43rd Festival 1996

A mere year after Paul Byrnes wrote of the centenary of cinema in his 1995 programme note, in 1996 he quotes Susan Sontag in her decree that cinema is dead. However, despite noting that “if Sontag is right, then the festival is a wake at the graveside, and we’re all mourners,” he goes on to suggest that the new movements in Asia, Africa and the Middle East would counteract the decline of American cinema; and that film was in fact in a period of rebirth, or at least resuscitation.

Films screened this year included Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman’s The Celluloid Closet, Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s Paradise Lost, Peter Greenaway’s Pillow Book, Rolf de Heer’s The Quiet Room, Chris Noonan’s Babe, Todd Solondz’s Welcome to the Dollhouse and features from Australian filmmakers Shirley Barrett, Emma-Kate Croghan, John Hughes, Lawrence Johnston and Kathryn Millard. Australian documentarians Tom Zubrycki, Robin Anderson and Bob Connolly would also present new films.

The first-ever Roberto Rossellini retrospective in Australia was held at the festival this year, with 11 films shown. The third Sydney Salute was held, honouring Mike Leigh, who attended the Festival this year shortly after winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes for Secrets and Lies. A retrospective of popular Indian cinema was also held.

Tribute screenings to commemorate Australian actors Bruno Lawrence and John Hargreaves, who had recently passed away, were also held.

The Ian McPherson lecture was delivered by David Stratton.

Opening Night Film: Shine (directed by Scott Hicks)

Closing Night Film: Beautiful Thing (directed by Hettie Macdonald)

Award Winners

Dendy Award for Australian Short Films (General):

La Cloche – The Bell, directed by Bart Groen

Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films (Fiction over 20 minutes):

Black Sun, directed by Amanda Jane

Dendy Award for Australian Short Films (Fiction under 20 minutes):

The Existentialist Cowboy’s Last Stand, directed by Adam Blaiklock

Dendy Award for Australian Short Films (Documentary):

Demons at Drivetime, directed by Kerry Brewster

Yoram Gross Animation Award:

Lovely Day, directed by Chris Backhouse

Ethnic Affairs Commission (EAC) Award:

Round Up, directed by Rima Tamou

NSW Film and Television Office Rouben Mamoulian Award:

Lovely Day, directed by Chris Backhouse