MDFF: Sunday Shorts 1
STUDENT HUNGER: A SILENT CRISIS – Directed by Jane Dyson.
Shame. Loneliness. Fatigue. Anxiety. How does it feel to go hungry on campus? Food insecurity is a silent yet critical issue affecting up to 40% of university students. But the stigma surrounding hunger means students’ experiences remain hidden. This animated portrait draws on ethnographic research conducted by and with food insecure students in Australia. It tells an intimate story of debilitating shame and exclusion, of individual hustle and the comfort of working together, and ultimately urges us to talk about food.
KUYATA’S COUNTRY – Directed by Nicola Bell.
Audrey Kuyata Stewart is the last speaker of her language, Lower Southern Arrernte. Kuyata's Country follows Audrey as she passes on knowledge of Country and language to her nephew, Richie Aitken, and his family who live over 1000km away in Adelaide. Filmed on stunning Lower Southern Arrernte Country in the North-East of South Australia, Kuyata's Country is a charming celebration of connection to culture, Country and family across distance and time.
OUR GHOSTLY CREW – Directed by Donna Mcrae.
OUR GHOSTLY CREW follows artist Michael Vale as he makes his painting Our Ghostly Crew in lockdown. Partner and subject of the painting, filmmaker Donna McRae, filmed the journey to win one of Australia’s richest art prize, the 2021 Doug Moran.
FILMING DOGS – Directed by Peta Hitchins.
A room full of potential stars. But these ones have fur. FILMING DOGS follows a small scruffy terrier called Ra as she attends an animal actor audition with three other dog actors. Ra is thirteen years old and is running out of time to realise the fame her human, the filmmaker, thinks she deserves. At its core, FILMING DOGS explores the reasons for their humans seeking on-screen fame for their dogs and questions whether it is for us, for them, or for some other reason.
TRUTH TELLING – Directed by Lucy Little.
TRUTH TELLING is a short documentary featuring Uncle Ossie Cruse. It tells the story of Ossie from an early age and his experiences as an Indigenous person in Australia. Ossie opens up about the discrimination he faced growing up, alongside the racism inflicted upon his fellow Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is a heart-wrenching depiction of violence, the struggles of intergenerational trauma, and the hatred many people breed in the name of power. Yet it is also a warm welcome to all peoples, of all races, to join Ossie in his hopeful quest for peace; it is a culmination of a lifetime of knowledge, and a request of the century - will you join me in love?
BILLBOARD SQUAD – Directed by Cat Mills.
When quirky Torontonian, Dave Meslin, spotted two gigantic billboards in a little forest he asked himself “who could have approved these eyesores?”. As it turns out, no one. The city admitted there were no permits for these billboards, and they would be promptly removed. Fifteen years later, the billboards are still there, and Dave is rolling up his sleeves to reignite the battle. Public space belongs to the everyman, not massive corporations that can bully their way through life with lawyers and lobbyists! He wants all illegal billboards in Toronto torn down. Dave and a team of volunteers start investigating billboards in Toronto, looking for permits. As they battle city bureaucracy, Dave reflects on the loss of his mentor, Tooker, his life of activism and the severe toll it has taken on his mental health.
FORGET ME NOT – Directed by Siobhan Paterson.
A daughter, Marylou, recalls growing up with her father, Joe, and his slow decay into dementia.
WASTEWATER: A TALE OF TWO CITIES – Directed by Sarah Franke.
The other tale of two cities - both plagued by decades of lack of investment and racial discrimination in their wastewater infrastructure and facing further challenges amidst climate change - told by community members, advocates, utility operators, and elected officials. As the nation grapples with how to fund long overdue infrastructure needs, this film brings to light the need for urgency and equity in these decisions.
YOU ARE A STAR NOW – Directed by Ellie Hiskins.
Who would respond to a casting call with little to no details? YOU ARE A STAR NOW delves into the creative, emotive, and sometimes bizarre personalities, abilities and stories of actors trying to make it in the industry.
SO I MARRIED MYSELF – Directed by Amen Jafri.
Filmmaker Amen Jafri follows a divorced, single mother as she joins a controversial new global movement - sologamy (or self-marriage). While sologamy's critics are quick to label it as narcissistic, Jafri seeks to uncover its roots and why women in particular are drawn to it. SO I MARRAIED MYSELF is a quirky and inspiring take on the next level of female empowerment.
Shame. Loneliness. Fatigue. Anxiety. How does it feel to go hungry on campus? Food insecurity is a silent yet critical issue affecting up to 40% of university students. But the stigma surrounding hunger means students’ experiences remain hidden. This animated portrait draws on ethnographic research conducted by and with food insecure students in Australia. It tells an intimate story of debilitating shame and exclusion, of individual hustle and the comfort of working together, and ultimately urges us to talk about food.
KUYATA’S COUNTRY – Directed by Nicola Bell.
Audrey Kuyata Stewart is the last speaker of her language, Lower Southern Arrernte. Kuyata's Country follows Audrey as she passes on knowledge of Country and language to her nephew, Richie Aitken, and his family who live over 1000km away in Adelaide. Filmed on stunning Lower Southern Arrernte Country in the North-East of South Australia, Kuyata's Country is a charming celebration of connection to culture, Country and family across distance and time.
OUR GHOSTLY CREW – Directed by Donna Mcrae.
OUR GHOSTLY CREW follows artist Michael Vale as he makes his painting Our Ghostly Crew in lockdown. Partner and subject of the painting, filmmaker Donna McRae, filmed the journey to win one of Australia’s richest art prize, the 2021 Doug Moran.
FILMING DOGS – Directed by Peta Hitchins.
A room full of potential stars. But these ones have fur. FILMING DOGS follows a small scruffy terrier called Ra as she attends an animal actor audition with three other dog actors. Ra is thirteen years old and is running out of time to realise the fame her human, the filmmaker, thinks she deserves. At its core, FILMING DOGS explores the reasons for their humans seeking on-screen fame for their dogs and questions whether it is for us, for them, or for some other reason.
TRUTH TELLING – Directed by Lucy Little.
TRUTH TELLING is a short documentary featuring Uncle Ossie Cruse. It tells the story of Ossie from an early age and his experiences as an Indigenous person in Australia. Ossie opens up about the discrimination he faced growing up, alongside the racism inflicted upon his fellow Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is a heart-wrenching depiction of violence, the struggles of intergenerational trauma, and the hatred many people breed in the name of power. Yet it is also a warm welcome to all peoples, of all races, to join Ossie in his hopeful quest for peace; it is a culmination of a lifetime of knowledge, and a request of the century - will you join me in love?
BILLBOARD SQUAD – Directed by Cat Mills.
When quirky Torontonian, Dave Meslin, spotted two gigantic billboards in a little forest he asked himself “who could have approved these eyesores?”. As it turns out, no one. The city admitted there were no permits for these billboards, and they would be promptly removed. Fifteen years later, the billboards are still there, and Dave is rolling up his sleeves to reignite the battle. Public space belongs to the everyman, not massive corporations that can bully their way through life with lawyers and lobbyists! He wants all illegal billboards in Toronto torn down. Dave and a team of volunteers start investigating billboards in Toronto, looking for permits. As they battle city bureaucracy, Dave reflects on the loss of his mentor, Tooker, his life of activism and the severe toll it has taken on his mental health.
FORGET ME NOT – Directed by Siobhan Paterson.
A daughter, Marylou, recalls growing up with her father, Joe, and his slow decay into dementia.
WASTEWATER: A TALE OF TWO CITIES – Directed by Sarah Franke.
The other tale of two cities - both plagued by decades of lack of investment and racial discrimination in their wastewater infrastructure and facing further challenges amidst climate change - told by community members, advocates, utility operators, and elected officials. As the nation grapples with how to fund long overdue infrastructure needs, this film brings to light the need for urgency and equity in these decisions.
YOU ARE A STAR NOW – Directed by Ellie Hiskins.
Who would respond to a casting call with little to no details? YOU ARE A STAR NOW delves into the creative, emotive, and sometimes bizarre personalities, abilities and stories of actors trying to make it in the industry.
SO I MARRIED MYSELF – Directed by Amen Jafri.
Filmmaker Amen Jafri follows a divorced, single mother as she joins a controversial new global movement - sologamy (or self-marriage). While sologamy's critics are quick to label it as narcissistic, Jafri seeks to uncover its roots and why women in particular are drawn to it. SO I MARRAIED MYSELF is a quirky and inspiring take on the next level of female empowerment.
| Rating | E |
|---|---|
| Genre | Documentary |
| Running Time | 150 |
| Language |
Show
Times
Session times for the new cinema week, commencing each Thursday, will be released the Tuesday afternoon prior
