Revelation - Perth International Film Festival

. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/gnt/people/Transcripts/s1173753.htm Richard Sowada: ] ]

History

Revelation's roots are as an underground film festival starting in the basement of the Greenwich Club, but the festival has now evolved into a large cultural event, screening films at cinemas and nightclubs across the city. Revelation specialises in independent film and documentary film. Since its inception the festival has grown in size and scope. Alongside film screenings the festival also features special events which have included collaborations with musicians providing live soundtrack scores, academic conferences on cinema and culture, and associated visual art exhibitions.

It is a tightly curated event that also includes international animations, short films, experimental works and hybrid styles. It annually receives around 400 entries from the international community and is programmed from a mix of these submitted and invited works.

Since 2001 the festival have collaborated with SPLIF - Screening Perth's Local Independent Films - showcasing local independent films and short films as part of the festival.

In 2006 founder and festival director Richard Sowada began working at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, and filmmaker, broadcaster and journalist Megan Spencer became program director for the 2007 festival. In 2008 author and curator Jack Sargeant will take on this role and curate the event.

Since its inception Revelation has featured numerous films, including Australian premiers, of films such as "Sonic Outlaws" directed by Craig Baldwin, "Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan", "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" by Jeff Krulik,"WADD: The Life & Times of John C Holms", "Divine Trash", "Spellbound" and cult movies such as "Beat Girl", "Pull My Daisy" and "Gimme Shelter".

It has actively participated as a platform for a range of feature and documentary works that have gone on to attain theatrical, DVD or other on-going release and sales in Australia.

It also works actively with a range of major Australian screen culture events, organisations and festivals with guests, curated programs and individual titles.

Guest have included:

Mitchell Block (Producer, USA)
Tait Brady (Feature Film Evaluation Manager, Film Finance Corporation)
Ashley Luke (Fortissimo Films)
Sandy Don (Hopscotch Films)
Paul Wiegard (Madman Entertainment)
John Hughes (Producer)
[David Elfick (Producer)
[Serge Bozon (Filmmaker, France)
Avi Lewis (Filmmaker, Canada)
Lech Kowalski (Filmmaker, France)
Amy Hobby (Producer, USA)

External links

* [http://www.revelationfilmfest.org/ Website]
* [http://www.pbase.com/hughkesson/revelation_06&page=all Photography gallery from the 2006 event]

References