40th Festival 1993

This year marked the 40th Anniversary of the Sydney Film Festival and saw the publication of a book compiling an oral history of the festival. There were two other anniversaries: the 20th anniversary of the Travelling Film Festival and the 20th year that the festival had been in the State Theatre.

Three films from the 1954 festival were screened: John Heyer’s The Back of Beyond, Joan Long’s In Harbour and Buster Keaton’s The General. In addition to these, two restoration screenings, Frank Borzage’s Lucky Star and Jean Renoir’s Golden Coach, were shown.

Contemporary films shown during the festival included Michael Haneke’s Benny’s Video, Robert Rodriguez’s ultra-low-budget debut feature El Mariachi, Alfonso Arau’s Like Water for Chocolate and Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet.

A frame-by-frame breakdown screening of Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas, with commentary and analysis from cinematographer Robby Müller, was a highlight. Other special-screenings series focused on new British cinema, new French cinema and new Asian directors. A special program of CinemaScope films included A Star is Born, Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress and The Innocents.

The Ian McPherson lecture was delivered by David Robinson, film historian and critic.

Opening Night Film: The Heartbreak Kid (directed by Michael Jenkins)

Closing Night Film: Twist (directed by Ron Mann)

Award Winners

Dendy Award for Australian Short Films (General):

Pale Black, directed by Marie Craven

Dendy Award for Australian Short Films (Fiction):

Opportunity Knocks, directed by Mick Connolly

Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films (Documentary):

Black Man’s Houses, directed by Steve Thomas

Yoram Gross Animation Award:

Sunday (directed by Peter Moyes)

Ethnic Affairs Commission (EAC) Award:

Bread, directed by Nicolina Caia

NSW Film and Television Office Rouben Mamoulian Award (joint winners):

Just Desserts, directed by Monica Pellizzari

Black Man’s Houses, directed by Steve Thomas