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Australian Film Festival 2009
The Australian High Commission in collaboration with Screen Australia will host a Film Festival featuring award winning Australian films of the recent past. The Film Festival will be held from 22 to 24 May 2009 at the BMICH Cinema Hall with three shows daily at 11.00am, 3.00pm and 6.30pm.
The festival will offer an opportunity for Sri Lankan audiences to enjoy some of the best products of the Australian film industry, which has earned a reputation for producing innovative and unique films which have a global appeal. The High Commission hopes that the festival will help strengthen the excellent cultural and social ties that already exist between Sri Lanka and Australia.
Eleven films will be screened including the critically acclaimed ‘Ten Canoes’ as the main feature. The film, narrated by celebrated Aboriginal actor David Gulpilili, won a special jury prize at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. The festival will also feature the 1992 Australian classic ‘Strictly Ballroom,’ which achieved worldwide success and was shown in 86 countries, including Sri Lanka.
Three children’s films for the younger audience have also been lined up. The Magic Pudding, an animated feature is voiced by Geoffrey Rush and Hugo Weaving; Harvie Crumpet, which won the Academy award for the Best Animated Short Film in 2003; and Amy, a story about a mute 8-year old girl’s life won the Grand Jury Award for outstanding contribution to humanity at the Asian Pacific Film Festival in 1999.
The festival is sponsored by Abans, Maliban Milk, Infotechs, Standard Chartered Bank, Sri Lanka Insurance, Edlocate Pvt Ltd, East West Marketing, AG Austasia Pty Ltd, Australian Education Consultants, UAS Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Associated Motorways, Wickramaracchi and Co, Maharaja Group and Wijeya newspapers.
Entrance is free. For passes and program information please telephone 2463200 extension 252.