Event Gallery 2009 – Cinema Nova

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• MAO'S LAST DANCER
Page 2 Picture event

• Mao's Last Dancer Meet The Filmmaker

• Van Diemen's Land Meet The Filmmaker

• Blessed
Meet The Filmmaker

• ANVIL! The Story of Anvil
Meet The Filmmaker

• The 10 Conditions Of Love Meet The Filmmaker event

• BALIBO Meet The Filmmaker event

• LAST RIDE Meet The Filmmaker event

• WINGED CREATURES
Meet The Filmmaker event

• LUCKY COUNTRY Meet The Filmmaker event

• BEAUTIFUL KATES Meet The Filmmaker event

• WAKE IN FRIGHT Meet The Filmmaker event

• PAGE 2 PICTUE:
Disgrace

• DISGRACE Meet The Filmmaker event

• MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX Meet The Filmmaker event

• Accessible Cinema Program launch

• SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK Melbourne Premiere Screening

• SAMSON & DELILAH Meet The Filmmaker

• TULPAN
Meet The Filmmaker

• A FILM
WITH ME IN IT
Meet The Filmmaker

• GOOD
Meet The Filmmaker

• MARY AND MAX
Meet The Filmmaker

• TWO FISTS
ONE HEART
Meet The Filmmaker

• LOVE THE BEAST
Meet The Filmmaker

• BEAUTIFUL
Meet The Filmmaker

• CINEMA NOVA OSCARS 2009 PARTY

Follow this link to earlier 2008
event photos

Follow this link to recent 2010
event photos

A gallery of events, happenings and Cinema Nova exclusives >

MAO'S LAST DANCER Page 2 Picture event Sunday October 11, 2009

Peter George, Jan Sardi & Brian McFarlane	McFarlane discusses Li Cunxin’s book	Sardi discusses his screenplay
Oscar Nominated screenwriter Jan Sardi visited Cinema Nova for a screening of MAO’S LAST DANCER, followed by a Page To Picture discussion of the process of transferring Li Cunxin life-story to the screen. Moderated by critic Peter George, Sardi was joined by Brian McFarlane from the Australian Book Review.

MAO’S LAST DANCER Meet The Filmmaker event
Thursday October 1, 2009

MAO’S LAST DANCER Li Cunxin and Claire Dobbin	Screenwriter Jan Sardi discusses the film with the audience	A scene from Bruce Beresford’s MAO’S LAST DANCER
Cinema Nova audiences were given a treat when the opening night session of Bruce Beresford’s award-winning film MAO’S LAST DANCER was followed by a Q&A with not only Oscar-nominated screenwriter Jan Sardi but also the individual upon whom the film is based, bestselling author and dancer Li Cunxin. Hosted by Claire Dobbin, chair of the Melbourne International Film Festival, the sell out crowd learnt how Sardi convinced Li to allow him to adapt the dancer’s memoir in the face of international offers. The audience also had the chance to ask questions of Li and Sardi, which brought to light many interesting aspects of the film’s production.

VAN DIEMEN’S LAND Meet The Filmmaker event
Tuesday September 22, 2009

Historian Michael Cathcart, Jonathan Auf Der Heide, Oscar Redding & Maggie Miles	The panel takes a question from the audience	Star & co-writer Oscar Redding & producer Maggie Miles
Australia’s gothic past has been stunningly revisited in filmmaker Jonathan Auf Der Heide’s historical thriller VAN DIEMEN’S LAND. Presenting his film to a sold-out audience, Auf Der Heide was joined at Cinema Nova for a preview screening of the film by star and co-writer Oscar Redding, producer Maggie Miles and historian Michael Cathcart. Based on the true story of convict Alexander Pearce and his flights from justice into the unforgiving bush of Tasmania, VAN DIEMEN’S LAND showcases Auf Der Heide as a director to watch.

BLESSED Meet The Filmmaker Event
Sunday August 30, 2009

BLESSED director Ana Kokkinos	Kokkinos discusses the film with moderator Tom Ryan.	Ryan, Kokkinos and Nova’s Kristian Connelly
Melbourne-based director Ana Kokkinos joined Sunday Age critic Tom Ryan for a special preview screening of her latest drama BLESSED, followed by a Q&A. Set in the Western suburbs of Melbourne, Kokkinos’ award winning film is a story of mothers and their children and features outstanding performances from its younger and older, more seasoned cast. Ryan, a considerable fan of the film, invited Kokkinos to explain the film’s origins and how BLESSED’s unusual 2 act structure evolved. The audience were quick to praise not only the film but also the excellent work of the director’s career as well as her ability to attract such a talented group of performers.

ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL Meet The Filmmaker Event
Saturday August 29, 2009

UModerator Paul Verhoeven, Rob Reiner, Sasha Gervasi & Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow.	Sasha Gervasi answers a question from the audience.	ANVIL: Rob Reiner & Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow.
Heavy metal rock band ANVIL! came to Nova with the director of the documentary that follows their attempted comeback for a screening and post-film discussion. Bandmembers since their teenage years, Steve “Lips” Kudlow and Rob Reiner (not the film director) chatted with Triple J’s Paul Verhoeven (not the film director either) and filmmaker Sasha Gervasi during a riotous Q&A that was thoroughly enjoyed by fans of both the film and the band. Following the Q&A, Anvil were mobbed by fans who may or may not have given the band some special cookies to see them through the rest of their stay in Melbourne.

The 10 Conditions of Love Filmmaker event
Tuesday August 18, 2009

Uyghur leader Rebiya Kadeer	Jeff Daniels takes a question from the audience	10 CONDITIONS OF LOVE director Jeff Daniels
Following an appearance at Nova by his subject – as a guest of Readings Books – a few weeks earlier, director Jeff Daniels discussed the incredible series of events that had occurred around his documentary film THE 10 CONDITIONS OF LOVE. Focusing on Uyghur leader Rebiya Kadeer, Daniels spoke of the Chinese Government’s attempt to have the film removed from the 2009 Melbourne International Film Festival as well as the challenges of working with Kadeer as she undertook her political efforts to have East Turkistan achieve independence.

BALIBO Meet The Filmmaker event
Thursday August 13, 2009

L-R: Bea Viegas, Thomas Wright, Jill Jolliffe, Mark Leonard Winter, Rob Connolly, Damon Gameau, Lawrie Zion.	Damon Gameau answers a question from the audience.	AThe panel listens to a question from the audience.
Director Robert Connolly celebrated the opening night of his acclaimed film BALIBO at Cinema Nova with members of the film’s cast, writer Jill Jolliffe and journalist/moderator Lawrie Zion. Following a sold-out screening of BALIBO, Connolly discussed the transition of the story of the Balibo 5 and Roger East to the screen as well as the involvement of José Ramos-Horta – a character in the film – who’s now the President of East Timor. Discussing the dark political history surrounding the story of the journalists, Jolliffe spoke of her own coverage of the Indonesian invasion of East Timor while cast members also spoke of how they came to know the families of the Balibo 5 during production. Most amusing was Connolly’s recollection that José Ramos-Horta was convinced he should have been played by George Clooney.

LAST RIDE Meet The Filmmaker event
Tuesday June 23, 2009

Director Glendyn Ivin (left) discusses LAST RIDE	Moderator Paul Verhoeven, Glendyn Ivin & Tom Russell	A scene from LAST RIDE
Award-winning director Glendyn Ivin proudly presented his feature debut LAST RIDE before discussing the Australian film’s production. Starring Hugo Weaving and newcomer Tom Russell, Ivin’s beautifully photographed drama of a father and son on the run was a greater challenge than the director’s short CRACKER BAG, which won the short film prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Tom Russell also attended the Q&A event, which was moderated by writer, blogger and Triple J presenter Paul Verhoeven.

WINGED CREATURES Meet The Filmmaker event
Thursday July 2, 2009

Rowan Woods signs a poster for his film.	Rowan Woods takes a question from the audience.	A scene from WINGED CREATURES
Australian director of The Boys and Little Fish, Rowan Woods, returned to Melbourne to present a screening of his first US feature WINGED CREATURES. Set in the flat urban landscape of California, WINGED CREATURES features an outstanding ensemble cast made-up of Oscar Winners (including Forest Whitaker & Jennifer Hudson), Aussie ex-pats (Guy Pearce) and acclaimed performers (Jackie Earle Haley, Dakota Fanning and Kate Beckinsale). Woods discussed his experience working overseas as well as how he was able to attract such a stellar cast. The Q&A was moderated by Peter Krause.

LUCKY COUNTRY Meet The Filmmaker event
Sunday July 12, 2009

Director Stenders, writer Cox, Pigot, Moliere & Young.	Kriv Stenders, Toby Wallace & Peter Krause	Kriv Stenders’ LUCKY COUNTRY
Director Kriv Stenders, writer Andy Cox, producer Kristian Moliere and stars Aden Young, Neil Pigot & Toby Wallace all took part in a Q&A following a screening of Stenders’ period colonial thriller LUCKY COUNTRY. In describing how he came to find the location for the film, a remote 1900’s farmhouse, Stenders also explained how Cox’s screenplay came to be set a year after Federation. Young, in his first film directed by Stenders, elaborated on how he came to be involved in the project and how newcomer Toby Wallace’s performance raised the bar on-set. Peter Krause moderated.

BEAUTIFUL KATE Meet The Filmmaker event
Wednesday July 22, 2009

From L-R – Bryan Brown, Ben Mendelsohn, Leah Churchill-Brown and Rachel Ward.	Ward takes a question from the audience.	BEAUTIFUL KATE stars Bryan Brown & Ben Mendelsohn
Australian actress Rachel Ward’s feature debut BEAUTIFUL KATE was screened for a sold-out audience prior to a Q&A with the cast and crew. Joining Ward were producer Leah Churchill-Brown and the film’s stars Bryan Brown and Ben Mendelsohn, who all participated in a high-spirited Q&A and discussed the gothic family drama’s production. Moderated by Peter George, Ward answered questions from the audience about the film, which has been entered into the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival.

WAKE IN FRIGHT Meet The Filmmaker event
Tuesday June 16, 2009

WAKE IN FRIGHT Director Ted Kotcheff and editor Anthony Buckley	Kotcheff muses about his time in the Outback with Mark Hartley (R)	Ted Kotcheff meets a young fan following the Q&A.
1971 Australian drama WAKE IN FRIGHT was all but lost to the past with the few copies of the film known to exist in very poor condition. The film’s editor Anthony Buckley discovered a copy of the film in a Pittsburgh vault before a complete restoration was undertaken by Australia’s National Film and Sound archive and Atlab/Deluxe. Director Ted Kotcheff and editor Anthony Buckley both visited Cinema Nova for a sold-out screening of WAKE IN FRIGHT before participating in a Q&A screening hosted by Mark Hartley, director of the ‘Ozpolitation’ documentary Not Quite Hollywood. Kotcheff relived many of his experiences on-set as well as the reactions of a particular member of the film’s audience at the 1971 Cannes Film Festival, one relatively unknown Martin Scorsese. At the 2009 Cannes Film Festival it was Scorsese who was the curator of the Cannes Classic selection, which welcomed back the restored and complete version of Kotcheff’s WAKE IN FRIGHT.

PAGE TO PICTURE: Disgrace
Sunday June 14, 2009

DISGRACE, based on the novel by J.M. Coetzee	The Panel, clockwise from top left: Peter Rose, Tom Ryan, Elliot Perlman, Michael Brindley, Sue Maslin, Michael Veitch, Catherine Deveny	Moderator Michael Veitch discusses DISGRACE.
Cinema Nova proudly launched the new event concept PAGE TO PICTURE with a screening of Steve Jacobs’ DISGRACE. Based on the prize-winning novel by J.M. Coetzee, PAGE TO PICTURE: Disgrace saw the film adaptation discussed by a panel of Melbourne’s best and brightest arts and publishing minds before a sold-out audience. The panel was moderated by ABC Sunday Arts host Michael Veitch and included author and columnist for The Age Catherine Deveny, the award-winning producer of Japanese Story Sue Maslin, author and screenwriter for Three Dollars Elliot Perlman, editor of Australian Book Review Peter Rose, Sunday Age film critic Tom Ryan (who awarded DISGRACE a four and a half star review) and screenwriter, producer and director Michael Brindley. The first of a planned series of Page To Picture events, this was an auspicious start to Nova’s new initiative.

DISGRACE Meet The Filmmaker event
Wednesday June 10 , 2009

Moderator Peter Krause and DISGRACE director Steve Jacobs.	Steve Jacobs discussed his film DISGRACE with Peter Krause.	John Malkovich in DISGRACE
Director Steve Jacobs braved the cold and travelled to Melbourne for a Meet The Filmmaker Q&A for his new film DISGRACE. In discussion with ABC2 reviewer Peter Krause, Jacobs elaborated on how he and screenwriter Anna Maria Monticelli (who was unable to attend the event) successfully transferred J.M. Coetzee’s Booker Prize winning novel to the screen. Starring John Malkovich as an academic whose actions cause his life to make an unexpected turn, Jacobs’ film is a riveting drama of international quality.

MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX Meet The Filmmaker event
Sunday May 24, 2009

O’Neil, director Sarah Watt and MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX star Matt Day.	Sarah Watt discusses her 2nd Australian feature.	Day, Watt and O’Neil share suburban experiences that are portrayed in Watt’s film.
AFI award-winning Director Sarah Watt (Look Both Ways) and leading man Matt Day (Kiss Or Kill) visited Cinema Nova for a very special preview screening of Watt’s new film MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX. Following the feature Watt and Day were joined by VEGA 91.5 radio presenter and comic Dave O’Neil for a Q&A discussion of the Melbourne-set comedy of the suburbs. Beginning her career in animated short films, Sarah Watt discussed her inspiration for her 2nd feature, the absence of animation in the final product and how she came to cast her husband William McInnes as drag queen Antoinette. Matt Day, returning to his first Australian feature in some time, provided some insight into Watt’s direction as well as the differences between local and international production.

Accessible Cinema Program launch
Monday May 4, 2009

The Federal Minister for Aging Justine Elliot is given a tour of the OC/AD technology by Nova GM Kristian Connelly.	Cinema Nova’s Natalie Miller, Chairperson of the Deafness Forum Margaret Robertson, Justine Elliot MP and Vision Australia’s John Simpson.	A scene from the OC/AD film MARY & MAX.
Cinema Nova proudly played host to the honourable Federal Minister for Aging, Justine Elliot, for the launch of the Accessible Cinema Program. Offering Open Captioned [OC] sessions of films as well as Audio Descriptions [AD] of the on-screen action, selected films will allow hearing and sight impaired audiences to enjoy going to the movies. The Minister enjoyed a OC/AD session of Clint Eastwood drama CHANGELING before taking a tour of the Projection Booth to greater understand how the OC/AD technology worked. Members of the community who will benefit from this new program were also in attendance and were pleased that Cinema Nova has taken this step to open its doors to a new audience. Adam Elliot’s MARY & MAX was the first film to screen at Nova using the OC/AD technology for general audiences and the feedback has been very positive. Cinema Nova hopes to offer a range of titles in the future, subject to the availability of this fledgling technology.

SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK Melbourne Premiere Screening
Tuesday April 28, 2009

Violet & Rose direct the SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK audience.	The audience gives their best Audience performance.	A scene from SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK
Fans of Oscar Winning writer Charlie Kaufman came out in-force to enjoy his directorial debut SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK at Cinema Nova’s Melbourne Premiere screening of the film. Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams and Emily Watson, Kaufman’s fantastical drama is a semi-autobiographical film about a tortured artist (Hoffman) who attempts to stage ‘real life’ in a theatrical performance that comes to consume his entire existence. The audience enjoyed a glass of wine prior to the screening as well as an prelude by performance artists from Violet & Rose Productions – who attempted to cast the audience as a “cinema audience”, complete with “talkers” and “ringing mobile answerers”.

SAMSON & DELILAH Meet The Filmmaker event
Thursday April 23, 2009

Kath Shelper (L) and Warwick Thornton with LOOK BOTH WAYS and MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX director Sarah Watt (R) at Cinema Nova’s Q&A.	Guest host Peter George asks a question of SAMSON & DELILAH director Warwick Thornton and producer Kath Shelper.	Warwick Thornton answers a question from the audience about the film’s development.
Producer Kath Shelper and director Warwick Thornton discovered that their acclaimed feature film SAMSON & DELILAH had been accepted into the Cannes line-up for 2009 while answering questions about the film at Cinema Nova’s exclusive Q&A. Shot in the Northern Territory, SAMSON & DELILAH is a beautifully photographed (Thornton was also the film’s director of photography) romance between two young indigenous Australians who come together amidst uncompromising surroundings and circumstances. Discussing the film’s production, Thornton and Shelper explained how the film came together, how they cast their unknown young leads Rowan McNamara and Marissa Gibson and the overwhelming response they received following the film’s premiere in Alice Springs.

TULPAN Meet The Filmmaker event
Saturday April 18, 2009

TULPAN Director Sergey Dvortsevoy and Q&A host Peter George	Sergey Dvortsevoy takes a question from the audience following a screening of TULPAN	The tale's love-lorn hero, Asa
Cannes prizewinning director Sergey Dvortsevoy visited Cinema Nova for a screening of his comedic romance set upon the Kazakh Steppes, TULPAN. Following the film, guest host Peter George spoke to Sergey about the production of his unusual film and how the director made the shift from documentaries to feature films. Set upon the arid and utterly unique steppes of Kazakhstan, TULPAN is a visually sumptuous romance about a young man, Asa, who returns to his family’s provincial home and discovers that to become a herdsman he must first take a wife. Asa’s challenge is that the region has no available women, except for the mysterious Tulpan.

A FILM WITH ME IN IT Meet The Filmmaker event
Thursday April 19, 2009

Guest host Paul Verhoeven and star of A FILM WITH ME IN IT Dylan Moran.	Dylan Moran answers questions from the audience following the film’s screening in his signature style	A sold-out cinema full of Dylan Moran fans enjoy the hilarious Q&A session at Cinema Nova.
Irish comic legend Dylan Moran appeared before a sold-out audience for a very funny screening of his black comedy A FILM WITH ME IN IT, followed by a Q&A. Hosted by radio’s Paul Verhoeven, Dylan took questions from the audience about the making of the low-budget film, his rise to international stardom, his future plans both off-and-on-screen, the nature of fame as well as the standard question that seems to be asked of almost all international guests who attend a Nova Q&A: what did he think about Barak Obama? In-keeping with his famed persona Dylan had the audience in stitches from beginning to end, including when he was presented with a gift by an audience member: a tea towel with his face screen-printed onto it. The Q&A was filmed by the film’s distributor to be included on A FILM WITH ME IN IT’s eventual DVD release.

GOOD Meet The Filmmaker event
Thursday March 29, 2009

Q&A moderator Paul Verhoeven and Mortensen	Mortensen signs an autograph for an excited fan	Mortensen signs an autograph for an excited fan
The movie star Gods shone upon Cinema Nova with the return of Viggo Mortensen, in Australia to promote his drama GOOD. Having visited Nova once before to promote his David Cronenberg-directed thriller A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, Mortensen this time answered questions about GOOD following a preview screening before delighting fans with an offer to stay and sign autographs. Making sure he was able to meet all 240 guests and sign whatever they put before him (books, DVDs, photos of pets sharing the star’s name) Mortensen proved he truly appreciates his fans. The Q&A was moderated by Triple J radio personality and blogger Paul Verhoeven.

MARY AND MAX Meet The Filmmaker event
Wednesday 25 March, 2009

Brunetti treats presented against a wall of Max’s favourite foods	An eager audience awaits the Premiere of MARY & MAX	Director Adam Elliot and Producer Melanie Coombs introduce the film

Voice performer Bethany Whitmore answers a question with Melanie Coombs and host Lawrie Zion	Bethany Whitmore walks the red carpet	Molly Meldrum discussed his role in the film, flanked by Lawrie Zion and Adam Elliot
Oscar winner Adam Elliot (Harvie Krumpet) walked the red carpet with producer Melanie Coombs, voice-actors Bethany Whitmore and Ian “Molly” Meldrum for the Melbourne Premiere of Elliot’s feature debut MARY & MAX. Along with a sell-out crowd Elliot and Coombs enjoyed themed-treats from Brunetti including blue cheese profiteroles, hot-dogs and petit fours before introducing their five-years-in-the-making claymation epic. The film was rapturously received before the audience enjoyed a Q&A session hosted by Lawrie Zion with the cast and crew, and learnt about the film’s fascinating production process.

TWO FISTS ONE HEART Meet The Filmmaker event
Wednesday March 11 2009

L-R: Producer David Elfick, writer/star Rai Fazio, stars Daniel Amalm & Costas Kilias	Producer David Elfick takes an amusing question	Moderator Peter George (Left) and the Q&A members.
Writer & star of TWO FISTS ONE HEART, Rai Fazio, was joined by costars Daniel Amalm, Costas Kilias and producer David Elfick other cast members for an early screening of the Australian drama, followed by a Q&A. Shot in Perth by WA local Fazio, TWO FISTS ONE HEART is the touching and uplifting story of a young man (Amalm) who defies his Italian father and leaves behind a promising career in boxing. Seeking to prove to his son that he’s made the wrong choice, a troubled former criminal (Fazio) is taken under the trainer’s wing before egos and family history rise to the surface and cause everyone to reconsider their decisions.

LOVE THE BEAST Meet The Filmmaker event
Tuesday 3 March, 2009

Ford Coupe Club take over Lygon Street outside of Cinema Nova.	A sell-out audience enjoys the feature and the Q&A.	Writer, director, star - Eric Bana
Director and star of LOVE THE BEAST Eric Bana greeted a sell-out crowd made-up of movie and motoring enthusiasts for a preview screening of his directorial debut, followed by a Q&A hosted by Francis Leach. Joined by members of the Ford Coupe Club - who arrived at the event in red, yellow and green classic coupes – Bana talked about his motivation for making the documentary about his own obsession with his Ford Coupe and how it took an unexpected turn that changed the outcome of the film. Audience members quizzed Bana on his co-stars, including ‘Car-nut’ Jay Leno, as well as the experience of making a film that featured several of his closest friends and family.

BEAUTIFUL Meet The Filmmaker event
Tuesday 24 February, 2009

DDirector Dean O’Flaherty and Peta Wilson take questions.	Peta Welson, Asher Keddie, Sebastian Gregory & Dean Flaherty.	Moderator Peter Krausz from ABC2 and the BEAUTIFUL panel.
The stars and director of Australian suburban thriller BEAUTIFUL visited Cinema Nova for a Meet The Filmmaker event. On-hand were stars Peta Wilson (La Femme Nikita), Sebastian Gregory (Acolytes), Asher Keddie (Underbelly 2) and writer/director Dean O’Flaherty, who discussed the Adelaide-shot production’s development and O’Flaherty’s inspirations in creating a post 9/11 thriller where everybody is watching everybody and nothing is what it seems.

CINEMA NOVA OSCARS 2009 PARTY
Monday 22 February, 2009

Nova GM Kristian Connelly congratulates producer Bobby Galinsky on his win	Oscar Winner Adam Elliot awards Universal Pictures’ Georgina Martin.	Nova’s Natalie Miller presents Channel 9’s Pete Smith with a Nova Oscars lifetime achievement award

Event Organizer Isobel Hutchinson and Nova colleague Brad Nguyen.	Oscar Viewers enjoy the non-abridged version of the show.	Industry figures mingle before the telecast begins.
The who’s-who of the Melbourne Film Distribution and Exhibition community were joined by industry groups and filmmakers at Cinema Nova to celebrate the 2009 Academy Awards. Over 300 guests watched the live ceremony on the big-screen as they wined and dined in between watching who won and deciding if ‘Our Hugh’ was Hot or Not. Channel 9’s Pete Smith hosted the event and was ably assisted by Oscar-winner Adam Elliot in giving away prizes provided by sponsors including Etihad Airways, STA travel, Sony, Great Southern Rail, Intrepid Travel, GPO traders and Heading Out.

Link to earlier event photos