5th DOWN UNDER BERLIN: “PARADISE UNKNOWN”
Down Under Berlin is turning 5! Accordingly, our 5th anniversary edition will be
held over the course of 5 days, 16-20 September 2015, at Moviemento Kino in
Berlin.
This year’s theme is “Paradise Unknown”: Down Under Berlin explores stories
about the journey of life, new beginnings, and surviving the everyday.
Audiences will see different ideas of paradise as they unfold on the big screen,
and discover just how near, or how far, paradise can be in Australian and New
Zealand cinema.
Down Under Berlin will present roughly 40 films ranging from independent
productions to one of the contestants in the competition for the best foreign
language film at the Oscars 2015, experimental student films and creative
documentaries.
FESTIVAL WEBSITE: www.downunderberlin.de
FILM STILLS: https://www.flickr.com/photos/downunderberlin/
FESTIVAL TRAILER: https://youtu.be/ZsGYP4r58dE
TICKETS: 8 Euro (5-Ticket-Pass for 35 Euro)
VENUE: Moviemento Kino, Kottbusser Damm 22, 10967 Berlin
ACCREDITATION: https://downunderberlin.typeform.com/to/t5Qhco
DOWN UNDER BERLIN 2015 HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
- Elixir (2015), a sumptuously shot deliriously culture-mashing feature film
debut from boundary-pushing writer/director Brodie Higgs, with input from 22
contemporary Berlin-based artists. This German-Australian co-production is this
year's opening feature. Brodie Higgs will be in attendance.
- Wake in Fright (1971), a thrilling Australian classic. Brutally honest and
disturbing, this film left Martin Scorsese speechless!
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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- Wyrmwood (2014), a post-apocalyptic zombie movie, was an Internet
phenomenon even before it hit Australian cinemas. This feature will take you
on a wild trip through the outback as you have never experienced it before.
- The Dead Lands (2014), the coming-of-age story of a young warrior set in a
not so distant past captivates with breathtaking images and a pulsing
soundtrack. This was New Zealand's entry for the foreign language film
competition at the 87th Oscars.
- The Dark Horse (2014), an international festival hit, this provocative and
emotionally-charged drama is based on a true story and features a stellar cast.
- Hip Hop-eration (2014), a wonderfully warm and energetic Kiwi adventure,
this documentary follows a troupe of courageous, yet cheeky, senior citizens on
an extraordinary quest to perform at the World Hip Hop Championships in Las
Vegas. Down Under Berlin presents a special German preview before the official
cinema release 1 October.
- Once My Mother (2013), a multi-award winning documentary that tells of
the incredible and harrowing global journey of a woman during the 2 nd World
War from eastern Poland to a prison camp in Siberia, to a refugee camp in
Africa and finally to Australia. Producer Rod Freedman will be in attendance at
the screening.
- I am Emmanuel (2013), an inspiring short film that is part of our NEW
TALENTS SHOWCASE program. This remarkable short with original storytelling
and stunning cinematography is the story of 21-year-old Sudanese refugee
Emmanuel who seeks a future in Australia that is not determined by his past.
- Hungry Man (2012), a bizarre story of a man, his tapeworm, and the girl who
comes between them. Reminiscent of the black humour and unique setting of
Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro's “Delicatessen”, Hungry Man is part of the
GUEST PROGRAM curated by the Australian film festival MADE IN MELBOURNE.
Introduction by festival director Ivan Malekin.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Wed | 16 September | 20:00 - OPENING NIGHT: FILM + Q&A
Elixir
by Brodie Higgs | 2015 | 111 min | GER & AUS (German subtitles)
Welcome note by the Australian Embassy in
Berlin (tbc). Director Brodie Higgs will be in
attendance at the screening.
Art. Love. Fear. A group of young artists challenge the world around them and
find in one another the family that they long for. Elixir imagines the surrealists
of the 1920s living in current day Berlin. Brodie Higgs has created a visually
stunning debut feature film starring a talented international cast including
Stipe Erceg and Lars Eidinger.
Followed by Opening Night Drinks in the cinema lounge
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Thurs | 17 September | 19:30 - NEW ZEALAND SPECIAL FEATURE
The Dead Lands
by Toa Fraser | 2014 | 109 min | NZ (Māori, English subtitles) | German Premiere
A visually breathtaking tale of revenge driven by a pulsing soundtrack, The
Dead Lands takes us into the fierce world of a Māori clan war. Set in the lush
forests of New Zealand and featuring the beautiful and deadly martial art of
Mau Rakau, The Dead Lands was New Zealand's entry for the
87th Oscar foreign-language competition.
Accompanying Short: Call of the Wild
by Frank Hofmann | 2015 | 11 min | NZ
Director Frank Hofmann and
cinematographer Magnus Wacinski
will be in attendance at the screening.
In 1914 the Laughing Owl or Whekau (Māori) became extinct. 100 years later,
New Zealand artist Hayden Fowler is looking for a contemporary language to
mourn this loss. In a unique art performance he reenacts the specimen and
transforms himself into a medium of vital memory.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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THE DOWN UNDER BERLIN NEW TALENTS SHOWCASE
The New Talents Showcase gives film students in Australia a platform to show
their films on the big screen in Germany, and gives audiences a look at the
filmmakers of tomorrow. In 2015, Down Under Berlin presents three short film
programs from two renowned Sydney institutions, the Australian Film Television
and Radio School and the Sydney Film School. The New Talents Audience
Awards is presented to the favourite student film of this section, as chosen by
our audience in Berlin.
Australian Film Television Radio School
AFTRS is Australia's national screen arts and broadcast school and enjoys
strong political and industry support. AFTRS production, research and
collaborative activities contribute directly to the nation's creative economy.
AFTRS is regarded as one of the top 15 Film Schools in the world - and the only
Australian institution to make the list! (www.aftrs.edu.au)
Sydney Film School
Sydney Film School (SFS) is one of the top film schools globally, renowned for
its focus on story telling. Its production house model delivers comprehensive
hands on training. Sydney Film School graduates are employed in the screen
and media industries throughout the world. (www.sydneyfilmschool.com)
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Fri | 18 September | 19:00 - NEW TALENTS SHOWCASE:
LOOKING FORWARD (Curated graduation films from Australia | 2013 | total
length: 64 min)
Kill Your Sons (Sydney Film School)
by Amaan Hassen | 2013 | 19:43 min | AUS | International Premiere
Three young men attack a couple at a train underpass. Only upon reflection of
this horrific act one of them realises that his actions will determine his future.
Bo Mi (AFTRS)
by Andrew Lee | 2013 | 13:30 min | AUS | International Premiere
Alone on an island, two people depend only on one another for company and
for love. But can they move on from their past and the moment that changed
both their lives?
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Stuffed (AFTRS)
by Warwick Young | 2013 | 22 min | AUS | German Premiere
Peter loves two things in life: stuffing animals, and his mother. When Ellen asks
Peter to the dance he struggles to leave the comfort of home and his mum.
Horrie (AFTRS)
by Lucas Li | 2013 | 9:30 min | AUS | European Premiere
From stray pup to war hero to quarantine hazard, Horrie is the amazing true
story of Australia’s most beloved war dog and his human companion, Private
Jim Moody.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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OZPLOITATION AT DOWN UNDER BERLIN
There is something special about genre films from Australia, and a tradition
emerged in the 1970s that pushed the boundaries of filmmaking and brought
new and often extreme stories to the big screen. This period saw a boom in
filmmaking down under, and the introduction of the R rating for audiences 18
years and older gave the industry a new target audience to shock, thrill and
terrify. Down Under Berlin celebrates classic and modern Ozploitation in Berlin
with WAKE IN FRIGHT and WYRMWOOD in our Friday night double feature.
Fri | 18 September | 20:30 - WILD, AUSTRALIA! OZPLOITATION
Wake in Fright
by Ted Kotcheff | 1971 | 114 min | AUS
Brilliant and terrifying, this Australian classic inspired many films both Down
Under and around the world. The story of a young teacher passing through a
rough country town turns into a wild trip of booze, guns and kangaroos. Brutally
honest and disturbing, see the film that left Martin Scorsese speechless!
Suitable for audiences aged 16 and older / FSK 16
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Accompanying Short: Hitch
by Patch Sinclair & Tessa Rex | 2013 | 3 min | AUS | European Premiere
Two young hitchhikers Tessa and Julia are waiting by the highway at a camel
farm near Alice Springs in the outback. At dusk, a ute rolls up and without
thinking they jump in, embarking on an all-night adventure to Adelaide.
Fri | 18 September | 23:00 – THE OZPOCALYPSE IS NOW!
Wyrmwood
by Kiah Roache-Turner | 2014 | 98 min | AUS
After a comet crashes into Earth people start to turn into zombies, and the
living struggle to survive. Made with lots of passion and little budget, brothers
Kiah and Tristan Roache-Turner have created a bloody good tale of gore.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Sat | 19 September | 12:30 - NEW TALENTS SHOWCASE: BECOMING
WHOLE (Graduation films from Australia / 2013 / total length: 55 min)
Biting Down (Sydney Film School)
by Kate Cornish | 2013 | 7:38 min | AUS | German Premiere
A young female heroine challenges the traditional role of ‘femme fatale’ – a
true force in her own right.
Nowhere (Sydney Film School)
by Carolina Izquierdo | 2013 | 14:17 min | AUS | International Premiere
A couple goes hiking and tries to rekindle their relationship but when they get
separated in the bush, they realise that sometimes you need to get lost in
order to get found.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Like Breathing (AFTRS)
by Liz Cooper | 2013 | 13 min | AUS | European Premiere
Working in her father’s mechanic shop, Max suppresses her true colours. When
a young woman comes in with car trouble, attraction is instant and Max
surrenders.
Shadow (Sydney Film School)
by Sandra Fonseca | 2013 | 20 min | AUS | European Premiere
A young woman pursues a relationship that provides no emotional fulfillment.
She struggles to find out what she really wants and deserves in life and in love.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Sat | 19 September | 14:00 - INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIA: FILM + Q&A
Message from Mungo
by Andrew Pike & Ann McGrath | 2014 | 70 min | AUS (English subtitles) |
European Premiere
Introduction by Prof. Dr. Anja Schwarz
(Chair of British Cultural Studies, University
of Potsdam).
When archaeologists discovered Mungo Lady,
the remains of a 40 000 year-old human, it dramatically changed the
knowledge about Australian history. Where some see old bones, others see a
part of their family and their ancestry. A complex struggle surrounding scientific
and spiritual significance began.
Supporting Short: The Eagle
by Gus Berger | 2015 | 10 min | AUS | International Premiere
After a death in the family, Coombra lost himself in a life of drugs and crime
sinking deeper into despair. He finds support in an indigenous community
program.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Sat | 19 September | 16:30 - GLOBAL JOURNEY: FILM + Q&A
Once My Mother
by Sophia Turkiewicz | 2013 | 73 min | AUS (Engl. & Russ., English Subtitles) /
German Premiere
Producer Rod Freedman will be in
attendance at the screening.
In this multi-award winning documentary Sophia Turkiewicz looks into her
mother's incredible and harrowing journey from eastern Poland to a prison
camp in Siberia, to a refugee camp in Africa and finally to Australia where she
leaves her daughter at an orphanage; an act Sophia struggles to understand,
and to forgive.
Accompanying Short: She Said
by Candy Royalle & Patch Sinclair | 2013 | 3:34 min | AUS | International
Premiere
A lyrical musing on a love affair that ended in heartbreak. A poetic meditation
on the transience of time and being.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Sat | 19 September | 19:00 - NEW TALENTS SHOWCASE: BREAKING
THROUGH (Graduation films from Australia / 2013 & 2014 / total length: 66
min)
I Am Emmanuel (AFTRS)
by Genevieve Clay-Smith | 2013 | 20 min | AUS | German Premiere
21-year-old Sudanese refugee Emmanuel seeks a future in Australia that is not
determined by his past. Where words are not available, emotions erupt into
movement.
Clan (AFTRS)
by Larissa Behrendt | 2013 | 7 min | AUS | German Premiere
Despite all naysayers, James Saunders joined Sydney's Convicts Rugby Club
and has become a role model not just for young gay Aboriginal people.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Embrace (AFTRS)
by George-Alex Nagle / 2013 / 16 min / AUS / German Premiere
Therese is bed stricken and spends her days motionless and seemingly
unaware of the world. When she turns 18, pent up issues between family
members surface.
Live Through This (Sydney Film School)
by Lisa Camillo | 2013 | 8 min | AUS | European Premiere
Can a man embrace his mother's killer? A film about the ultimate act of
forgiveness.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Hole (Sydney Film School)
by Davide Carta | 2014 | 15 min | AUS | European Premiere
The drought has been going on for longer than anyone can remember. What is
there for a farmer to do when there is nothing left?
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Sat | 19 September | 20:30 – INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL HIT FEATURE
The Dark Horse
by James Napier Robertson | 2014 | 124 min | NZ (German subtitles) | Berlin
Premiere
Based on a true story, this festival hit follows Genesis Potini, a once heralded
chess champion. Just released from psychiatric care he finds little support from
his family who runs the local gang business. Genesis takes on a seemingly impossible challenge: Training local kids for the national chess championships.
Accompanying Short: Rabbit
by Matthew Richards / 2014 / 15 min / AUS / German Premiere
Abandoned by his parents and keeping a grim family secret, a damaged young
teen is faced with a difficult choice when he brings his girlfriend into the family
home.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Sun | 20 September | 14:00 - OF PEOPLE AND PLACE: FILM & EVENT
Shack Life
by Lesley Branagan & Brent Melton | 2014 | 55 min | AUS | European Premiere
Shack Life depicts the unique shack communities south of Sydney. Established
in the 1930s as a place where people came to escape the hardships of the
Depression, Shack Life portrays a community’s struggle for recognition of their
emotional connection to land, and the importance of community and shared
experiences.
Inside Out Picnic @ Moviemento Lounge with Pies
After the screening of SHACK LIFE we invite our audience to join us for a picnic
at the cinema. Let’s celebrate community and share our stories with delicious
home-made Oma Marnie’s Pies from Berlin.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Sun | 20 September | 16:00 - GUEST FESTIVAL: MADE IN MELBOURNE
Best of 2013 from Made in Melbourne / total length: 79 min
In 2015 Down Under Berlin has partnered up with Australian film festival Made
In Melbourne to present the best this thriving film community has to offer.
Made in Melbourne aims to provide emerging and established filmmakers a
platform to showcase their work in front of their peers and an appreciative
audience. Festival director Ivan Malekin will be in attendance at the screening.
Bless You
by Philip Watts | 2013 | 2 min | AUS | German Premiere
An architect in the skies grows bored with his creation and decides to spice
things up.
Limbus
by Anna Snoekstra | 2013 | 5:40 min | AUS | European Premiere
Trapped in an anonymous roadside motel, Fiona is in a limbo of repressed
desire.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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A Silent Waltz
by Issac Elliott | 2013 | 12 min | AUS | European Premiere
Madeline is excited for the regional dance, but she must overcome her
deafness to ask Wyatt for a silent waltz.
Polo's Robot
by Peter Lowey | 2010 | 9 min | AUS | German Premiere
In a strange land an inventor creates a robot that will change his world forever.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Makeover
by Don Percy | 2013 | 7 min | AUS | German Premiere
Lonely widower Horrie undertakes an unconventional home-style makeover for
a blind date.
Knock
by Thomas Pollard & Nathan Smith | 2013 | 6 min | AUS | German Premiere
The last man on Earth sits alone in a room as three boys spend a sleep over
telling each other scary stories. A dance film with a special twist.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Playpals
by Yianni Warnock | 2012 | 10 min | AUS | German Premiere
A man yearns helplessly to master the small task of existing. This study of
human loneliness, communication and miscommunication is nothing short of
irony.
Hungry Man
by Jordan Prosser | 2012 | 18 min | AUS | European Premiere
The story of a man, his tapeworm, and the girl who comes between them.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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We keep on Dancing
by Jessica Barclay Lawton | 2013 | 8 min | AUS | German Premiere
Two strangers meet through a haze of smoke from a broken down Volkswagen
Beetle in this sweet tale of love, loss, human connection and car trouble.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Sun | 20 September | 18:00 – REBUILDING THE CITY: CINEMA FOR
CHRISTCHURCH
Sunday
by Michelle Joy Lloyd | 2014 | 71 min | AUS & NZ | European Premiere
Composer Simon Hughes will be in
attendance at the screening.
Sunday is a truly independent feature film set in Christchurch, New Zealand,
one year after the devastating earthquakes. The city on the mend is a
metaphor for Charlie and Eve's relationship: one of past devastation, beauty
and a chance at rebuilding bigger and better than before.
Accompanying Short: Am I Dancing
by Jacqueline Hanlin | 2014 | 14:23 min | AUS | International Premiere
Writer and co-producer Rosalie Delaney will
be in attendance at the screening.
26-year-old art school graduate Andie loses her job as a commercial
photographer. It’s the starting point for a tragicomic odyssey from one
narcissistic misfortune to the next: mishaps of Riesling, pet cannibalism, and
run-ins with the law.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Sun | 20 September | 20:15 - FESTIVAL CLOSING: GERMAN SPECIAL
PREVIEW
Hip Hop-eration
by Bryn Evans | 2014 | 93 min | NZ (German subtitles)
Opening note by the New Zealand Embassy
in Berlin (tbc).
Who said your grandmother couldn't be a hip hop star? Join Kara, Maynie, and
Terri – all in their mid 90s - from a small town in New Zealand on their journey
to the World Hip Hop Dance Championships in Las Vegas. Along with twentyfour other senior citizens they defy the odds and hip-hop their way into the
hearts and minds of thousands of young fans from around the world.
Hip Hop-eration will have its official German cinema release 1 October.
Register with [email protected] to attend the
media preview at Central Kino (Rosenthaler Straße 39, 10178 Berlin)
2 September at 3pm.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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Accompanying Short: ROR
by Natalie Cunningham | 2013 | 13:45 min | AUS | German Premiere
Ror Akot, originally from South Sudan, is making his mark on Australian music.
ROR is an inspiring portrait of a young artist with great spirit.
ABOUT DOWN UNDER BERLIN
Down Under Berlin was established in 2011 and is a project of the non-profit
association Down Under Berlin – Australian Film Festival e.V. Now in its fifth
year, it has developed into the largest film festival in Europe dedicated to
Australian and New Zealand film. As such it provides not only a window to
storytelling and cinematography from Down Under but also gives a platform to
filmmakers who want to present their work to German audiences. The festival
showcases a wide range of films including indigenous cinema, short films,
documentaries, experimental and feature films.
PRESS CONTACT: Berit Becker ([email protected], mobile 0151 20647628)
Jack Bradford ([email protected])
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