Australian Film Festival

Overview

Riding high on our Oscar wins, it's time to continue the celebrations, festival style. The Australian Film Festival will revel in its terrible twos over twelve days of films and frivolities, where seminars, food and even some squares of concrete vie for your attention with the silver screen. Making the Australian Film Walk of Fame this year are the beloved Jack Thompson, Gary Sweet and Sigrid Thornton, who all star in James F. Khehtie poignant portrait of the World War II homefront, The Telegram Man. This will screen as part of the Australian Short Film Competition on the festival's closing night.

Other stars set to shine during the festival include Isabel Lucas (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), who returns from Tinseltown with not one but two local productions: opening night honours with The Wedding Party and the tale of a small town brass band in A Heartbeat Away. True Blood's Ryan Kwanten has also ventured home to co-star with the delightful Maeve Dermody (Beautiful Kate) in the utterly charming superhero fable Griff the Invisible. Another Australian abroad success story, Michael Rowe, has sent back his compelling Camera d'Or winning debut feature Ano Bisiesto (Leap Year) to screen at the festival, while Underbelly alums Gyton Grantley and Damian Walshe-Howling take to the seas in the terrifying true story The Reef.

Other highlights include a Jack Thompson lead walk down memory lane with the Popcorn Taxi screening of The Sum of Us. This blue-collar father and son tale features a fresh-faced Russell Crowe, and is well worth a look or a revisit. Another film due a replay is Pixar's superb Finding Nemo, which will screen for free this Saturday (March 5th) down at Clovelly beach. The Australian Film Festival is packed with plenty more besides, so check out the website and order up a serving of patriotism along with your popcorn.