Sydney Underground Film Festival (SUFF) returns next month to bring back the excitement of festival going, and revitalise Sydney's culture calendar.
For the first time ever, SUFF moves to Event Cinemas George Street. It's the first in-person edition of the festival since 2019. . . Now with a brand-new Festival Hub.
SUFF features a full-scale programme of compelling features and documentary films from here, there and everywhere, plus some exciting Australian premieres and a smorgasbord of shorts and live events. The festival has become an important annual event for local and nationwide audiences and filmmakers, with the 2022 edition continuing to carve out a much-needed space for Sydney's independent film community.
Among the 2022 festival highlights is opening night film 'I Love My Dad'. This international premiere is inspired by writer/director/star James Morosini's true life experience as a hopelessly estranged father (Patton Oswalt) catfishes his own son in an attempt to reconnect.
Plus, 'Bodies Bodies Bodies' remixes 'Clue', 'Scream' and 'Mean Girls' for the digital age and stars Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova and Pete Davidson. It's straight out of SXSW and is directed by Dutch filmmaker Halina Reijn, working from a story conceived by 'Cat Person' author Kristen Roupenian.
'Mona Lisa And The Blood Moon'
'Mona Lisa And The Blood Moon' is a mind-bending adventure from Iranian-American director Ana Lily Amirpour. It's set in the swampy, neon-lit streets of New Orleans and is led by the bewitching Jeon Jong-seo, featuring Kate Hudson as an exotic dancer and a straight-faced Craig Robinson.
There's the New South Wales premiere of DIY sci-fi mind-bender 'Something In The Dirt' from Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, tragicomedy feature film debut from Jerrod Carmichael 'On The Count Of Three', and the world premiere of 'Pig Killer' from prolific horror film director Chad Ferrin.
SUFF will of course hold a celebration of independent film from around the world – including 'The Civil Dead' (US) and 'Sick Of Myself' from Norwegian director Kristoffer Borgli.
For doco lovers, there's plenty on offer. 'I Get Knocked Down' features Chumbawamba singer Dunstan Bruce, 'In The Court Of The Crimson King' covers cult rock band King Crimson, and 'Pub: The Movie' follows Melbourne ratbag troublemaker and cultural provocateur Fred Negro.
Ukrainian film 'Rhino' will be a special charity event from renowned Ukrainian filmmaker (and once Russian political prisoner) Oleg Sentsov who is currently still in Ukraine fighting on the front line.
'I Get Knocked Down'
SUFF's short film offering is full to bursting too – from the comic to the existential in Re:Animation, expressions of sexuality in all its forms in Love/Sick, a celebration of home-grown shorts in Homebaked – Aussie Shorts, bite-sized docos in Reality Bites, offerings not for the faint of heart in Sh!t Scared, and WTF, a package of confounding curiosities for the cinematically adventurous.
Much-loved filmmaking competition TAKE48 returns for its fourth year too, putting the abilities of filmmakers to the test, and there's more than $10,000 in prizes to be won. “It’s exciting to announce that the annual SUFF pilgrimage is back!” Festival Director Katherine Berger says. “There has never been a better time to come and discover new films alongside like-minded people. We’re also proud to platform the immense talents of independent and alternative filmmakers from Australia and around the world, and we have a tonne of quality hilarious, offbeat and horrorific films not to be missed on the big screen this September.”
Here's some more from Katherine to tantalise the film tastebuds. . .
What can film lovers expect from this year's programme?
After two years of hell we wanted this year's festival to provide Sydneysiders with some escapism, laughs, romance (SUFF-styled romance!), a few scares, and not to mention making our audience feel like they've just ingested illicit substances, whilst reconnecting with their fellow movie-goers!
What do you love about being Festival Director?
Watching a crapload of good films and seeing everyone have a good time at the festival.
Is there anything else you might like to add?
We would also like to encourage all those filmmakers out there to take part in TAKE48 – the 48-hour film challenge. It's a great way to push yourself, have fun (hopefully!), and come out on the other side with a short film that will screen as a part of SUFF!
Tickets are on sale now.
Sydney Underground Film Festival takes place from 8-11 September at Event Cinemas George Street, with on-demand screenings from 12-25 September.
