The Shadow Electric’s film season begins in early January, screening a range of blockbuster new releases, arthouse triumphs, music and sports docos, Aussie films and cult classics. The program was put together by Lauren Valmadre, who’s also worked on the Human Rights Arts & Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival and curates her own film events at Howler. Suffice to say, Valmadre has a vast understanding of the happenings in the film world, from underground obscurities to mainstream releases, making her an excellent candidate to keep the Shadow Electric outdoor film program in high renown.
“Every year their program comes in two parts. The first half that we’ve done is very music focused, which is something that I’m always really into,” Valmadre says. “Also there’s a general holiday-vibe around those first lot of films. So it’s very commercially viable, [while also] making sure you’ve got a lot of genres covered. It was my first time working with more commercial films, but I really enjoyed it and I think we’ve got a pretty dynamite and varied program for the first half.”
The 2016 season kicks off on January 2 with the Australian premiere of the brand new Blur documentary, New World Towers. The music programming also covers the classic concert films The Last Waltz (starring The Band & friends) and Stop Making Sense (with Talking Heads), the hit NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton, plusrelative obscurities 808 (documenting the history of the Roland drum machine), Eden (afictionalised tale of an influential French DJ) and Station to Station (multimedia artist Doug Aitken’s collection of 62 back-to-back short films featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Cat Power and Ariel Pink).
“[It was about] having a balance of the concert films as well as the more obscure films – trying to tap into different music sensibilities,” Valmadre says. “So we’ve got hip hop and a more mainstream film with Straight Outta Compton, we’ve got the really interesting art project which is Station to Station, and then we’re absolutely thrilled to be playing the Australian premiere of Blur: New World Towers. They have such a loving and loyal following so we’re really excited about that one in particular.”
The major commercial releases include Sam Mendes’ latest James Bond offering, Spectre,Ridley’s Scott’s return to form, The Martian,and David O. Russell’s latest account of American dysfunction, Joy. There’s also a number of films with niche appeal, such as the bizarre sci-fi anti-love story The Lobster; Woody Allen’s Irrational Man, starring a paunchy Joaquin Phoenix; andNoah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig’s latest team-up Mistress America.
“It is really interesting to be showing things like The Martian and Spectre next to films like The Lobster and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” Valmadre says. “It’s commercial, but it’s also still appealing to really great film sensibility. Everything in there, we want to be proud of what we’re showing.”
This balance between commercial appeal and filmic integrity applies to the program’s Aussie contingent as well, which covers blockbusters Mad Max: Fury Road and Macbeth, as well as locally produced dramas The Dressmaker and Holding The Man.
“It was really important to include Australian films in the program,” Valmadre says. “I’m personally a huge supporter of Australian film and I think it’s really had a cracking year, especially with Mad Max: Fury Road and The Dressmaker and Macbeth – which is an international title, but helmed by Justin Kurzel. I wanted to include more Australian films. We’ve got about four in the first program and I think we’ll be looking to include a few more in the next one too. I think people always have the conception that ‘Oh no one wants to see Australian films,’ but we have such fantastic filmmaking talent and it deserves to be seen.”
There are three cult classics on offer during the first half – The Big Lebowski, Dirty Dancing and The Breakfast Club – all of which are showing just once. And fittingly for the summertime, the 2015 cricket documentary Death of a Gentleman will also get a one-off screening towards the end of January. Valmadre is justifiably excited about the entire program, however there’s a few films she’s particularly eager to see in the convent courtyard.
“The Lobster has probably been my favourite film of the year. It’s just so dark and funny and absolutely absurd. I just fell in love with it. I thought it was so unique and so original. Then obviously I’m really looking forward to [New World Towers], because of the premiere. I’m really excited about Mad Max: Fury Road because it was such an incredible cinematic experience, so I think it’ll be really fantastic in the convent, bats flying overhead. Then to see something like The Last Waltz, a really fantastic concert film in the courtyard will be spectacular as well. I really hope people get into and have a little sing-along. That would be fantastic.”
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
