Kino #5 took place Tuesday June 26th at Chalkhorse gallery in Surry Hills, bringing together 80 Sydneysiders, some filmmakers, some filmwatchers... and some in-between. See if you've been spotted: pics from Kino on our Flickr page.
Meat Pig kicked the evening off in style with what turned out to be their first live public appearance. Check out their wonderful tracks here.
Getting down to business, MC Matt Riviera introduced the first film of the night, a film made at Kino Manchester (a.k.a. Filmonik) entitled Modern Folk. This continues our Jamie Kennerley retrospective, following last month's Boy and Guitar and Stolen, which the Mancunian director presented to us through a specially recorded video intro.
Next we had the first ever film by Dom + Antho, Bizarre Love Quadrangle, a light-hearted 3-minute musical shot in Berlin.
It was followed by The Atomic Adventures of Jack Kerouac, by neon animator Jack Feldstein. It's Jack third film for Kino, and it's a superb follow-up to last month's Culinary Adventures of Jack Kerouac. The film was inspired - and written around - a Meat Pig song called Neutron Betty, the result of a fruitful encounter at Kino #4: well done guys!
Acclaimed filmmaker Stuart Clegg was next. He hadn't made a film but wished to present a short newsreel he'd unearthed. The Judd Brothers Disappearance took us back to 1979, to the scene of a mysterious crime committed in the back of Bourke. Eerie...
At the break our generous open bar served mulled wine (a perfect antidote to this distateful weather) made with love by co-host Marianne, as well as red, white and beer - accompanied by sushi and pastries.
As usual there were plenty of movie tickets up for grabs, including double passes for the eagerly anticipated Isabelle Huppert retrospective (merci Chauvel!), for new Australian feature West, and for the Edith Piaf biopic La Vie En Rose (props to Jack's spirited impromptu rendition of Piaf's Milord!).
After another hot track by guest band Meat Pig, we screened the first of our Kino challenges. Last month we asked if anyone wanted to begin a Choose Your Own Adventure Film. Nils Crompton raised his hand, vowing to shoot the first installment in time for Kino #5. Mission accomplished! Having being given 3 choices at the end of The Magic Dice, the audience voted for the rabbits to make a wish (I guess you have to see it). The film is now being sent to Kino Adelaide where local filmmakers have agreed to shoot the next episode... coming soon to Kino Sydney!
Next up was a drama by Guillaume Fortin entitled Laura. This short film was made in Brusssels in a Kino Kabaret. A Kabaret is like a Kino, except participants have between 2 and 6 days to make a film, rather than an entire month. Sydney will have its own Kino Kabaret as part of the 2nd Canadian Film Festival in November - more soon!
Each month we like to give willing participants a challenge or two. This time Liz put up her hand, allowing the audience to decide what film she should make for Kino #6. As with all democracies, ideas were put to the vote, and as with all democracies, only the ideas likely to make the world a better place were retained. Come back next month to see Liz present "a film about a horny blind girl"!
We finished the evening with another challenge. Last month Lawrence and his partner Michelle accepted to make an "exploitation" film about "butter", as per audience specifications. The result - Benny - was not for the faint of heart. One blogger called it "a daring insight into the world of a butter fetishist". We here at the Kino Blog thought it was pure filth, but then butter wouldn't melt in our mouths...
The evening was 100% Kino: all films shown on the night had been made specifically for Kino (watch them again on YouTube). If you'd like to make a film for Kino #6 (abiding by the rules), simply book your slot by emailing kino@kinosydney.com today.
See you next month!
