Australia's Royle Family exists in The Castle

My exploration into Australian culture has been progressing nicely, I'm currently mid way through The Bogan Delusion by David Nicholls a book that aims to explore the term bogan (Australian cousin of the CHAV - council housing and violent), what impact it has on society and whether it is just another way of exploiting the working class.

The Castle, recommended to me by some of my Australian peers who have been aiding me in cultural exploration is referenced in the book. Its a cute film about a backwater family trying to save their home from a large corporation looking to build another runway at Melbourne airport, they have the government in their pockets and a compulsory purchase order in hand. It offers a snapshot of Aussie bogan life, I found comparisons between The Royle Family in its down to earth humour. Most Australians have seen it, however it wasn't released beyond these shores, fortunately its easily downloadable and worth a watch. Eric Bana makes his acting debut, it was filmed over 11 days in 1997 and cost a mere $19,000 AUD to make.

If the milk turns sour...

After a night of drinking pina coladas, rum & ginger, whiskey shots on an empty stomach, dancing round like a loon and getting cabs across the city - I find myself unsurprisingly with my head planted inside the toilet basin, retching what little stomach content I have left in the water below. It's moving day - in true Martina fashion - I'm armed with a killer hangover and little or rather no preparation. I cast my mind to images of a man staggering semi-naked through the desert, blood seeping from behind, lost and confused, and I'm thankful for the moderate state I find myself in. The soundtrack and inspiration for said images are the work of my neighbour (or should that be ex-neighbour for I now reside where he once was) Benjamin McDonald, talented composer, member of Melbourne bands Butcher Blades and Clubfeet (more to follow). Sour Milk is a well produced short film set in the scrub land of Australia with a dark and somewhat sexy twist, the mystery leans towards the surreal; yet captivating throughout...

Sour Milk from Signal Faults on Vimeo.

from Spain with Love

With La Mirada Spanish Film Festival at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image this Easter I am fully covered for bouts of boredom or potential bad weather. I can witness the dramatically bleak uber realism of Spanish cinema unfold surrounded by fellow enthusiasts.

Obviously not all Spanish film falls under such bleak terms, however the genre (if you can forgive me for grouping vast Spanish speaking nations under one bushel) has a tendency to lean towards certain darker deeper accents which are skilfully and unmistakeably Spanish, watch Amores Peros for an inkling of where I'm headed.


Gael García Bernal in Amores Perros, he also starred alongside Maribel Verdú in Y tu mamá también.

The festival is co-programmed by Pedro Almodóvar, screenwriter, producer and director of numerous Spanish language films including (one of my favourites) Bad Education, High Heels, Women on the Verge of Nervous Breakdown and more recently Volver and Broken Embraces. His life is an inspiring path, born to family of modest means in a small farming town in backwater Spain, sent to a boarding convent school by his family with hopes of becoming a priest. He defied his parents’ wishes following his own path to Madrid where he worked as an administration assistant for Telefonica for 12 years, before going on to become a hugely respected director. Proof that you don't have to follow timetabled rules of development in order to reach your goal, something I remind myself of daily.

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My computer wiped away the rest of the piece which contained my picks of the festival including Lucky Star (La Buena Estrella) a film about a butcher who accidently castrates himself and becomes entwined with a one eyed prostitute and her abusive boyfriend. Babies ensue and the plot becomes even more tangled with boyfriend in prison. The female lead is played Maribel Verdú of Y tu mamá también (another excellent film); definitely worth downloading if you can find it.


Lucky Star, 1997

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It is now post festival, post Easter weekend and it's been a blast. Lots of parties and messy nights out, I managed to make it to the Directors choice - a surprise film - currated by Ang Lee of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Sense and Sensibility, Brokeback Mountain. We were treated to the 1977 surrealist movie, That Obscure Object of Desire, directed by Luis Buñuel, which flits between Spanish and French language, actress and setting.



The female protagonist Conchita originally given to Maria Schneider (Last Tango in Paris) is played by two women, Carole Bouquet (French Bond Girl) and Angela Molina (Spanish household name). The actresses change unpredictably creating an extra dimension in the characterisation of the role. It explores the cat and mouse dynamic within a relationship, magnifying the intensity of power of the chase, the mere suggestion of possibility is enough to keep Mathieu (Fernando Rey’s) ego encased.



Incidently there is also another Spanish Film festival in May...

14th Spanish Film Festival presented by Estrella DAMM
Festival Dates: 12 May, 2011 - 22 May, 2011

Last Train Home

This morning I sat at my desk full of glow, a rare Monday; the sun is shining on the 29th floor, my weekend was a good one, Melbourne and I have turned a corner. Happily obscured from view I swot up on the goings on in the motherland. Dramatic headlines, doom and gloom, the protests, the riots, cuts, no public toilets, libraries and lost funding for domestic violence centres, psychiatric counselling, halfway houses for the homeless, people in need, forgotten. The land I have come from appears to have regressed somewhat, cutting crucial support, the cogs that keep society functioning. Where was the tax on banks, the tax on bonuses, and cuts in senior government? An internal tug of guilt washes over me, those left to struggle on in my absence, aging grandparents, aunties in the public sector - NHS and education, uncle whose job is now on the line, the effects are immediate, delivered from a far like a tomahawk heading to Libya.





I remain empathetic yet cheery as I head to (cinema) Nova for my regular Monday night date for one, a rewardingly comfortable arrangement. Last Train Home is a Chinese documentary centred around the mass migration of 200 million Chinese migrants - in most part of Chinese origin travelling back home to the (usually very) poor countryside in a distant province. I was engaged and humbled by the main plot which charts a family struggling to exist, grandmother raising her grandchildren, whilst the parents send money home. The characters clash under the pressure, with the parents vehemently expressing the life path of education upon there children. The daughter buckles and rebels. The scenes switch between factory, transport and countryside offering a unique, if somewhat bleak gaze into the life of the Chinese working classes. The documentary directed by Lixin Fan was filmed up until 2008 with the inclusion of the Chinese olympics. Comic relief is provided by the youngest member of the family the younger brother, whose witty remarks provide a much needed lightness. A poignant moment occurs on a sleeper train not dissimilar to one I have travelled on during my Chinese adventures. There are about five people cosied up on a bunk and they are discussing the financial practices of foreigners. I cast my mind back to how kind and inquisitive the Chinese were to me during my long train rides alone. The world is no longer a separate place we will are to become increasingly interconnected as global dependency evolves. It is important we see the different sides if not to agree then to understand and appreciate. This documentary certainly bought home questions as to the evolution/exploitation of China, and how far the country has yet to travel.

Craig Lawrence 4 Machine A

It's about time Craig Lawrence launched a capsule range, it gives us mere mortals a possibility of owning one of his designs. However at £600 a pop I sense it will be a while before I can stretch to something.


CRop top and knitted trousers

Please Topshop, H&M, some forward thinking but not to expensive store, take note and sign him up for a collaboration, it makes perfect sense. For the time being I will just have to content myself with attending the launch of Craig Lawrence for Machine A. The shop is located on Berwick Street, Oxford Street end and showcases the work of edgy designers. It was very serious with lots of tall women in black with black lipstick, save the VIP window that is, which had a hot dancing boy and a drag queen providing entertainment.



The delightful Zaiba Jabbar was there to capture the moment in all it's spirit

Love in a different light

After finding the perfect bum groove post supper Emma began to quiz me, she was pulling together romantic scenes to create a visual backdrop for this week’s Love to Love at The Bathhouse. A fortnightly Friday party which unceremoniously spins the tracks you long to dance to, hosted by the lovely Lucie and pals. The quiz theme was great film romance, the best scenes, kisses, moments - we went through the formats boy meets girl, boy meets boy, girl meets girl, girl meets boy then falls in love with girl. Then we came up with a list of films that featured children as leading characters with an unconventional love theme, top five below...


Paper Moon, 1973, this film is visually stunning with a superb cast and sharply engaging narrative, the actors are father and daughter (Ryan and Tatum O'Neal), which reflects in the strength of performance.


Leon, 1994, needs little explanation, the dress up is a personal favourite scene.


Corrina, Corrina, 1994, Whoopi Goldberg is called in to cure Molly's muteness after her mother dies, this film is cute to the core.


Matilda, Roald was a true genius, creating gruesome characters to scare and excite, Matilda is no exception, the villians are juxtaposed by the delightful Miss Honey, whom Matilda loves.


Curly Sue, Cute film, perfect for a lazy Sunday post lunch

Enter the Void Gaspar Noé

My experience of Enter the Void was never going to be as life changing as when I wandered into the Electric Cinema, with its red gloss walls and run down decor, at time the only picture house in town brave enough to show Irreversible. The film famed for it's real time female anal rape at the hands of a gay guy, revenge is sought and the guy eventually dies - his head caves in with aid of a fire extinguisher. In short though it's a love story between man and woman, the woman has a boyfriend, yet man still secretly longs for woman, beautiful. Gaspar Noé's new offering, perhaps not as shocking, offers something different, a drug fueled psychedelic experience, the closest to DMT I've got (DMT is the chemical released in the body when you die, it's reasonably available). The film runs for a 143mins (that's 2.5 hours), long indeed, two toilet breaks. Each chapter is separated by pulsating white emptiness. With trippy music and visuals the brain became disorientated and uncomfortable. Two siblings meet in Japan separated by traumatic events at an early age there love is a unconventional one and there world full of seedy strip clubs and drug dealing. A visual feast of neon and grime, the story loops until all the pieces slot into the puzzle, with bizarre and humorous sexual sequences providing comic relief to the heavy content. It's worth seeing at the cinema for visuals alone, yet perhaps purposely inaccessible at times, the film becomes slightly self-indulgent and left me time checking.

We ate at Fujiyama in Brixton, my first visit, the restaurant was packed, yet the food came quickly, it was delicious and fresh. The sushi and pickled ginger tasted sublime and the Ebi Gyzoa left me salivating for more. The main Prawn Katsu was on cue washed down with plum wine, Saki and Jasmine tea. Highly recommended, if you're down south, check it out.

Mother Me

Right from the opening of Mother you sense you are witnessing something special, beautifully shot the film pans South Korea’s countryside where the sky meets the trees, and the trees meet a field full of golden corn. Cue mental looking middle aged woman swaying rhythmically to a music all of her own. Director Bong Joon Ho delivers a delicate balance of humour, suspense and modernity to this ‘who dun it’ drama, presenting a slice of small village life.




Mother played by Kim Hye-ja is a one woman struggle to clear her mentally retarded son Do-joon’s played by Won Bin name of murder; great lengths are reached, with many salubrious skeletons unearthed in the race to find the killer. The plot plays out refreshingly, seamlessly reaching climax, I felt party to the story as it wound to an amusing close. The film is South Korea’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film and the 82nd Academy Awards. Kim Hye-ja also won Best female performance at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. The most watchable film I’ve seen all year, save A Prophet; go and check it out.

Nadaav's Comedic Opera

Photography by © Jane Hobson

Originally written and shot in 3 days as part of a film challenge, The Opera Singer is a short by filmmaker Nadaav that very nearly wasn’t made, “11pm the night before the shoot the location and the sound recordist pulled out. The first call to cancel the shoot was made to Hugo who I’d cast as the Studio Engineer (we met at an actors workshop). He sounded surprised and told me, in a tone that suggested he thought I knew; that he was a sound recordist with his own recording studio” explained Nadaav. “The shoot went ahead and in the end he acted, recorded the sound and provided the location - in a fluke of casting, I’d cast the studio engineer to someone who actually was a studio engineer!” The films potential for live performance played out different than expected with the omission of the ringtone sound from the film – friends were planted to play there ringtones on cue throughout the cinema taking the audience somewhat by surprise.

Nadaav has two films (The Opera Singer and There’s Green in this Green) accepted into the Virgin Media Shorts competition, with The Opera Singer making the editor’s choice shortlist. There are several awards up for grabs, for those wishing to add there voice to coveted audience choice award, you can vote for your favourite here. With the remaining prizes judged by a panel which includes, Thandie Newton, James King, the guy who made Four Weddings and a Funeral and a specially selected 15-year-old who took her GCSE’s a year early.


Photography by © Jane Hobson

Produced in 2008 There’s Green in this Green formed part of a trilogy of short documentaries exploring the career highs and low of entrepreneurs. Nadaav turned down funding from an airline in favour of Fortis bank believing it to be the safer option. “About midway through the project I was on a plane back from Atlanta, Georgia, for this shoot. I landed at Gatwick and switched on my phone - it went crazy. It was 10 days after Lehmans collapsed and my sponsor had gone bankrupt!” explains Nadaav. Despite set backs the project went ahead, the lawyers we able to extract funds to complete the project - this is the first time this film has been seen publicly.

Nadaav remains guarded about his future projects although he did let slip that he has a 10 minute slapstick piece on sleep and more documentaries of an ambitious nature in the pipeline.

He remarks “It's all a long way from the second time I picked up a camera”:

I want blood

You know I love an iplayer film, its free it’s convenient and when my internet works; I can watch with ease from the comfort of my own bed. This week for your viewing pleasure There Will Be Blood is making its BBC debut. The film is directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and is his best offering yet, Punch Drunk Love was another notable offering. Lifted loosely from the 1927 book Oil! by Upton Sinclair, an epic tale with dark leanings, it marks the rush for wealth during the oil boom during the turn of the last (20th) century. Corruption, greed and ruthless behaviour ensue with the lead played by Daniel Day Lewis and support from Paul Dano. It received mass critical acclaim when it came out in 2007, Oscars, Baftas, etc and won best film of the 00’s so if you haven't seen it you should (watch it again if you have)... visually its stunning.

Year Old Crack

Crack magazine becomes one year old tomorrow and to celebrate everything they have achieved in such a short time, they will be throwing an almighty party at the sublime basement venue, Square club, Clifton, Bristol. The publication has not only increased in popularity and circulation since its birth, its done wonders for the Bristol music and arts scene. Bringing well deserved attention to emerging artists from the vibrant city, which bulges with creativity. In a world where PR stunts and record company funding can make or break a creative minds future, it’s encouraging that unbiased reporting based on talent alone remains the very essence of Crack.

Alas I will be supporting (at the bar) Kitty Bang Bang and her travelling stage show (monkey bike, fire, balloons, and Ballet shoes) at Big Chill Festival this weekend; otherwise I would be there in full force. To mark the occasion I would like to draw attention to a modest selection (top three) of my personal favourites, introduced to me by Jake and Tom. Be sure to give them the time they deserve for they were lovingly handpicked by the boys in order that our lives and ears can lead a richer existence. Let the celebration commence.

Trophy Wife - An Oxford Collective who also perform under the name Jonquil, I caught them live at one of Crack's infamous parties. They have a great sound and even better banal/arty promorional photographs, alas minimal youtube presence, you can however see them live instead, check there myspace for dates, as they are currently on tour.




High Renaissance Man - is Bristol Universities answer to Alan Partridge, if you can identify, then you're onto a winner/loser. Altogether thoroughly entertaining.


Francois and the Atlas Mountain - A haunting tale of folk at it's finest, captivating from the first listen, a true gem of Bristol. My ears have yet to experience the live performance, I get excited in anticipation, soon my friend, soon (just don't beat me to it).

My favourite track is Tour de France, however the graphics in this are fantastic

Gainsbourg in seminal glory?

Gainsbourg is showing at the Rio this evening, I’ll be there with my text from orange momentarily on display. Rio is a wonderful community focused cinema located on Kingsland Road, Dalston with a white art deco exterior. I once wound up there surrounded by pensioners on a rainy Wednesday matinee with my friend Emma (we were both unemployed at the time) it was there monthly cinema club. Needless to say a packed house of OAP's is quite a sight, we had the attention/conversation of many grannies and a sparkly 78 year old gentleman who cornered us during the interval - so that's what they used to be for.

The Rio shows a considered selection of art house/world cinema, yet still catering for the masses with crowd pleasers such as Sex & the City 2, the vibe is all encompassing. Available to purchase is beside the usual cinema fare is homemade cake and Samosa's washed down with a fantastic tea selection, which is allowed to accompany you into the auditorium. However, being an old theatre it is limited to one screen, with a multitude of tastes to satisfy I find myself seeking out alternative venues. Wandering down the Kingsland Road to Rich Mix in Shoreditch or even further afield to Curzon Soho, Prince Charles, Ritzy, BFi and on occasion Screen on the Green, Angel. Although notably the last time I indulged in the £11 entrance fee was for September Issue; I sat there alone on a hot August day gorging on Anna Wintour and the mesmerising Grace Coddington (stylist extraordinaire) in action during the build up to American Vogues September issue. Which posthumously is a rehash of the television documentary on Wintour, I watched as a student during my Art Foundation at BIAD, still, just as entertaining.

I would like to also take this opportunity whilst I’m were on the subject of cinema to doth my cap to the Watershed (which has an unrivalled selection of contemporary film, so much so I check it’s listings as a starting point for any new cinema I plan to see) and The Cube, undoubtedly the most bizarre and unique venue, showing an interesting back catalogue of weird movies – I watched Time of the Gypsies there. And once upon a time the Electric Cinema (the oldest working cinema) in Birmingham, I had friends who wouldn’t enter on account of the red gloss toilets and skeletons hanging from the exterior windows - a great venue to watch Irreversible and the only place brave enough to show at the time of release (unfortunately it’s reopened under new management, so I am unable to validate it’s current artistic leanings). I’m also a huge fan of Little White Lies and of course Peter Bradshaw, whose opinion I rarely find discourse with.

Gainsbourg has received mixed reviews; the main crux is the lack of detail into his life, after the week I’ve had I’ll happy if they cover the main points - I can piece together the rest at a later date, most probably a Serge Gainsbourg enthusiast will put me right. I get to lean back with tea in hand on plush red seating and marvel at Birkin/Bardot/Gainsbourg extravaganza. You can also catch up on the music of Gainsbourg as his 1969 seminal album Light in the Attic featuring temptress Jane Birkin and the ground breakingly sexy hit Je T'aime has been re-issued.

Bardot and her hair

Gainsbourg didn't do too badly on the female front.

Eastern Promises for free

As I sunk into the chaise longue on Saturday night after my 25 mile cycle ride, Viggo Mortensen shone out of the flickering box. His sharp suit, Russian prison tattoos, abrasive accent and quaffed hair provided suitable accoutrements for his role as an undercover agent.  Eastern Promises is a tightly knitted film about rape, sex trafficking and mobsters. This steady paced thriller set on the mean streets of London, carries a fight scene which takes place inside a Turkish Baths in Finsbury Park - it's so severe I find myself hiding behind my hands (second time round). You can catch this film for free on BBC iplayer until Saturday, so if like me you're having a chilled Monday night in, this might be the ticket.

I'm going to crack open the mockumentary Le Donk and Scor-zay-zee which has received mixed reviews. I think it's important though to not listen to the critics too much and make up your own mind. I'm a sucker for the skills of Paddy Constantine - here's a little taster of his previous work...


Scene taken from A Room for Romeo Brass, which is definitely worth a look in, you should also check out, Last Resort. Produced in 2000 the story centers on Russian women claiming political asylum after finding herself stranded on UK soil, she and her son are sent to a forgotten seaside town which doubles as a detention centre.

The world we live in and why it matters to have a viewpoint...

This Sunday at 6.30pm i'll be heading over to Passing Clouds for a little Sunday screening of The battle for Broadway Market. It was filmed late 2005 i've still to watch it, yet sense the sentiment is as  relevant then as it is now. With ever bulging developments threatening the whole vibe of the east, run down historical beauty, exchanged for plastic commercialism. Note the Savoy Cafe post on East London Local. I think it is important we focus on what it is we want around us, what we want to see everyday and the type of world we want to live in. The film is made by political documentarian Emily James and explores the battle to save Arthur's Cafe as the developers attempt to build luxury flats in its place. See trailer below...


Emily also produced this and several other rather engaging short films of a social explorative nature, rather endearing. Be sure to link through to vimeo and check out the others...

Sweet scent of Jasmine triggers thoughts of Persepolis...

Regents Park is in bloom; the flowers have come out ten fold from when I was there three weeks ago. The roses save the yellows have flowered in their masses; sweet smelling Ingrid Bergman's take centre stage, the raspberry ripple and pink to yellow fade look fantastic. We picked lavender; or rather I picked lavender, whilst my companion took the piss out of me. I put it down to his inability to savor the scents in their full glory - he has a weak sense of smell. On route back to Kentish Town I/we paused to smell sweet Jasmine, I plucked the scented white heads and stuffed them down my bra.

It reminded me of a scene from Persepolis, a poignant film that charts the right of passage of a young girl growing up in Tehran during a time of great conflict, repression and political shifts of power. Based on the eponymous graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, it provides an autobiographical of life between 78-94 covering the Iran - Iraq war, rise of the Taliban and consequent repression of women. Although dark it provides a perversely uplifting account of a woman who strives to retain her identity in such incomprehensible times.

Children take the lead

The two films I watched yesterday were both told through the eyes of children. First was Treeless Mountain a Korean film which charts the demise of two little girl's (Bin and Yin) worlds as there mother abandons them with there alcoholic aunt as sh goes in search of the girls father. Eventually they wind up on a farm with there grandparents slightly damaged by there experiences, yet with some naivety intact. The film is very subtle in its exploration, visually rich shots of broken cities, countryside and tight angles of expression. Director So Yong Kim talks about the film.



Treeless Mountain is inspired by events from my early childhood in Pusan, Korea. My mother divorced our father and left us with our grandparents on a rice farm. She immigrated to America in order to find a better life for herself and to build a future for her children. At the time of these events we were too young to understand and our mother did not tell us what was happening. I began writing the film to search for certain lost memories from this period of my life and also as a letter to my mother.

(A young So Youg Kim with sister).

The second revelation came from The Boy in Striped Pyjamas, a refreshing take on a rather overplayed subject matter, which as always created a attention due to the accuracies or rather inaccuracies of story. Fortunately I was in the dark as to how the plot panned out, don't read the synopsis before watching it really will spoil your enjoyment, although enjoyment seems an inappropriate word, I shall stop there.

It has thriller qualities and presents the innocent view of an 8 year old boy called Bruno played by Asa Butterfield who is also the son of a Nazi General. He encounters another boy called Shmuel played by Jack Scanlon. The film is taken from a book written by Irish author John Boyne, the film is written and directed by Mark Herman, having never read the book I am unable to comment of the translation, reading an interview with David Thewlis (of Harry Potter fame) who plays Bruno's warped father the film is told from a slightly older perspective (third voice) and centers around the family dynamic.

Film Overload

OK so i've gone a little overboard lately with all the film watching, what can I say I've got the film bug.

Recommended viewing this week (well one I haven't mentioned yet - A Prophet) A prison drama centered around a 19 year old illiterate male of French Arabic decent, sent to a 'proper' jail to serve six years. Fate bullies him into a situation he cannot escaped, forced to do the dirty work for others he is alienated from any internal social support from his fellow peers and has to work for the Corsicans. The story charts his wit and determination to improve his situation, cleverly woven together, the strong plot leaves you in awe at the mastery at play. It's in French and well worth a gander.

The world as we know it?

My week has been dotted with films that challenge my view of the world around us and where we are headed. These things come in threes

The Road
Cormac McCarthy on screen, its gruesome, depressing, sinister, but not half as scary or poignant as the book, entertaining nonetheless.




Children of Men
The world can no longer produce children, until 18 years later one pops along with no explanation. Ignore the plot and focus on the society surrounding it, the refugees, the police and equally brutal the activists.




Persepolis - named after a place in Tehran now Iran it charts the epic journey of a young girl into womanhood. Through several major political power shifts and the repression that ensues, heartbreakingly beautiful, with a haunting story line.

Coco avant Chanel - A feast for the eyes but not necessarily the senses...

Coco avant Chanel's heavily romantic plot, draws you in and spits you out the other side wondering what you had learned about Chanel's business scruples. I had always been led to believe that she was a much more ferocious business woman than the film portrayed. Her biggest rival Madeleine Vionnet was also in a race to be rid of the corset and the constraints that came with in. A very sentimental and enjoyable film with artistic license in full flurry, suited for those unfamiliar with fashion history. My satisfaction came in the form of gowns, hats, riding attire in rich silks, hardy tweeds and decadent bow ties, all the clothing is rather sublime, a feast for the eyes. Audrey Tatou delivers her best as a rather worn out lifelorn Coco and the film being peformed in French certainly raises it up a few notches.