Reviewed by GREG KING Documentary Director: Stephen Amis This powerful eye-opening documentary follows the efforts of the Sea Shepherd crews to thwart the Japanese whaling fleet in the Great Southern Ocean. Every year the Japanese whaling fleet arrogantly and ignorantly continue to hunt endangered but protected Minke whales under the guise of scientific research. The Sea Shepherd crews are pretty much now the only force policing the illegal whaling and fishing in this part of the world. The crews are mainly volunteers, and they face great danger from the Continue reading
PICK OF THE LITTER
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Reviewed by GREG KING Documentary Directors: Don Hardy jr, Dana Nachman. A Guide Dog’s Purpose? This wonderful observational documentary follows five cute puppies on their journey to become seeing eye dogs for the nonprofit organization Guide Dogs For The Blind. Every year in America some 8000 dogs enter into a rigorous training program to become seeing eye dogs, but less than 30% succeed and make the cut. The puppies are fostered out to volunteers for the first 12 months to gain structure, routine and get used to social structures. Then they are returned Continue reading
THE COMING BACK OUT BALL MOVIE
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Reviewed by GREG KING Documentary Director: Sue Thomson. Closing the 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival was the poignant, bittersweet observational documentary The Coming Back Out Ball Movie. In October 2017 the Coming Back Out Ball was held in Melbourne Town Hall to celebrate the elders within the LGBTI community who had paved the way for today’s generation of out and proud queer youth. Many of these elders led the ground-breaking movement to advocate for human rights, acceptance and tolerance back in the “dark ages” of the 60s and 70s. But many who Continue reading
THE COMING BACK OUT BALL MOVIE – interview with Sue Thomson
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by GREG KING In October 2017 a party was held at Melbourne Town Hall for the elders of the city’s LGBTI community. The Coming Back Out Ball was a celebration for many of the now ageing people who’d lived through the “dark ages” of the 60s and 70s when their sexual identity was often treated as a crime. Filmmaker Sue Thomson made this poignant documentary about the preparations for the event and the actual ball itself. Sue spoke to Greg about the three years she spent working on the film and the reaction to many of Melbourne’s gay community to seeing their stories on Continue reading
I USED TO BE NORMAL: A BOYBAND FANGIRL STORY
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Reviewed by GREG KING Documentary Director: Jessica Leski. To most of us, boy bands like One Direction are bland, formulaic, mass produced cheesy groups that appeal to teenaged girls attracted more by their pretty looks than the depth of their lyrics. The mass hysteria with which hordes of obsessed, screaming fans greet their idols is a pop culture phenomenon that is extraordinary. This documentary looks at the cultural phenomenon of fandom and obsession. I Used To Be Normal spans three generations of obsessive, tragic boyband fans, but this is also a universal Continue reading
