Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) Returns For 2016

MELBOURNE | Like film? Like, really really like film? This might be your lucky day.

Hot on the reels of the Human Rights Film Festival, the Scandinavian film festival, and ACMI’s ongoing Scorsese exhibit comes the jewel in Melbourne’s film festival crown, the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF).

Featuring some amazing films from Australia and the world, MIFF is 2 solid weeks of entertainment, drama, and occasionally, subtitles. Highlights include new works from Jim Jarmusch (Coffee & Cigarettes, Broken Flowers), Werner Herzog (Bad Lieutenant, Grizzly Man), and opening night special ‘The Death and Life of Otto Bloom’ from Melbourne director Cris Jones. But these are really just the tip of the iceberg of what is on offer.

If film is a passing interest for you, this is a chance to escape the winter and see how much you enjoy its company; if film is more of a casual fling for you, this is a chance to make that relationship a little more official; and if you’re already in a deep and meaningful relationship with film, then you probably already know all this information. Whatever your motivation, the program is out now. Head to the official MIFF website for further info. To help you along the way, here are our top 5 picks for MIFF 2016.

Weiner

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, Wiener explores the corrosive culture of American politics and the endless echo chamber of media commentary. Carlos Danger is just the tip of the iceberg as film-makers Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg receive unprecedented access to Anthony Weiner during his 2013 New York City mayoral campaign.

Bad Girl

Sullen, defiant and on probation following her release from juvenile detention, 16-year-old foster child Amy Anderson struggles with her new life in the Australian countryside until Chloe, a friendly local girl the same age as Amy, drops by the family home seeking house-cleaning work and everything changes. A boldy dramatic twist on the usual femme fatale story.

Train To Busan

In this Korean action/horror flick, a high-speed train powers towards Busan, carrying a single father trying to connect with his daughter; a pregnant couple; two elderly sisters; a high-school basketball team; and a shady CEO. But a fast-acting virus soon leads to a zombie outbreak, and the passengers must try to survive the onslaught of walking dead closing in on them within the speeding vehicle.

In Jackson Heights

Jackson Heights, Queens, is one of the most culturally diverse neighbourhoods in the world. Its residents speak 167 languages and intermingle in a vibrant, inclusive melting pot. Legendary documentarian Frederick Wiseman’s film is a complex exploration of a microcosm of humanity, and how it deals with looming threats from gentrification to deportation.

Zero Days

Academy Award winning documentarian Alex Gibney  turns his fine-tuned investigative eye to the frightening world of state-sponsored cyber warfare. Zero Days is a chilling and eye-opening exposé of the new frontier of international surveillance and espionage, and its catastrophic implications for civilian infrastructure and personal freedom. To quote the BBC “”Zero Days is reminiscent of that scene in Skyfall when Q tells 007 that he can do more damage with his laptop before his morning cup of Earl Grey than Bond can do in a year.”

The Melbourne International Film Festival 2016

When: 28 July to 14 August 2016
Where: Venues throughout Melbourne such as ACMI, the Forum Theatre, and the Kino on Collins.
Cost: Tickets, passes, and vouchers are available at varying prices.