THERE’S something for everyone at the Revelation International Film Festival with everything from comedies and thrillers to docos and science fiction.
If you like dark comedy, then check out $Positions.
Small town, small time crypto-investor Mike Alvarado (Michael Kunicki) hits pay-dirt when his investments pay off, but, of course, things are far more complicated than that and Mike’s world becomes increasingly complex as this dark comedy unfolds.
• (Top to bottom) Bad Haircut, Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie, $Positions, and Don’t Forget Me: Eddie Cochran the Official Documentary are showing at the Revelation International Film Festival in Perth.
First time feature director Brandon Daley, who also wrote the script, deftly guides the film as the action unfolds, creating an occasionally nerve-wracking exploration of money, crypto, addiction, family, and the nature of being poor.
Administering a jolt in the arm to Australian cinema is Aphelion.
A dramatic feature told in real time in a single location, the film follows Zinaida, a young woman suffering from anxiety and depression, self-medicating with illicit drugs.
She struggles to fit into society, feeling judged and worthless, hiding away in her cheap share-house room while taking comfort in the love and affection of another troubled soul.
Caleb is a charming grifter, always trying to make the most out of any situation. He makes Zinaida feel special, but uses her need for validation and affection to abuse and control her.
Caleb spends her money, isolates her from her friends, and makes her feel that she needs him.
Bad Haircut fuses horror, drama and comedy in an arresting package.
Shy college kid Billy (Spencer Harrison Levin) gets pressured into getting a haircut, but Mick the barber seems a little different, while his friends go to buy shoes, Billy finds himself in the barber’s chair.
The movie delivers a high-octane absurdity that, whenever you think it reaches some kind of peak, manages to take you somewhere else.
Director Misak’s Bad Haircut has cult film all over it, a wild ride into hairdressing, violence and madness.
Meanwhile, in Mick, actor Frankie Ray creates an incredible and memorable larger than life character.
Fans of classic rock ’n’ roll will enjoy Don’t Forget Me: Eddie Cochran the Official Documentary.
A virtual who’s who of rock and roll contribute to this documentary, which tells the story of the legendary Eddie Cochran, including Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Alice Cooper, Suzi Quatro, Brix Smith-Start, Yungblud, and John Waters.
Made with the support of the Cochran Estate, Don’t Forget Me includes archive footage and recreations to tell the story of one of the key figures in the early history of rock and roll.
The diverse nature of Revelation is evident with the doco Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie by acclaimed director Alex Gibney.
More than 30 years after Iran issued a fatwa calling for author Salman Rushdie’s death over The Satanic Verses, Rushdie travelled to Chautauqua to speak about the United States as a sanctuary for exiled writers and artists.
Using excerpts from Rushdie’s works, including his powerful memoir Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, Gibney’s documentary is both a striking testament to freedom of expression and a defiant response to the attempt on Rushdie’s life. The film incorporates never-before-seen footage shot by Rushdie’s wife, Rachel Eliza Griffiths, in the days and weeks following the attack.
Knife blends reportage with fictionalised dialogues to explore the mindset of the attacker, probing the “why” behind the violence. At its core, the film is a portrait of resilience, and a call to action against censorship and hatred.
There’s even something for sports fans with the documentary Lomu.
From the streets of South Auckland to the world’s biggest rugby stages, this feature documentary traces the extraordinary rise, global impact and private struggles of Jonah Lomu.
For more info see revelationfilmfest.org.