Kino screening and Climate Change protesting

So Alex and I screened our film on Monday at Kino… Everyone who had helped out came down and it was great to see the fruits of our labours on the big screen. It almost didn’t happen, though, because right at the last minute the gallery where Kino is held every month said they couldn’t use the space because an expensive marble artwork had just been delivered which took up most of the room. Ever-resourceful, The Festivalists (Matt and Marianne) moved upstairs from the gallery, and when I arrived they were hastily blocking out the windows with black cloth and gaffer tape. Matt had spent the afternoon painting a makeshift screen white, which they then hung from the ceiling, and by the time the crowds arrived you’d never had known it was an outcast outfit!

Matt painting the temporary screen


Our film Long Way Round went down really well… it’s a short film based on a Dixie Chicks song, although I’m not sure everyone quite got that! And I think people assumed it was a comedy at first. Check it out here if you’ve got 3 minutes to spare… It’s not the best film in the world but it’s sweet and Alex and I had fun making it: the whole point for me was to find people I can collaborate with in Aus for future projects and in that sense it was a great success. The guy we used for the stills photography is excellent, and I definitely want to work with him again. You can’t quite tell from the youtube compressing, but the stills are beautiful. I’ll upload them onto flickr when I get chance. Check out pics from Kino here, including Alex and I introducing our film.

With Claire, Christina, Ruth and Erik at Kino


Last weekend a bunch of us had planned to go kayaking in the Kangaroo Valley, but we were rained off so stayed in Sydney instead. I’ve been ill with a chesty cough lately so was secretly quite glad. Instead it was all yoga and walking by the beach, chilling out. Check out more Sculpture by the Sea pics here.

On Sunday there was a Walk Against Warming in the city, to highlight the perils of climate change and speak out about Australia’s incredibly high contribution to Global Warming: especially pertinent given the imminent general election in Aus. A typically laconic Aussie affair, the walk was sedate and chilled out, not so much a protest march as a pleasant stroll down the street. Not sure what was achieved but I signed a few petitions and felt worthy.

Matt and Carmel protesting


The election is hotting up now, with John Howard bidding for a fifth term and the bouncy Kevin Rudd attempting to oust the right-winger from his unhealthily long 12 years as Prime Minister. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Australians make the right decision, for all of our sakes.

Right now I am on the Gold Coast: Australia’s answer to Miami or Las Vegas, hot and incredibly tacky. What fun. I’m here for the annual Inside Film Awards, the people’s choice awards for Australian film. Basically a big shindig with all my fellow film industry folk. The dress code is Raw Elegance, which was particularly perplexing, and the red carpet is being televised so my housemates are poised by the TV for my star appearance. Will report back once I recover from the hangover…

cx