Doco Club Launches to Full House

8 March 2010

Reviews

Last month the inaugural ‘Doco Club’ launched at the Film & Television Institute Cinema to full house. The night opened with the WA premiere of the multi-award winning short documentary SALT and Q&A with filmmaker Mick Angus before the WA premiere of David Bradbury’s acclaimed feature documentary MY ASIAN HEART. Both films were followed by a skype link-up with the filmmakers giving the audience a unique opportunity to speak to the filmmakers behind each film. The response from the audience was overwhelmingly positive.

Audience Reactions:
I am looking forward to many more great docos and evenings!
Roel Loopers

I really I appreciated the doco show last night. Most impressive to me was the quality and attention that went into every aspect.
Bob Sommerville

The next Doco Club will be on Monday April 19th at FTI. Join us for two special documentary screenings and an intimate Q&A with Australia’s filmmaking wunderkind Amiel Courtin Wilson.

We will be screening his multi-award winning feature documentary BASTARDY and his Cannes selected short film CICADA.

Amiel Courtin-Wilson – Director’s Biography
After making his first film at age 9, Amiel’s short film CHARLIE’S TOY MEETS MADELINE MORITZ won the Longford Nova Award at the 1996 St Kilda Film Festival when he was 17 years old. At age 19, Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s debut feature documentary, CHASING BUDDHA, premiered at Sundance in 2000. CHASING BUDDHA was nominated for an Australian Film Institute (AFI) award for Best Direction and won a slew of awards, including Best Documentary at the 2000 Sydney Film Festival’s Dendy Awards and the IF (Inside Film) Awards. With 15 short and 3 feature documentary credits, he has also directed and produced music clips, exhibited his video art internationally and presented guest lectures at the likes of UCLA in California. He is also a regular contributor to national and international film and art magazines and journals.

Amiel’s latest film CICADA had its international premiere at the Cannes Film Festival as part of Directors’ Fortnight in 2009 and Amiel is currently developing four feature films including the feature length version of CICADA, as well as completing the feature-length documentary CATCH MY DISEASE about renowned Australian pop singer Ben Lee.

BASTARDY
Jack Charles is a junkie, cat burglar and a regular behind bars – which, as it happens, isn’t such a bad thing. Jack Charles is also an Aboriginal elder, one of Australia’s most critically acclaimed actors – and, as it happens, he has an amazing story to tell. In 2001 filmmaker Amiel Courtin- Wilson sat down with Jack for the first time, within minutes the affable and dapper Jack had Amiel’s camera trained squarely on him. For the next seven years Jack revels as the effervescent and endearing star, pausing only when forced to serve time, a fate he accepts with admirable dignity. “It gives me a rest from burgs, you know. I didn’t have to do it anymore”. The result of Amiel and Jack’s seven years worth of footage is a lasting friendship, renewed optimism and the feature length documentary Bastardy, a truly inspiration film that has been blowing film festival audiences away.

Bastardy isn’t just profoundly moving but is also intuitively amusing and light hearted – those that catch it will be counting their lucky stars, especially if they see it where everyone should see a great film – the theatre.

“Absorbing… confronting… a festival highlight.” The Age
“Magnificent.” Inside Film
“An unforgettable portrait… extraordinary… a must see” Filmlink

Trailer

Screenings & Awards:
Film Critics Circle of Australia – Jury Prize for Best Documentary
Pacific International Documentary Film Festival 2010 – Special Jury Prize
Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards 2009 – Best Documentary Finalist
Official Selection Melbourne International Film Festival 2008
Official Selection Singapore International Film Festival 2009
Official Selection Sydney Film Festival Australian Documentary Competition 2009

Please join us for a very special DOCO CLUB with Amiel Courtin-Wilson
7pm Monday 19th April
FTI Cinema, Fremantle
Tickets: $10 / $5 Industry & Concession

The Film & Television Institute is proud to support Doco Club

Image: Britt Arthur conducting a Q&A with ‘My Asian Heart’ producer Carmelo Musca.