Sydney Opera House, Free Stuff in May

I love it when there is free Culture Vulture stuff, and what better venue than the Opera House. As Part of Sorry Day, The Opera House is hosting an Indigenous Film Festival.

Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival
12 – 14 May
Presenter: Sydney Opera House in association with the Australian Film Commission and Indigenous Screen Australia
Venue: Playhouse

Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival is a Lexus Inside Film Awards accredited film screening. All current Australian content screening in the festival is eligible for the Lexus Inside Film Awards 2006.

This year Message Sticks brings the best new Indigenous films from Canada, The Philippines, America, Russia, South Africa, New Zealand and of course Australia. Indigenous film-makers from around the world continue to deliver passionate work that looks into their worlds and shares fresh perspectives with audiences.

One of the most successful of these films is our opening night film The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros which premiered at Sundance, Rotterdam and Berlin Film Festivals where it won an unprecedented three awards. We also present the world premiere of four Australian documentaries, featuring both experienced and new directors’ visions.

From award winning director, Ivan Sen we present Shifting Shelter 3, the third instalment of a documentary shot over ten years following the lives of four Indigenous teenagers. We have also included our regular feature of the best international shorts.

For the first time we screen films from black South Africa. In this unique package of documentaries Black on White, black filmmakers turn their cameras toward white subjects with extraordinary and controversial results.

We are very proud to introduce Sydney audiences to this vibrant range of films unified by their spirit and verve.

Darren Dale and Rachel Perkins
Film Program Curators