Milk Bar’s MIFF Picks

Well, it’s that time of year again. MIFF is back, now in its 60th year.

From July 21st to 7th August, an amazing selection of home-grown and international films will be screening in venues throughout Melbourne, as well as some old favourites for the past 60 years.

Also featuring talks and forums by filmmakers from around the world, including Mike Mills (Thumbsucker), Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) and Alex Gibney (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room), MIFF is a few wintery weeks where Melbourne is completely abuzz with cinema culture.

Here are a handful of films in the MIFF catalogue I’ve circled that I think you guys might like. First, the local stuff:
I Am Eleven
Filmmaker Genevieve Bailey traveled around the world talking to eleven-year-old children, hearing their thoughts and getting their take on life. Having spent four years making this film, Bailey’s documentary will hopefully prove to be anything but Kids Say the Darndest Things.

Falling for Sahara
Directed by Khoa Do (The Finished People, Footy Legends) Falling for Sahara is the story of three young African guys, living in Flemington, who find themselves competing for the same girl - the beautiful Sahara of the title. With a cast of recent refugee’s from all over Africa, it’ll be interesting to see how Do handles them and how far his ability has come since The Finished People in regards to directing amateur actors.

Swerve
After coming across a car-accident and finding a brief-case full of money in the middle of nowhere, Colin (David Lyons) quickly finds himself caught up in a deadly struggle for survival. Swerve looks as though it uses its South Australian outback location for all it’s worth, and could well be a film that no one was expecting: an Aussie genre film that’s actually worth seeing!

Now, the international films (drumroll):

Exporting Raymond
A documentary about trying to adapt the popular sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond for an Eastern European audience. You read correctly. This is not a mockumentary. If it’s as good as it sounds, it won’t require a laugh-track.

Bobby Fischer Against the World
Ordained a Grandmaster of chess at the age of 16, Bobby Fischer could be the most famous nerd that ever lived. This documentary delves into Fischer’s most successful hour and his eventual decline into madness and paranoia. Check it out.

Submarine
The directorial debut of Richard Ayoade (better known as The IT Crowd’s Moss), Submarine is the story of a fifteen-year-old boy trying to reunite his fractured family and impress the girl of his dreams. Could well be the UK’s answer to Wes Anderson.

Check out these and many more! And try to see a few films at The Forum. It’s a beautiful cinema, and they let you drink there during the festival.

MIFF runs from from July 21 to August 7
For the entire MIFF program of events visit http://miff.com.au