Friday July 24 2009

My first year at MIFF was in 2001, where I saw a couple of films. Since 2002, I've gone with a festival passport ticket. However, I've never been to the opening night gala event, until this year. Thanks to a very generous invitation from Screen Legend friends, I was able to see what it was all about. It was held at Hamer Hall in the Arts Centre which was nicely decked out. On the way in, VCA students were handing out leaflets trying to 'Save the VCA'. Find out more about that at www.savevca.org if you're interested.

Once seated there were speeches. Lots. But that's okay. Interestingly the Vice Chancellor of Victoria University, someone who I'd have thought was used to public speaking, was the least able to ignite the crowd. Luckily Geoffrey Rush came on after her and did a great comedic intro where he compared festival director Richard Moore to Master Chef judge Matt Preston.

On to the film itself...

BALIBO
5/10
I am sure there will be much publicity about this film, which is about Roger East's journey into East Timor in 1975 to investigate the disappearance of five Australia journalists who had been covering the invasion of the nation by Indonesia. I really like Anthony LaPaglia as an actor, and of course can see the futility in the deaths that occurred. However, a good cause ought to be separated from the quality of a film. The film wasn't bad, but I felt a bit let down. Knowing very little (close to nothing) about the story, I found the beginning a bit confusing with its cutting back and forth between different times. Additionally, I thought that a little more regard to the 183,000 timorese who were slain might have been appropriate rather than just the few Australians. Finally, I don't feel that the film dug deeply enough in to explaining the justifications of either side for their action, nor the political machinery in play that led to the events (or lack of regard to them afterward). Mentions of the US government's supply of military equipment paid for in UK pounds and suggestions the Australian Gov't was involved was about as far things went. Finally, in order to tell a story, the film came across as a bit black and white. The good guys seemed to have no flaws and the bad guys no flicker of compassion in their invasion. This story probably would have made a better documentary. One thing that seemed a little strange/morbid was that the families of the killed journalists were called to come up on stage with the respective actors who played the journalists that were killed. Anyway, you'll doubtless find many reviews claiming this film is a must-see, etc. It's up to you, but I think it can wait for DVD.

After the film, everyone crowded over four floors of the Hamer Hall being served drinks and snacks. I must say it was very nice food, and while there seemed to be a lot of very nicely dressed people, I'm afraid I don't know enough about celebrities to be able to say whether I saw anyone famous amongst the party-goers.

Overall, it was a fun experience, and I'd like to do it again next year, but see it as a very different feel to the rest of the film festival.