For a film festival with a difference, check out the Sydney Underground Film Festival. Running from the 8th till the 11th of September, these four days are going to be packed full of movies. From short films to feature films, there is an eclectic mix of perverse, political, funny, and downright weird films to go and see.
The festival's purpose is "screening unique, independent, experimental, provocative and uncompromising films." In its 5th year this statement still rings true. From artistic masterpieces, to wacky experimental shorts, to full length feature films that just don't make it to the big cinemas, the festival is about showing you a whole range of films that you wouldn't get to otherwise see.
The headlining film of the festival is Super, and even more conservative film goers should get a laugh out of this one. The film stars Rainn Wilson (The Office) and Ellen Page (Juno, Inception) and follows the story of a man (Wilson) who decides to create his own superhero identity after his gorgeous wife (Liv Tyler) leaves him for another man (Kevin Bacon). Super is reminiscent of recent wannabe superhero film Kickass, but don't think it is just the same film rehashed, it is a worthwhile watch in its own right. Wilson and Page make a brilliant team, having previously worked together on Juno, and they definitely cause a lot of laughs. Any fans of Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog will also love Nathan Fillion in the film as The Holy Avenger.
Other feature films on offer at the festival range from documentaries, to horror, to comedies. Check out the wacky Japanese zombie apocalypse movie Helldriver, where an Alien race starts turning all of Northern Japan into flesh eating zombies. There is also a documentary taking a deeper look into William S. Borroughs, a writer who was part of the 50s beat generation "whose works at once savaged conservative ideals, spawned countercultural movements, and reconfigures 20th century culture." One of the more visual films on offer is Trilogy, a spliced collage of the original three Star Wars films, Star Wars fans are either going to love this or hate it.
Helldriver
There are also a collection of short film sessions to head along to. These include So Bad It's Good, which is pretty self explanatory and features a film from legendarily terrible filmmaker Tommy Wiseau (The Room). Extreme Short Film Sessions takes a look at some of the most extreme offerings from the 90s and 00s, while Love/Sick features some adults only shorts featuring chickens, naked girls, and fast food. A fun watch on the short film circuit is Recycled Cinema, films that have creatively used recycled images and footage and mashed them into shorts. These precede the 55minute Pixel Pirate 2: The Director's Cut, "a sic-fi / biblical epic / action movie (starring Moses, Elivs, Monkey and more)!"
Depending on what you want to see, there are a range of ticket options available. A festival pass will set you back $90, and you'll have access to all of the films including opening and closing night. Single sessions cost $14, and you can buy a ticket to Opening Night for $40 including food and drinks. If there is one particular day that takes your fancy then you can buy a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday Day pass for $24-46.
If you're a real fan of the festival then you can buy a festival membership. For $120 this includes a full festival pass, a SUFF Best of DVD, a goody bag, your name listen on the website as an Underground Friend, and the ability to purchase further tickets at concession prices.
This isn't the type of festival you'd bring your kids to, but it is one you should bring all of your friends along to. There are some great films, and some experiences you may never forget. Check out the website for more information and all programs and session times.
