The SXSW Film Festival kicks off on March 13th, in Austin Texas, and as always, a few Australians are showing off their works. We’ll take you through the Australian screenings which have been announced so far:
Happy with Bear, Director: Yianni Warnock.
A Singaporean exchange student struggles with her inner turmoil by vicariously living through her online persona. (World Premiere). Yianni Warnock was raised in the secluded Victorian farmlands, and re-located to Melbourne at age 17 to study cinema and philosophy. Yianni has made several shorts, all with rich international festival exposure. He is currently developing his first feature film. For more information, head to happywithbear.com.
Followers, Director: Tim Marshall.
Lynn, a lonely elderly woman, finds solace in an unlikely vision of Jesus that happens to be on the shorts of a young African man at her swimming class. Convinced God has sent him to her, Lynn befriends the young man in hopes he will save her from loneliness. ‘Followers’ is a dark-comedy drama about faith and loneliness, how the two intertwine and how we all need something or someone to follow. Tim Marshall is an award winning Australian writer/director. He already has four short films, and is now focusing on his feature film in development – Followers. His short film version of ‘Followers’ recently premiered at Sundance.
Boy & Bear – “Bridges”, Director: Summer DeRoche
The already well established five-piece Aussie band, Boy and Bear, will have their film clip for “Bridges”, directed by Summer DeRoche also filmed at the festival. The film clip follows the band as they lay within a miniature home, filled with mini-guitars, beds, tables, and fireplaces. Though there isn’t too much that happens story-wise, the tiny (quite literally) details and beautiful cinematography has earned it’s place in SXSW. Personal highlights include the use of fire and smoke that poignantly destroys the house, and all the miniature objects inside. At times it seems impossible that the things are not even the size of a thumb. Take a look at this carefully constructed film clip in the Behind The Scenes video below.
Hudson and Troop – “Frameless”, Directors: Andrew Goldsmith, Darcy Prendergast
Hudson and Troop is the indie/electro project of Melbourne’s Travis Aulsebrook. If you haven’t heard of him (which disappointingly, is more than likely), you most definitely will within the next few months. Not only will your ears be thanking you, but if you take a look at his video for “Frameless” then your heart will be too. “Frameless” depicts the story of a minotaur as he roams the streets and goes about his daily life before suffering a mental breakdown. It’s not just a moving piece though – aesthetically, this is a piece of brilliance.
The cinematography focuses on things we see in everyday life such as birds flying, smoking cigarettes, and roaming through dark alleyways – however they are captured in such a way that it realises the beauty even in the most mundane. The concept may sound ridiculous at first, but if you haven’t shed a tear after watching this, then you’re most definitely a cyborg. We can’t wait until Hudson and Troop, Andrew Goldsmith, and Darcy Prendergast get the recognition that they deserve.
For more details about SXSW Film Festival, head to: http://sxsw.com/film. The event runs from March 13th until the 21st in Austin, Texas. The Iris will be there to bring you all the action!
———-
