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Audio Description and Open Captions at the 55th Sydney Film Festival
With a tantalising array of films sure to inspire, fascinate and connect all filmgoers, the 2008 Sydney Film Festival and Accessible Arts are keeping you up to date with access information for upcoming screenings.
Please find below the latest news for specific accessible screenings.
The Accessible Cinema program will be launched by Mr Graeme Innes AM, Human Rights and Disability Discrimination Commissioner and Clare Stewart, Director of the Sydney Film Festival, this Friday 6th June at 2.50 pm at the State Theatre in Sydney. Speeches will be Auslan interpreted.
The launch will be followed by the Australian premiere screening of the French film Her Name is Sabine, Dir Elle S'appelle Sabine. Hailed by some as "the most beautiful film Cannes has given us this year", this film documents the life of Sabine, whose autism was undiagnosed for almost 30 years.
This year's audio described screenings for people who are blind or have a vision impairment include:
Kung Fu Panda (US - 90mins)
From Dreamworks Animation, the creators of Academy Award-winner Shrek, comes a fabulous new family film. Enthusiastic, big and a little clumsy, Po (Jack Black) is a mega kung fu fan, which doesn't exactly come in handy when he's working in his family's noodle shop. Audio described session screens Monday 9 June 6.30 pm State Theatre.
Children of the Silk Road (China, Australia, Germany - 125mins)
This Australia-China co-production, is inspired by British journalist George Hogg's (Rhys Meyers) adventures in China in the late '30s. As a 23 year old, Hogg witnessed the Japanese army's brutal ransacking on Nanking and was threatened with execution - he was saved by 'Jack' Chen (Chow Yun-Fat), a Chinese partisan. Saturday 14 June 9.00 pm State Theatre.
Newcastle (Australia - 107mins)
A brand-new Australian feature film directed and written by Dan Castle and starting Lachlan Buchanan, Xavier Samuel and Barry Otto. Audio described session screens Monday 16 June 8.30pm Dendy Opera Quays.
And When Did You Last See Your Father? (UK - 92mins)
Based on the best-selling memoirs of Blake Morrison and starring Colin Firth and Jim Broadbent. Audio described session screens Wednesday 18 June 6.30pm State Theatre.
For tickets and headset reservations email your name, contact and credit card details to Simon Keen on tickets@sydneyfilmfestival.org or phone 02 9318 0999.
The following screening will be open captioned for people who are Deaf or have a hearing impairment:
Taxi to the Dark Side (US - 106mins)
Winner of this year's Academy Award for Best Documentary, directed by Alex Gibney and produced by Australian Eva Orner, an unflinchingly explicit, scrupulously even-handed examination of a dark chapter in American military actions. Open captioned session screens Monday 16 June 8.30pm, George Street Cinema 9.
Find venue access information here.
It is recommended to Book & Buy Tickets prior to the day of these sessions being screened.