Cultural enlightenment needs more than internet Oct 28, 2009
It is heartening the corporation appears to be keeping its artistic responsibilities in balance, particularly when the arts continue to have a special, valued place in people's lives, and during harsh economic times (what further encouragement than the strong box-office for the recent Melbourne Festival. . (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
The gift of the gab Oct 17, 2009
The elocutory charms of the Irish were on dexterous display last weekend at the Melbourne Festival when Dublin's Abbey Theatre visited with Terminus, a play for three actors by writer-director Mark O'Rowe ... The Irish are welcome at any arts festival any time, as the late Clifford Hocking proved when he programmed the 1997 Melbourne Festival one of the best in its history with the Gate Theatre performing four Beckett plays back to back and then throwing in another for what-the-feck good... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Time to stop dragging our heels on abortion law Oct 11, 2009
Abortion is more or less legal in all states - but it's not supposed to be mentioned or owned up to in polite society. It's like cancer used to be - secret and shameful. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Has this ordinary Joe got what it takes? Oct 9, 2009
And as his Deputy Dawg, how about "people ... Misha, Selby Story Tools The Goanna Most commented 75 comments 67 comments 56 comments 39 comments 28 comments 119 comments 77 comments 62 comments 28 comments 26 comments Editor's picks John Passant I was going to write "Keep Howard's hands off my game" as the headline. But rugby league hasn't been my game for decades. Director Brett Sheehy says this year's Melbourne Festival is the most accessible and affordable ever. News has reached the colonies... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Arts festivals should not be elitist Oct 7, 2009
This 2009 Melbourne Festival is trenchantly not for us or them, it is for each and every citizen of this city. The fabric of this city is 4 million threads and Melbourne's festival is answerable to each of those voices. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
* KFF organizers denounce Kaohsiung move Sep 21, 2009
Beijing protested to the Australian government when the Melbourne festival screened the documentary last month with Kadeer in attendance. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AGENCIES. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Aussies shine at Edinburgh Sep 6, 2009
But perhaps her biggest coup has been Minchin, who she spotted in 2005 in his show, Dark Side, at the Melbourne festival. At the Edinburgh Fringe, Minchin became one of the most successful ever debut acts, selling out the 300-seat Debating Hall and winning the Perrier Award for Best Newcomer. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Rio Executive Stern Hu, Detained in Shanghai, Gets Second Consular Visit Aug 11, 2009
Chinese filmmakers pulled movies from the Melbourne festival after demands to cancel the screening were rejected. Hus guilt or otherwise is almost irrelevant, Curtins Kenyon said. (Bloomberg -- Australia & New Zealand)
'We're all Melburnians': Uighur leader controversy goes global Aug 5, 2009
The Brisbane International Film Festival, running in parallel with the Melbourne festival, has been able to add several Chinese-language films to its program after the directors pulled them from MIFF in protest. The Brisbane festival's director, Anne Demy-Geore, said screening the documentary worldwide would send an important political message even if it prevented other Chinese directors from exhibiting their work. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Bran Nue festival fight Aug 5, 2009
Mr Barnett said the Melbourne festival was a great opportunity to expose the film and its contributors to international audiences. "The Melbourne International Film Festival is gaining a stature worldwide," he told 3AW.. (The Age, Australia)
* TECO could still fund film festival Aug 4, 2009
The Melbourne Festival with whom our company has a longstanding relationship was extremely gracious and cooperative in immediately agreeing to this request, Noble said. This story has been viewed 468 times. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Taiwan)
3 more Chinese films pulled at Melbourne festival Jul 31, 2009
The Melbourne festival has been besieged by objections to Kadeer's appearance. Festival director Richard Moore said an official from the Chinese consulate in Melbourne asked him to pull the film about three weeks ago. (Hanford Sentinal, CA)
Xinjiang crisis creates ripples abroad Jul 31, 2009
His refusal to participate in the Melbourne festival spurred Beijing to highlight that artists operating outside of the mainstream film umbrella are "patriots" who are unwilling to compromise on issues of national sovereignty. The Beijing Youth Daily reported that Zhangke felt repulsed by the idea of appearing on the same stage as Rebiya Kadeer. (Asia Times Online)
Fresno man makes film 'Stricken' Jul 30, 2009
3rd Chinese film pulled from Melbourne festival. A third Chinese director has pulled his movie from an Australian film festival after two other filmmakers backed out to protest the planned appearance of the exiled Uighur activist Beijing blames for inciting recent ethnic violence. (Fresno Bee)
* Sino-Australian relations in crisis Jul 29, 2009
Chinese directors have withdrawn some films that were to screen in the festival, and Chinese hackers have been at work to damage the Web site of the Melbourne festival. At a strategic level, the new Australian defense White Paper has apparently angered Beijing even more by suggesting that a rising China could threaten Australias security when it overtakes the US as the worlds largest economy, as it is predicted to do around 2020. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Chinese pull films from festival to protest Uighur Jul 24, 2009
The Melbourne festival, which kicked off Friday and ends on Aug. 9, has been hit by a series of pullouts ... The Melbourne festival receives some funding from the Israeli embassy in Australia. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
* China snubs festival in Melbourne over Uighur documentary Jul 23, 2009
Melbourne festival head Richard Moore said two Chinese filmmakers pulled their movies after he ignored pressure from Beijing to drop the documentary about Rebiya Kadeer, the US-based president of the World Uyghur Congress. Moore said he believed Beijing had ordered the withdrawal of films Perfect Life and Cry Me a River in an attempt at political intimidation ahead of the Aug. 8 screening, which will be attended by Kadeer. (Taipei Times, Taiwan)
New director is reading from a different script Jul 15, 2009
From German dance to Chinese punk, Brett Sheehy's first Melbourne Festival is all about rebuilding the audience, writes Bryce Hallett. I am not cavalier with risk but I'm keen to find work that people haven't seen and it can be terrifying not knowing if it will connect to an audience or not," Brett Sheehy says. Since taking the Melbourne Festival's artistic reins, the director has sought to respond to the city's built environment and growing cultural appetite while offering collaborations and... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Warm reception for Winter Festival Jun 27, 2009
They will also hold a Melbourne festival in Federation Square. Sensitive to environmental criticisms, the City of Sydney council, which vetoed the organisers' plans to truck snow in from the Snowy Mountains, says the privately-run event and its giant outdoor freezer were powered by renewable energy. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
O stands for Oscar and also for Oz Feb 21, 2009
In the 1960s, it was the turn of John Truscott, the designer who, after a career in Hollywood, returned to Australia in 1989 to become artistic director of the Melbourne Festival. In 1968 he took home two Oscars: one for best costume design, and a shared award for best art direction and set decoration, both for the musical Camelot. (The Age, Australia -- Entertainment)
