SCHOOLS PROGRAMME go!
School Groups - free admission, bookings required. A deposit of $110 per screening is required. $100 refundable. $10 non-refundable booking fee. During the festival, TransLink is offering school groups free return travel between your nearest train station and TransLink Cine Sparks venue. For timetable information visit http://www.translink.com.au/ or call
13 12 30.
BOOKING FORM
General Public - free admission. No bookings required, seating subject to availability.
SPARKS AFTER DARK go!
School Groups - free admission, bookings required. A deposit of $110 per screening is required. $100 refundable. $10 nonrefundable booking fee.
General Public - free admission. No bookings required.
BOOKING FORM
Bookings required for Dear Lemon Lima on Wed 28 July 6.00pm.
FAMILY FILM FIESTA go!
Free admission. No bookings required.
SCHOOLS PROGRAMME
All screenings in English, or with English language subtitles.
Back to top
MIA AND THE MIGOO 8+
language French
director Jacques-Remy Girerd
France, Italy/2008/91 mins
Pedro, a poor construction labourer, is buried in a landslide while he is working on a luxury resort in an environmentally sensitive area. Far away in France, his daughter Mia senses that something is amiss and decides to cross dangerous terrain to be with her father. As Mia enters a mysterious forest, she meets the Migoo, who are caretakers of a very special tree. Together with her new friends, Mia must work to save her father and the forest from destruction. A visually imaginative animation depicting environmental themes relevant to our times.
screened BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2009, London Film Festival 2008, Toronto International Film Festival 2008
content advice Brief mild threatening scene; Very infrequent mild coarse language
curriculum links French, The Arts, SOSE
FRI 30 JULY, Cinema A, GoMA, 10.15AM
WED 4 AUGUST, Cinema A, GoMA, 10.15AM
Back to top
MAI MAI MIRACLE 9+
language Japanese
director Sunao Katabuchi
Japan/2009/93 mins
Living in rural Japan in 1955, Shinko is an adventurous nine-year-old with a vivid imagination and a love of history. She spends her time running through the fields and pondering what it would be like to live in her village when it was the centre of imperial rule one thousand years ago. When the shy Kiiko moves into the area from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, Shinto introduces her to new friends, rural life, and the power of imagination. Writer/director
Katabuchi's apprenticeship with Hayao Miyazaki is clearly visible in this debut feature film, which will delight young and grown-up anime enthusiasts alike.
screened Pusan International Film Festival 2009, Locarno International Film Festival 2009, New York International Children's Film Festival 2010
content advice Mild themes
curriculum links Japanese, The Arts, SOSE
FRI 30 JULY, Cinema A, GoMA, 12.15PM
MON 2 AUGUST, Cinema A, GoMA, 10.15AM
Back to top
FROM TIME TO TIME 10+
language English
director Julian Fellowes
United Kingdom/2009/92 mins
Adapted from Lucy Boston's The Chimneys of Green Knowe, this haunting tale of adventure depicts England during both the Napoleonic and Second World wars as 13-year-old Tolly renews his relationship with his grandmother. While awaiting news of his father who is missing in action in Germany, Tolly slips back in time and becomes embroiled in two mysteries surrounding the kind-hearted Susan and the runaway slave Jacob. The somewhat dreary and grey depiction of winter in 1940s Britain is placed against the vivid springtime of the early 1800s in a film that offers a superb British cast, engaging storytelling, and the occasional unexpected fright for all ages.
screened Chicago International Children's Film Festival 2009 (Adult's Jury Award Certificate of Merit, Best of the Fest, Children's Jury Award), BFI London Film Festival 2009
content advice Occasional scary scenes
curriculum links English, SOSE, The Arts
TUE 27 JULY, Cinema B, GoMA, 10.20AM
THU 29 JULY, Cinema B, GoMA, 10.20AM
Back to top
LITTLE WHITE LIES 10+
language German
director Marcus H Rosenmuller
Germany/2008/103 mins
Innocent lies give rise to serious complications for thirteen-year-old Alexander in this parable set against the backdrop of Nazi Germany in the early 1930s. When older student Langer joins his class, Alexander finds himself compromised and, in a series of events caused by his own dishonesty, his classmates begin to torment a student in the rival class. As Langer begins to organise the students into a gang of brown- scarf-wearing rascals, it becomes clear what Alexander's little white lies have begun. With slap-stick humour and appealing stylistic sensibilities for young audiences, Little White Lies also holds adult attention through its carefully placed historical references and moral significance.
screened Berlin International Film Festival 2009, BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2009
content advice Mild threatening scenes; Mild themes
curriculum links German, SOSE, Modern History, The Arts
TUE 3 AUGUST, Cinema A, GoMA, 10.15AM
THU 5 AUGUST, Cinema A, GoMA, 10.15AM
Back to top
MOMMO 10+
language Turkish
director Atalay Tasdiken
Turkey/2009/94 mins
Ahmet and his younger sister, Ayse, live with their ageing grandfather in a rural part of Turkey. Following the death of their mother, Ahmet's father is living with a new partner, leaving the two children to fend for themselves. Ahmet is required to be a parent, provider, and pillar of strength for Ayse, who believes that there is a bogey man living in the walls of their house. The real danger for the children is the threat of being separated and sent to an orphanage. Based on a true story, Mommo is a beautiful and contemplative depiction of compassion and the precious love between a brother and sister.
screened Berlin International Film Festival 2009, Istanbul Film Festival 2009, BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2009 and nominated for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards
content advice Mild themes
curriculum links The Arts
THU 29 JULY, Cinema B, GoMA, 12.20PM
WED 4 AUGUST, Cinema B, GoMA, 12.20PM
Back to top
TODAY IS BETTER THAN TWO TOMORROWS 11+
language Laotian
director Anna Rodgers
Laos, Ireland/2009/85 mins
A rare view of life for young people in Laos, this quiet observational documentary charts the journey of 11-year-olds, Leh and Bo. Their parents appreciate the need for the two young friends to receive an education and leaving the small rural community for a Buddhist monastery is the only pathway available to the boys. Young audiences will find many moments of identification in Leh and Bo's story even though their lives are very different. Buddhist proverbs and phrases interweave with the boys' rite of passage and provide contemplative anchors to the images of majestic surroundings.
screened Vancouver International Film Festival 2009, Canberra International Film Festival 2009, Jameson Dublin International Film Festival 2009
content advice No sensitive content
curriculum links SOSE,
FRI 30 JULY, Cinema B, GoMA, 10.20AM
TUE 3 AUGUST, Cinema B, GoMA, 10.20AM
Back to top
THE BLUE BIRD 12+
language Japanese
director Kenji Nakanishi
Japan/2008/105 mins
A new school term appears to offer a fresh start for students as Noguchi, a student previously bullied by the class, has transferred schools. His departure occurs at the same time as the appointment of a stuttering substitute teacher, Mr Murachi, who seems intent on frustrating the class and reigniting debate between the students, parents, and school administration by keeping Noguchi's vacant desk and chair in the classroom. Rather than allowing the students to simply write a reflection and forget, Mr Murachi wants the students to accept personal
responsibility for their behaviour.
screened Tokyo International Film Festival 2008, Hong Kong International Film Festival 2009
content advice Adult themes
curriculum links Japanese, Media, Film, Television and New Media
WED 28 JULY, Cinema A, GoMA, 10.15AM
THU 5 AUGUST, Cinema A, GoMA, 12.15PM
Back to top
DEAR LEMON LIMA 12+
language English
director Suzi Yoonessi
United States/2009/87 mins
FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE! SEE SUZI YOONESSI (WRITER/DIRECTOR) PRESENT HER FILM AND PARTICIPATE IN A SPECIAL QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION AFTERWARDS!
Awkward 13-year-old Vanessa Lemor is selected as the Nichols Academy's ‘Molly Hootch Scholar' in a programme that aims to financially support students of Eskimo heritage. While she is partly Yup'ik, Vanessa has been raised by her single mum and does not relate to her father's heritage at all. Vanessa joins with a group of social outcasts to win back the love of her suddenly popular ex-boyfriend Philip as they compete in the Snowstorm Survivor competition. A sweet coming-of-age comedy addressing themes of cultural identity, political correctness, and girl/boy relationships.
screened Los Angeles Film Festival 2009 (Outstanding Performance in Narrative Competition), BFI London Film Festival 2009, Rome Film Festival 2009
content advice Mild themes
curriculum links SOSE, English, Media, Drama
TUE 27 JULY, Cinema A, GoMA, 10.15AM
Thu 29 JULY, Cinema A, GoMA, 12.15PM
Back to top
GLOWING STARS 14+
language Swedish
director Lisa Siwe
Sweden/2009/90 mins
Life is far from simple for 14-year-old Jenna when she moves into her grandmother's house with her ill mother. With a solitary wallflower for a friend, Jenna's social life hardly takes her mind off her troubles at home. When she stumbles across a neighbourhood party, new opportunities present themselves and Jenna throws herself into a world of parties, boys, and supposed ‘good times'. As she struggles to find herself and her place in the world, Jenna is also facing the reality of life without her mum. A beautifully moving and uplifting film that accurately depicts the complexity of adolescence.
screened Berlin International Film Festival 2009, BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2009, Göteborg International Film Festival 2010
content advice Occasional sexual references, Occasional scenes of teenagers drinking alcohol, Mild sex scene, Adult themes, Occasional coarse language
curriculum links Health and Physical Education, Film, Television and New Media, Drama
WED 28 JULY, Cinema B, GoMA, 12.20PM
THU 5 AUGUST, Cinema B, GoMA, 10.20AM
Back to top
NEUKÖLLN UNLIMITED 14+
language German
director Agostino Imondi, Dietmar Ratsch
Germany/2010/96 mins
FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE! SEE AGOSTINO IMONDI (WRITER/DIRECTOR) AND HASSAN AKKOUCH (SIBLING) PRESENT THEIR FILM AND PARTICIPATE IN A SPECIAL QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION AFTERWARDS!
Featuring inspiring street dance and hip hop sensibilities, Neukölln Unlimited is the true story of Hassan, Lial, and Maradona, three Lebanese siblings living in the immigrant region of Berlin. Despite spending much of their lives in Germany, the family is in danger of being deported back to Lebanon for the second time. Hassan and Lial plan to use their artistic talents in music and breakdancing to secure a residency permit. Despite their best efforts, Maradona, the youngest of the three, continues to get himself into trouble at school. This award-winning documentary provides a timely window for Australian young people into the lives of immigrant teenagers.
screened Berlin International Film Festival (Crystal Bear for Best Feature Film) 2010, Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema 2010, Singapore International Film Festival 2010
content advice Adult themes, occasional coarse language
curriculum links German, Film Television and New Media, Dance
TUE 3 AUGUST, Cinema A, GoMA, 12.15PM
WED 4 AUGUST, Cinema A, GoMA, 12.15PM
Back to top
PESANTREN: 3 WISHES 3 LOVES 14+
language Indonesian
director Nurman Hakim
Indonesia/2008/114 mins
FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE! SEE NURMAN HAKIM (DIRECTOR) PRESENT HIS FILM AND PARTICIPATE IN A SPECIAL QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION AFTERWARDS!
Friendship, cultural understanding, and tolerance are the thematic concerns in this engaging portrayal of life in areligious boarding school in Central Java. Huda, Syahid, and Rian are like many teenagers and spend their time in between school lessons sneaking out to watch films and having a cigarette behind the shed. As they become adults and their graduation from the pesantren approaches, the three boys face their own challenges. This is an important film depicting the diversity of aspirations, beliefs, and interests in the lives of three young Indonesians at the time of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
screened Göteborg International Film Festival 2009, Dubai International Film Festival 2010 and nominated for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards
content advice Adult themes, Occasional sexual references
curriculum links Indonesian, SOSE, Film, Television and New Media
MON 2 AUGUST, Cinema A, GoMA, 12.15PM
TUE 3 AUGUST, Cinema B, GoMA, 12.20PM
Back to top
ZION AND HIS BROTHER 14+
language Hebrew
director Eran Merav
France, Israel/2009/75 mins
As the seasons change in a working class suburb of Haifa, Israel, 14-year-old Zion is learning about the complexities of life. He shares a strong relationship with 17-year-old brother Meir, who acts as a father figure. When mistaken identity leads to a tragic accident involving an Ethiopian immigrant, the brothers respond in different ways. The tight bond between the brothers is tested as Zion is plagued by questions of loyalty and morality. Zion and his
Brother provides an engaging portrayal of family conflict as Zion begins to stand on his own two feet.
screened Sundance Film Festival 2009, BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2009, Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival 2009
content advice Adult themes, sexual references, Occasional coarse language, Infrequent mild violence
curriculum links SOSE, Media, Film, Television and New Media, Drama
TUE 27 JULY, Cinema B, GoMA, 12.20PM
MON 2 AUGUST, Cinema B, GoMA, 10.20AM
Back to top
STELLA 15+
language French
director Sylvie Verheyde
France/2008/103 mins
The path to adulthood is complicated for the street smart yet friendly Stella. She appears more at home in her parents' bar entertaining the customers than at school with children her own age. However, the bohemian lifestyle chosen by her parents may not be all that it is cracked up to be. When Stella meets Gladys, a middle-class girl with a love of the arts and learning, she is offered an alternative and, perhaps, more promising future. Stella is a sensitive, memorable, and semi-autobiographical portrayal of growing up in Paris in the 1970s.
screened Los Angeles International Film Festival 2009, Edinburgh Film Festival 2009, BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2009
content advice Adult themes, Occasional coarse language, Sexual references
curriculum links French, Film, Television and Media
WED 28 JULY, Cinema A, GoMA, 12.15PM
THU 29 JULY, Cinema A, GoMA, 10.15AM
Back to top
METROPOLIS (G) 12+
language Silent
director Fritz Lang
Germany/1927/120 mins
In the world of the near future, the ruling managerial class enjoy an affluent life in the opulence of Metropolis largely because of the workers who live and toil in squalid conditions underground. It falls upon Freder, the son of the master of Metropolis, to do something about it. After his brief encounter with Maria he travels underground and begins working as one of the slaves. Metropolis is the archetypal German expressionist film and its influence on Science Fiction is still recognisable in recent releases. This 2002 restoration with live organ accompaniment is a must-see for young cinephiles.
screened Berlin International Film Festival 2001 & 2010, Thessaloniki Film Festival 2001, London Film Festival 2001
content advice No sensitive content
curriculum links Film, Television and New Media, Visual Art, Music, German
FRI 6 AUGUST, Cinema A, GoMA, 12.15PM
Back to top

SWEETIE (M) 15+
language English
director Jane Campion
Australia/1989/97 mins
FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE! SEE GERARD LEE (CO-WRITER) PRESENT THE FILM AND PARTICIPATE IN A SPECIAL QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION AFTERWARDS!
Madness in suburbia lies at the heart of Campion's debut feature. Kay has a fear of trees and works in a factory with her reasonably well adjusted, if a little frustrated, boyfriend Louis. When Kay's boisterous and unstable sister Sweetie decides to move in, Kay's relationship is placed under further stress. As Sweetie desperately hangs on to her dream of working in show business, their parents decide to separate. A dark comedy featuring the hallmarks of a Campion film, Sweetie is an unusual yet strangely familiar observation of Australian family life.
screened Cannes Film Festival (in competition) 1989, Toronto Film Festival 1989, New York Film Festival 1989, Toronto International Film Festival 2008
content advice Occasional nudity, Adult themes, Occasional coarse language
curriculum links English, Film, Television and New Media, Drama
THU 5 AUGUST, Cinema B, GoMA, 12.20PM
Back to top
SHORTS 4 SHORTIES 6-10+
A selection of international short films for 6 - 10 year olds
THE LITTLE MOUSE OF BAHADOR
director Abdollah Alimorad
Iran/2000/27 mins
A community of mice are tormented by a cruel King, until one special mouse comes along.
WHEN APPLES ROLL
director Reinis Kalnaellis
Latvia/2009/7 mins
Every Autumn Cat and Mouse pick apples from the orchard in the outskirts of their town. Their plan is interrupted when a strange egg suddenly rolls into the field of fruit.
LOST AND FOUND
director Philip Hunt
UK/2009/24 mins
The tale of a little boy who one day finds a penguin on his doorstep.
AUNTY MAGGIE AND THE WOMBA WAKGUN
director Leah Purcell
Australia/2009/10 mins
Aunty Maggie struggles to feed her three boys. What she finds an easy solution becomes a major problem - a problem that makes her famous!
WED 28 JULY, Cinema B, GoMA, 10.20AM
FRI 30 JULY, Cinema B, GoMA, 12.20PM
Back to top
TALES 4 TEENS 14+
Bite sized international cinema for ages 14+
OKTAPODI
directors Julien Bocabeille,
Francois-Xavier Chanioux,
Olivier Delabarre, Thierry
Marchand, Quentin Marmier,
Emund Mokhberi
France/2007/2 mins
Two Ocotopi help each other in their comical escape from the grasps of a stubborn restaurant cook.
ARE YOU LISTENING?
director Geethu Mohan Das
India/2009/22 mins
A four-year-old blind girl tries to find new meaning to the inevitable changes around her.
VIEW FINDER
director Peteris Noviks
Latvia/2009/3 mins
A blind man experiences mind visions that reveal his inner world.
BLOOMING IN SPRING
director Jung Ji-yeon
Korea/2008/20 mins
Yeon-ah discovers that her body doesn't only smell - it actually stinks. She lets her classmates know immediately.
FRANSWA SHARL
director Hannah Hilliard
Australia/2009/14 mins
Twelve-year-old Greg is just as ambitious as his father. During a family holiday the two have different ideas about which one of his many talents Greg should concentrate on.
JACCO'S FILM
director Daan Bakker
Netherlands/2009/25 mins
In Jacco's world there are no problems that can't be solved - unlike the small war his parents are engaged in every day.
MON 2 AUGUST, Cinema B, GoMA, 12.20PM
WED 4 AUGUST, Cinema B, GoMA, 10.20AM
Back to top
SPARKS AFTER DARK
All screenings in English, or with English language subtitles.
Back to top
DEAR LEMON LIMA 12+
language English
director Suzi Yoonessi
United States/2009/87 mins
FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE! SEE SUZI YOONESSI (WRITER/DIRECTOR) PRESENT HER FILM AND PARTICIPATE IN A SPECIAL QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION AFTERWARDS!
Awkward 13-year-old Vanessa Lemor is selected as the Nichols Academy's ‘Molly Hootch Scholar' in a programme that aims to financially support students of Eskimo heritage. While she is partly Yup'ik, Vanessa has been raised by her single mum and does not relate to her father's heritage at all. Vanessa joins with a group of social outcasts to win back the love of her suddenly popular ex-boyfriend Philip as they compete in the Snowstorm Survivor competition. A sweet coming-of-age comedy addressing themes of cultural identity, political correctness, and girl/boy relationships.
screened Los Angeles Film Festival 2009 (Outstanding Performance in Narrative Competition), BFI London Film Festival 2009, Rome Film Festival 2009
content advice Mild themes
curriculum links SOSE, English, Media, Drama
WED 28 JULY, Cinema A, GoMA, 6.00PM
Back to top
GLOWING STARS 14+
language Swedish
director Lisa Siwe
Sweden/2009/90 mins
Life is far from simple for 14-year-old Jenna when she moves into her grandmother's house with her ill mother. With a solitary wallflower for a friend, Jenna's social life hardly takes her mind off her troubles at home. When she stumbles across a neighbourhood party, new opportunities present themselves and Jenna throws herself into a world of parties, boys, and supposed ‘good times'. As she struggles to find herself and her place in the world, Jenna is also facing the reality of life without her mum. A beautifully moving and uplifting film that accurately depicts the complexity of adolescence.
screened Berlin International Film Festival 2009, BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2009, Göteborg International Film Festival 2010
content advice Occasional sexual references, Occasional scenes of teenagers drinking alcohol, Mild sex scene, Adult themes, Occasional coarse language
curriculum links Health and Physical Education, Film, Television and New Media, Drama
FRI 30 JULY, Cinema B, GoMA, 6.15PM
Back to top
PESANTREN: 3 WISHES 3 LOVES 14+
language Indonesian
director Nurman Hakim
Indonesia/2008/114 mins
FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE! SEE NURMAN HAKIM (DIRECTOR) PRESENT HIS FILM AND PARTICIPATE IN A SPECIAL QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION AFTERWARDS!
Friendship, cultural understanding, and tolerance are the thematic concerns in this engaging portrayal of life in a religious boarding school in Central Java. Huda, Syahid, and Rian are like many teenagers and spend their time in between school lessons sneaking out to watch films and having a cigarette behind the shed. As they become adults and their graduation from the pesantren approaches, the three boys face their own challenges. This is an important film depicting the diversity of aspirations, beliefs, and interests in the lives of three young Indonesians at the time of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
screened Göteborg International Film Festival 2009, Dubai International Film Festival 2010 and nominated for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards
content advice Adult themes, Occasional sexual references
curriculum links Indonesian, SOSE, Film, Television and New Media
WED 4 AUGUST, Cinema A, GoMA, 6.00PM
Back to top

ZION AND HIS BROTHER 14+
language Hebrew
director Eran Merav
France, Israel/2009/75 mins
As the seasons change in a working class suburb of Haifa, Israel, 14-year-old Zion is learning about the complexities of life. He shares a strong relationship with 17-year-old brother Meir, who acts as a father figure. When mistaken identity leads to a tragic accident involving an Ethiopian immigrant, the brothers respond in different ways. The tight bond between the brothers is tested as Zion is plagued by questions of loyalty and morality. Zion and his
Brother provides an engaging portrayal of family conflict as Zion begins to stand on his own two feet.
screened Sundance Film Festival 2009, BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2009, Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival 2009
content advice Adult themes, sexual references, Occasional coarse language, Infrequent mild violence
curriculum links SOSE, Media, Film, Television and New Media, Drama
WED 4 AUGUST, Cinema B, GoMA, 6.15PM
Back to top
STELLA 15+
language French
director Sylvie Verheyde
France/2008/103 mins
The path to adulthood is complicated for the street smart yet friendly Stella. She appears more at home in her parents' bar entertaining the customers than at school with children her own age. However, the bohemian lifestyle chosen by her parents may not be all that it is cracked up to be. When Stella meets Gladys, a middle-class girl with a love of the arts and learning, she is offered an alternative and, perhaps, more promising future. Stella is a sensitive, memorable, and semi-autobiographical portrayal of growing up in Paris in the 1970s.
screened Los Angeles International Film Festival 2009, Edinburgh Film Festival 2009, BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2009
content advice Adult themes, Occasional coarse language, Sexual references
curriculum links French, Film, Television and Media
WED 28 JULY, Cinema B, GoMA, 6.15PM
Back to top
FAMILY FILM FIESTA
All screenings in English, or with English language subtitles.
Back to top
PONYO (G)
Gather the family, a picnic rug, and enjoy an evening of cinema under the stars. Academy-Award winning Director Hayao Miyazaki, directs Ponyo, a charming animation for the whole family to enjoy. Five-year-old Sosuke lives high on a cliff by the sea. One morning while playing on the rocky beach below his house, he discovers a goldfish named Ponyo, her head stuck in a jam jar. Sosuke rescues her and keeps her in a green plastic pail. What follows is an exciting tale of friendship and adventure for the young and young at heart.
Features outstanding voice talent from Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Liam Neeson, Tina Fey and more!
SAT 31 JULY, KING GEORGE SQUARE, 6:30PM
Back to top

THE WIZARD OF OZ (G) 4+
language English subtitles
director Victor Fleming
United States/1940/101 mins
"For nearly forty years this story has given faithful service to the Young in Heart; and Time
has been powerless to put its kindly philosophy out of fashion. To those of you who have
been faithful to it in return ...and to the Young in Heart ...we dedicate this picture."
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Dorothy is transported from her dreary and black and white existence on the family farm in Kansas to the technicolour land beyond the rainbow. Together with the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion, Dorothy must face the Wicked Witch of the West before reaching the Emerald City to ask the all powerful Wizard to return her home to Kansas. Lucky she has her ruby red slippers! A special film for families since its release, MGM's musical masterpiece is sure to enchant a new generation of cinema goers.
content advice No sensitive content
SUN 1 AUGUST, Cinema A, GoMA, 11.00AM
Back to top
THE GENERAL (G) 5+
language English subtitles
director Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckmann, Eddie Cline
United States/1926/107 mins
Consistently ranked among the greatest films ever made, Buster Keaton's The General is so brilliantly conceived and executed that it continues to inspire awe and laughter with every viewing. Rejected by the Confederate army as unfit and taken for a coward by his beloved Annabelle Lee, young Johnnie Gray (Keaton) sets out to single-handedly win the war with the help of his cherished locomotive. Johnnie wages war against hijackers, an errant cannon, and the unpredictable hand of fate while roaring along the iron rails. This hilarious and cleverly choreographed comedy will be accompanied by a live original score played by Ron West on the pipe organ.
content advice No sensitive content
SAT 31 JULY, Cinema A, GoMA, 11.00AM
Back to top
MIA AND THE MIGOO 8+
language French
director Jacques-Remy Girerd
France, Italy/2008/91 mins
Pedro, a poor construction labourer, is buried in a landslide while he is working on a luxury resort in an environmentally sensitive area. Far away in France, his daughter Mia senses that something is amiss and decides to cross dangerous terrain to be with her father. As Mia enters a mysterious forest, she meets the Migoo, who are caretakers of a very special tree. Together with her new friends, Mia must work to save her father and the forest from destruction. A visually imaginative animation depicting environmental themes relevant to our times.
screened BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2009, London Film Festival 2008, Toronto International Film Festival 2008
content advice Brief mild threatening scene; Very infrequent mild coarse language
SUN 1 AUGUST, Cinema B, GoMA, 1.00PM
Back to top
MAI MAI MIRACLE 9+
language Japanese
director Sunao Katabuchi
Japan/2009/93 mins
Living in rural Japan in 1955, Shinko is an adventurous nine-year-old with a vivid imagination and a love of history. She spends her time running through the fields and pondering what it would be like to live in her village when it was the centre of imperial rule one thousand years ago. When the shy Kiiko moves into the area from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, Shinto introduces her to new friends, rural life, and the power of imagination. Writer/director
Katabuchi's apprenticeship with Hayao Miyazaki is clearly visible in this debut feature film, which will delight young and grown-up anime enthusiasts alike.
screened Pusan International Film Festival 2009, Locarno International Film Festival 2009, New York International Children's Film Festival 2010
content advice Mild themes
SUN 1 AUGUST, Cinema B, GoMA, 3.00PM
Back to top
LITTLE WHITE LIES 10+
language German
director Marcus H Rosenmuller
Germany/2008/103 mins
Innocent lies give rise to serious complications for thirteen-year-old Alexander in this parable set against the backdrop of Nazi Germany in the early 1930s. When older student Langer joins his class, Alexander finds himself compromised and, in a series of events caused by his own dishonesty, his classmates begin to torment a student in the rival class. As Langer begins to organise the students into a gang of brown- scarf-wearing rascals, it becomes clear what Alexander's little white lies have begun. With slap-stick humour and appealing stylistic sensibilities for young audiences, Little White Lies also holds adult attention through its carefully placed historical references and moral significance.
screened Berlin International Film Festival 2009, BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2009
content advice Mild threatening scenes; Mild themes
SUN 1 AUGUST, Cinema B, GoMA, 11.00AM
Back to top

THE BLUE BIRD 12+
language Japanese
director Kenji Nakanishi
Japan/2008/105 mins
A new school term appears to offer a fresh start for students as Noguchi, a student previously bullied by the class, has transferred schools. His departure occurs at the same time as the appointment of a stuttering substitute teacher, Mr Murachi, who seems intent on frustrating
the class and reigniting debate between the students, parents, and school administration by keeping Noguchi's vacant desk and chair in the classroom. Rather than allowing the students to simply write a reflection and forget, Mr Murachi wants the students to accept personal responsibility for their behaviour.
screened Tokyo International Film Festival 2008, Hong Kong International Film Festival 2009
content advice Adult themes
SAT 31 JULY, Cinema A, GoMA, 1.00PM
Back to top

NEUKÖLLN UNLIMITED 14+
language German
director Agostino Imondi, Dietmar Ratsch
Germany/2010/96 mins
FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE! SEE AGOSTINO IMONDI (WRITER/DIRECTOR) AND HASSAN AKKOUCH (SIBLING) PRESENT THEIR FILM AND PARTICIPATE IN A SPECIAL QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION AFTERWARDS!
Featuring inspiring street dance and hip hop sensibilities, Neukölln Unlimited is the true story of Hassan, Lial, and Maradona, three Lebanese siblings living in the immigrant region of Berlin. Despite spending much of their lives in Germany, the family is in danger of being deported back to Lebanon for the second time. Hassan and Lial plan to use their artistic talents in music and breakdancing to secure a residency permit. Despite their best efforts, Maradona, the youngest of the three, continues to get himself into trouble at school. This award-winning documentary provides a timely window for Australian young people into the lives of immigrant teenagers.
screened Berlin International Film Festival (Crystal Bear for Best Feature Film) 2010, Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema 2010, Singapore International Film Festival 2010
content advice Adult themes, Occasional coarse language
SAT 31 JULY, Cinema A, GoMA, 3.00PM
Back to top