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Showing posts from 2013

KAWASAKIHO RUZE (Kawasaki's Rose) Screening 6th December 2013

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Kawasaki's Rose is " A soul-searching and brilliantly-acted Czech drama that confronts our beliefs and feelings about memory, idealism, and forgiveness." Jana, played by Daniela Kolarova, and her husband, Pavel (Martin Huba), are interviewed for a documentary when Pavel receives the "Memory of the Nation" award, but the documentary threatens to reveal personal secrets and divide a family. Kawasakiho Ruze is a drama about family and politics, the role of memory in relationships, and that of jealousy, arrogance, love, loyalty and betrayal. Pavel, a distinguished psychiatrist is about to receive an award for his life's work and his role as a dissident. His handsome wife and adoring grown daughter are pleased the honour is coming his way but Ludek, his son-in-law who is employed on a documentary crew filming Pavel, resents that his own family, rooted in Czechoslovakia's Communist past, ended up on the wrong side of history

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA Screening Friday, 1st November 2013

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Movie Info Before Elvis, before Elton John, Madonna and Lady Gaga, there was Liberace: virtuoso pianist, outrageous entertainer and flamboyant star of stage and television. A name synonymous with showmanship, extravagance and candelabras, he was a world-renowned performer with a flair that endeared him to his audiences and created a loyal fan base spanning his 40-year career. Liberace lived lavishly and embraced a lifestyle of excess both on and off stage. In summer 1977, handsome young stranger Scott Thorson walked into his dressing room and, despite their age difference and seemingly different worlds, the two embarked on a secretive five-year love affair. BEHIND THE CANDELABRA takes a behind-the-scenes look at their tempestuous relationship - from their first meeting backstage at the Las Vegas Hilton to their bitter and public break-up. -- Official Site Unrated , 1 hr. 58 min.

A LATE QUARTET screening 4th October 2013

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Some of America's finest actors give their all in this movie we call 'Performance'. A film by Yaron Zilberman   featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener and Mark Ivanir A Late Quartet is visually and musically rich. But above all there are the performances, individually and as an ensemble, and they're pitch perfect. Philip French UK Observer Film Synopsis Christopher Walken plays an elderly cellist who’s aware he’s suffering from Parkinson’s disease. When he tells the other members, they react in different ways. The first violinist (brilliantly  played by the least-known actor, Mark Ivanir ) is a dry perfectionist, whose emotions are channelled into classical music. With cold practicality, he simply sets about finding a replacement. The second violinist (an on-form Philip Seymour Hoffman ) is more passionate — and more insecure and egotistical. He demands to alternate as first violinist. His wife (

SAMSARA Screening Fri 13th September NOTE CHANGE OF DATE DUE TO ELECTION

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Filmed over five years in twenty-five countries, SAMSARA is a new, non-verbal documentary from filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson, the creators of BARAKA. "Bewilderingly powerful. SAMSARA is pure cinema.” American Cinematographer   Prepare yourself for an unparalleled sensory experience. Samsara reunites director Ron Fricke and producer Mark Magidson, whose award-winning films Baraka and Chronos were acclaimed for combining visual and musical artistry. Samsara is a Sanskrit word that means "the ever turning wheel of life" and is the point of departure for the filmmakers as they search for the elusive current of interconnection that runs through our lives. Filmed over a period of almost five years and in twenty-five countries, Samsara transports us to sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial sites, and natural wonders. By dispensing with dialogue and descriptive text, Samsara subverts our expectations of a traditional

RUST AND BONE Screening Friday 2nd August 2013

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Rust and Bone De rouille et d'os   A film by Jacques Audiard one of the most acclaimed French films of 2012 WINNER, Best Film - BFI London Festival, 2012   Lonely and destitute, Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts) leaves the north of France for his sister's house in Antibes after becoming the sole guardian of his estranged five-year-old son Sam. When Ali lands a job as a bouncer in a nearby nightclub, things quickly start to look up for the itinerant father and son. Then one night, after breaking up a fight in the club, Ali meets the radiant Stephanie (Marion Cotillard), and slips her his number after dropping her off safely at home. Though Stephanie's position on the high end of the social spectrum makes romance an unlikely prospect for the pair, a tragic accident at Marineland robs her of her legs, and finds her reaching out in desperation to Ali. Her spirit broken by the same tragedy that took her legs, Stephanie gradually find

DRIFT Screening Friday 8th July 2013

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Drift Movie Info Australia, 1970s. The Kelly brothers, Andy (28) and Jimmy (22), have one great passion: riding big waves. As kids, their mother escaped from Sydney to Margaret River, a sleepy coastal town with some of the world's most challenging and dangerous waves. For the next 12 years, the boys perfected their surfing skills, always searching for the perfect ride. Free-spirited Jimmy is a gifted surfer and innovator but he starts to slip toward a life of crime to help the family out of debt. Andy makes a big decision. Quitting a stable job, he bets on Jimmy's surf inventions and his own business skills and launches a backyard surf gear business.  Set in breathtaking locations and inspired by the true story of Australia's legendary surfwear moguls, the film chronicles the rise of surf brands and the expansion of the laidback surf attitude as a global lifestyle. A story of passion and corruption, friendship and loyalty, deadly addictions

SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN Screening 7th June 2013

Pics and Flicks presents: Searching For Sugarman Genre: Documentary, Biography, Music   Director: Malik Bendjelloul Producer: Simon Chinn Cast: As themselves Classification: M Duration: 86 mins Country: South Africa Release date: 04/10/2012 Review by Margaret Pomeranz This fascinating documentary begins in South Africa for a reason. The 1970's singer Rodriguez, about whom little is or was known, failed to make an impression in his own country with two admired but unsuccessful albums, but in South Africa during that time, when Apartheid was in full sway, a stray copy of his first album Cold Play found its way there and spread like wildfire in a country cut off from the world. His songs inspired resistance to Apartheid and he became a cult hero to many, anathema to others. Rumoured to have died on stage during a performance, either by self-immolation or by a self-inflicted gunshot, a South African journalist went in search of the truth abo

THE ANGELS' SHARE Screening 3rd May 2013

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  Pics and Flicks is bringing you: The Angels' Share "The Angels' Share is a surprisingly delightful, uplifting comedy that successfully blends a charming story of redemption with bits of dark humour and a social message." [Rotten Tomatoes film website] MA , 1 hr. 41 min. Drama, Comedy Directed By: Ken Loach Review by David Stratton : Robbie, PAUL BRANNIGAN, is a young Glaswegian, an ex-con though still in his early 20s, who is brought before the sheriff's court on an assault charge. Robbie's girlfriend, Leonie, SIOBHAN REILLY, is pregnant and he convinces the sheriff he wants to reform. As a result, he's sentenced to community service and finds himself together with gormless Albert, GARY MAITLAND, Mo, JASMIN RIGGINS, a thief, and Rhino, WILLIAM RUANE, who has an odd sense of humour, working under the command of Harry, JOHN HENSHAW, a

FLICKERFEST 2013

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22 nd INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL FLiCKERFEST presented by RENAULT is coming to Gerringong Pics and Flicks is proudly hosting three award-winning, creative and inspiring Flickerfest programs of Australian and international short films.   AT: Gerringong Town Hall on Fri 5th and Sat 6th April 20 13    PROGRAM : Friday 5th April,     8pm Best of International 1 Saturday 6th April, 5.30pm     Short Laughs Comedy                               8pm Best Australian                                                    see program details below TICKETS: Tickets available at the door only. $10 per session.  Pics and Flicks members free. Festival Patrons: Baz Luhrmann, Gillian Armstrong and Claudia Karvan Festival Director: Bronwyn Kidd Celebrating 22 years of short film excellence Flickerfest presented by Renault, Australia’s leading short film festival will be rolling in to Gerringong, bringing its 2013 gems. Flickerfest presents another a

TOMBOY Screening Friday 1st March 2013

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Review by Margaret Pomeranz  on ABC Film Show Gender identity at the cusp of adolescence is explored in Celine Sciamma’s TOMBOY. Laure, ZOE HERAN, is 10 years old, her family have just moved to a new neighbourhood with her six year old sister Jeanne, MALONN LEVANA. Her mother, SOPHIE CATTANI, is very pregnant, her father, MATTIEU DEMY, works with computers. It is a very loving family. When Laure meets up with Lisa, JEANNE DISSON, she’s mistaken for a boy and she goes along with it. She calls herself Mikael. The mistaken identity can’t go on forever, school is looming at the end of the idyllic summer holidays. But even Jeanne is talked into going along with the deception. This exquisite film is as pure as you can get, it’s observational, it’s minimalist, there’s no intrusive music except where it is part of the action. That fragility of a young girl, despite her boyish behaviour, is so painful, it’s been really beautifully and compassionately presented by writer/dire

INTOUCHABLES, screening Fri Feb 1, 2013

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Join us for our first film for 2013 INTOUCHABLES (2011)     screening FRIDAY FEBRUARY 1, 2013 at 7.30 for 8pm French with subtitles Directors:  Olivier Nakache ,  Eric Toledano Writers:  Olivier Nakache ,  Eric Toledano Stars:   François Cluzet ,  Omar Sy  and  Anne Le Ny   |   See full cast and crew Storyline In Paris, the aristocratic and intellectual Philippe is a quadriplegic millionaire that is interviewing candidates for the position of his caretaker with his red-haired secretary Magalie. Out of the blue, the rude African Driss cuts the line of candidates and brings a document from the Social Security and asks to Phillipe to sign it to prove that he is seeking a job position to receive his unemployment insurance. Philippe challenges Driss and offers a period of adaptation of one week to him to gain experience helping him. Then Driss would decide whether he would like to stay with him or not. Driss accepts the bet and moves to the mansion, changing the bo