And so, having declared my bias up front, I’m very excited to share with you ten of my top picks from this year’s festival (although choosing just ten was almost impossible).
Filmworker (Dir. Tony Zierra)
Fans of Stanley Kubrick simply cannot miss this moving look at the experiences of Kubrick’s assistant, Leon Vitali. Vitali, who played Lord Bullingdon in the much-underrated Barry Lyndon, subsequently quit acting to become Kubrick’s right hand man through the production of The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, the unmade Aryan Papers and Eyes Wide Shut. Filmworker explores his time working on these films, and his ongoing mission to protect the legacy of this genius director.
Brexitannia (Dir. Timothy George Kelly)
For many, Great Britain’s decision on the Brexit vote was a staggering blow. In Brexitannia, Melbourne ex-pat Timothy George Kelly conducts interviews with countless British citizens on their views and the reasons they voted the way they did. The result is a balanced, eye-opening and incisive exploration of the British psyche at this pivotal moment in history.
Brexitannia will screen with Disaster Capitalism and Dream Empire on Saturday July 7 at 3pm.
Bam Bam (Dir. Jemma van Loenen)
Bam Bam is an exciting account of Bianca ‘Bam Bam’ Elmir’s mission to become a World Amateur Boxing Champion. Providing an intimate portrait of Elmir’s experiences as a Lebanese Australian Muslim woman with a big dream, this is powerful filmmaking that shouldn’t be missed by any sports fan.
Bam Bam will screen with Finding the Light & Fish out of Water on Saturday July 14 at 3pm.
Swagger of Thieves (Dir. Julian Boshier)
Anybody who loves a rollicking rock documentary simply cannot miss Swagger of Thieves, a confronting look at the experiences of legendary New Zealand band Head Like A Hole as they reunite for a new tour. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll are front and centre in a film that pulls no punches, offering an honest and occasionally disturbing look behind the scenes of this iconic group.
Living the Game 
(Dir. Takao Goutsu)
Over the last few years, the eSports industry has grown exponentially, taking the world by storm. Living the Game takes us deep into the belly of the beast, following some of the world’s greatest players of Ultra Street Fighter IV as they battle it out for big money in some of the world’s biggest tournaments.
Kangaroo (Dir. Kate McIntyre Clere and Michael McIntyre)
This controversial look at the Kangaroo-culling industry in Australia raises big questions and challenges popular assumptions. This is a must-watch film for those with a keen interest in animal rights.
War Mothers (Dir. Stefan Bugryn)
Delving into the experiences of three mothers who’ve lost their children to the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, War Mothers is a powerful look at the human capacity of resilience when faced with brutality and violence. An incredible piece of work from Melbourne based filmmaker, Stefan Bugryn.
Black Anzac (Dir. Tim Anastasi)
When Australian Artist Hego set out to create a work of art highlighting the contribution of Indigenous Australians in World War I, filmmaker Tim Anastasi followed him on his journey through Australian history and artistic expression. The result is a fascinating piece of documentary cinema about little known moment in indigenous history.
Black Anzac will screen with Kings of Baxter & Life is Art on Friday July 13 at 7pm.
32 Pills (Dir. Hope Litoff)
New York artist and photographer Ruth Litoff struggles to come to terms with the suicide of her sister in this moving look at the heartbreaking challenges that come with mental illness. Challenging, respectful and incredibly personal cinema that raises significant questions about the way we look at the issue of suicide.
32 Pills will screen with Abducted in Plain Sight and Out of My Head on Thursday July 12 at 7pm.
Risking Light (Dir. Dawn Mikkelson)
Filmmaker Dawn Mikkelson takes us all over the world in this look at three people who’ve managed to overcome adversity and trauma through the power of forgiveness. One Australian woman struggles to cope with the injustices of the stolen generation. An American woman learns to forgive the man who took her son’s life. And a Cambodian man returns home for the first time after his family were forced away by Pol Pot’s regime.
Risking Light will screen with A Crude Injustice on Saturday July 14 at 12pm.
And a huge range of short films…
On top of these great films, the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival will be running two bumper shorts sessions on July 8th. Films from Australia and around the world will be screened, covering topics as diverse as Melbourne’s Streets Barber to the Brazilian Amazon. Be sure to book before tickets run out!
Comments
4 responses to “Ten top picks at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival this July”
Some crackers there, James. The Kubrick one looks good, (I loved Barry Lyndon too) and Black Anzac sounds right up my street. I might find the killing of the kangaroos too upsetting though. I am never comfortable seeing wild animals hurt. Thanks very much for the interesting roundup.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks, Pete. I think you’d be a big fan of the Kubrick doco especially!
Great rundown, James. Thanks for the info. I have only seen Filmworker and I agree wholeheartedly. The AFI Docs festival just concluded here in DC. I was away for most of it and have a lot of catching up to do. One real standout was The Distant Barking of Dogs by Simon Lereng Wilmont, about a boy growing up in the middle of the fighting in Ukraine.
Thanks! Plenty of good stuff here, Jon. And as you might expect, a lot of it from some very talented Aussie filmmakers.