In case you didn’t know, the ANU Film Group is run by a dedicated and hard-working group of volunteers. Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) is where we report back to our members on how we did in the year just past, and what our plans are for the future.
This year's AGM will be taking place on Monday 15 March from 6 PM in the Kambri cinema, with all members invited – and encouraged – to come along. As this is an in-person event, as per ANU regulations, pre-registration is required so if you do intend on coming along, please ensure you register beforehand by CLICKING HERE
The AGM is also an opportunity for members to get in on the action by volunteering to join the Group’s committee, as we select a new administration to guide us through the next 12 months. Being on the committee allows you to be involved in everything from film selection and booking to marketing, graphic design, fundraising, event planning and much more. Running a film society takes a lot of work – but it's worth it!
If you have any questions or would like more information about the AGM or volunteering for the Group, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@anufg.org.au
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WHAT'S ON THIS WEEK
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It's a week of heartbreak and heart-stopping thrills at the ANU Film Group, with multi-AACTA-award-winning Aussie dramedy BABYTEETH, a thrilling new take on THE INVISIBLE MAN, video game adaptation MONSTER HUNTER and the chronicles of Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb in THE BEE GEES: HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART.
• WED 3 MAR @ 7:30 PM: BABYTEETH (M, 118 mins)
A terminally-ill teen upsets her wealthy parents when she falls in love with a small-time drug dealer in this acclaimed Australian coming-of-age film. Winner of nine AACTA awards in 2020, including Best Film and Best Direction.
• THU 4 MAR @ 7:30 PM: THE INVISIBLE MAN (MA, 124 mins)
After being informed that her abusive ex-boyfriend has seemingly taken his own life, a woman (Elisabeth Moss) begins to suspect that his suicide was a hoax and that he is still tormenting her – albeit in some unseen form.
• FRI 5 MAR @ 7:30 PM: MONSTER HUNTER (M, 104 mins)
A magic portal transports an elite unit of soldiers to a strange world ruled by powerful monsters with deadly ferocity, where they encounter a mysterious hunter who may be their only hope of finding a way home.
• SAT 6 MAR @ **5 PM**: THE BEE GEES: HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART (M, 107 mins)
A chronicle of the triumphs and hurdles of brothers Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb, otherwise known as the Bee Gees, who went on to write over 1,000 songs throughout a iconic career that transcended more than five decades of changing tastes and styles.
And we’re off! For our second week of our new programme, we are screening acclaimed revenge thriller PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, the return of everyone’s favourite (maybe second favourite) prehistoric family in THE CROODS: A NEW AGE, a French romantic fantasy in LA BELLE ÉPOQUE and a celebration of the 60th anniversary of rom-com classic BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S.
As always, please do remember to register to attend screenings, as per ANU safety regulations. Registration links for this week’s screenings, as well as the upcoming fortnight’s are copied in below for your convenience. You’ve all been doing a terrific job of this so far, so keep it up!
Another pertinent reminder is to please ensure you maintain appropriate social distancing at all times while attending screenings. This means leaving at least one seat between you and the next person/party, as well as keeping 1.5 metres apart when queueing up outside. If you have trouble finding a socially distanced seat upon arrival, an ANUFG volunteer will be stationed inside the cinema prior to every screening and who would be happy to assist.
• TUE 23 FEB @ 7:30 PM: LA BELLE ÉPOQUE (M, 108 mins)
Disillusioned Victor is experiencing trouble in his marriage when he meets an entrepreneur who offers him the opportunity to relive a moment in time by staging re-enactments of the past – in this case, the moment Victor first met his wife.
Presented in partnership with Alliance Française Canberra in celebration of the 2021 French Film Festival which runs from March 4 to 31. Find out more at www.affrenchfilmfestival.org
• THU 25 FEB @ 7:30 PM: PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (MA, 113 mins – No Guests)
After being traumatised by a tragic event, a young woman (Carey Mulligan) now leads a secret double life at night: seeking out vengeance against any men who dare cross her path and righting the wrongs of the past. Nominated for 4 Golden Globe awards.
• FRI 26 FEB @ 7:30 PM: BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S (PG, 115 mins)
60th anniversary screening of this rom-com classic, in which a struggling writer moves into a New York apartment building and is immediately intrigued by his eccentric neighbour, Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) – but their pasts threaten to get in the way.
• SAT 27 FEB @ **5 PM**: THE CROODS: A NEW AGE (PG, 95 mins – No Guests)
In need of a safer place to live, the prehistoric Crood family set off into the dangerous outside world in search of a new home. They soon discover an idyllic paradise with just one problem: another family already lives there.
More than 11 months after our screenings were shut down on March 14 last year, the ANU Film Group is finally back this week with our first full programme for 2021!
It’s all kicking off tonight – and although we’re at risk of sounding like a broken record, please remember to register for any film you intend to come along to, as this is a mandatory condition of the ANU allowing us to resume screenings. We will have to turn you away at the door if you're not on the list – no exceptions!
• THU 18 FEB @ 7:30 PM: JOJO RABBIT (M, 108 mins)
During WWII, a German boy – whose imaginary friend is Adolf Hitler – has his world turned upside down when he discovers that his mother has been hiding a young Jewish girl in their attic. Oscar winner for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2020.
• FRI 19 FEB @ 7:30 PM: WONDER WOMAN 1984 (M, 151 mins)
Against the backdrop of the Cold War and an era of excess, Diana (Gal Gadot) must
deal with the ramifications of an ancient artefact that grants wishes when it falls into the hands of a greedy businessman, triggering worldwide chaos and instability.
• SAT 20 FEB @ **5 PM**: THE DRY (MA, 117 mins)
Federal agent Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) returns after an absence of 20 years to his drought-stricken Australian hometown to attend a tragic funeral. But his return opens up a decades-old wound: the unsolved death of a teenage girl.
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REMINDER ABOUT COVID-19 SAFETY RULES
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With screenings re-commencing this week, we take this timely opportunity to issue a reminder to all members and invited guests about our COVID-19 safety rules. These haven’t changed since our trial screenings over the summer, but if you need a refresher you can find them again here:
• The capacity of the Kambri cinema is capped at 65% or 195 people.
• All attendees must pre-register to attend screenings. No walk-ins will be permitted.
• Attendees are asked to check-in using the ACT Health Check In CBR app. If you are unable to use the app, a written check-in sheet will be
made available too.
• All attendees should maintain appropriate social distancing by leaving 1.5 metres (or 1-2 seats) between them and the nearest person/party inside the cinema, as well as when queuing up outside. Groups of attendees from the same household are permitted to sit together.
• Any attendees exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms will be prohibiting from entering the venue.
• Attendees are strongly encouraged to wear face masks while attending screenings, and these will be made available free of charge on entry.
• Attendees are strongly encouraged to use hand sanitiser stations around the Cultural Centre building, as well as use provided disinfectant wipes to clean their seat area before/after use.
• All contact tracing information will only be retained for 28 days. This information will not be used for any other purpose, and will be destroyed after this time.
• Representatives of the ANU will be conducting audits to ensure compliance at any given time, and
breaches may result in screenings being immediately cancelled or our permission to hold future screenings revoked.
• Any members found to be in breach of the COVID-19 rules or who refuse to follow instructions from representatives of the ANUFG may be asked to leave and/or have their memberships suspended or revoked.
These are posted on our website at www.anufg.org.au/covid and will be updated there if/when any changes are required. A more detailed FAQ about the rules can also be found on our website by CLICKING HERE
The ANU Film Group is proud to present our new programme for Autumn 2021! Our first full programme for the new year features the usual, eclectic mix of films that you know and love – from blockbusters and new releases to the best of Australian, independent and foreign films – over 10 weeks from February 18 to April 24.
Plus, we’re even bringing some cinematic classics – such as RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S – back to the big screen where they belong, with a Flashback Friday series on the last Friday of each month.
And while no one is likely to want to revisit 2020 anytime soon, you’ll also notice that we’ve revived a handful of films from our Autumn 2020 programme, which was cut short after just four weeks back in March last year.
So, without further ado, CLICK HERE to check out the programme in full now. You can also view it in a printer-friendly PDF format by CLICKING HERE or download the full calendar of screenings straight to your phone or computer by CLICKING HERE.
Not yet a member? Memberships are available for purchase or renewal online now at www.anufg.org.au/join. If you were a member at the time of the shutdown last year, your membership’s validity period will have been automatically extended by one year, so there’s no need to renew yours. Not sure if this applies to you? Don’t hesitate to drop us a line at info@anufg.org.au and we’d be more than happy to check for you.
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IMPORTANT: PRE-REGISTRATION IS ESSENTIAL
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As per the ANU’s protocols around events in light of COVID-19, all attendees – whether you are an existing member, a guest or a new member – must pre-register prior to attending a screening. This is to help us manage audience numbers ahead of time, and also allow for contact tracing to be carried out if required.
Under the rules, no walk-ins can be permitted under any circumstances. In other words, if you haven’t registered, we will regretfully have to turn you away at the door – so please ensure you register before coming along to avoid disappointment!
We realise this is an extra step for all of you to complete, but it is unfortunately a mandatory condition of us being permitted to resume screenings by the ANU and we run the risk of being shut down again if we don’t comply.
We have done our best to make the registration process as simple as possible:
• If there is a film you’d like to see, simply head to our website and click on the film’s listing to find the Eventbrite registration link.
• Then, fill out the registration form with your details (including your ANUFG membership number, located at the back of your card and beginning with ‘FG’, e.g. FG1234).
• Please also ensure that you have registered for any guests and/or children you wish to bring along.
• There’s no need to print anything out – we will have your details at the door and all you have to bring along is your membership card for entry.
In the interests of fairness, registration for each screening will only open two weeks prior to its screening date, and will remain open until 12 PM on the day of the screening itself. For your convenience, we will also include registration links in our weekly mailout and in posts on our Facebook page.
You can find direct registration links for our first two weeks of screenings below:
• THU 18 FEB @ 7:30 PM – JOJO RABBIT
• FRI 19 FEB @ 7:30 PM – WONDER WOMAN 1984
• SAT 20 FEB @ 5 PM – THE DRY
• TUE 23 FEB @ 7:30 PM – LA BELLE EPOQUE
• THU 25 FEB @ 7:30 PM – PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
• FRI 26 FEB @ 7:30 PM – BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S
• SAT 27 FEB @ 5 PM – THE CROODS: A NEW AGE
If you have registered for a screening and can no longer attend, it would be greatly appreciated if you could either cancel your ticket via Eventbrite or email us at info@anufg.org.au to let us know. Seating is limited, especially with the capacity restrictions, so doing this will allow us to get as many members along as possible to screenings.
Further information about our COVID-19 safety rules can be found on our website by CLICKING HERE.
Finally, if you are unable to abide by our COVID-19 safety rules (including the pre-registration requirement), are not comfortable attending screenings, have moved away, or experience any other impediment to using your membership this year, we will continue to offer pro-rata refunds on any membership fees paid in 2020 – up until screenings resume on February 18. Please reach out to us at info@anufg.org.au if you feel you’d like to take up this option.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation!
Time flies when you’re having fun and all of us here at the ANU Film Group have been very busy getting back into the swing of things with preparations for our first season of the new year.
So we’re very excited to announce that our brand-new programme for our Autumn 2021 season will be released early next week, with screenings kicking off on Thursday 18 February. We’ve been teasing some highlights over on our Facebook page, so if you haven’t already checked those out, be sure to head over to www.facebook.com/ANUFG to see what’s coming up!
And that’s not all – we’re also pleased to let you all know that ANU Film Group memberships are once again available for purchase. Whether you’re joining up for the first time or renewing, you can do it all on our website at www.anufg.org.au/join right now.
Don’t forget that anyone who was a valid member at the time of the COVID-19 shutdown in March 2020 will have had their memberships automatically extended by one year at no
charge. If this applies to you, there’s nothing further you need to do.
Not sure if your membership is still valid? Simply email us at info@anufg.org.au with your membership number (located at the back of your membership card) and we’ll be glad to check for you.
Stay tuned for the full programme reveal next week…
The ANU Film Group has been granted approval by the ANU to resume screenings in 2021, but this is conditional on all members and guests abiding by certain COVID-19 safety rules.
Any failure by the ANU Film Group or any of its members to abide by these rules could result in the ANU immediately cancelling a screening or revoking our permission to hold future screenings. Representatives of the ANU will be conducting audits to ensure compliance at any given time, so we all need to be on our best behaviour!
Any members found to be in breach of the COVID-19 rules or who refuse to follow instructions from representatives of the ANUFG may have their memberships suspended or revoked.
As the time of this writing (1 February 2021), these rules are as follows:
• The capacity of the Kambri cinema is capped at 65% or 195 people.
• All attendees must pre-register to attend screenings to help us manage audience numbers and allow for contact tracing to be carried out. Registration links will be provided on the listing for each screening on our website. No walk-ins will be permitted under any circumstances.
• Attendees must also check-in using the ACT Health Check In CBR app by scanning the QR code that will be displayed at the entrance to the cinema. If you are visiting other parts of the ANU campus, you should use the ANU's Check In CBR QR codes in those areas as well. If you are unable to use the app, a written check-in sheet will be made available too.
• All attendees must maintain appropriate social distancing by leaving 1.5 metres (or 1-2 seats) between them and the nearest person/party while seated inside the cinema, as well as when queuing up outside. Groups of attendees from the same household are permitted to sit together.
• Any attendees exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms will be prohibiting from entering the venue.
• Attendees are strongly encouraged to wear face masks while attending screenings, and these will be made available free of charge on entry.
• Attendees are strongly encouraged to use hand sanitiser stations around the Cultural Centre building, as well as use provided disinfectant wipes to clean their seat area before/after use.
• All contact tracing information will only be retained for 28 days. This information will not be used for any other purpose, and will be destroyed after this time.
We have posted a detailed FAQ with more information about the new COVID-19 safety rules, which you can find on our website by CLICKING HERE
Please note that rules may be subject to change at any time as ACT Health/ANU restrictions are updated, so please keep an eye out here for any changes should this happen.
On behalf of everyone at the ANU Film Group, we would like to thank all of our members for their incredible show of support over the past 12 months. We know it hasn’t been easy – and the fact that we were shut down for over eight months surely didn’t help – but we’re very grateful for everyone that has stuck with us this entire time, as well as those that came back over the past few weeks to welcome us back.
As a bit of a Christmas treat, we’re excited to announce new batch of screenings coming up soon in the new year that will be presented as part of the second annual Kambri Film Festival. The festival will run this year from January 21 to February 7, with screenings every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, featuring a mix of family-friendly screenings at 3 PM and evening sessions for adults at 7 PM.
Best of all, entry into these screenings is absolutely FREE and open to anyone and everyone, so here’s your chance to bring family, friends and guests along. Registration is still essential, but memberships are not required, which means that sessions could potentially book out – so be sure to register to secure your seats sooner rather than later!
The entire line-up for the festival – along with registration links – can be found now at https://kambri.com.au/event/kambri-film-fest-2021/ so make sure you check out all that’s on offer. The specific screenings that are being presented by the ANU Film Group are listed below for your convenience:
• FRI 22 JAN @ 7 PM: RADIOACTIVE (M, 110 mins)
After the death of her husband, pioneering scientist Marie Curie (Rosamund Pike) continues their transformative work into radioactive elements, which she soon discovers has the capacity to save lives – or destroy them. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
• SAT 23 JAN @ 7 PM: TENET (M, 150 mins)
In director Christopher Nolan’s latest, a CIA agent is inducted into a secret time-bending organisation and dispatched on a dangerous mission to stop an international arms dealer from starting World War III. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
• FRI 29 JAN @ 7 PM: MISBEHAVIOUR (M, 107 mins)
In 1970, members of the Women's Liberation Movement devise a plan in order to disrupt the live London broadcast of the Miss World beauty pageant, but the end result is even more revolutionary that they could have imagined. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
• SAT 30 JAN @ 7 PM: RAMS (PG, 119 mins)
In remote Western Australia, two brothers (Sam Neill, Michael Caton) engaged in a decades-long feud must put aside their grievances to save their family's prized sheep from disease. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
• FRI 5 FEB @ 7 PM: HAPPIEST SEASON (M, 102 mins)
A young woman's (Kristen Stewart) plans to propose to her girlfriend while at her family's annual holiday party are upended when she discovers that her partner hasn't yet come out to her conservative parents. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
• SAT 6 FEB @ 7 PM: THE COMEBACK TRAIL (M, 103 mins)
An indebted movie producer (Robert De Niro) attempts to kill an ageing actor (Tommy Lee Jones) in a stunt on his new movie as part of a life insurance scam. But when he survives, they are forced to up the stakes. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
What a week it has been!
Thank you to everyone who has registered to attend the first of our comeback screenings – BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC – this Saturday at 7 PM. If you haven’t secured your seat yet, make sure to do so before registration closes at 7 PM tonight (24 hours prior to the screening). You can register by CLICKING HERE
Remember that entry into these comeback screenings is for current ANU Film Group members ONLY. Due to capacity restrictions, no guests will be permitted and no new memberships are being sold for now, but members can still bring up to two children under the age of 16 along to screenings at no charge.
Not sure if you’re a member? Feel free to drop us a line at info@anufg.org.au with your membership number and we’d be happy to check for you.
Generally speaking, anyone who was a member at the time of the shutdown in March this year will have their membership rolled over to next year. For example, if you bought an Annual membership in February 2020 – it will now restart when our full season programming resumes in February 2021 and remain valid until February 2022. In other words, we’re treating 2020 as if it didn’t happen!
Find out more about the new COVID-19 rules and our comeback screenings in the detailed FAQ on our website by CLICKING HERE
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ADDITIONAL COMEBACK SCREENINGS
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Even though your membership won’t officially restart until February 2021, we will still be running a number of free comeback screenings over the summer period as a ‘thank you’ to all existing members who stuck with us over the past eight months.
The first of these – BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC – takes place this Saturday and we can now announce these additional screenings too:
• SAT 12 DEC, 2020 @ 7 PM: UNHINGED (MA, 90 mins)
A young mother and her son find themselves terrorised in increasingly dangerous ways by a mysterious and unstable stranger (Russell Crowe) following a road rage incident.
• SAT 19 DEC, 2020 @ 7 PM: WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE (M, 109 mins)
When a loving mother (Cate Blanchett) suddenly vanishes, her concerned family sets off on the adventure of a lifetime to bring her home, in director Richard Linklater’s latest.
• SAT 9 JAN, 2021 @ 7 PM: THE NEW MUTANTS (M, 94 mins)
Five teenage mutants are sent to a medical facility that will supposedly cure them of their extraordinary yet unwanted powers – but they are soon forced to face their past sins.
• SAT 16 JAN, 2021 @ 7 PM: THE TRANSLATORS (M, 105 mins)
Nine language experts are hired to translate the eagerly-awaited final book in a trilogy – but they become prime suspects when pages of the top-secret manuscript are leaked online.
Registration links and more information about each of these films can be found now on our website at www.anufg.org.au/programme. Please note that registration for some of these films may only open closer to the screening date (i.e. 4 weeks prior).
And that’s not all – there are even more screenings being confirmed that we hope to be able to announce next week. And for anyone wondering… yes, this will include TENET.
This is the news you’ve been waiting for: we finally received approval from the ANU yesterday to start running screenings again for the first time since March!
Programming a whole new season will take a bit of time, however, and we have our sights set on a full re-launch in February 2021 to coincide with the start of the new university year. But don’t worry, we aren’t going to make you wait that long to get back to Film Group…
In fact, we’re not wasting any time and will be kicking things off as soon as THIS SATURDAY (yes, you read that right!) with the most excellent BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC at 7 PM!
This will be the first in a series of comeback screenings over the summer period between December 2020 and February 2021. These will be an opportunity to catch-up on some films you might have missed while we’ve been out of action, but are also intended as a ‘thank you’ to those of you who have patiently stuck with us over the past eight months. As such, entry into these screenings will be completely FREE for existing members only (i.e. your membership will not resume ticking over until February 2021).
As a condition of the ANU allowing us to resume our activities, however, there will be some changes to the way screenings are run:
• The capacity of the cinema is capped at 50% or 150 people
• All attendees must pre-register to attend screenings using the provided links. No walk-ins will be permitted under any circumstances.
• Attendees will also be required to check-in using the ACT Health Check In CBR app.
• Attendees must maintain appropriate social distancing by leaving 1.5 metres (or 1-2 seats) between them and the nearest person/group inside the cinema. Groups from the same household may sit together.
• Any attendees exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms will be prohibiting from entering the venue.
• Attendees are strongly encouraged to wear face masks while attending screenings.
• Attendees are strongly encouraged to use hand sanitiser stations around the Cultural Centre building, as well as use provided disinfectant wipes to clean their seat area.
We have posted a detailed FAQ with more information about the new COVID-19 rules and our comeback screenings, while you can find on our website by CLICKING HERE
Registration for the first of these screenings – BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC this Saturday 5 December at 7 PM – is live now, so you can secure your seats by CLICKING HERE!
More films are being confirmed and will be listed shortly. A follow-up message will be sent out later this week as soon as more sessions are available for booking.
It’s been a while since our last message. Saying that a lot has happened in the world since then would certainly be an understatement.
Although most cinemas around Canberra have already re-opened in some capacity, the ANU Film Group unfortunately isn’t quite like our commercial counterparts. While that’s often a great thing (lower costs, no ads, not for profit), we also operate on the ANU’s campus and are therefore beholden to their rules and regulations.
In this case, the ANU has made the decision to continue restricting all non-essential activities involving external visitors until the end of Semester Two in order to mitigate the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak on campus. Regretfully, this means that we are now unable to resume screenings until November 2020.
While this news is no doubt disappointing for our members, it is equally disappointing to all of us involved in the running of the ANUFG. We volunteer our time freely to program films, manage screenings and keep the Group going all year round, for no material benefit to ourselves, but purely to foster a love and appreciation of film. Not being able to do this at a time when we could all use an escape to the movies is an additional blow. But this is just an intermission – not a curtain call – and we sorely look forward to resuming our activities as soon as we are allowed to.
In light of the ongoing restrictions, we will continue automatically extending all current Annual or Season memberships until screenings resume. The exact length of the extension will be determined by when restrictions lift, but rest assured that you will not be out of pocket if you decide to continue supporting us.
If you don't anticipate being able to attend screenings once they resume later this year, or your financial circumstances require it, we are still able to offer pro-rata membership fee refunds. If you require a refund, please send an email to info@anufg.org.au with your name and membership number and we'll be in touch.
Thank you to all of you for your continued understanding and support over the past few months. We will continue to keep our ANUFG@Home recommendations going at www.anufg.org.au/athome as well as on our Facebook page so please keep in touch and continue watching movies. In the immortal words of The Terminator, we’ll be back... not right now, but soon!