Only two weeks of screenings left until we take a break for Christmas – but there are plenty of films left to look forward to, including Brad Pitt in space, an unearthed Aretha Franklin documentary and a German true-life thriller. Plus, don’t let the undead keep you from next week’s Zom-Com Week featuring ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP, THE DEAD DON’T DIE and SHAUN OF THE DEAD!
• FRI 6 DEC @ 7:30 PM: AD ASTRA (M, 123 mins)
An astronaut (Brad Pitt) goes into space on a mission to find his missing father (Tommy Lee Jones) and unravel a mystery that threatens the universe. Also starring Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, and Donald Sutherland.
• SAT 7 DEC @ **5 PM**: AMAZING GRACE (G, 88 mins)
A behind-the-scenes documentary directed by the late Sydney Pollack about the recording of Aretha Franklin's 1972 live album of the same name – finally released four decades after the footage was shot.
• SAT 7 DEC @ 7:30 PM: BALLOON (M, 125 mins)
In 1979, two families attempt to escape East Germany by crossing the border on a homemade hot air balloon in this true-story thriller. Presented in partnership with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany.
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HUMAN RIGHTS DAY SCREENING: THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER @ 6 PM
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In celebration of Human Rights Day, the Embassy of Switzerland and Amnesty International will be co-hosting a screening of the Swiss film MARIO in partnership with the ANU Film Group on Thursday 12 December.
Directed by Marcel Gisler, MARIO (2018, 124 mins) revolves around two young soccer players who embark on a journey of love, sacrifice and self-discovery. Will they find the sporting world to be a uniting force for good?
The film will begin at 6 PM, with doors opening for entry from 5:30 PM. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring human rights advocate and former Socceroo Craig Foster alongside other eminent experts discussing the current state of human rights in the world of sports.
Entry into the event is free, but registration on Eventbrite is essential. Please secure your spot by CLICKING HERE
We round out the month of November with a weekend of thrillers and international films – but we’re already beginning work on our programme for the first season of the new year, so read on to find out how to suggest films for 2020!
• FRI 29 NOV @ 7:30 PM: THE INFINITE GARDEN (90 mins)
A man and his brother find themselves falling for the same woman, a florist who spends her nights crafting a miniature garden, in this romantic drama. Presented in partnership with the Embassy of Bulgaria.
• SAT 30 NOV @ 7:30 PM: DOGMAN (MA, 103 mins) + ANGEL OF MINE (MA, 98 mins)
A timid dog groomer is pushed to extremes to protect his family when his neighbourhood is threatened by a violent criminal in this crime thriller that was Italy’s Best Foreign Language Film Oscar submission for 2019.
Then, in ANGEL OF MINE (at approx. 9:15 PM), a grieving Melbourne woman loses her grip on reality as she becomes obsessed with her neighbour's daughter, believing the girl to be her own deceased child. Starring Noomi Rapace, Luke Evans, Yvonne Strahovski and Richard Roxburgh.
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SUGGEST FILMS FOR 2020
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There are still many weeks left of our current season – which runs all throughout Summer up until February 15, 2020 – but we’re already looking ahead at films for next year’s programme.
Have you got a film you’d like to see on our next programme? If so, make sure you fill out an online suggestion form at www.anufg.org.au/suggestions
We welcome any suggestions our members have for new releases, up-and-coming attractions, classics you’d like to see back on the big screen, themed nights and everything in between. While all suggestions are valued, there are many other factors including film costing and availability that we consider when programming. So if you’ve suggested something in previous years and are wondering why it hasn’t made it onto our programme, don’t despair – feel free to reach out to us and we’d be happy to chat!
Our regular programming resumes this week and continues up until December 14 when we’ll be taking a short break for the holiday period, with screenings resuming on January 17, 2020. But there’s still plenty to see at the ANU Film Group between now and then!
This week, check out the acclaimed Adam Goodes documentary, a clever live-action take on Dora the Explorer and Will Smith facing off against Will Smith in director Ang Lee’s latest.
• FRI 22 NOV @ 7:30 PM: THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM (MA, 105 mins)
A provocative look at what it means to be Australian, as told through the prism of AFL legend Adam Goodes and his personal journey and fight against racism.
• SAT 23 NOV @ **5 PM**: DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD (PG, 102 mins)
When her parents are kidnapped, young Dora must lead a rag tag group of adventurers into the jungle to uncover the mystery behind a lost civilisation in this clever, live-action take on the hit Nickelodeon series.
• SAT 23 NOV @ 7:30 PM: GEMINI MAN (M, 117 mins)
An aging assassin (Will Smith) finds himself in the ultimate battle: fighting a clone of himself who is 25 years younger and at the peak of his abilities in director Ang Lee's sci-fi action thriller.
** 'NO GUESTS' SCREENINGS THIS WEEK: DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD **
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ANUFG DISCOUNT CODE FOR SUNSET CINEMA
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Sunset Cinema’s latest Canberra season kicks off this week with a wide selection of new releases and seasonal favourites screening at the Australian National Botanic Gardens until January 2020.
So sit back and enjoy Canberra’s summer nights with your friends and family and a great movie – with the added bonus of up to 25% off tickets with a special discount code just for ANUFG members.
Simply enter ANUFG20 on the online booking page to redeem this offer and get General Admission tickets for just $15!
Check out the Sunset Cinema programme and book your tickets online by CLICKING HERE. Offer is valid for all screenings except the INXS: LIVE BABY LIVE special event on November 29, 2019.
The First Afghan Film Festival begins this Friday with 10 films screening over the course of one week between Friday 15 November and Thursday 21 November.
A celebration of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and Australia, as well as the 100th anniversary of Afghanistan’s Reclamation of Independence, the Festival features films, shorts, documentaries, Q&As with special guests, panel discussions and more. Some of these films are even coming to us direct from their premieres at major international film festivals in Venice and Cannes!
All films will be screened with English subtitles and are FREE for all to attend (no membership or registration required). You can check out the full listing of screenings and events below, or head to www.anufg.org.au/afghan2019 for further information.
We hope you can join us over the next week for these special screenings and events, which are presented in partnership with the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
** Please note the earlier start times for some of the screenings on Saturday and Sunday **
• FRI 15 NOV @ 7:30 PM: HAVA, MARYAM AND AYESHA (2019, 86 mins)
Three Afghan women from different backgrounds must each learn to fend for themselves as they face big challenges in their lives. Afghanistan’s entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards in 2020, coming to us direct from its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival just two months ago!
• SAT 16 NOV @ **4 PM**: BEGANA (1986, 40 mins)
This classic short film stars Salam Sangi, one of the Afghanistan’s greatest film stars, as a farmer working for a feudal landlord, who is dishonoured by the landlord’s son and sets out for revenge. Sangi himself will be in attendance to introduce the film and participate in a Q&A about the world of Afghan cinema.
• SAT 16 NOV @ **5 PM**: AFGHAN CAMELEERS IN AUSTRALIA (2014, 55 mins)
A documentary exploring the contributions of more than 3,000 men from Afghanistan and their camels who were crucial to development of the Australian Outback in the 1900s. Followed by a panel discussion with director Fahim Hashimy and Dr Mike Smith, academic and expert on Australia’s Afghan cameleers.
• SAT 16 NOV @ 7:30 PM: OSAMA (2004, 83 mins)
After the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the restriction of women in public life, a young girl is forced to masquerade as a boy named ‘Osama’ in order to find work to support her mother and grandmother. Inspired by a true story, this acclaimed film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2004.
• SUN 17 NOV @ **4 PM**: WHAT I SAW ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD (2019, 48 mins)
A rare glimpse at the people who live on the Pamir mountains, the farthest and most remote region of Afghanistan. Though sheltered from war and violence, its residents must fight to survive the extreme conditions and keep their culture alive. Followed by Q&A with director Parwiz Shamal.
• SUN 17 NOV @ **6 PM**: THE ORPHANAGE (2019, 90 mins)
In 1989, a 15-year-old ticket scalper living in Kabul is obsessed with Bollywood musicals but soon finds his life abruptly changed when he is arrested and sent to live in a Soviet state orphanage. This Danish-Afghan musical drama premiered in May at the prestigious Director’s Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival.
• MON 18 NOV @ 7:30 PM: A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT (2017, 83 mins)
When Soraya, a married mother of two and the head of the Kabul Crime Division, is sentenced to death after killing her husband in self-defence, she writes to the President of Afghanistan to plead her case. Written and directed by Roya Sadat, Afghanistan’s first female director since the fall of the Taliban.
• TUE 19 NOV @ 7:30 PM: THE PATIENCE STONE (2012, 102 mins)
In an unspecified war-ridden Middle Eastern country, a woman watches over her husband as he lies in a coma, and speaks frankly to him for the first time about her sacrifices and sorrows of the past decade. He becomes her ‘patience stone’, which, according to Persian mythology, shields its user from hardship.
• WED 20 NOV @ 7:30 PM: JIRGA (2018, 78 mins)
Mike Wheeler, a former Australian soldier, returns to Afghanistan to seek forgiveness from the family of a civilian man he accidentally killed during the war. In doing so he puts his life in the hands of the Jirga – the village justice system. Australia’s official Oscar submission for Best Foreign Language Film in 2019.
• THU 21 NOV @ 7:30 PM: ROCKABUL (2018, 90 mins)
This documentary by Australian journalist Travis Beard reveals a unique side of modern Afghan youth culture through the little-known story of District Unknown, Afghanistan's first heavy metal band, which formed in response to the war and political turmoil around them.
Critical and box office hit JOKER arrives at the ANU Film Group this week – but be warned, it’s not for kids! Plus, the latest animated adventure from Dreamworks (definitely for kids), a coming-of-age sex comedy (also not for kids) and the return of John Rambo (ditto), round up the rest of the week’s offerings.
• FRI 8 NOV @ 7:30 PM: JOKER (MA, 122 mins) + RAMBO: LAST BLOOD (R, 100 mins)
In JOKER, in 1980s Gotham City, a failed stand-up comedian (Joaquin Phoenix) shunned by society finds himself descending into madness as he turns to a life of crime and chaos.
Then, in RAMBO: LAST BLOOD (at approx. 9:45 PM), John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) embarks on one final mission of vengeance after a friend's daughter is kidnapped by a Mexican cartel.
• SAT 9 NOV @ **5 PM**: ABOMINABLE (G, 97 mins)
A teenage girl encounters a young Yeti and sets off on a journey from Shanghai to the Himalayas to reunite the magical creature with his family, in the latest Dreamworks animated adventure.
• SAT 9 NOV @ 7:30 PM: GOOD BOYS (MA, 90 mins)
Three young boys are caught up in a series of misadventures after they decide to skip school to attend a party hosted by their popular classmates in this raunchy coming-of-age comedy.
** 'NO GUESTS' SCREENINGS THIS WEEK: JOKER **
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CELEBRATE ‘YES-VEMBER’ THIS MONTH AT THE CSCC!
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You may already be aware that the ANU Film Group is one of 106 community groups participating in the Canberra Southern Cross Club’s (CSCC) Community Rewards program.
Normally, this means that if CSCC members choose to nominate the Film Group as their community group of choice, the CSCC will donate to us 7.5% of what that member spends on food and drink at any of their venues. But for the month of November, the CSCC will be *doubling* Community Rewards by giving us 15% of every dollar you spend!
So be sure to stop by and pay them a visit this month for some great food and support our fundraising efforts too – it’s a win-win!
Are you a CSCC member but haven’t yet nominated us as your group of choice? All you have to do is speak to reception at any CSCC venue or fill out this form HERE
Thanks in advance for your support!
This week at the ANU Film Group, return to Downton Abbey, explore the Far East in the 16th century and check out a double of French films featuring powerful performances from two of France’s best actresses, Juliette Binoche and Catherine Deneuve.
• THU 31 OCT @ 7:30 PM: PILGRIMAGE (108 mins)
In the 16th century, Portuguese explorer Fernão Mendes Pinto sets sail for the Far East and embarks on an epic and surreal journey spanning 20 years. Presented in partnership with the Embassy of Portugal.
• FRI 1 NOV @ 7:30 PM: DOWNTON ABBEY (PG, 122 mins)
The Crawley family and their servants prepare for a Royal visit from the King and Queen of England to their countryside manor in this feature film continuation of the popular television series.
• SAT 2 NOV @ 7:30 PM: WHO YOU THINK I AM (MA, 102 mins) + CLAIRE DARLING (M, 93 mins)
In WHO YOU THINK I AM, a divorced lecturer (Juliette Binoche) creates a fake Facebook profile but finds herself in a difficult situation when a close friend falls for the fictional woman.
Then, in CLAIRE DARLING (at approx. 9:15 PM), an eccentric millionaire (Catherine Deneuve) impulsively decides to sell all of her possessions – but each item sold stirs memories of her flamboyant past.
** 'NO GUESTS' SCREENINGS THIS WEEK: DOWNTON ABBEY **
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WIN TICKETS TO A PREVIEW SCREENING OF ‘THE REPORT’
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Thanks to Transmission Films, we have tickets to give away to a special preview screening of new true-life thriller THE REPORT!
Based on actual events, the film follows an idealistic U.S. Senate staffer (Adam Driver) who is tasked by his boss (Annette Bening) with investigating the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation Program. His pursuit of the truth leads him to uncover just how far the nation’s top intelligence agency went to destroy evidence and hide the brutal truth from the world in the aftermath of 9/11.
THE REPORT is in cinemas for a limited run from November 14, and you can check out its trailer by CLICKING HERE
Better yet, you can be one of the first to see it a preview screening next week!
Date: Thursday 7 November, 2019
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Dendy Canberra, Canberra Centre, 148 Bunda St
To go into the running to win 1 of 10 double passes to this screening, email us at info@anufg.org.au with (1) your name, (2) your membership number, and (3) tell us the title of another film starring Adam Driver screening as part of our current Summer season.
Entries will close on Tuesday 5 November at 11:59 PM, with winners to be notified via email and names to be placed on a door list on the night.
Teenagers with magic powers, the return of a cult classic, an adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, and two special presentations of films from Cuba and Georgia – there’s plenty to see at the ANU Film Group this week!
• WED 23 OCT @ 7:30 PM: NAMME (91 mins)
In the Georgian mountains, an elderly village healer tries to convince his only daughter to follow in his footsteps in this lyrical coming-of-age fable. Presented in partnership with the Embassy of Georgia.
• THU 24 OCT @ 7:30 PM: A TRANSLATOR (107 mins)
A professor of Russian Literature (Rodrigo Santoro) is tasked with working as a translator for child victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster when they are sent to Cuba for medical treatment. Presented in partnership with the Embassy of Cuba.
• FRI 25 OCT @ 7:30 PM: THE GOLDFINCH (M, 149 mins)
After his mother is killed in a bombing at a New York art museum, a young boy is taken in by a wealthy family but soon finds himself drawn into a world of crime. Starring Ansel Elgort, Jeffrey Wright, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson and Nicole Kidman.
• SAT 26 OCT @ 7:30 PM: WEATHERING WITH YOU (PG, 112 mins) + DONNIE DARKO (M, 113 mins)
A teenage runaway meets an orphan girl with the unique ability to alter the weather in WEATHERING WITH YOU, a Japanese animated fantasy from the makers of YOUR NAME. Japan’s official submission to the Best International Feature Film category at the 2020 Oscars.
Then, in cult classic DONNIE DARKO (at approx. 9:30 PM), A troubled teenager (Jake Gyllenhaal) is plagued by visions of a man in a rabbit suit who convinces him to commit a series of crimes.
** Note: we will be screening the original 2001 theatrical version of DONNIE DARKO, not the 2004 director’s cut **
Evil clowns, singing dolls, footballers and parties – there’s all sorts of fun to be had at the ANU Film Group this week!
• THU 17 OCT @ 7:30 PM: ANIMALS (MA, 109 mins)
Two 30-something best friends living together in Dublin find their hedonistic lifestyle of partying, drinking and debauchery strained when one of them gets engaged in this acclaimed Australian-Irish look at female relationships.
• FRI 18 OCT @ 7:30 PM: IT: CHAPTER TWO (MA, 169 mins)
27 years after their first encounter with Pennywise, the now-adult members of the Losers Club return to their home town to defeat the evil clown once and for all. Starring James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain and Bill Skarsgård.
• SAT 19 OCT @ **5 PM**: UGLYDOLLS (G, 87 mins)
A misfit group of deformed, ugly toys rejected by their manufacturers must learn to embrace what it means to be different in this animated musical adventure. Featuring the voices of Kelly Clarkson, Janelle Monae, Nick Jonas and Pitbull.
• SAT 19 OCT @ 7:30 PM: DIEGO MARADONA (M, 130 mins)
A look at the career of celebrated Argentinian soccer player Diego Armando Maradona, constructed from over 500 hours of never-before-seen footage by the award-winning makers behind acclaimed documentaries AMY and SENNA.
** 'NO GUESTS' SCREENINGS THIS WEEK: IT: CHAPTER TWO **
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REMINDER ABOUT MOBILE PHONES + LOST PROPERTY
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We take this opportunity to issue a friendly reminder for all members and their guests to silence or turn off their phones and mobile devices prior to the start of the film.
In particular, please avoid using them during screenings as the light emitted by these devices can be very distracting and inconsiderate to other audience members in your vicinity. If you must use your phone, we request that you do so outside the cinema.
On a related note, don’t forget to check your seat and take all belongings – including phones, wallets, keys, clothing, cushions, food/drink containers and children – with you when you leave.
ANUFG volunteers routinely check the cinema for lost property after the end of each night, and will place any found items in our lost property box. So if you have lost anything recently, send us an email or check with the Duty Manager at your next screening and we can let you know if we have it. If the item is something of value (e.g. a wallet or mobile phone), it will usually be handed over to ANU Security for safekeeping.
It’s the second week of our new Summer programme and screenings are in full swing with Quentin Tarantino’s latest, Disney’s newest ‘live action’ remake, an Indonesian ‘Satay Western’ and a clever (and hugely successful) Argentinian rom-com. Plus, our new posters have finally arrived too!
• THU 10 OCT @ 7:30 PM: MARLINA THE MURDERER IN FOUR ACTS (93 mins)
After a young widow is attacked by gang members, she sets out on a journey of revenge and empowerment in this Indonesian neo-Western feminist thriller. Presented in partnership with the Embassy of Indonesia.
• FRI 11 OCT @ 7:30 PM: ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD (MA, 161 mins)
In the 9th film from Quentin Tarantino, a has-been television actor (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double (Brad Pitt) seek fame and success in the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age in the 1960s.
• SAT 12 OCT @ **5 PM**: THE LION KING (PG, 118 mins)
A young lion must embrace his role as the rightful king of his native land following the murder of his father in Disney's remake of their 1994 animated classic. Featuring the voices of Donald Glover, Beyonce, Seth Rogen and James Earl Jones.
• SAT 12 OCT @ 7:30 PM: AN UNEXPECTED LOVE (M, 129 mins)
A married couple decides to go their separate ways after 25 years together, but finds the reality of single life disappointing in this Argentinian romantic comedy. Presented in partnership with the Embassy of Argentina.
** 'NO GUESTS' SCREENINGS THIS WEEK: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, THE LION KING **
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SCREENING CHANGE: ‘MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN’ ON JANUARY 31
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We regret to inform you that a film has already fallen off the programme, just one week into our new season!
Following a distributor release date change, MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN will no longer be screening on Friday 31 January as scheduled, as the film won’t be released in cinemas now until late February, 2020.
A replacement film will be selected and announced closer to the date. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
We kick off the month of October and our new Summer programme with a powerful class drama, a touching and acclaimed film about family and Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn in a hardboiled noir thriller. Plus, a three-day celebration of Lebanese cinema as the Lebanese Film Festival comes to the ANU Film Group!
• TUE 1 OCT @ 7:30 PM: THE PUBLIC (M, 119 mins)
During a winter storm, a group of homeless people seek shelter in a public library and refuse to leave, which soon turns into a standoff with the police.
• THU 3 OCT @ 7:30 PM: THE FAREWELL (PG, 100 mins)
A Chinese family decides to keep their grandmother in the dark about her terminal illness, but stages an impromptu wedding to gather before she dies.
• SAT 5 OCT @ 7:30 PM: DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE (R, 158 mins)
Two policemen (Mel Gibson, Vince Vaughn) are suspended from their jobs after a violent incident, and must turn to the criminal underworld to survive.
** 'NO GUESTS' SCREENINGS THIS WEEK: THE FAREWELL **
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LEBANESE FILM FESTIVAL: OCTOBER 4 – 6
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Now in its 8th year, the St. George Bank Lebanese Film Festival comes to the ANU Film Group in 2019!
The Lebanese Film Festival puts the spotlight on films shot or based in Lebanon, or made by Lebanese filmmakers around the world. The Canberra leg of the festival features three films, including KAIROS, the Festival’s 2019 Film of the Year award winner. The film’s director, Paul Barakat, and star Chris Bunton will be in attendance to introduce the film and answer questions in a Q&A following the screening.
All screenings are FREE and open for all to attend (no membership is required). For more information about the Lebanese Film Festival, please visit their website at www.lff.org.au
• FRI 4 OCT @ 7:30 PM: KAIROS (2019, 89 mins)
A boxer with Down syndrome finds his dreams of stepping into the ring challenged, which forces him to question the very nature of his identity. Followed by Q&A with director Paul Barakat and star Chris Bunton.
• SAT 5 OCT @ **4 PM**: WANTED (2019, 90 mins)
Four elderly residents of a nursing home decide to break out and live life on their own terms in the name of love and solidarity.
• SUN 6 OCT @ **4 PM**: GOOD MORNING (2018, 85 mins)
Two war veterans meet each morning at a Beirut café to discuss the chaotic events of the region, as they attempt to preserve their minds and avoid succumbing to Alzheimer’s.