Friday, July 26, 2013

Festival News: Eighth Annual Possible Worlds Film Festival



The eighth annual Possible Worlds Film Festival has revealed its 2013 program showcasing the best new cinema from Canada and the United States, and focusing exclusively on independent films.

Presented by Cosmos Tours and non-profit The Festivalists, the festival bring 20 new feature films – ten Canadian and ten American - to Dendy Opera Quays and Dendy Newtown from 8th to 18th August.

The Festival will open with Sarah Polley’s acclaimed documentary STORIES WE TELL and close ten days later with the Sydney premiere of Joe Swanberg’s DRINKING BUDDIES, starring Olivia Wilde, Anna Kendrick, Jake Johnson and Ron Livingston.

A strong thematic strand within the program this year is the female point of view, with ten titles featuring a woman in the lead and charting female perspectives on identity, desire, sexuality, success and family, such as black and white gems FRANCES HA by Noah Baumbach and YOU MAKE ME FEEL SO YOUNG by Zach Weintraub. Four of these films, MOLLY MAXWELL, STORIES WE TELL, A TEACHER and IT FELT LIKE LOVE are directed by women.

Special guest Steve Ostrow will present the Sydney premiere of CONTINENTAL, a new documentary by Malcolm Ingram. Ostrow was the founder of the Continental, a controversial gay bathhouse that transcended sexual identity and acted as a beacon to the hip, beautiful and infamous in 1960s and 70s New York City.

Other highlights include THE END OF TIME by master documentarian Peter Mettler, and the Australian premieres of NORTHERN LIGHT, which charts the daily lives of families in recession-ravaged Michigan; LUNARCY!, a portrait of eccentrics and visionaries obsessed with the Moon; THE FRUIT HUNTERS, which follows foodies in search of rare fruit around the globe; and REWIND THIS!, a love letter to the VHS tape, which will be paired in a double feature with a 40th anniversary screening of sci-fi/western WESTWORLD.

THE WAIT, starring Chloe Sevigny and Jena Malone, will have its international premiere. The Festival will be a chance for audiences to discover new independent films such as Sean Garrity’s hilarious MY AWKWARD SEXUAL ADVENTURE, Zach Clark’s raunchy Christmas movie WHITE REINDEER (reviewed at Graffiti With Punctuation), Jason Buxton’s coming-of-age drama, BLACKBIRD and Adam Leon’s NYC caper, GIMME THE LOOT.

Many screenings will include a complimentary welcome drink on arrival. For more information, visit www.possibleworlds.net.au.

WHEN: August 8 -18 (Sydney) and August 21 – 23 (Canberra)
WHERE: Dendy Circular Quay, Dendy Newtown and Arc Cinema
SYDNEY TICKETS: Adult $16, Concession $13Bookings: www.pwff.eventbrite.com.au
CANBERRA TICKETS: Adult $11, Concession/Student $9 – Bookings: 02 6248 2000

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