Herald
Sun (
Splashing into the depths. (Arts & entertainment)
Byline: SARAH HUDSON
Prepare to be challenged at
JULY 18, the day this year's 50th Melbourne International Film Festival begins,
has special memories for actor David Wenham.
It's one year since he was pushed into the
Wenham, best known for his role as Diver Dan in TV's SeaChange,
plays a mathematical genius seeking a formula that can predict stock-market
crashes.
"It was actually the last shoot of the film . . . it was very surprising
and very cold,'' Wenham says of his dip.
"I think the quality of the film is far superior to the quality of the Yarra.''
The screening of The Bank marks the world premiere of the film, which producer
Robert Connolly (The Boys) shot around Melbourne and Victoria.
This year's festival -- launched yesterday -- is the first for executive
director James Hewison, who describes this year's
line-up of more than 350 films from 40 countries as ``rich in diversity and
depth''.
"It will challenge the audience and see what the future holds for emerging
cinema,'' he says.
The festival is one of the largest and longest-running in the southern
hemisphere. And with admissions growing 40 per cent last year, it's expected to
be even bigger in its 50th year.
The Bank is the big ticket for the opening, and book-ending the festival on
closing night is another local film which has its Australian premiere: He Died
with a Felafel in his Hand, starring Noah Taylor.
Hewison has queue-jumped and secured 10 of the best
films from Cannes 2001, all of which will have their Australian premiere.
Included in this list are The Piano Teacher, which won the Grand Prix and
awards for best actor and actress, and Sean Penn's The Pledge.
Sir Michael Caine and Richard Dreyfuss,
among others, will join the Meet the Makers question-and-answer forum via
satellite.
Another addition to the festival is Mach 1 (July 27-29), a festival within a
festival for younger audiences. Selected films will have "bark as well as
bite''.
Launching the festival,