Screenwave International Film Festival got off to a high voltage start last night (Thursday) with the controversial film, Terror Nullius, taking the audience on a wildly satiric re-imagining of our national mythology.
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Aunty Bea Ballangarry welcomed everyone to “our stretch of paradise”, encouraging all to maintain respect in “the landscape of life” with Coffs Harbour mayor Denise Knight reminding us the festival was all about supporting the arts.
“We can’t stay quiet about how important this is – acknowledge it and spread the word,” Denise said.
The “weird, misbehaving film” then unfolded with appearances by Tony Abbott, Pauline Hanson, Nicole Kidman, Paul Hogan and so many more of those faces that have graced our Australian screens since way back in the time of Billy McMahon.
Oh, yes, and Skippy and Sonny … can’t forget them …
During the Q&A afterwards New York-based creators, Soda_Jerk (aka Dan and Dominique Angeloro), said the film grew out of their frustration and rage at the lack of social justice in Australia.
“It’s our revenge fantasy and also our love letter to Australian cinema,” Dominique said.
Of the controversial withdrawal of support by the Ian Potter Foundation on the eve of the film’s Australian premiere, the creators said they “did not make it for a board room”.
“We made this for the punks, the pirates, the shit-stirrers, the underprivileged … and for those whose land this was and always will be.”
Tickets are selling fast for the film’s Bellingen outing tonight but there are loads of other treats to delight, right up until January 25.
Check out swiff.com.au.