ADJACENT to the New Zealand International Film Festivals, the Melbourne International Film Festival has unveiled an impressive, corresponding line-up for 2008 (it opened last night with Not Quite Hollywood, a documentary survey of ‘Ozploitation’ cinema). So far, of the new titles, I have only seen the highly recommended films An Island Calling and Persepolis. Fiji Red Cross chief John Scott (a hero during George Speight’s ugly coup) and his partner Greg Scrivener were brutally murdered in 2001. Annie Goldson tells their story My Architect-style in An Island Calling, employing John’s returning brother Owen as narrator. In this intelligent, thorough, gripping and moving documentary, Goldson conveys this tragedy alongside the broader tragedy of lovely, troubled Fiji. Persepolis captures Iran through one appealing girl’s experience. Like a Jafar Panahi film, it’s critical of the destructive theocrats, but conveys the country’s plangent progressive element. The delicate, whimsical animation is refreshingly restrained and appealing in contrast to the steriod-pumped, on 11 excess of Shreks. Other programme highlights include sections Africa! Africa!, with seven films conveying the richesse of Mother Africa, and Altered States, a promising selection of commercially marginalised American indie cinema. Classics are out in force with the dearly departed Edward Yang’s Tribute (already in progress at the NZIFF) and Cannes’s Directors’ Fortnight Tribute. Favourites from Cannes’ splendifirous wagamama, now 40 year strong, include Bresson’s provocative The Devil Probably, Herzog’s archetypal Fata Morgana and Sayles’ Matewan. Starring greats Chris Cooper and David Strathairn, Matewan looks at a salient 1920s labour show of unity in the Matewan, West Virginia. “You want to be treated like men? You want to be treated fair? Well, you ain’t men to the coal company, you’re equipment.”—Alexander Bisley

Other films to cross the Tasman from the NZIFF which Lumičre has reviewed include: The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins; Boy A; A Complete History of My Sexual Failures; The Death of Mr Lazarescu; Derek; Eat, for This is My Body; The Duchess of Langeais; Fighter; Gonzo—The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson; Hunger; I Just Didn’t Do It; In Search of a Midnight Kiss; Jar City; Let the Right One In; Man on Wire; My Winnipeg; Night and Day; The Order of Myths; Secret Sunshine; Somers Town; Sukiyaki Western Django; The Unpolished; Useless.