The Sydney Traveler

It may not attract Hollywood A-Listers like the glitzy Sydney Film Festival, but this week’s Sydney Underground Film Festival is likely to provide a little more for movie buffs to sink their teeth into.
The event celebrates experimentation, taking risks, pushing boundaries, and creating art on a shoestring. All sounds like fascinating stuff right? There’s still a scattering of stars too with Anthony Hopkins, John Waters, and Parker Lewis Can’t Lose star Corin Nemec lending their skills to these subversive features.
It all kicks off tomorrow night with the premiere of George Gittoes’ latest flick The Miscreants. In it he blurs the …read more

Comments Off

Little Big Shots film festival is a Australia’s largest annual kids’ film festival, and it’s heading to Sydney’s south west for the first time. Inspiring, touching, and a whole lot of fun, the event showcases the world’s best children’s films.
Highlights of this festival include the Oscar nominated shorts The Little Matchgirl and Maestro, and the award-winning Fried Rice, The Crystal Palace, and The Thief. The works draw from all corners of the globe, so they’re sure to broaden the horizons of their young audiences.
Sessions are grouped according to the age of the target audience, allowing kids aged two to fifteen …read more

Comments Off

There are several outdoor movie festivals in Sydney, but my favourite has to be Movies in the Overflow.
Why does it get my vote? Well, first of all it’s really family friendly. Most film festivals show a small number of kids’ features, opting for more action flicks, horror classics, and other nasties. However, families can always find something everyone will enjoy at Movies in the Overflow.
The best part about it though is that it’s completely free. Now where else can you find that sort of value in Sydney?
Movies kick off at 8:30 pm, but the fun starts from 6 pm. Kids …read more

Comments Off

Journey back in time and strap yourself in for some prehistoric fun. Some cool 3D movies have hit the Imax Theatre, just in time for the school holidays. Little kids and big kids alike will love Dinosaurs 3D: Giants of Patagonia and Sea Monsters 3D: A Prehistoric Adventure.
Dinosaurs 3D follows Argentina’s Professor Rodolfo Coria as he visits the sites of major paleontological discoveries, and watches these fossilised creatures come to life. There’s the massive Argentinosaur and his archenemy, the meat-eating Giganotosaur.
Sea Monsters 3D goes underwater for a closer look at the aquatic dinosaurs of the past. Our guides are a …read more

Comments Off

Hoyts Bankstown has made entertaining the kids a lot easier this weekend, with their first family fun day. All morning the cinema will screen some fantastic family flicks.
The day kicks off with a screening of Bee Movie at 10 am. The cinema will also show an advance screening of Alvin and the Chipmunks, Daddy Day Camp, Game Plan, Underdog, and Ratatouille.
All tickets are just $10, which should make Mum and Dad happy too! Tickets are available from the Hoyts Bankstown box office.
Date: Sunday December 9
Time: From 10 am
Address: Corner The Mall and Jacob Streets, Bankstown
Public transport: The cinema is close …read more

3 Comments

With the success of directors like Alejandro Gonzalez (Babel, 21 Grams) and Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy), the world is starting to notice Mexican filmmaking. The Hola Mexico Film Festival brings the colour and excitement of Mexican cinema to Sydney.
Ten new feature films will play during the festival, including the romantic comedy Tired of Kissing Frogs and psychological thriller Enlightened Blood. The festival also features the documentaries Born Without and 1973, and a classic program, A Tribute to Mexico, which screens the first works of Mexico’s most influential directors, Gonzalez, Del Toro, and Alfonso Cuaron.
The festival opens tonight with …read more

Comments Off

Bollywood films aren’t just huge in their native India. They’ve made an impact all over the world. So it’s little surprise that the Australian Indian Film Festival is the largest foreign film festival in this country.
The festival will screen over six months in various parts of the country. During this time around 40, 000 locals will see an Indian film. For many, this will be the first time they’ll see a Bollywood production. Hopefully it won’t be their last.
The Sydney events, beginning October 17, will open the touring festival. Many of India’s leading filmmakers and stars are expected to attend.
21 …read more

Comments Off

Who needs Hollywood when you’ve got Sydney? New South Wales’ capital has become the coolest place to shoot a movie, with directors lured by our beautiful weather, stunning scenery and laidback attitude.
International blockbusters like The Matrix, Mission: Impossible II, and the new Star Wars movies were all filmed here, not to mention local classics like Babe: Pig in the City, Moulin Rouge, and Muriel’s Wedding.
Sydney Movie Tours operate a range of fun tours which will take you to some of the silver screen’s hottest spots.
The company’s walking tours set off from Martin Place. You might remember this area’s fountain from …read more

Comments Off

So you think you know Germans. They’re a race of fat, beer-swilling men and efficient, humourless women who love bratwurst and lederhosen, right? We all know the stereotypes, but how close to truth are they?
According to GerMANY FACES, not very. This enlightening cultural expo showcases the real Germany, a thriving hub of science, entertainment, and the arts.
GerMANY SHOWS features some of Germany’s most innovative visual art displays, with installations, photographic exhibitions, and paintings. Visiting writers, academics, artists, journalists, and performers will hold seminars as part of GerMANY TALKS. Acclaimed caberet star Meret Becker will bring her show to Sydney as …read more

Comments Off