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Edited by John Mangan With Olivia Hill-Douglas
20/07/2001
The Age


Banker makes double entry

* FOR David Wenham, opening night of the Melbourne International Film Festival was so good he turned up twice. Our photographer Michael Clayton-Jones snapped him on two separate occasions about an hour apart, emerging from the limousine and striding up the Regent Theatre's imposing steps. The stars certainly came out to play - Bracksy (who also arrived twice), Thwaitesy, the Brumbster and Lorraine Elliott were joined by the likes of Geoffrey Rush, Morgan Freeman and Nick Giannopoulos. Film festival directors were also in abundance. Former director Sandra Sdraulig had the pleasant and novel experience of hearing her name correctly pronounced when the Premier made his opening speech. Instead, the Premier appeared to stumble on the names of this year's supremo James Hewison (possibly confusing him with a popular TV chef) and another former director, Tait Brady (or should that be Tait Bradley?). As for the two-timing David Wenham, his new film with Anthony LaPaglia, The Bank, shot largely on the Bolte Bridge, received an enthusiastic home-town reception, proving an excellent opener for the festival's half century.