The festival’s largest line up to date opens nationally from 11 June at Palace Cinemas, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Luna Palace Cinemas.

Based on a popular novel and directed by multi award-winning director Lone Scherfig, THE MOVIE TELLER (La Contadora de Películas) is this year’s star-studded Opening Night selection. A moving tribute to cinema and the magical power of storytelling, the film follows a young woman’s coming-of-age in a Chilean mining town and stars Bérénice Bejo, Antonio de la Torre, Daniel Brühl and brilliant newcomer Alondra Valenzuela.

The 2024 Special Presentation brings together female led films exploring the themes of ‘Liberation, Sexuality and Empowerment’. In the comedic yet sensual drama MAMACRUZ, Kiti Mánver delivers a compelling central performance as a religiously devout woman in late middle age who rediscovers the transformative power of her own sensuality. Channelling the voices of three women over 65 into one, MEMORIES OF A BURNING BODY (Memorias de un cuerpo que arde) is a heartfelt drama exploring pleasure and desire.

The sixth feature from talented director Juana Macías, THE GIRLS AT THE STATION (Las chicas de la estación), is a powerful drama inspired by real events starring three outstanding newcomers as friends entering adulthood who face incredible obstacles. In dark comedy thriller SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN (Que nadie duerma), Malena Alterio, who was awarded a Goya for her performance, plays a woman whose life takes a definitive turn when she loses her job.

Acclaimed filmmaker Isabel Coixet’s new film, UN AMOR, is a striking drama starring Laia Costa and Hovik Keuchkerian as new neighbours in a Spanish rural village who become entangled in a web of passion. VERA AND THE PLEASURE OF OTHERS (Vera y el placer de los otros), a comedic and erotic tale about growing up, follows 17-year-old Vera, as she divides her days between volleyball, school, and a secret hobby: listening to other people’s pleasure.

The Festival Centrepiece is THE TEACHER WHO PROMISED THE SEA (El Maestro que Prometió el Mar), winner of the Audience award at the 2024 Gaudí Awards. The acclaimed drama, starring Enric Auquer (star of last year’s festival hit Two Many Chefs) and Laia Costa, recounts the moving true story of Antoni Benaiges, a teacher who brought progressive teaching methods to a small village in 1930s Burgos.

Closing the festival is THE HOLY MOUNTAIN (La montaña sagrad), which recently marked its 50th Anniversary and was famously co-funded by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Alejandro Jodorowsky’s surreal and visually stunning avant-garde odyssey has been fully restored in lavish 4K presenting a mesmerising journey through a series of bizarre and symbolic experiences, exploring themes of spirituality, enlightenment, and the quest for transcendence.

Celebrating 120 years since the birth of Salvador Dalí, is a showcase of films from and about the surrealist master. Featuring fabulous archival footage, the documentary SALVADOR DALÍ: IN SEARCH OF

IMMORTALITY is an intimate and revelatory examination of the one-of-a-kind genius who managed to live a life that is a work of art unto itself.

Famous Hitchcockian psychological thriller SPELLBOUND follows a psychiatrist (Ingrid Bergman) who helps an amnesiac (Gregory Peck) uncover his true identity and features a not to be missed surreal dream sequence by Salvador Dalí.

Two short films, UN CHIEN ANDALOU & L’AGE D’OR, will be screened together as one session. A 1929 avant-garde short film by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí, Un Chien Andalou is a dreamlike, surrealistic exploration of the subconscious whilst L’Age d’Or is a surrealist tale of a man and a woman who are passionately in love, but their attempts to consummate it are thwarted by their families, the Church, and bourgeois society.

This year’s New Spanish Cinema selection embraces a range of styles and subjects from A.I. to the art of winemaking and a biopic of one of Spain’s most beloved comedians. Directed by multiple Goya Award winner David Trueba, drama JOKES AND CIGARETTES (Saben aquell) stars a transformative David Verdaguer as Eugenio, the famous chain-smoking Catalan comedian of the 1960s and 70s; RIOJA: THE LAND OF A THOUSAND WINES (Rioja, la tierra de los mil vinos) explores the vibrant evolution of the Spanish wine industry through the human stories behind the vines in the famous region of Rioja; and taut political thriller set in the near future ARTIFICIAL JUSTICE (Justica Artificial), stars Verónica Echegui as a judge who must assess new Artificial Intelligence software for use in the justice system and is drawn into a high stakes conspiracy with powerful interests at play.

Spanish box office hit CHECKMATES (Menudas Piezas) starring Alexandra Jiménez is based on a powerful and inspiring true story of a group of marginalised schoolkids who set out to win the Spanish Chess Championship against all odds.

CHINAS, the superb third feature from writer-director Arantxa Echevarria (Carmen & Lola), is a delicate and fascinating drama about two sisters that explores childhood, belonging, integration and the search for identity. Featuring a cast of up-and-coming talent, THE GIRLS ARE ALRIGHT (Las chicas están bien) is an enchanting, breezy drama that follows a group of actresses and a writer who come together in a country house for a week to rehearse a play.

Winner of Best Spanish Film at the 2024 Málaga Film Festival, SATURN RETURN (Segundo premio) is a tale of music and passion with a hypnotic soundtrack. Set in the late 1990s, this story about an indie rock group is inspired by, but not based on, the story of the legendary Spanish band Los Planetas.

An adaptation of the graphic novel from Paco Roca, award-winning drama LA CASA starring David Verdaguer (also seen in Jokes and Cigarettes) and Luis Callejo reunites three siblings at their childhood home. In the suspenseful drama FREE FALLING (Caída libre), Belén Rueda stars as a controlling national rhythmic gymnastics’ coach who does not contemplate failure as an option; In the psychological thriller THE SLEEPING WOMAN (La mujer dormida), strange things start happening a nursing assistant to when she becomes attracted to her patient’s husband; and in dramedy A HOUSE ON FIRE (Casa en flames), comedy director Dani de la Orden explores the darker side of families.

The festival is delighted to announce a Spotlight on Spanish director Isabel Coixet with a selection of the acclaimed director’s work presented alongside her newest release UN AMOR. Based on the novel The Dying Animal by Philip Roth and starring Ben Kingsley and Penélope Cruz, ELEGY explores the themes of love, desire and aging as it follows a distinguished professor who becomes romantically involved with one of his students. THOSE WHO LOVE (A los que aman), a subversive period piece about love, guilt, and redemption, features a luminous leading performance from Monica Bellucci as a passionate teacher entangled in a tumultuous affair. YESTERDAY NEVER ENDS (Ayer no termina nunca) is an absorbing character study from Coixet about a couple who reunite after five years apart, with one turning their history into a novel.

The Cine Latino selection includes a quietly powerful Argentinian drama from acclaimed writer/director Paula Hernandez, A RAVAGING WIND (El viento que arrasa), that explores a young woman’s path to change her fate. From Mexico, comes UPON OPEN SKY (A cielo abierto) set in early 1990s Mexico from a screenplay by legendary Mexican scriptwriter Guillermo Arriaga and the acclaimed drama TOTEM (Tótem) which takes place over the course of a single day in a bustling Mexican household, seen through the eyes of a seven-year- old.

Set in the post #MeToo era is BAD ACTOR (Un Actor Malo), a nuanced and incisive drama focused on a case of misconduct on a film set that triggers a series of unavoidable events in the search for truth and justice.

THE BLUE STAR (La estrella azul) is inspired by the life of 1990s Spanish rock star Mauricio Aznar and his journey through picturesque Argentina to reconnect with his passion for music. And hailing from the Dominican Republic, the science fiction thriller AIRE: JUST BREATHE (Aire) is set in the year 2147 as a conservation biologist battles the extinction of humanity with the help of an A.I. system.

From Colombia comes THE OTHER SON (El otro hijo), an emotionally charged semi-autobiographical tale and a moving portrait of adolescence. The world of wellness is explored in THE PRACTICE (La práctica), a witty, dark comedy about two recently separated yoga instructors; plus war-of-the-sexes satire THE TENDERNESS (La ternura) which stars Emma Suárez and Gonzalo de Castro.

Lovers of Spanish comedies will be thrilled with this year’s amusing selection. A box office hit in Spain and the third installment in the highly successful Spanish Affair movie franchise, A MOROCCAN AFFAIR (Ocho apellidos marroquís) sees the Díaz-Aguirre family’s lives flipped upside down with a trip to Morocco. In IDOL AFFAIR (Buscando a Coque) Alexandra Jiménez (also in Checkmates) and Hugo Silva star as a couple who must deal with an unexpected scenario involving the other’s idol.

ONE HELL OF A HOLIDAY (¡Vaya vacaciones!) features an all-star ensemble cast and pays homage to all grandparents, as fun adventures await when two are left looking after their grandchildren yet again; and JUST ONE SMALL FAVOUR (El favor) sees the adult children of a wealthy family facing the skeletons in their closets when their late nanny leaves a series of letters for them.

The 2024 HSBC Spanish Film Festival will take place nationally from 11 June to 10 July (dates vary – and ending 17 July in Sydney) in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Brisbane, Ballina and Byron Bay. Tickets are now on sale.

2024 HSBC Spanish Film Festival
Canberra 11 June – 10 July: Palace Electric Cinema
Adelaide 12 June – 10 July: Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas
Brisbane 13 June – 10 July: Palace James Street and Palace Barracks
Perth 13 June – 10 July: Palace Raine Square Cinemas, Luna Leederville and Luna on SX
Melbourne 14 June – 10 July: The Astor Theatre, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Penny Lane, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Palace Balwyn and Pentridge Cinema
Sydney 19 June – 17 July: Palace Norton Street, Palace Moore Park, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema
Byron Bay 21 June – 10 July: Palace Byron Bay
Ballina 21 June – 10 July: Ballina Fair Cinemas
www.spanishfilmfestival.com

The fully licensed cinema features a grand entrance spanning 3 levels of floor-to-ceiling windows with expansive district views. The venue comprises 10 contemporary cinemas including two premium screens and introduces the luxurious Dendy Premium Lounge experience to the Brisbane market; featuring an exclusive premium bar and in-cinema dining delivered straight to the patrons reclining seat.

Dendy’s independent cinema proposition services a diverse community. The scale and location of the new cinema in Coorparoo gives Dendy the opportunity to increase the range of movies and performing arts content, appeal to a broader demographic and capture new cinema audiences.

“The Dendy brand has enjoyed a long history of delivering an excellent independent cinema proposition to Brisbane consumers. We are pleased to continue this tradition in Coorparoo by opening this highly differentiated entertainment facility. Our development partners have created a world class residential and retail offering and Dendy is proud to be a foundation member of this new community’ said Greg Hughes, CEO, Dendy/Icon.

“We view a cinema offering as a vital consideration in our retail planning to deliver the shared benefits of retail and entertainment in our centres. We’re delighted to welcome Dendy to Coorparoo Square and we look forward to providing people in the local community a unique and memorable experience at their new neighbourhood centre,” said Peri Macdonald, Executive General Manager – Retail, Frasers Property Australia.

The opening of Dendy Coorparoo will be celebrated with an exciting schedule of events to appeal to people of all ages.

• Wine tasting from Fri 1st to Sun 3rd Dec (5pm to 7pm).
• Family Preview Screening of FERDINAND on Sun 10th Dec at 10am.
• Exclusive Premiere Screening of THE FLORIDA PROJECT on Sun 10th Dec at 7pm.
• The Star Wars event on Wed 13th Dec featuring an 8pm screening of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS followed by the midnight screening of STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI.
• Red Carpet Preview Screening of PITCH PERFECT 3 on Fri 22nd Dec at 6:30pm.
• Christmas Eve High Tea screening of BREATHE in the Premium Lounge on Sun 24th Dec at 10:30am.
• DOCTOR WHO CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: TWICE UPON A TIME releasing Tue 26th Dec.

Dendy Cinemas Coorparoo is now open and is located at Coorparoo Square, corner of Old Cleveland & Cavendish Road Coorparoo.
www.dendy.com.au

Manji, a highly skilled samurai, becomes cursed with immortality after a legendary battle. Haunted by the brutal murder of his sister, Manji knows that only fighting evil will regain his soul.

He promises to help a young girl named Rin avenge her parents, who were killed by a group of master swordsmen led by ruthless warrior Anotsu. The mission will change Manji in ways he could never imagine.

Blade of the Immortal – Exclusive to Dendy!
Screening at Dendy Portside 16 – 29 November 2017
Also showing at Canberra, Newtown
Available on Dendy Premium On Demand from 22 November 2017 – 9 January 2018
www.dendy.com.au

To enter this great competition just fill in the entry form below. Please note – the winners will need to be available during the exclusive screening period and be able to attend a screening of  Blade of the Immortal at Dendy Portside, Brisbane.

Competition will be drawn 12 November 2017, winners will be notified by email.

In the brand new adventure Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, the tables are turned as four teenagers in detention are sucked into the world of Jumanji. When they discover an old video game console with a game they’ve never heard of, they are immediately thrust into the game’s jungle setting, into the bodies of their avatars, played by Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan.

What they discover is that you don’t just play Jumanji –Jumanji plays you. They’ll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, or they’ll be stuck in the game forever…

Starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, Bobby Cannavale & Rhys Darby. Directed by Jake Kasdan. IN CINEMAS DECEMBER 26, 2017!
www.facebook.com/JumanjiMovie

What the sequel lacks in character development, is more than made up for in sheer craziness. You really have to see the film to experience how over the top a current generation comedy can be. It’s also great to see that the women in the film are the comic legends and almost all the male cast members play the straight man in this comic stew.

The basic story line is one of the connections between mothers and daughters and each of these relationships strike a different tone. It’s this variety that makes it relatable to a wide selection of the audience. If nothing else, it makes you happy your own relationship with your parents was never quite this dysfunctional.

Seen back to back, the two films play well together. Bad Moms 2 will definitely be added to many people’s list of unconventional Christmas films that will be watched every holiday season. It fits nicely alongside other non traditional fare like Rare Export and the original Bad Santa and Die Hard.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/BadMoms

The comedy is produced by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and James Weaver, under their Point Grey Pictures banner (Neighbors, This Is the End), alongside Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg (Harold & Kumar series) and DMG Entertainment’s Chris Fenton (47 Ronin).

Good Universe’s Nathan Kahane and Joseph Drake (Don’t Breathe, Juno) executive produce with Chris Cowles (Collide) of DMG and Josh Fagen, Dave Stassen and Jonathan McCoy. The film is written by brothers Brian & Jim Kehoe, Hurwitz & Schlossberg and Eben Russell.
www.blockersmovie.com

So monstrous and ruthless are these crimes the press claim they are the work of The Golem – a legendary creature from dark times.

With few leads and increasing public pressure, Scotland Yard assigns the case to Inspector Kildare (Bill Nighy), a seasoned detective who has a sneaking suspicion that he’s being set up to fail. Faced with a long list of suspects, Kildare must rely on help from a witness to stop the murders and bring the maniac to justice, before the wrong person is sentenced to death.

The Limehouse Golem – Exclusive to Dendy!
Screening at Dendy Portside 19 October – 1 November 2017
Also showing at Canberra, Newtown
Available on Dendy Premium On Demand from 25 October – 2 December 2017
www.dendy.com.au

Set in the class system of college sororities and with all the rubbish that entails intact, Tree slowly turns from a self involved brat to a more compassionate individual. This transformation gives the film a bit more heart than most of the genre but it also reduces the number of surprises that await the viewer. The final reveal also lacks a bit in that department.

While the sides are drawn early between the giving good guys and the merely self involved, this lack of adventurist character development does little to dampen the fun. There are times when it’s fun just to go with the flow.

The film has an effective pace, doesn’t overstay its welcome and is far less gruesome that its trailer would lead you to believe. All in all, it’s a pleasant bit of escapism.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/happydeathdaymovie

With each city’s program carefully curated by The Japan Foundation, Sydney, the 2017 Festival will present the most exciting new films direct from Japan, including comedies, samurai and yakuza action, manga adaptations, romances, drama and much more.

The Festival will open in true Japanese style with MUMON: THE LAND OF STEALTH, an action-packed film about a deadly ninja with unmatched strength who accidentally triggers a deadly battle between a warlord’s army and the ninjas in his province. Directed by Yoshihiro Nakamura (Fish Story) and starring Satoshi Ohno (The Locked Room), this film will have audiences on the edge of their seats.

Other program highlights of the 2017 Festival include BIRDS WITHOUT NAMES, a visceral tale of lust, devotion and redemption from Kazuya Shiraishi (The Devil’s Path) fresh from the Toronto International Film Festival; MY UNCLE, a heartfelt comedy about a young boy who embarks on an transpacific adventure with his eccentric, free-loading uncle; and A DOUBLE LIFE, a poignant drama from first-time feature film director Yoshiyuki Kishi, which was nominated for Best Director and Best Actress at London’s Raindance Film Festival in 2016.

For the first time the Festival will also include a short film program with screenings of WE’RE SHOOTING A MOVIE, DAD’S WEDDING and HIGH HEELS – A FAIRY TALE BORN OF OBSESSION, and the popular JFF Classics program will pay tribute to the late director Seijun Suzuki who earned a cult following for his avant-garde films and who has been called an inspiration by many contemporary directors, including Quentin Tarantino and Jim Jarmusch.

“Every film in this year’s program was handpicked to present fresh perspectives and showcase the next generation of Japanese cinema,” said JFF Program Coordinator, Margarett Cortez. “Among this selection are genre-benders such as BEFORE WE VANISH by veteran Kiyoshi Kurosawa, stunning arthouse comeback film SNOW WOMAN by Asia’s indie darling Kiki Sugino, and international
collaborations such as GUKOROKU – TRACES OF SIN by filmmaker Kei Ishikawa and Polish cinematographer Piotr Niemyjski. We’re also excited to introduce new blood in the Japanese cinema industry through a short film special supported by ‘New Directions in Japanese Cinema’, a Japanese government program supporting emerging filmmakers.”

The Festival will also host a number of special event screenings and special guest Q&A screenings in select cities.

Japanese Film Festival 2017
CANBERRA – 13 to 22 October 2017 at Dendy, Canberra Centre
ADELAIDE – 19 to 22 October 2017 at GU Filmhouse Adelaide
BRISBANE – 25 to 29 October 2017 at Event Cinemas Brisbane City Myer Centre
PERTH – 1 to 5 November 2017 at Hoyts Carousel, Cannington
SYDNEY – 16 to 26 November 2017 at Event Cinemas George Street
MELBOURNE & CLASSICS – 23 November to 3 December 2017 at Hoyts Melbourne Central & ACMI Cinemas
CANBERRA CLASSICS – 6 to 7 October 2017 at National Film and Sound Archive
SYDNEY CLASSICS – 1 to 25 October 2017 at Art Gallery of NSW
www.japanesefilmfestival.net

But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

JUSTICE LEAGUE is directed by Zack Snyder and stars Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Henry Cavill, Jeremy Irons, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, J.K. Simmons.

JUSTICE LEAGUE releases in Australian cinemas on November 16, 2017.
www.facebook.com/JusticeLeagueOfficial