does come to fruition, Tales of Dunk and Egg will draw upon three novellas published so far: 1998's The Hedge Knight, 2003's The Sworn Sword and 2010's The Mystery Knight. Set around 90 years before the events of GoT, all three focus on the titular characters. Dunk will eventually become the future Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Duncan the Tall, while Egg is the future king Aegon V Targaryen — and both earn a mention in the A Song of Ice and Fire novels. As happened with the first proposed GoT prequel — as mentioned above — the fact that HBO is pondering making a new Westeros-set show doesn't mean that it'll end up making it to screens. Still, if you've been missing the chaos of the franchise's fictional world (and could use a return visit as a distraction from the real world), it's welcome news. Until any of the prequels actually drop, you can always rewatch the original — which is streaming in Australia via Binge — or revisit a trailer from its eighth and final season below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuLUyJdRvSU Via Variety.
There's no shortage of picturesque coastal spots along the Gippsland coastline. But Inverloch is the choice port of call for many, with its beachy vibe and coastal cycling trails making the most of its enviable location. Now the region's tourism sector is getting another boost, as RACV has just unveiled plans for a multi-million-dollar upgrade to its already rather luxe Inverloch Resort. With the region becoming an increasingly popular destination for weekend escapes, the refurb features 36 premium rooms to help the resort meet demand during peak season. In fact, the expansion will allow RACV Inverloch Resort to cater for 20,000 more guests annually, making it easier to stay within touching distance of the region's most captivating scenery. "This is an investment into Inverloch and Gippsland tourism that RACV is tremendously proud to be a part of," says RACV Executive General Manager Leisure, Craig Peachey. "With regional tourism booming post-pandemic, these new premium rooms will help address a significant market gap while elevating Inverloch's status as a premium destination." The major change will welcome the construction of a striking two-level wing, complete with floor-to-ceiling windows that capture panoramic views across Andersons Inlet. Designed by leading architecture practice GHD, guests can expect the new-look resort to harmonise with the coastal landscape through sustainable materials and native vegetation. While the existing resort is often the go-to option for travellers seeking an upmarket stay in the Gippsland region, the expansion will enable the property to reach broader customer segments. The new capacity will make the accommodation more suitable for hosting larger events and conferences, while families will appreciate a greater selection of flexible room configurations. Ready to book? Construction is scheduled for mid-August 2025, with the new wing expected to welcome its first guests by December 2026. So, pencil in your plans for the summer after next — alongside world-class beaches, you'll encounter stellar local cuisine in the Radius Restaurant, plus meaningful support for Inverloch's coastal arts scene. RACV Inverloch Resort's expansion is expected to open for summer 2026 bookings. Head to the website for more information.
The citywide celebration of hops, malt and yeast that is Good Beer Week descends on Melbourne for its 11th edition from Saturday, May 20–Saturday, May 27, delivering yet another program packed full of hoppy, frothy festivities. This year's lineup has more than 70 events catering to beer lovers of all persuasions, including return favourites like the expert-led Hair of the Dog Breakfast at Beer DeLuxe Fed Square and The Fox Hotel's always-raucous GBW scavenger hunt. Mabu Mabu's Nornie Bero is hosting a Torres Strait Island feast infused with native flavours, storytelling and immersive performances, and featuring a special collab beer crafted on Indigenous ingredients. Meanwhile, Deeds Taproom & Kitchen invites beer-loving sweet tooths to whip up clever dessert creations using its own signature brews for beery bake-off to remember. [caption id="attachment_894583" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Carmen Zammit[/caption] Victoria by Farmer's Daughters will be spreading their love for all things Gippsland with a feast showcasing produce from Bonnie Brae's Farm alongside a swag of exclusive pours from Good Land Brewing. And beloved Collingwood beer joint Bar SK will return to its former Smith Street digs, joining new tenant March for a one-off shindig featuring sips by Edge Brewing and snacks courtesy of neighbour Ides. Denmark and Australia will go head to head for an indie craft beer dinner, Bad Shepherd Brewing Co is hosting a showcase dedicated to the breweries of Melbourne's southeast, and Bodriggy is heading skyward for Good Heavens' annual GBW Oyster Fest. Meanwhile, Hop Nation will be throwing a party in honour of its new dog-friendly beer, Molly Rose joins forces with Mjolner for a viking-worthy feast, and the folks at Moon Dog are back with their beloved GBW banquet dedicated to barrel-aged drops. [caption id="attachment_744574" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Moon Dog, by Kate Shanasy[/caption] Top image: Hopheads
Icons teaming up with icons: when documentary series Pretend It's a City hit Netflix in 2021, that's what it served up. Earning attention: Fran Lebowitz, with Martin Scorsese directing. The focus: the acclaimed writer, humorist and social commentator chatting about her life for the legendary filmmaker, following on from Scorsese's Lebowitz-focused 2010 feature-length doco Public Speaking. Of course, Lebowitz doesn't need to be nattering with Scorsese, or in front of The Wolf of Wall Street and The Irishman helmer's lens, to prove a must-watch figure. Her sharp opinions and deadpan humour have made her famous for more than five decades now, and over a career spanning magazine columns, books, working with Andy Warhol, notable late-night talkshow appearances and public-speaking tours. It's the latter that's bringing her back to Australia in 2024 — including getting talking at Hamer Hall. [caption id="attachment_912246" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bill Hayes[/caption] Lebowitz will take to the stage on two nights in Melbourne, on Sunday, February 18 and Monday, February 19, as part of a tour aptly dubbed An Evening with Fran Lebowitz. Will she chat about attending the Succession season four premiere party? Her role as a judge in the Law & Order franchise (and The Wolf of Wall Street)? Saturday Night Live's parody of Pretend It's a City? Being a columnist for Warhol's Interview mag? Growing up in New Jersey? New York in the 70s? Topics such as race, gender, media and politics? Anything that vexes her? Everything? At least some will earn an unfiltered mention — including at the audience Q&A. Top image: Harrison Dilts.
"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear," Buddy (Will Ferrell, The Boys) tells Jovie (Zooey Deschanel, Physical) in end-of-year staple Elf. The musical version of the hit festive flick takes that idea to heart. Debuting on Broadway in 2010, it brings the beloved movie to the stage with a swag of merry songs. Fourteen years later — and 21 years since cinemas first discovered Elf's seasonal fun — Elf: The Musical is finally making its Australian premiere. Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall is standing in for both the North Pole and New York City across Thursday, December 19–Sunday, December 29, 2024, as Buddy goes on a journey of self-discovery. If you've seen the film, as almost everyone has, you'll know the storyline already; however, unless you've caught Elf: The Musical overseas, including a West End season in 2015–16, you haven't seen it like this before. Buddy isn't an elf, but he was raised by them — and he doesn't realise that he isn't like Santa's other helpers until he grows up. Cue his trip to the Big Apple to discover who he is, and also who he wants to be, as first told in a movie directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Jon Favreau before he helmed Iron Man, The Jungle Book and the photorealistic version of The Lion King. The stage adaptation's Aussie debut comes courtesy of Sydney's most-famous venue and John Frost for Crossroads Live, with the pair serving up the ideal way to get jolly in the Harbour City this festive season (as well as a gift of an excuse to take a festive-season trip to the New South Wales capital if you reside elsewhere across Australia). Elf: The Musical boasts a book by Tony Award-winners Thomas Meehan (who also helped bring The Producers, Hairspray, Cry-Baby and Young Frankenstein from picture palaces to theatres) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), plus songs by Tony Award-nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (more film-to-stage veterans courtesy of The Wedding Singer). Starring Gareth Isaac (Grease the Musical) as Buddy, Simon Burke (Wicked) as Walter Hobbs, Brianna Bishop (Grease the Musical) as Jovie and Lara Mulcahy (MAMMA MIA!) as Santa, the Australian run is being staged as a concert production, in a presentation designed for Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall. Images: Daniel Boud. Updated Monday, December 16, 2024.
Most Melbourne rooftop bars aim to conquer the summer, rolling back the awnings to serve spritzes and pét-nats in the blistering sunshine. Sadly, these bars tend to empty out once winter trickles in and the days get shorter. But Santana, the new rooftop bar from Abjar Kasho (Bouvardia), really comes into its own once the sun goes down. Yes, it will be booming on hot days, but the Latin-influenced bar seems best suited to Melbourne's cooler and darker months. At night, the Santana neon signs illuminate the whole bar in hazy red light, while plumes of smoke from fine cigars float out into the cityscape. There's a sultry mood here that we are all for. There's also no need to BYO cigars. Kasho has entrusted Operations Manager Jack Tennant with the all-too-important task of curating a smoking menu, featuring everything from Cohiba Shorts ($18) to Partagas Serie D No. 4 ($94). And as there is no food menu, folks can smoke anywhere on the rooftop without fear of being ushered into a tiny smoker's space away from the fun. But there's no need to fret if you aren't a smoker. This place isn't just frequented by cigar lads. The team is pulling in a diverse crowd thanks to its collection of South American wines, Aussie beers, Latin-inspired cocktails and brown spirits. There's a 24-strong whisky list and a smattering of tequila, rum, brandy and cognac. It's the kind of stuff you swill around in a glass while musing on art and politics. At least that's the energy we're picking up. The moody, winter-friendly rooftop is a stark contrast to the previous occupant of the site, Pomelo, which had a bright Miami art deco fit-out. Santana's for those wanting to embrace the spirit of the colder seasons, huddling up by heaters while sipping dark spirits. Santana is located in Melbourne's CBD at Level 3, 169 Melbourne Place, open from 4–11pm Tuesday to Sunday. For more information, visit the venue's website. Images: Long Boy Media
The Vincent family is passionate about showcasing the best work from some of the world's most talented designers. From furniture and lighting, to homewares and clothing, Vincent Design champions quality and craftsmanship. Most recently, the fam has developed of its own range, which includes a stunning timber dining table, among other beautifully crafted pieces. If you're after a few smaller purchases to elicit a greater sense of hygge in your home, check out the shop's selection of artisan vases, pendant cord lamps and mosaic floor rugs. To keep you and your newfound sense of hygge protected from the chilly Melbourne winter, Vincent Design also sell raincoats from Danish company Rains.
Nothing says luxury like a stay on your own private island. Fraser Island Retreat in Victoria (no, not Queensland) boasts beautiful seaside views, a fully-equipped house decked out with 11 bedrooms and endless outdoor activities, including a pool, nine-hole golf course, two tennis courts, and even a private beach. Perfect for an indulgent summer holiday with your crew, the 65-square-metre homestead sleeps a whopping 38 guests in the generously sized rooms. Located in the Gippsland Lakes region, the 30-hectare island paradise is home to an incredible range of wildlife — nearly 50 different species of mammals, to be precise — so you can expect plenty of serenity. In terms of getting there, a private ferry from Kalimna or Lakes Entrance is part of the package, or you could really flex and arrive in a light aircraft thanks to the on-site airstrip. Image: Fraser Island Retreat
Frustrated, complacent or intrigued with the current state of Sydney's nighttime culture, following the NSW Government's controversial lockouts? For the last few years, Sydney has become somewhat of a cornerstone of debate around nighttime economies, how they work, how they and what could be done differently. But it's not the only city in the world with a story to tell, regarding nighttime culture. So, this November, Sydney will play host to a brand new international event focused entirely on what happens in cities after dark. Global Cities After Dark is a one-day forum where delegates from around the world will come together to discuss the future of nighttime culture and economy. It's an ambitious, timely collaboration between the Electronic Music Conference and experienced night culture expert Mirik Milan, Night Mayor of Amsterdam, who was EMC's keynote speaker in Sydney in November 2016. Because it's a significantly broad and polarising topic, the event will see a broad range of stakeholders, including city planners, local and state governments, cultural organisations, and the creative community. Night culture presents its own unique constraints, with questions such as public safety, access, service provision, infrastructure and urban planning all ready for the unpacking at Global Cities After Dark. "Being a part of Global Cities After Dark is like a dream come true, because by sharing ideas for a safe and vibrant nightlife, it empowers bottom up initiatives after dark that contribute and strengthen creative cities around the world," said Milan. "It will be one of the most innovative forums from a city planning perspective because global thought leaders will gather in Sydney to discuss what strategies can be put in place for creating liveable inclusive cities with high quality of life and culture for everyone." There'll be surprise guests from Berlin, Long, Amsterdam, Seattle and Ibiza, announced in September. They'll be specialists from various fields that are essential to positive nighttime culture — creative industries, gastronomy, health and safety, mobility and public transport, legislation, urban planning, art and music. Furthermore, the forum will return every year in November for the next three years and tickets will be by invite only. Register your interest for Global Cities After Dark, November 28, here. Further information to be released in September. Until then, learn how to build a nightlife-friendly city with night mayor Mirik Milan.
Clear your mid-week calendars and dust off your scarves, Melbourne — one of the bright sparks of this city's frosty winter has made its way back onto the social calendar. Queen Victoria Market's beloved Winter Night Market is set to return next month, running from June 7 to August 30. From 5pm every Wednesday, the QVM will be transformed into the kind of winter wonderland worth getting excited about, tempting you off the couch with a cosy program of street food, pop-up bars, live entertainment and artisan market stalls. As always, the Winter Night Market is set to serve up a tantalising assortment of street eats each week, with a huge array of food vendors repping dishes from all corners of the world. You can get excited for bowls of cheesy pasta, piping-hot dumplings, barbecued meat dishes and things grilled on sticks, perfectly paired with warming sips like mulled wine, butter beer and spiked milo paired with chilli, maple syrup and whipped cream. Newcomers to the festival include Moonfishh bringing prawn dumpling soup and Japanese katsu curry, Only Mine serving chocolate fondue and hot chocolate, while La Castanae will be roasting up fresh chestnuts. Meanwhile, returning favourites include 400 Gradi, That's Amore Cheese and The Happy Mexican. As you're filling your belly with tasty winter fare, you'll be kept entertained with a rotation of live gigs, roving performers and open fires. Plus, the silent disco is also returning this year, because what better way to warm your cockles and work off a big serve of cacio e pepe, than a cheeky dance floor session? If you're a longtime fan, you'll know market stalls are also a big part of the offering here. This year, expect as vast a lineup as ever, with vendors slinging everything from jewellery and art, to skincare, homewares and books. The Winter Night Market will return to the Queen Victoria Market, corner of Queen and Therry Streets, Melbourne, running Wednesday nights from June 7–August 30.
Need some inspiration to live a more sustainable lifestyle? You'll find plenty of it at Fed Square's RESET festival, which returns for another month of markets, film screenings, talks and art installations. From Sunday, September 1–Sunday, October 6, this celebration of planet-friendly living will feature a vegan market (September 7), a Zero Waste Festival (September 14) and a Big Toy Swap (October 2). The Plant Based Paradise vegan market will feature cruelty-free fashion, beauty products and home goods. There'll be plenty of food and coffee vendors slinging their wares as well, so visitors are encouraged to bring their reusable cups and containers. Stalls will also be offering reusable plates, cleaned onsite by the folks from Green My Plate. Expect to find panel discussions, installations and fun activations during the Zero Waste Festival, all designed to get you hooked on the idea of a waste-free future. You'll hear passionate zero-waste innovators chat tips, tricks and key topics, plus you can even join a guided tour of Fed Square's rooftop beehives. [caption id="attachment_970906" align="alignnone" width="2048"] The Slow Art Collective[/caption] There'll also be free outdoor film screenings from September 17–19, with each film celebrating and questioning society's relationship with the natural world. On Wednesday, October 2, towards the end of RESET, families can visit Fed Square to swap some of their lightly used toys, games and books with others — giving them another life. Other events throughout the festival include a two-day performance challenging the fast fashion industry (September 11 and 13) and an interactive art installation that the public will help create (September 23–October 6). Entry is free, but you can register online for certain events and talks. [caption id="attachment_866711" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Liam Neal[/caption] Top Image: Damien Raggatt
Whatever your artistic inclinations, there's a gallery in Australia worth a road trip. Architecturally, our wide open spaces have enabled the creation of spectacular buildings that take on dramatic relationships with surrounding landscapes, while the art scene is extraordinarily diverse. Visit Shepparton to see Australia's biggest ceramics collection, Albury for travelling blockbusters, Tweed Heads for a recreation of Margaret Olley's studio and Hobart for ancient, modern and contemporary art that meditates on sex and death. MITCHELTON GALLERY OF ABORIGINAL ART — NAGAMBIE, VICTORIA To take an artistic journey through more than 15 remote communities, head to The Mitchelton Gallery of Aboriginal Art. Hidden within Mitchelton Winery, this epic collection of Aboriginal painting, drawing and sculptures is one of the biggest in Australia. Among the standout pieces are the The Message Stick Vehicle, which transforms a Vietnam War ambulance into totemic symbol of peace, and monumental paintings by the late Yannima Tommy Watson, Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi and George Hairbrush Tjungurrayi. When you're done, sample a wine or two and maybe stay the night in Mitchelton's super-luxe new hotel. Where? 470 Mitchellstown Road, Nagambie. How far? About 90 minutes north of Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_692306" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] MURRAY ART MUSEUM — ALBURY, NSW After a $10.5 million revamp in 2010, the Murray Art Museum Albury (affectionately known as MAMA) has been attracting travellers off the Hume Highway with blockbuster exhibitions, parties, artist talks and workshops. The permanent collection features a growing number of works by prominent contemporary indigenous artists, more than 40 pieces by Russell Drysdale and the Nagel Bequest, which represents John Coburn, Margaret Olley, James Gleeson and numerous others. While you're there, tuck into parmesan scrambled eggs or fluffy hotcakes in the light-filled Canvas eatery. You'll find loads more Albury tips over here. Where? 546 Dean Street, Albury. How far? About 5.5 hours southwest of Sydney, or 3.5 hours northeast of Melbourne on the Victoria–NSW border. [caption id="attachment_692264" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Gollings[/caption] NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA — CANBERRA, NSW We know Canberra isn't a regional town, but, nonetheless, the NGA is a destination gallery for Sydneysiders and Melburnians (any anyone driving between the two). And for good reason — the NGA hosts a steady stream of big name exhibitions. At the moment it's pulled works from American masters out of its collection, displaying Jackson Pollock's Blue poles (pictured above), along with pieces by Andy Warhol, James Turrell and Louise Bourgeois. In December, it will host a collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings on loan from the Tate, which could make for a good Christmas or New Year stop-in if you're driving up or down the coast. Where? Parkes Place East, Canberra. How far? About three hours south of Sydney, or seven hours north of Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_692310" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] TWEED REGIONAL GALLERY — MURWILLUMBAH, NSW In this gallery, you can peek into Margaret Olley's studio — which was originally located miles away in Sydney, at 48 Duxford Street, Paddington — as it was when she passed in away in 2011. Following her death, more than 21,000 of her belongings and paintings, including windows and doors, were transported to the Tweed Regional Gallery, where they were set up in a re-creation. There are also numerous works by Olley and her contemporaries, including Margaret Cilento, David Strachan and Cressida Campbell, as well as a vast permanent collection of portraits. The $20,000 Olive Cotton Award For Photographic Portraiture also takes place biennially. Where? 2 Mistral Rd, South Murwillumbah. How far? About nine hours north of Sydney, or 90 minutes south of Brisbane. [caption id="attachment_692251" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Blackburn/Visit Victoria[/caption] TARRAWARRA MUSEUM OF ART — HEALESVILLE, VICTORIA If you're in Melbourne and keen to get a country art (or architecture) fix, but don't want to travel too far, head to the Yarra Valley to visit the TarraWarra Museum of Art. Given to the public by philanthropists Eva Besen AO and Marc Besen AC, this beautiful building overlooks rolling vineyards and undulating hills. When you've feasted your eyes on the views, head inside to see works by Jeffrey Smart, Brett Whiteley, Arthur Boyd and James Morrison. Then, of course, there are the Yarra's many, many wineries. Where? 313 Healesville–Yarra Glen Road, Tarrawarra. How far? Only an hour northeast of Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_692184" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tiwi_Designs_Website.jpg[/caption] TIWI DESIGN — BATHURST ISLAND, NT Of all the centres in Australia devoted to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, Tiwi Design is one of the oldest. It's on Bathurst Island, which is around 92 kilometres off Darwin. The collection is extraordinarily diverse, encompassing ochre paintings, ironwood carvings, screen painted fabrics, ceramics and sculptures of bronze and glass, as well as limited edition prints. What's more, Tiwi isn't just a gallery, but a living, working art centre, which means new artworks are in progress continually. To visit Tiwi, you'll need to book a tour, which includes return ferry rides from Darwin, a welcome ceremony, a walking tour with a local Tiwi guide, an art session, morning tea and lunch. Where? Puantulura Street, Nguiu, Bathurst Island. How far? About 2.5 hours by ferry from Darwin. MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART — HOBART, TASMANIA Founded by Tassie millionaire and art collector David Walsh in 2001, the MONA is the biggest privately-owned museum in the entire Southern Hemisphere. Built into cliffs around the Berriedale Peninsula, the gallery is made up of three levels of subterranean, labyrinthine spaces, accessed via a spiral staircase. The 1900+ strong collection is famous for its preoccupation with sex and death, and every year, MONA hosts Dark Mofo, which marks the winter solstice. While you're in Tassie, add some foodie adventures to your road trip. Where? 655 Main Road, Berriedale. How far? About 25 minutes by car or ferry from Hobart city centre. BENDIGO ART GALLERY — BENDIGO, VICTORIA Established in 1887 and now sporting a highly Insta-worthy Karl Fender-designed extension, Bendigo Art Gallery regularly hosts blockbuster touring exhibitions. It's known for nabbing Australian exclusives for fashion and design exhibitions, including Marimekko earlier this year and Maticevski in 2016. Up next is an exciting exhibition of Frida Kahlo's personal photograph collection, including 257 images curated by Mexican photographer and photography historian Pablo Ortiz Monasterio. The gallery is part of a cluster of venues making up the View Street Arts Precinct, including the La Trobe Art Institute, so make sure to have a proper poke around the area. Where? 42 View Street, Bendigo. How far? About two hours northwest of Melbourne. GERALDTON REGIONAL ART GALLERY — GERALDTON, WA Geraldton Regional Art Gallery opened in the city's heritage-listed town hall building in 1984. Today, it acts as the centrepiece of Geraldton's art scene, through exhibitions, workshops, events and the annual Mid West Art Prize, a $45,000, non-acquisitive award for Western Australian artists. The 475-strong permanent collection includes works by Norman Lindsay, Robert Juniper, Tracey Moffatt, Howard Taylor, Julie Dowling, Hans Heysen and Elizabeth Durack. The City of Geraldton is on the coast, around 400 kilometres north of Perth. Where? 24 Chapman Road, Geraldton. How far? About 4.5 hours north of Perth. [caption id="attachment_692308" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] BROKEN HILL REGIONAL GALLERY — BROKEN HILL, NSW Founded way back in 1904, Broken Hill is the oldest regional gallery in New South Wales. You'll find it smack-bang in the middle of town, not far from The Palace Hotel — the one famous for appearing in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert — and the majestic Astra, built in the 1890s. The gallery's home is another impeccably restored, heritage-listed 19th century building, with stunning, high-ceilinged spaces. Look out for works by legendary Aboriginal artists, such as leading Aboriginal artists including Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Emily Kame Kngwarre and Michael Nelson Tjackamarra, as well as classics by the likes of Arthur Streeton, Rupert Bunny and John Olsen. Explore Broken Hill further with our weekender's guide. Where? 404–408 Argent Street, Broken Hill. How far? Pretty far. About 13 hours west of Sydney, or nine hours north of Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_692211" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wikimedia Commons[/caption] PERC TUCKER REGIONAL GALLERY — TOWNSVILLE, QUEENSLAND Step into the world of tropical-influenced art at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville. Opened in 1981, in the heritage-listed former home of the Union Bank, this institution owns more than 2000 works. Focuses includes, not only on historical and contemporary art of tropical Queensland, but also Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, Papua New Guinean contemporary art, pop art and ephemera. Every year, the Percival Portrait Painting Prize a $40,000 acquisitive award, adds a new face to the collection. Where? Corner of Flinders and Denham streets. How far? Real far. It's about a 15 hour drive north of Brisbane (or a two-hour flight). SHEPPARTON ART MUSEUM — SHEPPARTON, VICTORIA If you're a maker, Shepparton Art Museum (known simply as SAM) should definitely be on your itinerary. It's home to the biggest collection of ceramics in Australia, which is added to every year via two acquisitive prizes: the Indigenous Ceramic Award and the Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award. There are also numerous Australian drawings and paintings, as well as a dynamic temporary exhibition program. And, by 2020, SAM will move into a brand new $34 million home, designed by Denton Corker Marshall architects. Where? 70 Welsford Street, Shepparton. How far? About two hours north of Melbourne.
Hunting for the most obscure bar in Melbourne is a sport. Those who can climb the most stairs, brave the most alleyways or withstand the longest queues are glorified gurus of cool amongst their circle of friends. Dansk Bar, tucked away high up on Little Bourke, should therefore be the most discreet jewel in any punters black book. Located within the little known Denmark House, Dansk Bar is the most delightful surprise ever to be found at the top of an elevator. The interior design is, not surprisingly, very Danish with exposed beams in the ceiling, well-considered chairs (Borge Mogensen designed the sofas) and light fixtures that create an atmosphere of cool intelligence. It's a rare find that couples enormous loft-style windows overlooking the city with reindeer fur rugs on the floorboards, whilst still remaining extremely underrated by the after work crowd. The drink selection is similarly discerning. Danish brews such as Tuborg, Carlsberg and Somersby Cider are imported in, while Scandinavian themed cocktails are a top choice at $16 each — try the Copenhagen or the Danish Mary. Dansk even holds happy hour from 5-6pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays with $5 beer and cider, proving not everything about Scandinavia is elusive and expensive. Adjoining Dansk Bar, through the passage of portraits of Crown Prince Frederik (essential to any bar's decor, quite frankly) is Denmark House's restaurant. Serving traditional Danish smørrebrød, offerings include curry herring ($17), gravlax (cured salmon with dill served with a classic mustard sauce; $16) and a prawn salad ($15). It's a taste worth acquiring. No longer restricted only to members, Dansk Bar is the most refined perch to enjoy an evening tipple — serving a taste of Copenhagen cool without the twenty-five hour flight.
It happened — it really, finally happened. After being forced to move online in 2020 due to COVID-19, then having to push back its 2021 dates not once but twice for the same reason, the Sydney Film Festival returned to cinemas around the city this month for a 12-day big-screen run. If you're seeing a movie in Sydney, there's nothing quite like seeing it at the glorious State Theatre — or spending almost a fortnight camped out there doing nothing but watching films. SFF hasn't forsaken the online realm, however. The pandemic turned attending film festivals into a virtual pursuit as well as a physical one, and Sydney's annual celebration of cinema is still keen to stream its wares. Enter SFF On Demand, the fest's digital offshoot for 2021, which is showing 56 feature-length films and 13 shorts between Friday, November 12–Sunday, November 21. It's the SFF you can keep enjoying after the IRL festival has packed up its projectors for the year. It's also the SFF you can head to no matter where you're located in Australia, all without worrying about border restrictions and plane fares. The SFF On Demand lineup is jam-packed with must-sees, too, including our ten picks of the online program. Yes, first we watched, reviewed and recommended ten excellent films showing during SFF's physical run, and now we've done the same for its virtual lineup to help liven up your at-home viewing. You can even stream SFF's two big award-winners — and they're definitely on our list. CRYPTOZOO Throw a fantastical menagerie worth of mythical beasts into a kaleidoscope, plus copious amounts of hallucinogens. Then, sprinkle in some savvy cynicism about capitalism, corporations, the military-industrial complex and the 21st century's consumerism-driven ethos, as well as a savaging of xenophobic attitudes and a keen awareness of how humanity has been impacting the natural world. Next, shake vigorously. That's not how you make a movie, even one that splashes hand-drawn animation across the screen and is happy to look like it has been sketched and coloured in while under the influence, but it's easy to imagine that this is how Cryptozoo came together in all its mind-bending glory. A wild ride of a movie — and one aimed purely at adults — it's outlandish, ambitious, irreverent and entertaining all at once. It's also as smart as it is silly, and it's just as willing to make more than a few statements in more than a few ways. In comic book artist-turned-writer/director Dash Shaw's (My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea) psychedelic alternative version of our own universe, and of the 1960s, unicorns, pegasi, krakens, gorgons and other critters of legend all exist. The titular locale is home to many thanks to cryptozoologist Lauren Gray (Lake Bell, Medical Police) and her mentor Joan (Grace Zabriskie, Twin Peaks), but it also doubles as a theme park for humans to gawk at its rare inhabitants. Lauren is devoted to trying to protect the creatures, called cryptids; however, that's easier said than done when shadowy mercenaries are trying to capture the same beings. Some critters take humanoid forms and it's one, Phoebe (Angeliki Papoulia, The Lobster), who encourages Lauren to challenge everything that she believes — and both wondrous and astute chaos ensues. HIVE In Hive, to peer at Kosovo-born actor Yllka Gashi is to look deep into a battler's eyes. She plays Fahrije Hoti, a woman who has never been allowed to stop fighting, although the men in her patriarchal village would prefer that she'd simply attend to her duties as a wife and mother, do what's expected and keep quiet. That's just another roadblock she's forced to rally against with every word, thought and breath. With her husband missing for years due to the Kosovo War, and her father-in-law eager to maintain the status quo, she's been trying to make ends meet in a town — and a male-dominated culture — that's unsympathetic to her plight. Fahrije isn't alone, however, with many of the village's other women also widowed due to the conflict and expected to somehow survive. So, with the beehives she dutifully attends to unable to keep paying her bills, she decides to start a female-run co-operative to make and sell ajvar, a pepper relish. A picture of blistering resilience, unflappable fortitude and baked-in sorrow, Gashi is phenomenal as Fahrije — and first-time feature writer/director Blerta Basholli puts in just as magnificent an effort behind the lens. They're both playing with reality, drawing upon the real-life Hoti's moving and inspiring story, but Hive could never be mistaken for a standard biopic. Lived-in fury and resolve buzzes through every exactingly staged and observed scene, and each facet of Gashi's performance as well, all as Fahrije weathers even more derision — and worse — for even dreaming of attempting to support herself. At this year's Sundance Film Festival, Hive became the first movie in history to win its World Cinema Dramatic Competition Grand Jury Prize, Audience Award and Best Director gong, and deservedly so. THERE IS NO EVIL The death penalty casts a dark and inescapable shadow over There Is No Evil, which is just as writer/director Mohammad Rasoulof intends. The Iranian filmmaker has spent his career examining the reality of his homeland, as previously seen in 2013's Manuscripts Don't Burn and 2017's A Man of Integrity — so much so that he's actually been banned from his craft, not that that's stopping him. With There Is No Evil, Rasoulof doesn't simply continue the trend that's guided his cinematic resume thus far. Rather, he interrogates the most severe form of punishment that any society can enact, and doesn't shy away from horrors both obvious and unplanned. To call the result powerful is an understatement, and it's won him Berlinale's prestigious Golden Bear in 2020, and now the 2021 Sydney Film Festival Prize as well. An anthology film that unfurls across four segments, There Is No Evil explores capital punishment, its impact and the ripples that executions have upon Iranian society. Even the mere concept of state-sanctioned killing rolls through the feature like waves, changing and reshaping much in its wake. It touches a stressed husband and father (feature first-timer Ehsan Mirhosseini), a conscript (Kaveh Ahangar, Don't Be Embarrassed) who can't fathom ending someone's life, a soldier (Mohammad Valizadegan, Lady of the City) whose compliance causes personal issues and a physician (Mohammad Seddighimehr, The Sad Widows of the Warlord) unable to practise his trade. While some sections hit their mark more firmly and decisively than others — There Is No Evil's introduction sets a high bar — this meticulously crafted movie, both visually and thematically, has a lingering cumulative effect as it ruminates on the threats and freedoms that come with life under an oppressive regime. THE JUSTICE OF BUNNY KING Essie Davis and Thomasin McKenzie have each enjoyed a busy few years. Since they co-starred in True History of the Kelly Gang, Davis has added Babyteeth, Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears and Nitram to her filmography, while McKenzie has appeared in Old, The Power of the Dog and Last Night in Soho just this year alone. A drama about a mother desperate to reclaim custody of her children, The Justice of Bunny King slots in nicely on both actors' ever-growing resumes. It's Davis' movie — she plays the titular New Zealand mum, and inhabits the part like a force of nature — but McKenzie still leaves an imprint as Bunny's niece Tonyah. Both characters yearn for a life that doesn't constantly push them aside and ignore their struggles, and longing, determination and resourcefulness shines through in Davis and McKenzie's performances alike. When asked, Bunny describes herself as a "homeless squidgy bandit". She washes car windscreens in traffic for change, and runs her sister's household in exchange for a couch to crash on. And, as social services reminds her every chance they get, she doesn't have the requisite fixed address they require in order to release her kids (Black Hands' Angus Stevens and debutant Amelie Baynes) from foster care. Simply finding a house and being a family again is all that Bunny spends her days working towards, but needing to extricate Tonyah from a horrific situation soon becomes just as crucial. Making a memorable and heartfelt feature debut that pairs its standout performances with naturalistic imagery and a pulsating air of authenticity, filmmaker Gaysorn Thavat gives Bunny and Tonyah the one thing that the world around them won't: the space to have their stories heard, and to fly the flag for other women in similar circumstances. APPLES Add Apples to the list of films that owe a significant debt to The Lobster and The Favourite's Yorgos Lanthimos. Any Greek Weird Wave movie does, after the Greek filmmaker's 2009 feature Dogtooth made such a splash and helped ignite the cinema movement — but it's actually on that very title that Apples' writer/director Christos Nikou earned his first feature filmmaking credit. His time spent there as a second assistant director and script supervisor has served him well. Indeed, his own full-length debut sports the same deadpan tone, but Nikou doesn't merely try to emulate Lanthimos' success. Working with an accidentally timely topic — a pandemic, something he couldn't have foreseen before Apples' premiere more than a year ago — he finds his own way to tap into the ridiculousness at the heart of existence. There's much to poke, probe, ponder and parody, after all, especially when it comes to the difference between the genuine and the performative in daily life. There are no coughs or fevers fuelling Apples' sweeping illness. Instead, a widespread bout of amnesia has obliterated memories at random. For those who can't recall their past life or anyone in it, being cared for by the state awaits — followed by a step-by-step experimental process to learn to live in the world again. That's the new reality for Aris (Aris Servetalis, Alps), who is encouraged to take Polaroid photos to show how he's working towards normality, and also finds himself warming to fellow amnesiac Anna (Sofia Georgovassili, Thread). Apples finds the midpoint between playing it straight and seeing the absurdity in its setup, and it's a perceptive balance. Nikou also uses the film's fastidiously shot frames to muse on happiness, connection, and the latter's role in the former. EL PLANETA A film can be shaggy and precise at the same time — and both warm and melancholy, too. El Planeta is all of these things as it follows a struggling but resourceful mother-daughter duo. Leo (director/writer/producer/star Amalia Ulman) and María (Ulman's real-life mum Ale) have fallen on hard times, yet are desperate to cling to their middle-class existence in the Spanish coastal city of Gijón. María still slinks around in a fur coat and oversized sunglasses, trying to look the glamours part; frequently, she's lining her jacket's pockets during her shoplifting sprees. Leo is initially seen trying to set up her first job as a sex professional (Colossal filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo plays her potential client), but usually works as a stylist. As a video call with a fashion editor about a prospective New York gig with Christina Aguilera demonstrates, though, exposure is her usual form of payment. There's a witty sense of humour coursing through El Planeta's gorgeous greyscale frames — this isn't a social-realist post-financial crisis slice-of-life — but multidisciplinary artist Ulman still steeps her feature in all-too-real income inequalities. While she's taken loose inspiration from actual mother-and-daughter scammers who tried to fake it till they made it as socialites, she peppers Leo and María's days with markers of a society that cares little for anyone who isn't comfortable at worst and wealthy at best. Indeed, this is a movie teeming with devilish and revelatory details, from the frozen curses that María thinks will save them to Leo's dancing dress-ups, and including a clever Martin Scorsese fixation as well. The use of screen wipes and the whimsical score by Chicken suits its characters perfectly, though; they're not above embellishing their lives however they can, and neither is Ulman's playful and thoughtful delight of a film. NOWHERE SPECIAL If the way that cinema depicts cancer was plotted out on a scale, Babyteeth and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl could easily demonstrate its extremes. One sees its protagonist as a person first and a patient last; the other uses terminal illness as a catalyst for other people's emotions (the "dying girl" part of its moniker is oh-so-telling about how it regards someone with cancer as an afterthought). Nowhere Special thankfully sits at the Babyteeth end of the spectrum. Its premise screams weepie, given that it follows a 35-year-old single father, John (James Norton, Little Women), who needs to find an adoptive family for his four-year-old son Michael (first-timer Daniel Lamont); however, writer/director Uberto Pasolini opts for understatement and realism over wringing tears. His last film, 2013's Still Life, was also just as beautifully measured and tender, all without mawkishness — and he hasn't lost his touch during his sizeable gap between movies. Nowhere Special is bittersweet, too; as it charts John's quest to secure Michael the best future he possibly can without himself in it, it soaks in the ups and downs of their life together. Visually, it dwells on small touches in passing moments, such as the type of mirrored behaviour that a young son adopts from his dad, the sight of them walking around in matching baseball caps, and the joy Michael gets from washing his toy truck — because John works as a window cleaner. There's an unfussy, unsentimental but always empathetic feel to every second of the Northern Ireland-set movie, including with prospective new parents both doting and disastrous, and in John's efforts to make the most of the time that he has left with Michael. Both Norton and Lamont are both exceptional as well, in a movie that's firmly something special. NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN In Never Gonna Snow Again's opening moments, Ukrainian masseur Zhenia (Alec Utgoff, Stranger Things) walks out of a forest and into a gated community in eastern Poland. His destination is lined with lavish identical houses — the kind that the song 'Little Boxes' has satirised for almost six decades now — but he's about to be its most extraordinary visitor. His hands can help knead away physical troubles, and they can soothe minds as well. Trundling his massage table from well-appointed home to well-appointed home, he quickly builds up a devoted client list of well-to-do residents desperate for his touch. He steps into their worlds, spying their outward gloss — the similar wreaths on each door, the doorbells chiming with snippets of classic music — and palpating away their inner pain. There's a surreal, seductive and otherworldly atmosphere to Never Gonna Snow Again, which filmmakers Malgorzata Szumowska (Mug) and Michal Englert (also the movie's cinematographer) let float through their frames like a lingering breeze. There's also a devastatingly savvy interrogation of the type of rich lives that pine for Zhenia's presence, including their complete obliviousness to him as anything more than a salve for their ennui. Much festers in the feature's McMansions. As it contemplates the everyday malaise that dulls wealth's superficial glow, as well as the vast chasm between gleaming exteriors and empty insides, much haunts Never Gonna Snow Again, in fact. Plenty dazzles, too, including Szumowska and Englert's confident handling — the film could've easily crumbled in other hands — as well as Utgoff's magnetic performance. GAIA A vivid eco-horror set in South Africa's Tsitsikamma National Park, Gaia doesn't sport a subtle title. Referencing the Greek goddess who personifies the earth, it doesn't see its namesake as the warm and welcoming genesis of all life, however. Here, Mother Nature has a bone to pick with humanity and its wanton destruction of the planet. To be specific, she has bodies to overpower with serpentine tendrils and infect with the multi-hued fungal blooms that give Jaco Bouwer's (Balbesit: 'n Studie in Stemme) film its most spectacular images. That's a fate that forest ranger Gabi (Monique Rockman, Number 37) hopes to avoid after being separated from her boss Winston (Anthony Oseyemi, The Red Sea Diving Resort), then injured in a trap set by wilderness-dwelling survivalist Barend (Carel Nel, The Last Days of American Crime) and his teenage son Stefan (Alex van Dyk, The Harvesters). The mushrooms here aren't magic — they're mad as hell, and they're not going to take it anymore. Gaia isn't nuanced about its environmental messaging, including when the mud-covered Barend starts preaching about the modern world's ruinous ills from his heated manifesto, but understatement and rallying against the ravaging of the planet really shouldn't go hand in hand anyway. And, leaning into that fury, as well as embracing nature's revenge, is what makes the movie so gripping. Bouwer hooks viewers from his first overhead shots of sprawling trees, keeps them enchanted with his hallucinogenic fungi and ramps up the tension with pitch-perfect sound design, but his vengeful jungle is the feature's most important inclusion. Too often, locations are deemed extra characters in films; Gaia actually earns that description. I'M WANITA In Amy, Whitney: Can I Be Me, Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry and similar documentaries, audiences nabbed behind-the-scenes glimpses at music superstars. Via personal and candid footage not initially intended for mass consumption, viewers peeked behind the facade of celebrity — but I'm Wanita evokes the same feelings of intimacy and revelation by pointing its lens at a singer who isn't yet a household name. The self-described 'Australian queen of honky tonk', Wanita Bahtiyar hasn't given filmmaker Matthew Walker a treasure trove of archival materials to weave through his feature debut. Rather, the Tamworth local opens up her daily existence to his observational gaze. Following his 2015 short film about Wanita, Heart of the Queen, Walker spent five years capturing her life — and the resulting doco is as wily as its subject is unpredictable. I'm Wanita mightn't spring from a dream archive of existing footage, but it does dedicate its frames to a dream point of focus; its namesake is the type of subject documentarians surely pray they stumble across. Since becoming obsessed with Hank Williams and Loretta Lynn as a child, Wanita has chased music stardom. Her voice earned her ample attention from her teen years onwards, and her first album received rave reviews that she giddily quotes now; however, she's spent her adult life drinking, partying, and supplementing occasional gigs with sex work. Today, she's a legend in her own head, and also an erratic whirlwind. I'm Wanita charts her trip to Nashville to finally make the record she's always wanted, and yet it never paints her tale as a simplistic portrait of talent unrealised. A Star Is Born, this isn't either — even with a glorious closing number that could easily cap off a Hollywood melodrama. Read our full review. Looking for more SFF On Demand recommendations? We've already taken a look at Strong Female Lead and A Fire Inside, too. SFF On Demand's 2021 program is available to stream between Friday, November 12–Sunday, November 21. For further information, head to the festival website.
