Our Autumn season comes to an end this week with some big films!
First up tonight is FLEE, a triple-Oscar-nominated animated documentary that will be followed by a panel of eminent experts discussing the all-too-timely topic of refugee law. Then, the rest of the week includes the fifth instalment in everyone’s favourite scary movie series (SCREAM), Robert Pattinson in acclaimed superhero mystery THE BATMAN, a British tearjerker (NOWHERE SPECIAL) and Jessica Chastain’s Best Actress Oscar-winning performance in THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE.
And we’ll be back next week to do it all again with our new Winter season, which begins on Tuesday 3 May. In case you've been living under a rock, you can find out all about it HERE
• WED 27 APR @ 7:30 PM: FLEE (M, 89 MINS) + PANEL DISCUSSION
An Afghan refugee in Denmark grapples with a painful secret he has kept hidden for 20 years, which threatens to derail the life he has built for himself, in this award-winning animated documentary.
Followed by a panel discussion hosted by ANU Law Reform and Social Justice, featuring the following speakers:
- Renee Dixson, chair of the Forcibly Displaced People Network (FDPN), an LGBTIQ+ refugee-led organisation
- Professor Des Manderson, ANU College of Law & Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law, author of Danse Macabre: Temporalities of Law in the Visual Arts (2019)
- Dr Jessica Hambly, Senior Lecturer of Law, Deputy Director of Law Reform and Social Justice, expert in refugee law
• THU 28 APR @ 7:30 PM: SCREAM (MA, 114 MINS)
25 years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past in this ‘requel’ that is the fifth instalment in the series.
Thanks to our friends at Paramount Pictures, we have a number of SCREAM hoodies and heat-changing mugs that we’ll be giving away at the screening. First in, best dressed!
• FRI 29 APR @ 7:30 PM: THE BATMAN (M, 176 MINS – NO GUESTS)
Still learning the ropes in his second year of fighting crime, Batman (Robert Pattinson) pursues a vicious, cryptic serial killer known as the Riddler, while uncovering rampant corruption in Gotham City that could be connected to his own family.
• SAT 30 APR @ **5 PM**: NOWHERE SPECIAL (M, 95 MINS)
John, a 35-year-old window cleaner, has dedicated his life to bringing up his young son. But when John is given only a few months left to live, he must do all that he can to find a new family for his son before time runs out in this heartfelt British drama.
• SAT 30 APR @ 7:30 PM: THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE (M, 126 MINS)
In the 1970s, Tammy Faye (Jessica Chastain, in her Best Actress Oscar-winning role) and her husband Jim (Andrew Garfield) rise from humble beginnings to create the world’s largest religious broadcasting network – but scandal soon threatens to topple their empire.
We hope you all had a great Easter break. Although if an extra-long weekend, hot cross buns and chocolate eggs weren’t enough of a treat, we now have a brand new programme to share with you too!
The full line-up for our Winter 2022 season (May 3 to July 23) can be viewed:
1. On our website with posters, extended synopses and cast listings by CLICKING HERE
2. In a printer-friendly PDF flyer version by CLICKING HERE
3. Or directly imported into your phone or computer’s calendar using this .ICS file available HERE
Not yet a member or need to renew? Memberships for our Winter 2022 season are now available for purchase either in person at any screening or online at www.anufg.org.au/join. All Winter memberships purchased from this week onwards will also include entry into the remaining two weeks of our current programme up until April 30.
...............................................................
WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK
...............................................................
For the penultimate week of our Autumn season, we have the legendary Hercule Poirot’s next case in DEATH ON THE NILE, Guillermo del Toro’s all-star Oscar-nominated noir thriller, a critically adored Norwegian rom-com, and an 80th anniversary screening of a beloved Disney classic.
• THU 21 APR @ 7:30 PM: THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (MA, 128 MINS)
An indecisive young woman struggles with existential uncertainty as she navigates the troubled waters of numerous relationships and struggles to find her purpose in life, in this award-winning, Norwegian romantic comedy-drama.
• FRI 22 APR @ 7:30 PM: NIGHTMARE ALLEY (MA, 150 MINS)
In 1940s New York, a down-on-his-luck drifter (Bradley Cooper) with a talent for manipulating people enlists the help of a mysterious psychiatrist (Cate Blanchett) to hatch a dangerous scheme to con the
elite and wealthy.
• SAT 23 APR @ **5 PM**: BAMBI (G, 70 MINS)
In the heart of the forest, young Bambi takes his first wobbly steps and sets out on a life-changing adventure to explore the wonders of a new world with his friends, in this 80th anniversary screening of Walt Disney's animated masterpiece.
• SAT 23 APR @ 7:30 PM: DEATH ON THE NILE (M, 127 MINS)
Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot's (Kenneth Branagh) Egyptian vacation aboard a glamorous river steamer turns into a terrifying search for a murderer when a picture-perfect couple’s idyllic honeymoon is tragically cut short.
There are only two screenings this week due to the Easter long weekend, but we’ll be back in force next week with some terrific films, a bonus Canadian film (see below) and the highly-anticipated reveal of our new Winter 2022 programme!
• WED 13 APR @ 7:30 PM: DE GAULLE (M, 109 MINS)
In 1940, WWII is about to reach a tipping point with the Nazis having seized Paris. Recently promoted General Charles de Gaulle (Lambert Wilson) refuses to accept defeat, and sets in motion events that will change the course of history.
Presented in partnership with the Embassy of France
• THU 14 APR @ 7:30 PM: RESPECT (M, 145 MINS)
From early beginnings singing in her father's church choir, Aretha Franklin (Jennifer Hudson) is blessed with extraordinary musical talent but struggles to find her voice and control her career on the path to achieving international music stardom.
...............................................................
CANADIAN FILM DAY SCREENING: ‘DRUNKEN BIRDS’ ON APRIL 20
...............................................................
In celebration of National Canadian Film Day, the ANU Film Group and the Canadian High Commission will be hosting a free screening of the award-winning DRUNKEN BIRDS on Wednesday 20 April at 7:30 pm in the Kambri Cinema.
In the film, a Mexican drug cartel worker makes the fatal mistake of falling in love with his boss’s wife. When they are separated and forced to go into hiding, he travels to Canada to find her, eventually taking a job as a seasonal migrant worker in rural Quebec, where he becomes entangled in his host family’s domestic turmoil.
Directed by Ivan Grbovic, DRUNKEN BIRDS was nominated for six Canadian Film Awards, including Best Film, and also selected as Canada’s entry for Best International Feature Film at this year's Oscars. Check out its trailer HERE
No registration is required for ANU Film Group members. Just come along next Wednesday!
Escape the rain and chilly weather this week at the ANU Film Group with films that will take you away from dreary Canberra and transport you around the world: from Japan (DRIVE MY CAR) to New Zealand (COUSINS) to Mexico (BOOK OF LOVE), 14th century France (THE LAST DUEL) and even a not-too-distant future where we all interact using robots (RON’S GONE WRONG).
And in case an acclaimed Kiwi film wasn’t enough, the New Zealand High Commission will also be giving out complimentary cups of New Zealand Natural ice cream prior to our screening of COUSINS on Thursday. First in, best dressed!
• WED 6 APR @ 7:30 PM: BOOK OF LOVE (M, 106 MINS)
An English writer (Sam Claflin) is delighted to learn his book has become a surprise hit in Mexico but when he is invited there to promote it, he quickly discovers why: the publisher’s Spanish translator has rewritten his dull novel into an erotic tale.
Presented in partnership with the Embassy of Mexico
• THU 7 APR @ 7:30 PM: COUSINS (M, 98 MINS)
Bound by blood but separated by circumstance, three Māori cousins spend a lifetime searching for each other after one of them is taken from her family as a child and raised in an orphanage, in this powerful, decades-spanning Kiwi drama.
Presented in partnership with the New Zealand High Commission
• FRI 8 APR @ 7:30 PM: DRIVE MY CAR (MA, 179 MINS)
Still grappling with the recent loss of his wife, a theatre director accepts an offer to stage a play at a festival in Hiroshima, where he finds his life changed by the young woman appointed to drive his car, in this highly-lauded Japanese Oscar winner for Best International Film.
• SAT 9 APR @ **5 PM**: RON’S GONE WRONG (PG, 107 MINS)
In a world where children exclusively socialise through walking, talking, digitally-connected robots, a socially-awkward schoolboy discovers that his malfunctioning robot buddy doesn't quite work the same as the others do.
• SAT 9 APR @ 7:30 PM: THE LAST DUEL (MA, 153 mins)
In 14th century France, a noblewoman (Jodie Comer) accuses a squire (Adam Driver) of raping her – an outspoken act of bravery which forces her husband (Matt Damon) to challenge their former friend to a judicial duel to the death. Directed by Ridley Scott.
The Apple TV+ feel-good drama CODA and Denis Villeneuve’s new take on DUNE were the big winners at yesterday’s controversial 94th Annual Academy Awards, but there was a lot of love spread around to a large swathe of other films too – including THREE which are screening at the ANU Film Group this week!
And don’t miss these other Oscar-winning films coming up later this season: THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE (April 30 – Best Actress, Best Makeup and Hairstyling) and DRIVE MY CAR (April 8 – Best International Film).
• TUE 29 MAR @ 7:30 PM: HIVE (M, 84 mins)
A woman whose husband has been missing since the war in Kosovo sets up a small agricultural business to provide for her kids, but finds herself fighting against a hostile patriarchal community that is rooting for her to fail in this acclaimed, multi-award-winning film.
Presented in partnership with the Embassy of Kosovo.
• THU 31 MAR @ 7:30 PM: KING RICHARD (M, 144 mins)
Driven by a clear vision and using unconventional methods, Richard Williams (Will Smith) is determined to shape his two young daughters – Venus and Serena – into athletes who will eventually change the sport of tennis forever. Oscar winner for Best Actor (Smith), and nominated for 5 more, including Best Picture.
• FRI 1 APR @ 7:30 PM: WEST SIDE STORY (M, 156 MINS – NO GUESTS)
In 1957, two teenagers fall in love, but their risky relationship fuels the fire between two warring New York City gangs – the Jets and the Sharks – in director Steven Spielberg's remake of the classic musical. Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose), and nominated for 6 more, including Best Picture.
• SAT 2 APR @ **5 PM**: BELFAST (M, 98 MINS – NO GUESTS)
In 1969, with Ireland caught up in increasing turmoil, a young boy and his family must come to terms with the prospect of leaving their beloved hometown for a life in England, in Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical drama. Oscar winner for Best Original Screenplay, and nominated for 6 more, including Best Picture.
• SAT 2 APR @ 7:30 PM: LICORICE PIZZA (M, 134 MINS)
In 1973 California, a 15-year-old high schooler and a 25-year-old aspiring photographer embark on a fiery friendship that leads to a budding business and possibly even romance, in director Paul Thomas Anderson’s light-hearted coming-of-age tale. Nominated for 3 Oscars, including Best Picture.
Just a friendly reminder that our Annual General Meeting is taking place TONIGHT (Monday 21 March) in the Kambri Cinema from 6 pm.
We would love for you to come along to hear about how we’ve been doing over the past 12 months and help us plan for our future – which may even include a role for you if you’re interested in joining our new administration. Drop us a line at info@anufg.org.au if you’d like to know more, but otherwise, we hope to see you there!
As the AGM will be taking place indoors, please also be advised that wearing a mask will be mandatory as per ANU requirements.
...............................................................
WHAT'S ON THIS WEEK
...............................................................
The Oscars are taking place next Monday, which means that our Oscar Week is right around the corner with contenders like BELFAST, WEST SIDE STORY, KING RICHARD, LICORICE PIZZA all screening throughout the week.
But first, this week you can catch Kristen Stewart’s Oscar-nominated performance as the People’s Princess in SPENCER, watch Mads Mikkelsen seek revenge in RIDERS OF JUSTICE, see a mother rebuild her life in HERSELF, witness the beginning of the Kingsman in THE KING’S MAN, and catch director Sean Baker’s latest acclaimed film, RED ROCKET.
• WED 23 MAR @ 7:30 PM: RIDERS OF JUSTICE (MA, 116 mins)
After his wife dies in a train accident, a recently-deployed soldier (Mads Mikkelsen) is informed by a survivor that the wreck may not have been accidental after all and sets out to find those responsible, in this darkly comic Danish thriller.
• THU 24 MAR @ 7:30 PM: HERSELF (MA, 97 mins)
Struggling to find housing for her two young daughters after escaping an abusive relationship, a single mother decides to build her own home with the help of the local community, rebuilding her life and rediscovering herself in the process.
Presented in partnership with the Embassy of Ireland
• FRI 25 MAR @ 7:30 PM: THE KING’S MAN (MA, 131 mins)
In 1914, as a shadowy collective of the world's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a world war, a war-hero-turned-pacifist (Ralph Fiennes) must race against time to stop them in this prequel to the Kingsman films.
• SAT 26 MAR @ **5 PM**: SPENCER (M, 116 mins)
In 1991, as the Royal Family prepare the spend the Christmas holidays together, Princess Diana (Kristen Stewart) finds herself struggling to enjoy the festivities with her marriage to Prince Charles in crisis and her mental health in question.
• SAT 26 MAR @ 7:30 PM: RED ROCKET (MA, 130 mins)
Finding himself down and out in Los Angeles, a washed-up former porn star decides to return to his hometown in Texas after nearly 20 years away, where he forms a dysfunctional family with his estranged wife and mother-in-law.
Please remember that masks must continue to be worn while in any indoor space on the ANU campus for the foreseeable future. This includes ANU Film Group screenings, for which masks are a condition of entry into screenings: if you don't have a mask, you will NOT be allowed into the cinema.
We will continue to provide disposable masks for anyone who has forgotten theirs, but please ask that you bring your own where possible as our supply is limited.
As required by the ANU, there will also be a COVID Safety Officer present at all screenings to ensure compliance for the duration of the film. Masks may only be removed if you are actively eating or drinking, or if you can supply proof of a valid medical exemption (e.g. letter from your doctor).
Thank you to everyone for your cooperation so far in ensuring our screenings are a safe moviegoing environment for all!
...............................................................
WHAT'S ON THIS WEEK
...............................................................
This week at the ANU Film Group, indulge in your appetite for meaningful food, ghostbusting, France's first restaurant, and an Argentinian heist. Plus, celebrate 60th anniversary of James Bond's first big-screen outing with DR. NO!
• WED 16 MAR @ 7:30 PM: BREAKING BREAD (M, 86 mins)
Dr. Nof Atamna-Ismaeel – the first Muslim Arab to win Israel's MasterChef – is on a quest to make a social change through food, pairing Arab and Jewish chefs to discover and celebrate the food of their region free from politics and religion.
• THU 17 MAR @ 7:30 PM: GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE (PG, 124 mins)
After their estranged grandfather passes away, a single mother and her two kids travel to a small town to collect their inheritance but instead discover their connection to the Ghostbusters and the secret legacy that has been left behind.
• FRI 18 MAR @ 7:30 PM: DR. NO (PG, 110 mins)
Celebrate the 60th anniversary of 007's first screen adventure, as James Bond (Sean Connery) is sent to Jamaica to investigate the disappearance of a fellow agent and encounters the villainous Dr. No and his plot to disrupt the American space program.
• SAT 19 MAR @ **5 PM**: DELICIOUS (M, 113 mins)
In 18th century France, a talented chef loses his taste for cooking after he is dismissed from his aristocratic posting, but soon decides to get revenge on high society by opening the country's very first restaurant, in this culinary comedy.
• SAT 19 MAR @ 7:30 PM: HEROIC LOSERS (M, 116 mins)
It's 2001 and Argentina is the midst of a great depression. After a group of enterprising small-town locals fall prey to a corrupt banker and lose everything, they band together with a crazy plan to steal back their hard-earned money.
If you want to get more involved in the running of the ANU Film Group, or simply want to find out more about how it’s done, be sure to mark MONDAY 21 MARCH in your calendar because that’s the date of our upcoming Annual General Meeting!
In case you didn’t know, the ANUFG is run by a team of hard-working volunteers and the AGM is a chance for you to get in on the action by joining our new administration for the next 12 months. All members are invited ¬– and encouraged – to come along to hear about how we did in the past year and what our plans are for the future.
The meeting will be held in person in the Kambri Cinema on Monday 21 March from 6 pm onwards.
Want to know more about what being a committee member entails? Or are you keen to put your hand up but can’t make it to the meeting? Drop us a line at info@anufg.org.au and we’d be more than happy to let you know more.
...............................................................
WHAT'S ON THIS WEEK
...............................................................
The latest films from Pedro Almodóvar, Wes Anderson and Disney Animation Studios arrive at the ANU Film Group this week, along with a return to the world of The Matrix and an Aussie thriller starring Zac Efron… with a mullet!
• WED 9 MAR @ 7:30 PM: GOLD (M, 97 mins)
When two drifters (Zac Efron, Anthony Hayes) travelling through the unforgiving desert stumble upon the biggest gold nugget ever found, they hatch a plan to excavate – and protect – the gold, in this sparse and tense Australian thriller.
• THU 10 MAR @ 7:30 PM: PARALLEL MOTHERS (M, 123 mins)
Two pregnant women who are about to give birth meet in a hospital room, where they bond over their similar predicaments and soon find their lives entwined in increasingly complex and testing ways, in the latest from Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar.
Presented in partnership with the Embassy of Spain
• FRI 11 MAR @ 7:30 PM: THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS (M, 148 mins)
A video game developer (Keanu Reeves) who has trouble distinguishing dreams from reality begins to see the world differently when a group of rebels inform him that he is living inside a computer simulation known as The Matrix.
• SAT 12 MAR @ **5 PM**: ENCANTO (PG, 109 mins – NO GUESTS)
The extraordinary Madrigal family live in a magical house in the mountains of Colombia which has blessed every child in the family with a special power – except for the extremely ordinary Mirabel, who soon discovers that the magic might be fading.
Presented in partnership with the Embassy of Colombia
• SAT 12 MAR @ 7:30 PM: THE FRENCH DISPATCH (M, 108 mins)
Wes Anderson and an all-star cast transport us to 1970s France where the staff of an American magazine are putting out its last issue, bringing to life stories featuring artistic prisoners, student riots, and the kidnapping of a police commissioner's son.
Spiders, pigs, lamb, caves and Gucci – we’ve got it all this week at the ANU Film Group as we head into the month of March!
Please remember to continue to bring your masks when attending screenings as they remain mandatory while in indoor spaces on the ANU campus, despite the easing of the wider ACT’s mask requirements last week. More information can be found HERE
• TUE 1 MAR @ 7:30 PM: LAMB (MA, 106 mins)
A childless couple live with their herd of sheep on a beautiful but remote farm. When they discover a mysterious newborn on their land, they decide to keep it and raise it as their own, in this dark and unusual Icelandic horror-fantasy tale.
• THU 3 MAR @ 7:30 PM: SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (M, 146 mins – NO GUESTS)
With his identity now revealed to the world, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) can no longer separate his civilian life from being Spider-Man, forcing him to seek the help of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a universe-altering spell.
• FRI 4 MAR @ 7:30 PM: HOUSE OF GUCCI (MA, 158 mins – NO GUESTS)
In 1978, Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) meets Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver), the young heir to the legendary Italian fashion dynasty. Before long, Patrizia's unbridled ambition transforms their romance into a fight for control of the family.
• SAT 5 MAR @ **5 PM**: THE RESCUE (M, 107 mins)
Never-before-seen material and interviews bring to life the enthralling, against-all-odds story that transfixed the world in 2018: the daring rescue of twelve boys and their soccer coach from deep inside a flooded cave in Northern Thailand.
• SAT 5 MAR @ 7:30 PM: PIG (MA, 91 mins)
Living alone in the Oregon wilderness, a reclusive truffle hunter (Nicolas Cage) is forced to return to confront his past in the big city after his only companion – a prized foraging pig – is kidnapped, in this acclaimed, melancholy indie drama.
...............................................................
SUPPORT ANUFG AT THE SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB
...............................................................
With restrictions easing and people dining out again, we encourage you to pay a visit to your local restaurants and clubs that have been hard hit by the pandemic over the past two years. The Canberra Southern Cross Club (CSCC), in particular, is worth a trip thanks to their Community Rewards program, which gives back to a wide variety of community groups – including everyone's favourite film society.
This means that if CSCC members choose to nominate the ANU 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. So you get to have a good meal and support, not just one, but two local organisations too!
If you’re already a CSCC member, nominating us is easy. All you have to do is fill out a short online form by CLICKING HERE
Alternatively, you can email us at info@anufg.org.au with your full name and CSCC membership number, or speak to reception at any CSCC venue. And if you’re not a member, you can find out more about the CSCC and its Community Rewards program at www.cscc.com.au/rewards
The ANU has announced that they will continue to require masks to be worn while indoors on campus "for the foreseeable future", despite the ACT Government easing their mask requirements from this Friday onwards.
This means that all members and guests must wear a mask while attending ANU Film Group screenings, unless you have a valid medical exemption or are actively eating or drinking.
We will continue to have a supply of disposable masks available for anyone who has forgotten theirs, but caution that this supply is limited. You will not be permitted entry into the cinema without a mask so please try to bring your own where possible.
The medical advice remains that masks are one of the best methods of preventing the spread of COVID-19 and should be used indoors whenever social distancing isn’t possible, so we trust that this will result in a safer moviegoing environment for all.
We can also advise that, following the easing of restrictions over the weekend, the use of the ACT Health Check In CBR app is no longer mandatory. However, we will continue displaying our QR code at the entrance to the cinema for anyone to use if they wish. If you are unable to use the app, we can also assist you with checking in on one of our devices.
................................................................
WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK
................................................................
We’ve been expecting you, Mr. Bond… After many delays, Daniel Craig’s last turn as 007 finally arrives at the ANU Film Group this week, along with a hit French comedy, a thrilling documentary, and a rock opera musical?!
• THU 24 FEB @ 7:30 PM: BYE BYE MORONS (M, 87 mins)
Determined to make her remaining days count, a terminally-ill hairdresser sets out to find the son she was forced to abandon 28 years ago, embarking on a madcap quest alongside some unlikely companions, in this hit French comedy.
Presented in partnership with Alliance Française de Canberra in celebration of the upcoming 2022 French Film Festival, screening from March 2 to April 6. More information can be found HERE
• FRI 25 FEB @ 7:30 PM: NO TIME TO DIE (M, 164 mins – NO GUESTS)
Having left active service, James Bond (Daniel Craig) finds his retirement in Jamaica interrupted when an old friend turns up asking for his help to rescue a kidnapped scientist who has developed a dangerous new technology, in Craig’s acclaimed final turn at 007.
• SAT 26 FEB @ **5 PM**: THE ALPINIST (M, 92 mins)
Elusive 23-year-old climber Marc-André Leclerc has accomplished some of the boldest solo ascents in history, all without publicity or fanfare – until now – in this intimate documentary of a young visionary following the trail of his passion.
• SAT 26 FEB @ 7:30 PM: ANNETTE (MA, 140 mins)
A stand-up comedian (Adam Driver) and his singer wife (Marion Cotillard) find their lives taking an unexpected turn after the birth of their first child, a mysterious girl with an exceptional destiny, in this unconventional rock opera musical.