35th Festival 1988

1988 marked the first year of Pat McDonald’s stint as president of the Sydney Film Festival after Ross Tzannes resigned after 16 years in the position. In addition to this, it was the first year in which State Two was used as a second venue, allowing for the operation of the festival to be placed all on one site.

Films from Gillian Armstrong, Amos Gitai, John Sayles, Edward Yang, Chen Kaige, Eric Rohmer, Robert Mugge and Alex Cox were featured. Sayles and Cox, amongst many others, appeared as festival guests and delivered forum talks.

Once more a special night of new French cinema was presented, in association with the Alliance Française de Sydney. Short films from West Germany were also screened.

The Ian McPherson lecture, delivered by Ken Williams, who was the second AFC CEO to give the lecture, discussed the current landscape of Australian cinema.

Opening Night Film: Wish You Were Here (directed by David Leland)

Closing Night Film: Stand and Deliver (directed by Ramón Menéndez)

Award Winners

Greater Union Award for Australian Short Films (General):

Pleasure Domes (directed by Maggie Fooke)

Greater Union Award for Australian Short Films (Fiction):

Cherith (directed by Shirley Barrett)

Greater Union Award for Australian Short Films (Documentary):

Cane Toads (directed by Mark Lewis)

Yoram Gross Animation Award:

Where the Forest Meets the Sea (directed by Jeannie Baker)

Rouben Mamoulian Award

Mark Lewis (director of Cane Toads)