Revelation Perth International Film Festival Round-up

by Jason Reed 29 July 2011 01:48 Filmink Festival Coverage

For ten days in July, some of the most exciting, innovative and surprising films played at The Revelation Perth International Film Festival.

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The festival is now in its fourteenth year and ran from July 14-24 at the Astor Theatre. There were 100 films showcased including documentaries, features and shorts. International guests, filmmakers, festival programmers, actors and directors were also in attendance to share their experiences and love of film.

Program Director Jack Sargeant programmed a diverse range of animated, short, genre and dramatic pieces, with a focus on independent film and a sampling of experimental and underground movies. I was fortunate enough to watch nearly everything on offer over the ten-day period and have selected some of my favourites from the program. Each of these films has their own unique qualities that allowed them to stand out from the crowd.

Tyrannosaur may well be the most intense film I saw during the ten days of the festival. Joseph (Peter Mullan) is a bitter, drunken widower with a short temper and is quick to resort to violence. Most people stay out of his way until he meets Hannah (Olivia Colman). She is the first person to offer him any kind of sympathy and despite his initial aggression and disparaging comments, the two of them form an uneasy friendship. Hannah's initial calmness in the face of Joseph's hostility is well practised, having suffered at the hands of her abusive husband. When Joseph discovers this, it seems like it will only be a matter of time before he meets Hannah's spouse and sorts him out. Tyrannosaur is Paddy Considine's directorial feature debut and he proves that his talents extend beyond acting. This is a powerful and affecting film with superb performances that will make you catch your breath more than once.

It may sound strange, but for most of Last Days Here you're waiting for Bobby Liebling, lead singer of the heavy metal band Pentagram, to die. He is 54, addicted to ridiculous amounts of crack, heroin, Zanax and dope and has been that way for most of his life. He looks aged beyond his years and is the first to admit that he doesn't have much longer to live. He has managed to alienate the members of his band; most of his friends, and his fans have little hope for another album. Despite this, his manager "Pellet" attempts to organise one last concert for Pentagram in an effort to pull Liebling out of his drug-induced haze and paranoia and restore him and the band to their former glory. This is a wonderful film about fans doing their utmost to resurrect their musical heroes. Both touching and heartfelt, Last Days Here is a great film for anyone, whether you like the music or not.

Vacation! was one of the most pleasant surprises of the festival, which took a simple story of four amorous girlfriends on a beach holiday and told it in an innovative way. Written and directed by Zach Clark, the film follows these long-time friends who have packed light on food, heavy on booze and are set to spend the week dancing, swimming and tanning on the beach. However, during a particularly intense and drug-induced adventure, one of the four accidentally drowns. This would be bad enough, but the girls decide it would be best to try and hide the death and pretend their unfortunate friend never went on vacation. Shot with a technicolour aesthetic, Vacation! is an intense, fun and energetic ride that will lift you up and then crash you into the ground. A must for anyone who enjoys a story well told.

In Small Town Murder Songs, a girl's body is found dumped in a small Ontario town. Local cop Walter (Peter Stormare) suspects Steve, who just so happens to be the man living with his ex-partner Rita. Walter and Rita have been apart for an extended period of time due to Walter's penchant for violence. He has even been baptised in an effort to move on from his past. One event in particular has left many people keeping their distance from Walter. However, actions speak louder than words and Walter is repeatedly tempted to retaliate with his fists as it becomes clear that no one is willing to tell the truth. This film was like a cold, coiled spring, just waiting to go off. It is a tense, gothic crime story with an incredibly powerful, gospel inspired soundtrack that will knock the wind out of you. 

If ever you find yourself in Perth during the middle of the year, be sure to set aside at least a few days to attend The Revelation Perth International Film Festival. It is an opportunity to watch a showcase of fresh and alternative films that will inspire and captivate you.