For Film’s Sake (FFS & formerly WOW Film Festival) provides opportunity and advocacy for female filmmakers. Moving from exhibition to direct film distribution, FFS kicks off with festival favourite, Strange Colours. Directed by Russian born Australian, Alena Lodkina, Strange Colours tells the story of Milena (Kate Cheel) who travels to remote opal mining town, Lightning Ridge to visit her sick and estranged father. Milena finds a community of misfits and lost souls as she attempts to mend the fractured bond with her father (Daniel P Jones).
FFS Director, Sophie Mathisen explained that theatrical distribution is a natural evolution for For Film’s Sake which is Australia’s flagship female film festival and only AACTA accredited festival dedicated exclusively to works by female filmmakers. Over the last few years FFS has created innovative screening opportunities for female generated cinema. Whilst distribution remains a challenging commercial proposition within Australia, FFS has partnered with established distributor Bonsai Films in order to create a new model of distribution utilising cultural partnerships as the backbone of its theatrical campaigns.
“I jumped at the chance to acquire Strange Colours as an example of striking entrepreneurialism and artistic endeavor,” Mathisen commented “Distribution is an overlooked but crucial puzzle piece in changing statistics of female participation in the screen industries. Films like Strange Colours require creative approaches to releasing in order to give distinct talents like Alena the chance to continue her filmmaking domestically and abroad.”
The film was made possible as Lodkina won funding from the Venice Biennale College Cinema scheme. This win provided 150,000 Euro the total budget (around $234602.33 Australian) and a premiere screening at the 2017 Venice Biennale. It has been a highlight at many film festivals around Australia and the world since.
“Whilst the audience for independent cinema may be changing, it still means so much for smaller films to make it on to the silver screen, especially films by female filmmakers,” Lodkina explained “Our distributors understand this and bring great passion and innovation to the strategy of building support for our film. They are helping us to find distribution beyond simply film festivals.”
Screen Australia’s CEO, Graeme Mason, recently claimed that many Australian film makers were better off aiming for a streaming service, rather than a cinema release. We beg to differ. Mathisen said of this claim cinema is not dead, particularly with the support of bodies like FFS helping to bring great films to our big screens. If you would like see this beautiful Australian film and support women in cinema be sure to grab a ticket.
Strange Colours is released nationally on November 22. A launch event will be held on November 17, as part of Melbourne Music Week at ACMI with a live score by Mikey Young (Total Control) and friends. Mikey Young wrote the dreamlike film score for the film. The live performance will take the film experience to the next level.