Melbourne Women in Film Festival (MWFF) opens this Thursday for a five-day program between February 10-14.
Much-loved Melbourne comedian Geraldine Hickey will MC the festival’s opening night tomorrow at The Capitol, featuring a succession of short comedic films: Bruce Lee Played Badminton Too (Corrie Chen, 2011), Peach (Sophie Saville, 2020), Paper Cut (Virginia Gay, 2018), Hush (Dena Curtis, 2006), Chicken (Alana Hicks, 2019), Stick a Fork in Me (Helen Turton, 2021) and Groundhog Night (Genevieve Clay-Smith & Rawley Reynolds, 2021).
That will herald five days of short film sessions, a special comedy program, an education program, plus opening and closing night movies, exploring the theme ‘Laugh Louder’.
What you need to know
- Melbourne Women in Film Festival opens this week
- It features a series of discussion panels and films, with the theme ‘Laughing Louder’
- The expansive program is also largely available online
Keep up with the latest Melbourne films, TV shows, books and podcasts here.
There’ll be a series of expert panels discussing that theme that will be available in-person and online, including two happening on Saturday 12 February: ‘Creating Comedy Online’, featuring tips and advice for creating web-based comedy on social media, web-series, podcasts, and The Culture of Comedy, exploring how comedy can unite people from different socio-cultural backgrounds and challenge power structures).
The following day, The ‘Writing for Comedy’ workshop will be facilitated by comedian, writer and actor, Urvi Majumdar, focusing on advice for budding comics, the essentials of joke writing and developing characters. Also on Sunday February 13, ‘Visualise Your Voice – Online Filmmaking Workshop’ will tell all genders how to tell their own story in dynamic ways.
The festival will close with Melbourne indie film fav Love and Other Catastrophes, which will screen on Monday 14 February at Hoyts Melbourne Central, for an anti-Valentine’s Day film. Set against some of Melbourne’s most recognisable inner-city landmarks, the film follows five friends trying to make their way through university; their trials, tribulations and quest for love.
You can head online anytime during the festival to check out its Freshly Squeezed Shorts, Next Gen Shorts, Reel Short documentaries and a preview of a new documentary web series, Hens’ Teeth: A Box of Birds, about the iconic Hens’ Teeth Women’s Comedy Company that paved the way for a new era of female comedy in New Zealand in the mid-90s.
Highlights from the Reel Shorts program:
Mawhialeo Ote Alowha (Our Love) follows Meli and her husband Avito, who with much trepidation, left the tiny atoll of Tokelau for New Zealand seeking a better life for their son. 43 years on, they find themselves pulled between family and a longing for home. Directed by Valeriya Golovina and produced by Niamh Swannack, showing Saturday 12 February.
Lady Lash chronicles the story of Lady Lash, a Kokatha woman with Greek ancestry. Pushing beyond all expectations she has carved a successful career in the male-dominated hip hop industry. Produced, written and directed by Rochelle Humphrey, co-written by Crystal Clyne and co-produced by Crystal Clyne and Carmel McAloon, showing Sunday 13 February.
Melbourne Women in Film Festival runs from 10 – 14 February 2022. Check out their website here.
