GERRINGONG PICS AND FLICKS

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  Sandra (Seydoux) lives in a small apartment in Paris with her eight-year-old daughter. Her parents have long separated, and Sandra regularly visits her father, Georg (Pascal Greggory), an academic whose health has begun to deteriorate.  Whilst she and her strong-willed mother (Nicole Garcia) struggle to agree on finding Georg a safe place to live, Sandra unexpectedly reconnects with an old friend, Clément (Melvil Poupaud). A passionate relationship begins to form, but not without repercussions. Hansen-Løve,  so finely observant of the small nuances of human interaction,  weaves autobiographical elements into this delicate and heartfelt story of familial and romantic connections, and finding strength against challenging odds. Seydoux is radiant as her lead, bringing tremendous warmth and empathy to her role and the film as a whole. Enthusiastically embraced by both critics and audiences as one of the best films of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, ONE FINE MORNING is, ...

Inkeri, 75, has hit her husband on the head with a solid iron frying pan and is planning to bury him in their garden -a reasonable, but panicked solution after being belittled and picked on by him for almost 50 years. Suddenly Inkeri realises that burying Tapio is not a solution, and she will be spending the rest of her life in prison. But there may yet be a moment left to really live. Inkeri makes her sisters Sylvi and Raili join her on a trip to the Koli National Park. To do that one last ride. So the trip begins, travelling through Finland: charming overly young hitchhikers, cars breaking down, and sinful dancing in restaurants. It’s a journey to confront the past and present where the siblings have to overcome their conflicts and reveal their secrets. During the journey, Inkeri comes across her university writings. Seeing in them a free woman with dreams, that later were suppressed by a patriarchal marriage. In the meantime, Tapio has awoken. He’s not dead. With a sore head he emba...

  Everybody Hates Johan  is a Norwegian comedy of charm and wisdom. The setting is a small barren island, far from most other Norwegians. The gross regional product appears to be wind. How the people make a living is a mystery, as we see no fishing boats. The weather has not made everyone kind: in fact, they mostly enjoy baiting each other, especially Johan and his family. By the time Johan is about five, he is an orphan, cared for by his aunt and uncle. His only friend is the girl next door, Solvor. Their love affair will run long but not smooth, through more thick than thin. The adult Johan just adores lighting sticks of dynamite and lobbing them into the nearby bogs. No wonder the neighbours hate him. It’s hard to describe the charm of this small but clamorous film. The beauty of the setting contrasts with the puny side of the people. Nature has not ennobled them. Johan is the constant victim of awful behaviour, which makes sure we are always on his side. The...

  The exhilarating, Bible-inspired, pitch-black comedy 'Redemption of a Rogue' centers on a prodigal son returning to his rural Ireland hometown to seek redemption for his sins.  It’s been seven years since Jimmy Cullen (Aaron Monaghan) set foot in (the fictional) Ballylough, a godforsaken spot of near-perpetual rain. Back then, he departed in disgrace, leaving behind younger brother Damien (Kieran Roche), a brutal father who raised them with his fists (Hugh O’Brien) and embittered, onetime girlfriend Patricia (Liz Fitzgibbon). Helmer Doherty cleverly doles out information about Jimmy’s shameful past in the form of flashbacks in a 16mm format that reveal his wrongdoings. Amusingly, although these episodes show events from years ago, he’s still pictured as his current bearded, battered, adult self. Forced by the terms of his deceased father’s will to hang around Ballylough until the rain stops and the old man can be buried, Jimmy suffers through a personal purgatory of suicidal...

  In 1995, a 32-year-old failed medical student called Brian MacKinnon became a global news story and a legend when it emerged he had, two years earlier, posed as a teenager called Brandon Lee to reattend his old school, Glasgow’s Bearsden Academy, taught by his old teachers who did not recognise him, just so that he could retake his Higher exams and reapply to medical schools, which would not admit people over 30. One of his classmates was Jono McLeod, and it is McLeod who has directed this film about MacKinnon’s extraordinary true-life tragicomedy, interviewing his school contemporaries and using animated sequences with Lulu and Clare Grogan voicing incidental characters. He also interviews MacKinnon himself who did not want to appear on camera, lip-synched instead by the actor Alan Cumming.  With staggering chutzpah, this grown man put on a school uniform and bluffed his way through class, befuddled pupils who didn’t want to mention how weirdly old he looked, delighted...

     Based on actual events, this 1916 story is set in a small, tight-knit community in the Scottish Outer Hebrides. Kirsty McLeod (Hermoine Corfield) lives a difficult life in a remote village with her hard-working mother, Mairi (Morven Christie) and her sister, Annie (Ali Fumiko Whitney). Ever since the days of sitting on the beach with her late father, listening to him talk about the world beyond their shore, she has been a dreamer. And while her father may be gone, she still dreams of more than planting potatoes. She wants bigger things but those dreams seem so far out of reach as the outside world is bracing for the First World War, bringing brutality and tragedy. The Road Dance is filmed in an exquisitely realised setting on the Isle of Lewis, from the stone houses with grass covered rooftops to the people who make up the community. They  bring an authenticity and character to the film.

 A memorable performance from Tom Hanks, backed by a crackling good supporting cast. A Man Called Otto is a well-crafted and an emotionally involving remake of a book and film about a widowed old grump who begins to grow and change after experiencing some major life setbacks.  It's a small gem of  wry humour and human insight. Otto is that curmudgeonly neighbour who never just lets things go, whether he’s barking at a woman for letting her dog urinate on his lawn, chastising a neighbor for his too-tight exercise outfit, yelling at a delivery truck driver for unauthorized parking or telling a stray cat to leave him alone. Recently forced out of his managerial engineering position and now retired, Otto has nothing but time on his hands, and he spends much of that time patrolling his gated neighborhood in an unnamed Rust Belt town in suburban America, growling about bicycles that aren’t parked in the rack, garbage that hasn’t been properly sorted into the recyclin...

  This is the latest in George Gittoes' award-winning documentaries about war and the human stories of hope and redemption ( Soundtrack to War ,   2005 and  Love City ,  Jalalabad , 2013).  Ukrainistan Artist War  continues this vital focus, showing the wars raged by artists against invasion. It   is an urgent   and essential film that delivers an outcry of optimism that humanity can end violent conflict and embrace peace through creativity. Ukrainistan Artist War  is an anti-war film in the tradition of Picasso’s  Guernica.  Gittoes and partner, producer/musician Hellen Rose, go beyond the headlines and behind battle lines of Ukraine and Afghanistan to candidly capture the tragedy of those now displaced and separated by the Russian-Ukrainian war. This screening will be a very special event as the documentary makers (local residents of Gerringong area) will be with us to talk about their work, their art and to answer questions....

    Margrete, Queen of the North A grand, sweeping, historical drama from Denmark 1402.  Queen Margarete is ruling Sweden, Norway and Denmark through her adopted son, Erik, but a conspiracy is in the making.  Margrete finds herself in an impossible dilemma that could shatter her life's work - the Kalmar Union. Trina Dyrholm is magnificent as the queen who has only her piety, courage and strength to guide her.

  FILM INFORMATION In this inspiring true story, amateur historian Philippa Langley believes she has made the archeological find of the century: the lost burial site of King Richard III. She takes on Britain's most eminent historians, forcing them to rethink the legacy of one of the most controversial rulers in English history. Rating: PG-13 (Brief Suggestive References,Some Strong Language) Genre: Comedy, Drama Original Language: English Runtime :  1h 49m Director: Stephen Frears Producer: Steve Coogan, Christine Langan, Dan Winch, Wendy Griffin Writer: Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope Click here to see the film trailer Click here to buy tickets online

  Gloriously-shot, stylish, romantic, and mysterious, with a shocking finale you might not see coming. Murder, perhaps suicide, upscale sushi, failing/failed relationships, “angel of mercy”, love at first arrest, chronic insomnia and crow’s feathers are all important elements in Chan-wook’s and cowriter Chung Seo-kyung's story of a weekend marriage and detective’s quest to put the nasty amongst us away for good.

  The Velvet Queen This is more than just a nature documentary — it enters the realm of mysticism and the images of the leopard itself provide an immensely satisfying conclusion. [David Stratton] In the heart of the Tibetan highlands, multi-award-winning nature photographer Vincent Munier guides writer Sylvain Tesson on his quest to document the infamously elusive snow leopard. Munier introduces Tesson to the subtle art of waiting from a blind spot, tracking animals, and finding the patience to catch sight of the beasts. Through their journey in the Tibetan peaks, inhabited by invisible presences, the two men ponder humankind's place amongst the magnificent creatures and glorious landscapes they encounter along the way. Genre: Documentary Original Language: French (France) Writer/Directors: Marie Amiguet, Vincent Munier Producer: Pierre-Emmanuel Fleurantin Runtime: 1h 32m Join us on Friday 14th April Doors open at 6.45pm and film starts at 7.30pm. Tick...

  REMEMBER: FILM SCREENINGS NOW START AT 7.30PM EACH MONTH. The original French title of this film is  With love and fury  (  Avec amour et acharnement  , France, 2022). This direct translation perhaps better captures the focus of director Claire Denis, who is examining the anarchic drift of desire when an old love reappears in an established marriage and reignites inner fires.  In this love triangle, the characters of  Vincent Lindon  and Juliette Binoche experience these fires in a brutal way.  Sara - a truly exquisite work by Juliette Binoche,  is experiencing all that seems contradictory, diffuse and difficult to explain at first sight. She is pleased with her marriage, but at the same time she is magnetically attracted to a man who until recently was just part of the past. But this is no conventional melodrama. In the hands of this director it explores whether the power of desire and passion c...

FULL TIME  (À PLEIN TEMPS) À PLEIN TEMPS À PLEIN TEMPS WINNER - 2021 VENICE FILM FESTIVAL (ORRIZONTI) - Best Actress, Best Director  WINNER - 2021 LES ARCS FILM FESTIVAL - Cineuropa Award (Best Film), Best Actress   In his second feature film,  Full Time , French writer-director Éric Gravel transforms a week in the life of a working mother into a heart-pounding thriller. Laure Calamy (Sybil; My Donkey, My Lover, and I; Call My Agent) stars as Julie, a single mother of two who lives in the suburbs and commutes to Paris to work as head chambermaid at a five-star hotel. Over the course of the week we spend with her, everything that could go wrong does go wrong as she balances life and prepares for a job interview that can give her and her children a better life.   We’re used to going to the movies to watch men do conventionally stressful male tasks – like fight a war — but the care work that women so often do is rarely acknowledged as equal...

  The Olive Tree This is a small, soulful film that has two stars: the feisty Spanish actress Anna Castillo and a vast, gnarled, thousand-year-old  olive tree.   The Olive Tree  is a deeply human story about the broken and unbroken bonds between generations.  It follows a young Spanish woman’s literal and spiritual quest to recover a symbolically significant olive tree from its new owners, a German energy company. What triggers her quest is a minor incident that has major significance.  The Olive Tree  ends as a joyful, life-affirming film that shows the power of personal conviction and positive action.   [Alexa Dalby, Dog and Wolf magazine ] Genre: Comedy, Drama Original Language: Spanish (Spain) Director:Icíar Bollaín Producer:Juan Gordon, Michael Weber Writer:Paul Laverty Runtime: 1h 38m Join us for our regular first Friday of the month film. Gerrringong Town Hall, Fern Street Gerringong Friday, 2nd September ...

  A sensual, savvy and always sublime film by the great Spanish director, Pedro  Almodóvar . Parallel Mothers tells a story that’s simultaneously personal and political.  It’s an intimate tale of two women and their intertwined lives, but it’s also about Spain’s troubled history and the way strong women are linked for generations through the past, even as they help each other forge a happier future. Penelope Cruz plays Janis, an accomplished photographer living in Madrid. On the verge of turning 40, she happens to give birth on the same day as another single mum, 17-year-old Ana (the striking Milena Smit), her roommate at the hospital. Both are accidental mothers and they unexpectedly find themselves connecting in myriad, unexpected ways  during one of the most vulnerable and thrilling times in their lives. They share all the elation and exhaustion and more. Parallel Mothers is the latest great film created by the magical connection between director Pedro...

    Pics and Flicks is having a special "Revel in May" performance  by jazz trio Waveteller  to entertain you before the film so don't be late! A Stitch in Time A heart-warming story about a former dressmaker who reinvents herself after befriending a young Chinese fashion designer, who inspires her to follow her dream.  A Stitch in Time  is a joyful and moving journey that beautifully celebrates age, culture, and the diversity of Australian life. When Liebe’s (Maggie Blinco) partner Duncan (Glenn Shorrock) loses his job singing at the local pub, the former dressmaker is inspired by Hamish (Hoa Xuande), a young Chinese fashion designer who she meets at the local markets. She decides to make clothes again to compensate for the loss of income. Friction arises as her long-compressed creativity is again allowed to bloom while Duncan's ebbs. Will their relationship survive? From the executive producer of  Ladies in Black  and writer/director S...

Welcome back to the movies with Gerringong Pics and Flicks. Our next film will be on 1st April, 2022.   Nomadland Following the economic collapse of a company town in rural Nevada, Fern (Frances McDormand) packs her van and sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad. At first, life on the road seems perilous and bleak, with inclement weather and cold economic realities giving Fern the chills. Yet she gradually discovers the warmth of America’s travelling community, helped by inspirational figures such as the charismatic Bob (Bob Wells), at whose communal desert rendezvous new life skills are passed around by those who are not “homeless” but simply “houseless”.NOMADLAND features real nomads Linda May, Swankie and Bob Wells as Fern’s mentors and comrades in her exploration through the vast landscape of the American West. Frances McDormand is typically convincing as Fern – another indomitable outsider role in which she immerses herself ...

   We   were hoping to be back to film screenings by now but it's not to be. COVID has popped up again, and the increasing risk to us all is serious.  If you are eligible for a vaccination, please get it, wear a mask, sign-in, and keep your distance.  It's your responsibility to protect yourself and everyone around you. Pics and Flicks has decided that in the interests of everyone's health and safety we will defer our film screenings for the rest of 2021.  So, sadly, there will be no film in September, October, November or December 2021. As we usually do not screen a film in January, we will be back in action on 4th February. *  All annual memberships will be deferred and restart in February 2022. * Holders of 10-tix cards will be able to use them as soon as we are back in 2022. Please keep yourselves safe until we're all together again at Pics and Flicks.