Revelation Perth International Film Festival is returning in July with an all new showcase of local and international feature films.
The festival began in 1997 as a means to showcase independent films in a heavily conservative mainstream realm of visual expression. We asked festival director Richard Sowada what keeps Revelations fresh almost 20 years later:
“I think the personalities behind the event… you can see us, all of us, in everything that goes to screen – everything that hits the screen we feel personally connected to in every way and into the future as well. What happens to these films after, we feel like we’ve been part of it’s life and part of the family of the filmmaker… we’re connected, to now and to the traditions and to the future”.
Sowada is satisfied that the essence of the festival remains unchanged from the outset, “It’s never lost that path, it’s always been about… active conversation, right from the early days, it’s been about just being in the room with other people”.
Here are some top picks from the 2015 Revelation Perth International Film Festival
The Tribe
A deaf teenager enters a boarding school and becomes part of a criminal organisation involved in robbery and prostitution. He goes beyond his depth when he falls for a girl he is assigned to as a pimp. ‘The Tribe’ is entirely in Ukranian sign language with no subtitles.
Last Cab to Darwin
This adaptation of Reg Cribb’s 2003 stage play of the same name tells the story of Rex, a cab driver who is diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer and embarks on a drive from Broken Hill to Darwin to die on his own terms.
When My Sorrow Died
Eccentric and glamorous musician Armen Ra, who plays an electronic instrument known as the Theremin, shares his journey with archive material, rare concert footage and interviews with his contemporaries.
The Duke of Burgundy
Cynthia is an entomologist involved in a romantic relationship with Evelyn, who lives in her home and works as her maid. As their relationship grows, it becomes more and more uncertain who is really in control.
I Believe in Unicorns
Davina is a teenager who has matured quickly as the sole caretaker of her disabled mother. She embarks on a romance with an older boy that becomes troubled when his volatile side emerges.
Revelation Perth International Film Festival runs from July 2-12
For a full list of films and ticketing/venue information, visit www.revelationfilmfest.org
