That’s the inaugural Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival (BAPFF) by the numbers, however the figures only tell part of the story.

At the festival’s heart is a celebration of diversity, both in a region that covers one third of the globe, and in the incredible selection of films awaiting your discovery.

BAPFF champions the best of Asia Pacific filmmaking, bringing films and filmmakers to Brisbane to create a unique celebration of the art of cinema.
Award winners? BAPFF will screen Cannes Palme d’Or winner Winter Sleep, Berlinale Golden Bear recipient Black Coal Thin Ice, Locarno Golden Leopard winner From What is Before, Sundance Grand Jury Prize (World Cinema: Documentary) winner Return to Homs, and Tribeca Best Narrative Feature recipient Zero Motivation. The list continues, with double FIPRESCI Award-winner 10 Minutes, Berlinale FIPRESCI Award-winner Forma and 2014 Karlov Vary Film Festival Crystal Globe recipient Corn Island, among others.

Award contenders? BAPFF will feature films selected as their nations’ foreign-language Oscar contenders such as New Zealand’s The Dead Lands, Palestine’s Eyes of a Thief and Taiwan’s Ice Poison; titles in contention for the AACTAs including best documentary nominee Ukraine is Not a Brothel; and 20 films nominated for the 8th annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA).

Highlighting noted Asia Pacific talent, BAPFF hosts new works from the region’s best auteurs, including Zhang Yimou’s Coming Home at the festival’s closing night celebration, as well as Lav Diaz’s From What Is Before, Hong Sang-Soo’s Hill of Freedom, Im Kwok-teak’s Revivre, Wang Xiaoshuai’s Red Amnesia, Ann Hui’s The Golden Era, and Ruin from Australia’s own Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Michael Cody.

BAPFF also brings films to Brisbane that might otherwise remain unseen, such as Australian time travel romantic comedy The Infinite Man, Farsi-language neo-noir vampire western A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, Russia’s three-decades-in-the-making Hard To Be A God, and Jean-Luc Godard’s pioneering Goodbye to Language 3D.

The festival not only looks to the future of filmmaking in the region, but also to the past courtesy of retrospective screenings. A focus on 2014 APSA jury president Asghar Farhadi showcases his career so far. Korea’s oldest surviving silent film, Crossroads of Youth, is celebrated in a unique live performance event. Satyajit Ray’s Charulata and Kim Ki-young’s The Housemaid rank among the festival’s restorations, as well as the late Nagisa Oshima’s Cruel Story of Youth – fresh from screenings in Cannes Classics.

BAPFF 2014
29 November to 14 December
Palace Barracks Cinemas, The Australian Cinémathèque at Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art, Sunnybank Hoyts Cinemas, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, The Courier-Mail Piazza and the State Library of Queensland
www.brisbaneasiapacificfilmfestival.com

After premiering at the London and Toronto Film Festivals respectively, the organisers are proud to book end the festival with two wonderful epics set during the war  “Testament Of Youth” based on the famous memoirs of Vera Brittain and starring Alicia Vikander (Anna Karenina) and Kit Harrington (Game Of Thrones) as our opening night film and closing the festival will be the highly anticipated “The Imitation Game” starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing who was successful in cracking Nazi Germany’s Enigma code during World War 2. The Imitation Game is certain to feature prominently in next year’s Academy Awards in all major categories.

There are new films from much heralded British Directors Ken Loach “Jimmy’s Hall” and Mike Leigh “Mr. Turner” featuring Timothy Spall in his Cannes Best Actor award winning role as J.M.W Turner one of the most prolific painters of the 19th century . New voices in British Cinema showcase their immense talent with their directorial debuts Yann Demange (71) , Andrew Hulme (Snow In Paradise) and Stuart Murdoch (God Help The Girl).

Billy Connolly appears in the humorous and heartwarming “What We Did On Our Holiday”, Charlotte Rampling is mesmerising in “The Sea” and a wonderful cast including Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette and Imogen Poots star in “A Long Way Down” based on the best selling book by Nick Hornby.

The long rich history of British Cinema is represented in ‘Six From The 60s’ retrospective with six standout films from the era. The festival is thrilled to present the digitally restored 50th anniversary screenings of Richard Lester’s “A Hard Day’s Night” featuring a day in the life of The Beatles at the height of Beatlemania and a snapshot of the cultural revolution of the 60’s with Tom Courtenay as “Billy Liar”, Julie Christie in her Academy Award Winning role in “Darling”, the quintessential British caper film “The Italian Job” and Lindsay Anderson’s classic “IF…”. Michael Caine is featured in his first major film role in one of the great epic war films of the 1960’s “Zulu” .

The Emirates British Film Festival 2014
MELBOURNE 5 – 26 Nov -PALACE CINEMA COMO, PALACE BALWYN, PALACE BRIGHTON BAY
SYDNEY 6 – 26 Nov – PALACE NORTON STREET, PALACE VERONA
ADELAIDE 5 – 16 Nov – PALACE NOVA EASTEND
PERTH 5 – 16 Nov – CINEMA PARADISO
CANBERRA 6 – 23 Nov – PALACE ELECTRIC
BRISBANE 6 – 16 Nov – PALACE BARRACKS, PALACE CENTRO
BYRON 6 – 16 Nov – PALACE BYRON BAY
www.britishfilmfestival.com.au

The JFF is the largest Japanese film festival outside of Japan and showcases the best in contemporary Japanese cinema including releases that are now showing in Japanese theatres. Tickets go on sale 4 weeks prior to JFF start date (Sydney and Melbourne will be available 6 weeks out) from www.japanesefilmfestival.net.

OPENING FILM
The JFF opens its 2014 program with Australian Premiere, Lady Maiko (pictured), a musical comedy directed by Masayuki Suo (Sumo Do, Sumo Don’t; Shall We Dance?) based loosely on the Audrey Hepburn classic, My Fair Lady. Country bumpkin Haruko longs to be a geisha but with no references, a rural dialect and an uncultivated demeanour, her chances are slim. That is until Professor Kyono, a linguistics specialist and teahouse regular, takes her on as his protégé…

CLOSING FILM
Closing the JFF in all cities (except Sydney and Melbourne) is one for the foodies. A Tale of Samurai Cooking – A True Love Story is based on the real-life story of the Funaki household, a renowned family of samurai chefs. This award-winning film features traditional Japanese cuisines from age-old surviving recipe books. Chairman Kaga from Iron Chef makes a cameo appearance.

Japanese Film Festival 2014
Adelaide: 10-12 & 17-19 Oct – Mercury Cinema
Canberra: 15 – 19 Oct – Capitol Cinemas Manuka
Brisbane: 22 – 26 Oct – Event Cinemas, Brisbane City Myer Centre
Perth: 29 Oct – 2 Nov – Hoyts Carousel & Hoyts Millennium
Sydney: 13 – 23 Nov – Event Cinemas, George Street & Event Cinemas, Parramatta and Art Gallery of New South Wales
Melbourne: 27 Nov – 7 Dec – Hoyts Melbourne Central & ACMI Cinemas, Australian Centre for the Moving Image
www.japanesefilmfestival.net

Well, lots could go wrong and a lot does. The film is an exercise in groan-inducing predictability right up to the casting of Megan Fox as April O’Neil and its clear influences from Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins to Bay’s own Transformer films.

Formally the ‘director’ is Jonathan Liebesman (Wrath of the Titans, Battle Los Angeles), Bay is credited as ‘producer’ but his fingerprints are all over it. This includes his usual teenage adolescent farts and giggles humour, banal dialogue and a wall to wall soundtrack assault which threatens to bow the silver screen out sideways. The cacophony is initially overwhelming but quickly becomes underwhelming as your eyes glaze over and your ears deafen.

With this latest TMNT flick, Bay has presented us with mostly repulsive heroes that are grubby, ugly, tough-talking, muscle-bound smartarses imbued with gangsta attitudes that are very unappealing indeed. Splinter is equally unappealing with his craggy features and raggy facial hair. Given that the rodent sensei learned all he knew about martial arts from a ninja picture book, it’s no surprise that our heroes in half shells get their tails so easily kicked by a highly upgraded, transformertised Shredder who really does know his Kung Fu. This furthermore makes the turtles’ eventual victory over their nemesis (as they must, of course) all the more unbelievable.

There is quite an exciting chase sequence, however, down a snow-covered mountain in a semi-trailer but beyond this, there is little to commend the film. Teenage Mutant Gangsta Turtles is big, dumb but barely fun and is the height of peurile Michael Bay tosh. Sadly, the sequel is already in pre-production.

Stuart Jamieson
www.teenagemutantninjaturtlesmovie.com.au

For those ready to cut shapes it’s time to start planning your summer getaway today. Right now. Falls will be laying out more party for you to play out with Byron now extending to a four-day show!  Slow clap it out.

Start bundling your ca$h and enter the ticket ballot via fallsfestival.com before it closes on Monday August 25! Packing their aqua socks and swimmin’ britches to meet you on the sunny coastal shores of all three venues will be…

THE FALLS MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL 2014 LINEUP (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER):
ALT-J • BIG FREEDIA • THE BLACK LIPS • BLUEJUICE • COLD WAR KIDS • DMAs • GLASS ANIMALS • GEORGE EZRA • JAGWAR MA • JAMIE XX • JOEY BADA$$ • JOHN BUTLER TRIO • KIM CHURCHILL • THE KITE STRING TANGLE • MILKY CHANCE • MOVEMENT • THE PRESETS • REMI • RÖYKSOPP & ROBYN • RUN THE JEWELS • SAFIA  • SBTRKT (LIVE) • SPIDERBAIT • STICKY FINGERS • THE TEMPER TRAP • TENSNAKE • TKAY MAIDZA • TODD TERJE (LIVE) • TYCHO • VANCE JOY  • WOLF ALICE + MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED.

BOOGIE NIGHTS LINEUP (DEC 28 LORNE, DEC 29 MARION BAY, DEC 31 BYRON):
ALISON WONDERLAND • BADBADNOTGOOD • CLIENT LIASION • SALT N PEPA + MORE.

The Falls Music & Arts Festival 2014
Dec 28, 2014 to Jan 01, 2015 in Lorne, VIC (est. 1993) 18+ event
Dec 29, 2014 to Jan 01, 2015 in Marion Bay, TAS (est. 2003) All ages
Dec 30, 2014 to Jan 03, 2015 in Byron Bay, NSW (est. 2013) 18+ event
www.fallsfestival.com

FAST is an annual national theatre festival based in Brisbane. The festival collaborates with young artists from across the country, as well as including locals from Brisbane and interstate artists from Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

With the festival in its fifth year, newly appointed Artistic Director Lucas Stibbard has introduced an entirely new structure for the event with a variety of pilot programs.

Stibbard said their initiative has generated a revitalised buzz for the festival. One of the pilot programs has seen FAST inviting secondary school students from Queensland Academy of Creative Industries and a secondary group from Toowoomba to perform their work in the festival.

“This year will be a new beginning for FAST, we have the largest festival yet, and it is three days of the festival with great shows, great conversations and a great atmosphere,” said Stibbard.

“I like to call it ‘Hogwarts for drama nerds’ – the place where the future of Australian Theatre come to meet minds, exchange ideas and share their work.”

Fast Festival 2014
3-5 October 2014
Queensland University of Technology’s Creative Industry Precinct
www.laboite.com.au

The selection features four categories: Direct from Cannes with three features direct from the world’s most prestigious film festival; Drammatico Italiano including the best contemporary films produced in Italy in the last 12 months; Laughing Italian Style for the funniest, craziest and silliest Italian comedies including a popular cinepanettone title; plus Per Bambini with a family film for younger audiences.

Several stunning feature debut’s highlight Italy’s hot new talent including Sebastiano Riso’s moving drama Darker Than Midnight (Più buio di mezzanotte); Bruno Oliviero’s stylish thriller The Human Factor (La variabile umana); Fabio Mollo’s restrained and powerful drama South Is Nothing (Il Sud è niente) starring Miriam Karlkvist, recipient of this year’s Berlinale Shooting Star award; Alberto Fasulo’s docudrama Tir; Sydney Sibilia’s hilarious I Can Quit Whenever I want (Smetto Quando Voglio), Matteo Oleotto’s Italian Golden Globe-winning comedy Zoran, My Nephew the Idiot (Zoran, il mio nipote scemo) and The Mafia Kills Only In Summer (La mafia uccide solo d’estate) by PIF – Pierfrancesco Diliberto – who was recently crowned Best New Director at the David Di Donatello 2014 Awards.

New films from much loved, multi award-winning directors are also featured including these festival highlights: Daniele Lucheti’s Those Happy Years (Anni felici), Asia Argento’s Incompresa, Edoardo Winspeare’s Quiet Bliss (In grazia di Dio), Giovanni Veronesi’s The Fifth Wheel (L’ultima ruota del carro), Andrea Segre’s The First Snowfall (La prima neve) and Gianni Amelio’s A Lonely Hero (L’intrepido). Along with Stijn Coninx director of the hugely entertaining Opening Night Selection Marina, and Vittorio de Sica whose timeless comedy Marriage Italian Style will close the event nationally.

Italian Film Festival 2014
MELBOURNE17 Sept – 12 Oct
SYDNEY18 Sept – 12 Oct
CANBERRA23 Sept – 15 Oct
PERTH24 Sept – 15 Oct
BRISBANE1 Oct – 22 Oct
ADELAIDE2 Oct – 22 Oct
BYRON BAY9 Oct – 15 Oct
HOBART16 Oct – 22 Oct
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au

This year, Akram Khan, one of the world’s best contemporary dancers, will perform his award-winning masterpiece DESH – a major coup for the city made possible with the help of the Queensland Government’s Super Star Fund. A new principal partnership with Treasury Casino & Hotel also means Brisbane will be treated to a thrilling, free opening night performance from the gravity-defying acrobats of Grupo Puja!. Do Do Land will see performers balance 40 metres above Reddacliff Place on a geometric stage, illuminated by a striking light show and set to a live rock score. Treasury Casino & Hotel Managing Director Geoff Hogg said Brisbane Festival was an important cultural celebration for the city of Brisbane.

“We are thrilled to be continuing our long-standing involvement with Brisbane Festival and increasing our support to become the proud principal partner of this world-class event for the next three years,” Mr Hogg said.

The Festival will also play host to the exclusive Australian premiere season of The Perfect American, the operatic sensation of the year and a new work by the legendary composer Philip Glass – just one of many premieres in this year’s line up.

Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Noel Staunton said he expected hundreds of thousands of people to turn out for 73 productions and 440 performances over three weeks.

“The quality of artists and work means Brisbane is in for a very special September,” Mr Staunton said.

Festivalgoers will enjoy a transformed South Bank, filled with light, colour and the ever-popular Telstra Spiegeltent. The iconic venue has an increased capacity this year to cope with the crowds, who will flock to revel in a high voltage music line up featuring Phil Jamieson, Midnight Juggernauts and Joe Henry; hilarious comedy from funny men Matt Okine and Ronny Chieng; and a family program for all ages, including the spellbinding world premiere by Circa, The Physical Impossibility of Disappearing.

Coming direct from a sell-out season in London, The Telstra Spiegeltent’s nightly cabaret show LIMBO promises an incendiary mix of magic, acrobatics, music comedy and dance. While over in The Courier-Mail Piazza the sell-out sensation of 2012, SOAP, will return with splashy whacky family fun.

Eye-catching festival landmarks will also spring up at South Bank come September, including the towering inflatable city of Exxopolis, looming over the Cultural Forecourt and enticing crowds into a serene world of colour and PVC. And Brisbane Airport Light Garden is sure to enchant visitors of all ages with its winding fairy-tale forest of bamboo, light and sound on the riverbanks.

This year will be Noel Staunton’s last as Artistic Director and he will sign off with a bang when the Festival’s 16-tonne firework feast Sunsuper Riverfire wraps up the event on Saturday 27 September. He said his time at the helm had been exhausting and exhilarating.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to spend the last four years bringing everything that is great about the arts to Brisbane. We have laid on some amazing festivals over the years but I believe we have saved the best until last,” Mr Staunton said.

In 2014, Brisbane Festival is showcasing more theatre than ever before with the world premiere Monkey… Journey to the West, based on the cult TV series Monkey Magic, indigenous masterpieces Black Diggers and The Shadow King, and an adaptation of A Doll’s House by Lally Katz. Festivalgoers are encouraged to take a walk on the wild side at Theatre Republic, which is back and bigger than ever, taking over QUT Kelvin Grove’s Creative Industries Precinct with 12 independent theatre shows and other treats for three weeks.

Premier Campbell Newman said Queensland artists and arts organisations would be a highlight of this year’s Festival.

“Brisbane Festival will showcase the amazing work of our Queensland arts companies with participation from Circa, La Boite, Queensland Theatre Company, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Opera Queensland and Expressions Dance Company.

“Brisbane Festival will also have a stronger presence at Queensland’s Cultural Precinct at South Bank working with Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Queensland Museum and Sciencentre and State Library of Queensland.

“The Queensland Government supports Brisbane Festival as part of the Arts for all Queenslanders strategy to provide more great arts to more Queenslanders,” the Premier said. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said as Australia’s new world city, Brisbane was a modern, dynamic destination that was an ideal fit for an arts event like Brisbane Festival.

“Cultural and arts events like this are key to attracting visitors to our city and help to grow Brisbane’s economy,” Cr Quirk said.

“Brisbane Festival continues to grow year-on-year, and has evolved into one of Australia’s premier events and a highlight on the city’s cultural calendar.

“Council’s investment in Brisbane Festival is the biggest contribution by Council in an arts festival – a testimony to the scale and significance of the annual event not only in Brisbane, but as one of Australia’s premier festivals.”

Brisbane Festival 2014
Various Venues around Brisbane
6 to 27 September 2014
www.brisbanefestival.com.au