The annual 2015 Gold Coast Film Festival will commemorate its thirteenth year, and for the first time ever, will be held at nine different locations around the Gold Coast including The Arts Centre and Surfers Paradise Beachfront.
The festival brings exclusive, can’t-see-anywhere-else screenings of some of the latest indie films from around the world, as well as events, workshops and seminars hosted by local and international film professionals. Featuring a variety of film genres from critically acclaimed foreign language films, horror, sci-fi, Japanese anime, family films, comedy, drama, and Queensland and Australian produced films, it’s easy to see why the festival is one of the biggest events in south east Queensland every year.
Thursday night (9 April) was the opening night for the festival, and organisers did not disappoint. Beginning with a series of leading Australian film industry professionals, actors and local identities making their way up the red carpet, they paused for the many photographers and reporters lining the carpet in anticipation. These included personalities such as Luke Hemsworth, Grace Huang, the cast of 'Mako Mermaids' (Isabel Durant and Taylor Glockner, just to name a few), and Gold Coast Mayor, Tom Tate.
After mingling with the stars, guests were ushered into the theatre where popcorn and gift bags were waiting, and the evening’s screening commenced. Before the movie began, a number of speeches were made by Mayor Tom Tate, Minister for Tourism Kate Jones, and Margaret Pomeranz – one of Australia’s most respected and loved movie critics – who introduced the feature film for the evening, 'Clouds Of Sils Maria'.
'Clouds Of Sils Maria' was a favourite at the Cannes Film Festival, and has won Best Actress and Best Screenplay at the International Cinephile Society Awards. Starring Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, and Chloë Grace Moretz, it follows the story of internationally renowned actress, Maria Enders (Binoche) who, at the peak of her career, is asked to perform in a revival of the play that made her famous 20 years ago.
But back then she played the role of Sigrid, an alluring young girl who disarms and eventually drives her boss Helena to suicide. Now she is being asked to step into the other role, that of the older Helena. She departs with her assistant (Stewart) to rehearse in Sils Maria; a remote region of the Alps. A young Hollywood starlet with a penchant for scandal (Moretz) is to take on the role of Sigrid, and Maria finds herself on the other side of the mirror, face-to-face with an ambiguously charming woman who is, in essence, an unsettling reflection of herself.
The movie makes audiences see Hollywood stars through a new lens by presenting their challenges – particularly highlighting the contrast of star-power across generations – in a humorous and down to earth film. Personally, Kristen Stewart was a stand-out as she adopted a roll that was significantly different to her previous movies – think 'Twilight' and 'Snow White And The Huntsman' – and nailed it. The rest of the cast was also spectacular, and despite their differences in acting backgrounds, meshed well together.
If this was the first night of the ten-day festival, it's guaranteed that the events over the course of the next week should not be missed. With a range of films, seminars, sing-alongs and exhibits (over 85 events in total), the 2015 Gold Coast Film Festival has something to suit everyone, whether you’re a budding filmmaker, movie critic, or simply a movie enthusiast.
The Gold Coast Film Festival runs 9-19 April.
