BREATH OF FRESH AIR
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LOOK WHO’S COMING TO BOFA 2019
Each year BOFA brings international and local actors, directors and producers to educate and entertain. So, look who’s coming to BOFA 2019!
This year we are delighted to welcome great names of the Australian film industry, new talent from the Tasmanian and Australian film industry and, for the first time, film-makers from Indonesia. They bring their extensive film knowledge, expertise and experiences to the audience, with remarkable stories of their craft. This also provides Tasmanian filmmakers with the opportunity to learn from these luminaries of the industry. This is a rare opportunity for all of us to meet, chat and celebrate with faces and names we normally only see on screen or in print at BOFA 2019.
MEET THE GREATS OF MY BRILLIANT CAREER
SAM NEILL
We are excited to announce the late breaking news that iconic New Zealand actor, Sam Neill, will be our guest to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of My Brilliant Career. His role as Harry, the romantic male lead, led on to acclaimed roles in Jurassic Park, The Piano and Tasmania based The Hunter (BOFA 2011). He has also featured in well-loved film like Robbery Under Arms, Plenty, opposite Meryl Streep, Dead Calm, Death In Brunswick, Hunt for Red October, The Dish, The Daughter and Sweet Country. Born in Northern Ireland, and now living in Australia and NZ he is a Silver Logie winner (Jessica), AACTA Award for Best Actor (Evil Angels) and Best Supporting Actor (The Hunt for the Wilder People).
GILLIAN ARMSTRONG
In 1979 Gillian, only in her 20’s, directed the multi-award-winning film My Brilliant Career. She received two AFI Awards and at the film’s release, she was the first woman to direct a feature-length movie in Australia in almost 50 years. Her feature films and documentaries include Star Struck, The Last Days Of Chez Nous, Little Women, Oscar And Lucinda, Charlotte Gray, Unfolding Florence: The Many Lives Of Florence Broadhurst, and Love Lust And Lies. Gillian’s most recent feature documentary, Women He’s Undressed, premiered at the 2015 Sydney Film Festival. She has been the Chair of Judges at the Cannes Film Festival and the first President of the Australian Director’s Guild.
Meet and hear Sam & Gillian talk about their careers in film at our Saturday Red Carpet Cocktail Party in Launceston on Saturday 18 May
meet-gillianarmstrong-mybrilliantcareer.eventbrite.com.au
Hear Gillian’s views on women in film and life today at Brilliant Careers, Strong Women in Launceston at 2pm, Sunday, May 19, TasTAFE Drysdale Campus, 93 Paterson St. Free.
CHECK OUT THIS OZZIE TALENT
STEPHEN AMIS
Four years in the making, Defend, Conserve, Protect, had its world premiere last month AND won Best International Feature Documentary at the American Documentary (AmDocs) Film Festival. With its Australian premiere at BOFA 2019 in Launceston and Hobart it will release theatrically in Australia mid-year recounting the Sea Shepherd’s fight to save the Minke whales from the Japanese slaughter of this endangered species. Stephen has also directed films such as The BBQ with Shane Jacobson.
Stephen, plus a panel of experts, will discuss the film’s production and the current whaling issues post Japan’s exit from the World Whaling Commission on Saturday, May 11 from 4:00pm to 5:30pm at the Duke Hotel, Hobart after the screening at 2pm. Free event.
TED WILSON
Hobart born and Sydney-based Ted’s first feature film, Under the Cover of Cloud, is set in (umm..) Hobart, of course. Hailed by Broadsheet as “ .. a miracle of a film, both strangely familiar and quite unlike any Australian movie I’ve seen.” Under the Cover of Cloud was a breakthrough success at the Melbourne International Film Festival and has screened at the Screenwave International Film Festival in Coffs Harbour.
Ted will be in Hobart for the Red-Carpet opening night screening of his film on Friday, 10 May at 7:30pm. Join him and members of the cast (his family) and crew for the after party at the Duke Hotel to celebrate bringing his film home. Who knows, you might even see Boonie there. Cost is $50 under-the-cover-of-cloud-after-party.eventbrite.com.au
TRISH LAKE
Trish, who has been Artistic Director of BOFA since 2012, has produced 18 feature films and documentaries. Her films include: Gettin’ Square, Subdivision, Frackman, Early Winter, Wik vs Queensland. Her latest production, The Eulogy, premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival, winning the $50,000 bi-annual David and Joan Williams Documentary Fellowship. It will have its Tasmanian Premiere at BOFA Hobart and Launceston.
Trish will conduct a Q & A on issues raised by The Eulogy in Launceston, Friday, 17 May at 2:00pm. She will also interview Gillian and Sam at the My Brilliant Career cocktail party
meet-gillianarmstrong-mybrilliantcareer.eventbrite.com.au
HEATH DAVIS
Heath’s feature film, Book Week, has screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival and has just won Best Film and Best Actress (Susan Prior) at the Ozzie Indie Film Awards. Heath also directed the feature film Broke, which won Best Screenplay in 2016, has an upcoming release, Locusts, and has plans for another film he describes as "The Big Lebowski set in western Sydney".
Book Week is the opening night film in Launceston, 16 May at 7:30pm . Join Heath at the Plough Inn at 1:30pm to 2:30pm on Friday, 17 May as he shares insights into making this Australian comedy and his multiple roles as director, writer and producer. Free event.
INDONESIAN FILMMAKING MEETS SOCIAL ACTIVISM
Nani Zulminarni, Founder and Director of PEKKA, a women’s empowerment CSO that works with over 50,000 female heads of household across 20 provinces in Indonesia, is the guest of BOFA 2019 along with Ms Vivian Idris, director of Ola Sita Ina Wae (the title is a NTT language proverb that roughly translates as Women Walk Forever While Making Their Way). The film was made with a 1/4 professional crew and 3/4 PEKKA members, trained by Indonesia’s leading film and performing arts school.
Ms Vivian Idris will talk about the power of film for activism at TasTAFE Launceston Saturday 18 May Launceston,4:00 – 5:00pm. Nani Zulminarni will speak on PEKKA’s work at the Indonesian Stories Red Carpet cocktail party on Friday 17 May, Launceston
indonesian-stories-cocktailparty.eventbrite.com.au
Don’t miss the opportunity to learn, laugh and linger with these talented BOFA guests, up close and personal, and all keen to tell their stories. For the first time in Hobart (May 10-12) and Launceston (May 16-19). BOFA 2019, the place to be for an unmissable film festival.
Full program and details available from the BOFA website:
www.breath-of-fresh-air.com.au.
When booking multiple tickets the best and cheapest method is to buy from the box office in person. Online bookings incur a booking fee and are only able to be done one film at a time. If you can't get to the box office to buy multiples let us know at director@breath-of-fresh-air.com.au and we will arrange to buy on your behalf and have the tickets for pick up.
