Europa! Europa film festival opens this Thursday – here’s what you need to get tickets for ASAP!
It’s that time of year again folks, as we traverse 22 European continents through the exciting and boundary-pushing films of Europa! Europa’s fifth edition.
Opening on Thursday night with a 70mm presentation of The Testament of Ann Lee, this explosive film tells the wild and unbelievable tale of Ann Lee, founder of the 18th Century Shakers, a Christian sect that believed in gender equality, a female Christ, and the healing power of song and dance.
Norwegian director Mona Fastvold brings a modern lens to this surprisingly progressive group, again co-writing with her creative and romantic partner Brady Corbet, director of The Brutalist. Amanda Seyfried stars as the titular Ann Lee, a standout performance that has already seen her nominated at the Golden Globes.
For those craving something a bit moodier, see Franz, a playful, almost Lynchian re-telling of Franz Kafka’s adulthood and eventual legacy. Battling strict familial expectations, affairs of the heart, and an all-consuming compulsion to write, Kafka remains an icon of the macabre and absurd.
Willem Dafoe stars in The Birthday Party, described as a “stylish, hedonistic thriller”, complete with a private island (not that kind!). Dafoe plays Marcos Timoleon who is hosting his daughter’s 25th birthday party on his island. What follows is a night of ruthless greed, secrets and drama.
The much anticipated Afternoons of Solitude finally screens in Australia, a powerful portrait of Peruvian matador Andrés Roca Rey. Observing Roca before, during and after bullfighting, the documentary is a sumptuous look into the sequins, blood and glory of being a matador.
Chopin, A Sonata in Paris tenderly leads us through the rise of Chopin and his head-turning piano compositions. For the classical music fans, this is not one to miss.
Continuing with the classical music biographies, Primavera tells the story of Cecelia, a gifted violinist but her talents trapped by the early 18th Century orphanage she lives in. Antonio Vivaldi is hired by the orphanage as the new instructor, who seeks to revolutionise her life.
Slacker comedy is back with Rolling Papers, a heart-warming coming-of-age film about finding direction in your 20’s. Sebastian, fed up with his boring day job, is torn between two worlds; move away from the freezing cold Estonia to Brazil, or stay with Nora, a girl he just met but really likes.
Europa! Europa also boasts a powerful retrospective series, screening iconic French New-Wave director Éric Rohmer’s Tales of the Four Season and 4 of Michelangelo Antonioni’s most masterful films, including La Notte (1961) and L’avventure (1960).
Explore the full Europa! Europa festival and find the hidden gems along the way.
