17th October: AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS [GOODBYE, CHILDREN]

17th October (Third Friday)

AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS [GOODBYE, CHILDREN]

French | 1987 | 104 mins | War/Drama | Dir: Louis Malle
Cast: Gaspard Manesse, Raphael Fejtö and Francine Racette

In 1944, upper class boy, Julien Quentin, and his brother, François, travel to Catholic boarding school in the countryside after vacations. Julien is a leader and good student and when the new student, Jean Bonnet, arrives in the school, they have friction in their relationship. However, Julien learns to respect Jean and discovers that he is Jewish, and the school’s priests are hiding him from the Nazis. They become best friends and Julien keeps the secret. When the priest Jean discovers that the servant Joseph is stealing supplies from the school to sell in the black market, he fires the youth. Soon the Gestapo arrives at school to investigate the students and the priests that run and work in the boarding school.

Between 1988 and 1989, Au Revoir Les Enfants won 28 awards, including Best Film (French Cesar Awards), and received 12 nominations, including, in 1988, for Best Foreign Language Film and for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (US Academy Awards).

 

Accompanying Short Film: The Monk and the Fish
UK | 1994 | 6:41 | Animation Short | Dir:Michaël Dudok de Wit | Awards: César Award for Best Short Film (1996); Academy Award for Best Short Film (animated) (1995); BAFTA Award for Best British Short Film (1995).

19th September: THE SQUARE

19th September (Third Friday)

THE SQUARE

Australia | 2008 | 105 mins | Noir/Thriller | Dir: Nash Edgerton
Cast: David Roberts, Claire van der Boom and Joel Edgerton

Lovers, Ray and Carla, plan to burn down her house at Christmas and to run off with her husband’s drug money. Ray has a side scheme going too, taking kickbacks on the love hotel project whose construction he is managing. The suburban Aussie marrieds live across a river from each other, the much older, domesticated Ray in an upper middle-class neighbourhood, Carla on the wrong side of the water. The cheaters will lure their families to the same Christmas picnic celebration, to provide alibis while still being able to sneak off and chat about the arson. Carla’s tow-truck owner hubby, Smithy, is a fearsome tough to cross, so will the philanderers’ holiday gifts come through, or explode in their lying faces?

Between 2008 and 2011, The Square won two awards and received 15 nominations, including, in 2009, for Best Film (Film Critics Circle of Australian Awards and Australian Film Institute and Sydney Film Festival).

 

Accompanying Short Film: Death Doula
2022| 39m | Animation | Comedy | Drama | Dir: Jenna Sutch | Awards: Jenna Sutch won the “Outstanding Director Drama” award for her work on the series.

15th August: PERFECT DAYS

15th August (Third Friday)

PERFECT DAYS

Japan | 2023 | 125 mins | Drama/Narrative | Dir: Wim Wenders
Cast: Kôji Yakusho, Tokio Emoto and Arisa Nakano

Hirayama works as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. He seems content with his simple life. He follows a structured everyday life and dedicates his free time to his passion for music and books. Hirayama also has a fondness for trees and photographs them. More of his past is gradually revealed through a series of unexpected encounters.

Do not underestimate the power of this gentle film, which will uplift the weariest traveller.

Between 2023 and 2025, Perfect Days won eight awards and received 42 nominations, including, in 2024, for Best International Feature Film (US Academy Awards).

 

Accompanying Short Film: THE PITCH
UK  | 2015 | 9m  | Short  | Dir. John Hardwick

18th July: TUNES OF GLORY

18th July (Third Friday)

TUNES OF GLORY

UK | 1960 |106 mins | Drama/Classic | Dir: Ronald Neame
Cast: Alec Guinness. John Mills and Susannah York

Major Jock Sinclair has been in this Highland regiment since he joined as a boy piper. During World War II, as Second-in-Command, he was made acting Commanding Officer.

Now the regiment has returned to Scotland, and a new commanding officer is to be appointed. Jock’s own cleverness is pitted against his new C.O., his daughter, his girlfriend, and the other officers in the Mess.

Between 1960 and 1961, Tunes of Glory won one award, in 1960, for Best Actor (John Mills, at the Venice Film Festival) and received seven nominations, including, in 1960, for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (US Academy Awards).

Accompanying Short Film: These Stars Are Mine
Australia | 1943 | 6 m | Short | Dir: George Malcolm | Cast: Peter Finch Wilfrid Thomas Patricia Firman.

 

20th June: BELFAST

20th June (Third Friday)

BELFAST

UK | 2021 | 98 mins | Drama/Coming of age | Dir: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Jude Hill, Lewis McAskie and Caitríona Balfe

Belfast, 15 August 1969.

Surrounded by sporadic violence and growing danger, nine-year-old Buddy finds himself confronted with the ugly reality of sectarian conflict.

As the suffocating stranglehold of increasing turmoil tightens around his once-peaceful working-class neighbourhood, Buddy tries his best to understand ‘The Troubles’. After all, someone must be responsible for forcing people to flee their homes. Now, Buddy’s family must come face to face with a nearly impossible, life-altering decision: should they stay or should they start packing.

Between 2021 and 2023, Belfast won 60 awards, including, in 2022, for Best Original Screenplay (US Academy Awards) and received 255 nominations, including, in 2022, for Best Motion Picture of the Year (US Academy Awards) and for Best Film (BAFTA Awards) and for Best Picture (Critics Choice Awards) and, in 2023, for Best Non-American Film (Bodil Awards).

 

Accompanying Short Film: Proof
US | 2019 | 11 m | Drama Short | Dir: Nora Jaenicke Richard A. Stein | Cast: Preeti Gupta Jacopo Rampini Aalok Rathod.

 

16th May 2025: I’M NOT SCARED

16th May (Third Friday)

I’M NOT SCARED

Italy | 2003 | 108 mins | Thriller/Mystery | Dir: Gabriele Salvatores
Cast: Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Dino Abbrescia and Giorgio Careccia

While playing outside one day, nine-year-old Michele discovers Filippo, who is chained to the ground at the bottom of a hole. Michele witnesses town baddie Felice nearby and suspects something bad is happening. Michele is unsure whom he should tell about his discovery, eventually spilling the beans to his closest friend.

Between 2003 and 2006, I’m Not Scared won 14 awards and received 18 nominations, including, in 2005, for Best Non-American Film (Bodil Awards).

 

Accompanying Short Film: La Lune Folle
UK | 2016 | 10 m | Short Drama Fantasy | Dir: Meneka Das | Cast: Siân Phillips, Tara MacGowran, Yasmin Joy Vigua, Paul Fuller, Max Campbell | Awards: Winner Rajasthan International Film Festival Best Short Film (2017); Nominee London, Dehli, British Idependent, Third Eye Asian, Ramsgate International Film Festivals.

 

11th April 2025: IT MUST BE HEAVEN

Palestine/France | 2019 | 97 mins | Comedy/Drama | Dir: Elia Suleiman
Cast: Elia Suleiman, Tarik Kopty and Kareem Ghneim

Like a modern Jacques Tati with a hint of Buster Keaton, the director, writer, and actor, Elia Suleiman, embodies a silent version of himself, coming up with subtle and ingenious ways to portray the Palestinian ghettoisation. This time, in search of homeliness, Suleiman’s alter ego travels from Nazareth to Europe, making the first stop at picturesque Paris to promote his movie, and then, off he goes to bustling New York City. There, he meets his friend, the actor, producer, and writer, Gael García Bernal, who is eager to lend a hand; however, it seems that his film is not Palestinian enough. But, when confronted with life’s inherent absurdity, what else is there to do but sit back and stare in bewilderment?

Between 2019 and 2021, It Must Be Heaven won six awards and received 17 nominations, including, in 2019, a Palme d’Or (Canne Film Festival) and was the Official Submission from Palestine for Best International Feature Film (US Academy Awards).

 

Accompanying Short Film: Love At First Sight
UK | 2010 | 12:40 | Comedy Drama Short | Dir: Michael Davies | Cast: John Hurt Phyllidia Law Barry McCarthy | Awards: Nominated British Independent Film Award for Best Short Film.

 

2023 Film Workshop: Production & Post-Production

Following on from the previous Film Workshops on ‘How to make a Short Film’ the Barossa Film Club are hosting another session focused on Production and Post-Production in support of the 2023 Youth Short Film Competition.

Local Adelaide-based film-maker Anthony Frith and previous YSFC winner Ekkia Evans will be overseeing this free workshop. While aimed at those interested in submitting to the YSFC, the session is open to everyone aged 9 to 25 years.

These workshops were possible thanks to the generous support of the Barossa Council and the YSFC sponsors: Rockford Wines, Pam O’Donnell and The Barossa Coop.

This workshop will:

  • Help troubleshoot problems of short films currently in production or post production.
  • Provide tailored information on film-making based on the participants needs.
  • Answer questions on submitting to the YSFC.
  • Host a space for local young film-makers to meet like-minded peers.

Location: Greenock Oval Pavilion.

Time: Saturday 16th of September, 1PM – 3PM

Cost: FREE

To book your spot please contact barossafilmclub@gmail.com by Friday the 15th of September.

Anthony Frith – a short bio

Anthony is a writer and director whose work includes the award-winning ABC iview series LESSONS FROM A MIDDLE CLASS ARTIST. In 2018, Anthony participated in a twelve-day practical filmmaking workshop in the Peruvian jungle where he made a film under the mentorship of Werner Herzog. This led to an attachment on Werner’s NOMAD: IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF BRUCE CHATWIN. Anthony was the recipient of the 2019 AIDC’s ACCESS Mentorship grand prize which was a two month internship at Beach House Pictures in Singapore. In 2021 Anthony Story Produced a new IP for Channel 9 titled FOR THE LOVE OF PETS, which aired in 2023.

Alongside his work as a director, writer and editor, Anthony has led many workshops for young film-makers (including the How To Make A Short Film workshop at last July’s Barossa Mini Film Fest) and, for Adelaide Film Festival, produced, along with Leela Varghese, a short online series How To Make A Film:

https://adelaidefilmfestival.org/aff-youth/howtomakeafilm/

 

Ekkia Evans- a short bio

Ekkia Evans is an emerging writer and film-maker from the Barossa Valley. Her first short film, ‘The Getaway Driver’ won the Barossa Film Club’s inaugural Youth Short Film Competition in the senior category. In 2023 Ekkia joined the Barossa Film Club to help organise and promote their short film competition and assist with the Club’s website and social media.

In 2022 she participated in the competitive program AFTRS Talent Camp SA, which is a skills development program designed for emerging individuals to create new content and be employment ready for the screen sector. In 2023 she made her second short film with Super 8 analogue film as part of Carclew’s Super 16 Workshop with Bryce Kraehenbuehl. Ekkia also worked as a Production Runner on the short film Dragons Breath (Dir. Melanie Easton, 1st AD James Dubay) in January of 2023.

Barossa Film Club’s 20th Anniversary

Barossa Film Club was founded 20 years ago and is still a very active Club, screening unusual and interesting films each month. The Club was founded by Paddy Carter, who almost single-handedly started showing films at the Barossa Arts Centre at Faith College in Nuriootpa each month. These screenings then moved to the College Wine Centre until the start of Covid, which restricted groups of people congregating in a school area, and the Club now meets at the Hall at St Peter’s Church in Tanunda.

To celebrate our twenty years, on the 19th of May, members were encouraged to bring a guest, and to bring a plate of nibbles to share. Wines were donated and there was a celebratory cake to cut.

Thank you to Charmaine Grieger Photography for taking photos on the night.