Page 36-37 - Annual Review 2009

Relive
37
Australian Cinémathèque
The Gallery’s Australian Cinémathèque — still
the only facility of its kind in an Australian art
museum — continues to bring a rich dimension
to film culture in this country. It presented
both exhibition-related programs — such as
those for APT6, ‘American Impressionism and
Realism: A Landmark Exhibition from the Met’,
and ‘The China Project’ — and stand-alone
thematic programs. In 2009, the Cinémathèque
presented 391 film titles and 487 screening
sessions.
Slashers, splatters, thrillers and apocalyptic
disasters — horror buffs were treated to all
these and more in the Be Afraid: Fear in North
American Cinema and Dead Country: Australian
Horror Classics film programs. From horror
to history: coinciding with Queensland’s Q150
celebrations, the Cinémathèque presented a
survey of the work of pioneering Queensland
filmmakers Charles and Elsa Chauvel, including
Jedda 1955 — Australia’s first feature film in
colour and the first to have an Indigenous
character in a main role. Also with an
Indigenous focus was First Australians —
a series from directors Rachel Perkins and Beck
Cole that chronicles Australia’s turbulent history
from an Indigenous perspective.
Moving to international viewpoints, The view
from elsewhere featured contemporary video
art and cinema practice from across Asia and
the Middle East, while Living in the 70s: Counter
Culture Remixes French Cinema featured the
work of directors such as Marguerite Duras and
Chantal Akerman.
A major survey of the work of acclaimed British
filmmaker Peter Greenway coincided with the
Brisbane Festival 2009. While in Brisbane for
the festival, Greenaway presented both a VJ
performance and a lecture at GoMA.
There was barely a seat left
in the house. And talk about
a crowd pleaser, I’ve always
had major love for Friday
the 13th, but seeing it with
this audience was something
special. Screams and
applause abounded.
Visitor to the Be Afraid film program
Above: Production still from House of Flying Daggers 2004 / Director:
Zhang Yimou / Image courtesy: Universal Films (China)
Promotional poster for Jaws 1975 / Director: Steven Spielberg /
Image courtesy: Universal Pictures
Production still from The Pillow Book 1996 / Director:
Peter Greenaway / Image courtesy: British Film Institute, Park Circus