Collaborative improv, placeholder punchlines and alternate takes: directing approaches to comedy with filmmaker Matthew C Vella

Matthew C Vella is an international award-winning filmmaker, comedian, podcaster and entertainer from Blacktown, Western Sydney. When he’s not writing and directing films, he’s usually talking about them on his podcast Upcoming Attractions, or hosting Western Sydney Filmmakers Hangout, a popular networking group for Western Sydney filmmakers. As a stand up comedian, Matt has performed…

A new trailer has dropped for Orla Doyle’s gripping web series, Sirens

Groundbreaking new Australian drama series Sirens dropped a haunting first look trailer today. The coming-of-age thriller, shot entirely on location in the NSW Central Coast, has been generating buzz internationally, nominated for a whopping eight awards at five festivals globally, including LA Webfest and Seoul Webfest. The series is set to make its Australian premiere…

What’s On [Thornbury]: Mental As Everything at the Thornbury Picture House

RELATED COVERAGE: Filmmaker Damon Smith writes exclusively for Cinema Australia about the making of Mental as Everything. Damon Smith’s new documentary Mental As Everything will have a special screening at the Thornbury Picture House this coming International Mental Health Day on October 10. Join Mental As Everything filmmaker and singer-songwriter Damon Smith as he shares…

Filmmaker Maya Newell writes about making The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone

Maya Newell is a Director and Impact Producer. She directed the acclaimed feature In My Blood It Runs (2019) about ten-year-old Arrernte/Garrwa boy Dujuan and his community made in collaboration with those onscreen at Closer Productions. It was selected for Goodpitch² Aus, a Sundance Institute Fellowship, was nominated for Best Doc/Best Cinematography at the AACTAs,…

Under Cover reveals the hidden faces of homelessness

Sue Thomson’s Under Cover will his Australian cinemas from October 6, incorporating World Homeless Day on 10 October. As Australia’s egalitarian dream fades and its housing crisis deepens, this Margot Robbie–narrated documentary shows us the fastest-growing social group facing homelessness…women aged over 55. Some 240,000 women over 55 are at risk of homelessness In Australia…

Cinema Australia Podcast #85 | Christine Luby & Maya Newell

Welcome to the latest episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast. This is a different episode format than what regular listeners will be used to. Here, I’m chatting with two filmmakers in seperate interviews that were originally recorded for my radio spot on the Community Radio Network. The first interview is with Christine Luby to discuss…

GREEN: The Fight for Rock and Roll documentary announced

A new documentary about the life of highly-regarded and much-loved Perth musician Wayne Green has been announced. In what will be the feature film debut for writer and director Luke Griffiths, GREEN: The Fight for Rock and Roll will look back on an incredible era of music as told by Green himself. The story will also…

New Trailer: Everything In Between

A new poster and trailer have dropped for Everything In Between, as well a release date for Nadi Sha’s new Australian drama. Everything In Between follows18-year-old Jay who has had enough of life. 28-year-old Liz can’t get enough of it. And as Jay (Jordan Dulieu) stands on a cliff top contemplating putting an end to the meaningless…

Gloriavale trailer and release date announced

Limelight Distribution has today announced the release date for Gloriavale. Directed by Australian/New Zealand creative team Noel Smyth and Fergus Grady (Camino Skies), the gripping expose on New Zealand’s most infamous and secretive religious group founded by Australian evangelist Neville Cooper who later assumed the name Hopeful Christian, is set to arrive in Australian cinemas…

Interview: Darcy Yuille

One Punch is a gritty, teen drama about Matt Mercado, a young Italian Australian man on the cusp of adulthood, struggling in his final year at high school and trying to hold on to the friendships and innocence of his youth. On the eve of Matt’s 18th Birthday his domineering father, Carlo, indoctrinates him into…