2012 Revelation Perth International Film Festival: Official Lineup

By Mike Everleth ⋅ June 26, 2012

Australia’s Revelation Perth International Film Festival will be holding it’s explosive 15th annual edition on July 5-15 with one of it’s most jam-packed lineups yet.

One of the most special events that Revelation will be holding is July 14‘s retrospective of the films of Jeff Keen, the pioneering British underground filmmaker who very sadly just passed away on June 21. Keen’s work has been having a major resurgence lately and Revelation is the latest organization to so boldly feature his breathtaking experimental film work, from classics like 1967’s Marvo Movie to modern films like Artwar (1993) and Joy Thru Film (2000). This is absolutely an event not to be missed.

Another staggering event this year is a very special live presentation of Crispin Hellion Glover‘s notorious underground films What Is It? and It Is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE. (Click film titles for the Underground Film Journal reviews!) These very controversial and intentionally offensive films will have two screenings — on July 9 and July 10 — with the filmmaker in person for his Big Slideshow performance and in-depth audience Q&A sessions. It cannot be stressed enough how “Not To Be Missed!!!” these events will be, especially with Glover’s rare trip to Australia to present them.

Other festival highlights include Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley‘s insanely epic documentary Battle for Broooklyn, which was the Underground Film Journal’s runner-up for 2011 Movie of the Year. Seven years in the making, this doc is a classic American tale of the underdog fighting entrenched moneyed and political interests.

Plus, there’s Alex Ross Perry‘s hit indie film The Color Wheel, the Australian genre juggernaut The 25th Reich by Stephen Amis, the outback vampire flick The Caretaker by Tom Conyers, Caveh Zahedi’s confrontational documentary The Sheik and I, the H.P. Lovecraft adaptation The Whisperer in the Darkness by Sean Branney.

Other special events include the most “deplorable” short films from the Sydney Underground Film Festival, a live performance by the visual and aural artist collective Noko, the always thrilling Revel8 Super 8 filmmaking challenge, several panel discussions and more.

The full film lineup is below, but for more info please visit the official Revelation Perth International Film Festival website.

July 5

7:30 p.m.: Your Sister’s Sister, dir. Lynn Shelton. A man grieving over his dead brother spends the weekend at a remote cabin where he’s unexpectedly visited by his female best friend and her sister.

July 6

4:15 p.m.: Love, dir. William Eubank. A Civil War soldier embarks on a journey to see something amazing while an astronaut in the future wonders why all of his contact with Earth has been broken.

5:00 p.m.: “Industry Sundowner”
Local screen artists are invited to hang out with Rev guests and vice-versa.

6:30 p.m.: “Animation Showcase”
Beneath, dir. Keith Crawford
Innocent Andrew, dir. Neale Crawford
Jenefer Loved Swimming, dir. Derek Winchester
Devil and The Deep Blue Sea, dir. Stephen Banham
Robots of Brixton, dir. Kibwe Tavares
Pirate Pals, dir. Marius Fietzek
Gap, dir. Viktor Stickel
The Hunter, dir. Marieka Walsh
Cedric & Hope, dir. Pierce Davison
Being Bradford Dillman, dir. Emma Burch
The Missing Key, dir. Jonathan Nix

6:30 p.m.: The Interrupters, dir. Steve James. This documentary profiles the brazen members of a community organization in Chicago, CeaseFire, attempting to physically stop the cycle of violence that has been terrorizing their city.

8:30 p.m.: Golden Slumbers (Le sommeil d’or), dir. Davy Chou. This documentary presents rare archival footage and personal histories relating to the Cambodian film industry that was wiped out by the Khmer Rouge in 1975.

8:45 p.m.: Beauty Is Embarrassing, dir. Neil Berkeley. This documentary profiles artist Wayne White, who has created puppetry, sculpture and fine art and who worked on the groundbreaking Pee-Wee’s Playhouse TV show.

10:45 p.m.: The 25th Reich, dir. Stephen Amis. During WWII, a group of American soldiers go on a mission to rescue a pair of missing pumas in the Australian outback. Or, at least that’s what their official story is. What they’re really up to is something more bizarre.

July 7

10:00 a.m.: “Vectors in Film Distribution and Exhibition”
A panel including Thomas Mai (sales agent), Michael Favelle (distributor), Katheleen Drumm (Screen Australia) and Stuart Menzies (ABC2) discuss the future of film distribution.

11:00 a.m.: Way of the Morris, dir. Rob Curry & Tim Plester. This documentary explores the unusual tradition of “Morris dancing.”

12:15 p.m.: “Experimental Animation Showcase”
Night Hunter, dir. Stacey Steers
Once It Started It Could Not End Otherwise, dir. Kelly Sears
HyperLightness ad absurdum, dir. Margarida Sardinha
Blood and Fire, dir. Carey Burtt
14.7 PSI, dir. Jeanette Bonds

12:30 p.m.: The Substance: Albert Hofmann’s LSD, dir. Martin Witz. This documentary examines the history of LSD and the impact it has had on modern culture.

1:45 p.m.: Battle For Brooklyn, dir. Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley. Shot over the course of seven years, this documentary chronicles the long fight between the residents of Brooklyn who struggle with the city and greedy developers looking to tear down a beloved neighborhood to make way for a basketball stadium surrounded by enormous skyscrapers. Includes appearances by NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, architect Frank Gehry, Jay Z, developer Bruce Ratner, Steve Buscemi and others. (Read the underground movie review.)

2:15 p.m.: Archeo (Archeu), dir. Jan Cvitkovic. Three strangers meet in an empty, strangely uncanny landscape.

3:30 p.m.: Golden Slumbers (Le sommeil d’or), dir. Davy Chou. This documentary presents rare archival footage and personal histories relating to the Cambodian film industry that was wiped out by the Khmer Rouge in 1975.

4:00 p.m.: Undefeated, dir. Daniel Lindsay & T J Martin. This Oscar-winning documentary profiles underdog high school football team, the Manassas Tigers from North Memphis.

6:00 p.m.: The Color Wheel, dir. Alex Ross Perry. A young woman enlists her brother’s help to remove her belongings from her ex-boyfriend’s apartment, except that the siblings share an especially acrimonious relationship that may prevent them from actually ever getting anything done.

6:30 p.m.: The Imposter, dir. Bart Layton. This documentary relates the strange case of Nicholas Barclay, who disappeared from his Texas home only to reappear in Spain many years later.

8:00 p.m.: Your Sister’s Sister, dir. Lynn Shelton. A man grieving over his dead brother spends the weekend at a remote cabin where he’s unexpectedly visited by his female best friend and her sister.

8:30 p.m.: Rampart, dir. Oren Moverman. A corrupt cop tries to stay one step ahead of those who are investigating his illegal working tactics.

9:45 p.m.: The 25th Reich, dir. Stephen Amis. During WWII, a group of American soldiers go on a mission to rescue a pair of missing pumas in the Australian outback. Or, at least that’s what their official story is. What they’re really up to is something more bizarre.

10:45 p.m.: Livid (Livide), dir. Julien Maury & Alexandre Bustillo. The caretaker for a woman in a coma ransacks her charge’s mansion looking for treasure.

July 8

10:00 a.m.: “Film Distribution Strategies 2.0”
Thomas Mai hosts a full day workshop on modern day distribution.

10:30 a.m.: “The 25th Reich and BIG Effects on a Shoestring”
Filmmaker Stephen Amis discusses the making of his ambitious war/sci-fi film.

12:00 p.m.: Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present, dir. Matthew Akers, co-director Jeff Dupre. This documentary profiles the acclaimed performance artist on the occasion of her retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

12:15 p.m.: Way of the Morris, dir. Rob Curry & Tim Plester. This documentary explores the unusual tradition of “Morris dancing.”

3:15 p.m.: “The George Méliès Project” Directed by George Melies / Music by Phillip Johnson
Seven films by the visionary French director will be screen with a live score by Phillip Johnson.

3:30 p.m.: Those Who Kill: Shadows of the Past (Fortidens skygge – Den som draeber), dir. Birger Larsen. A police detective and a legal psychiatrist race to catch a serial killer before he murders his next victim.

4:45 p.m.: The Imposter, dir. Bart Layton. This documentary relates the strange case of Nicholas Barclay, who disappeared from his Texas home only to reappear in Spain many years later.

6:00 p.m.: Bad Brains: A Band in DC, dir. Mandy Stein & Ben Logan. This documentary profiles the extremely influential hardcore punk band from Washington, D.C.

7:00 p.m.: “The George Méliès Project” Directed by George Melies / Music by Phillip Johnson
Seven films by the visionary French director will be screen with a live score by Phillip Johnson.

8:00 p.m.: The Whisperer in Darkness, dir. Sean Branney. An adaptation of the classic H.P. Lovecraft short story filmed in “Mythoscope,” which combines modern and vintage filmmaking techniques.

8:30 p.m.: “FAV @ REV”
Spike and Harold, dir. Lauren Cleary
I Hate and I Love, dir. James Simmons
The Offertory, dir. Ruben Pracas
Edlar Was a Scientist, dir. Adam Scott
Features of Habit, dir. Paddy Madden, Choreographer: Storm Helmore
Dissolutio, dir. Kristine Meling Enoksen
Fate, dir. Hamish Meiklejohn
Blindspot, dir. Tamara Britza
I am Gustav, dir. Uthayan Selvaraj, Andreas Martinsen

July 9

1:45 p.m.: Last Days of the Arctic, dir. Magnús V. Sigurðsson. This documentary profiles Ragnar Axelsson, the extraordinary Icelandic photographer, and the gorgeous locations he photographs.

5:00 p.m.: Last Days of the Arctic, dir. Magnús V. Sigurðsson. This documentary profiles Ragnar Axelsson, the extraordinary Icelandic photographer, and the gorgeous locations he photographs.

6:00 p.m.: Paul Williams: Still Alive, dir. Stephen Kessler. Whatever happened to ’70s music icon Paul Williams? This documentary will tell you as well as take you on a journey through ’70s pop culture.

6:45 p.m.:The Color Wheel, dir. Alex Ross Perry. A young woman enlists her brother’s help to remove her belongings from her ex-boyfriend’s apartment, except that the siblings share an especially acrimonious relationship that may prevent them from actually ever getting anything done.

8:15 p.m.: It Is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE + What Is It? + Crispin Hellion Glover‘s The Big Slide Show. The first two installments of Glover’s scatalogical trilogy will be screened, along with the actor’s live Slide Show presentation and extensive audience Q&A session.

8:30 p.m.: Love, dir. William Eubank. A Civil War soldier embarks on a journey to see something amazing while an astronaut in the future wonders why all of his contact with Earth has been broken.

July 10

4:30 p.m.: Undefeated, dir. Daniel Lindsay & T J Martin. This Oscar-winning documentary profiles underdog high school football team, the Manassas Tigers from North Memphis.

6:30 p.m.: Eames: The Architect and Painter, dir. Jason Cohn & Bill Jersey. Narrated by James Franco, this documentary profiles the visionary married artists, Charles and Ray Eames.

6:45 p.m.: Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present, dir. Matthew Akers, co-director Jeff Dupre. Matthew Akers co-director Jeff Dupre. This documentary profiles the acclaimed performance artist on the occasion of her retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

9:00 p.m.: The Sheik and I, dir. Caveh Zahedi. The radical filmmaker nearly sparks an international incident when he creates a scandalous movie for a Middle Eastern Biennial.

July 11

4:00 p.m.: The Interrupters, dir. Steve James. This documentary profiles the brazen members of a community organization in Chicago, CeaseFire, attempting to physically stop the cycle of violence that has been terrorizing their city.

6:15 p.m.: Surviving Progress, dir. Mathieu Roy & Harold Crooks. This documentary questions how humans’ rapid evolution is having an effect on our world cultures.

6:30 p.m.: “SUFF: Downright Deplorable!”
Awkward, dir. Kelly Ann Benz
Feeder, dir. Joseph Ernst
Love Birds, dir. Brian Lye
Happy Bag, dir. Graeme Robertson
Outtake, dir. Nicole Brending
Heart of the Matter, dir. Tom Lenk
Hansel and Gretel, dir. Emma Varker
Ninja, dir. David Quinn
Blood and Cinnamon, dir. Jess Mott & Steve Reinke
Seeking Wellness Part Two: Daddy’s Time, dir. Daniel Schneidkraut

8:30 p.m.: My Brothers, dir. Paul Fraser. Three siblings go on a quirky road trip to replace a prized digital watch their dying father won years earlier.

8:45 p.m.: Shock Head Soul, dir. Simon Pummell. Based on the 1903 book Memoirs of My Mental Illness, a judge falls into madness and gets locked in an institution for nine years.

July 12

3:45 p.m.: The Imposter, dir. Bart Layton. This documentary relates the strange case of Nicholas Barclay, who disappeared from his Texas home only to reappear in Spain many years later.

5:00 p.m.: The Whisperer in Darkness, dir. Sean Branney. An adaptation of the classic H.P. Lovecraft short story filmed in “Mythoscope,” which combines modern and vintage filmmaking techniques.

7:00 p.m.: “Get Your Shorts On”
What a Debacle Freddy Farkle!, dir. Jesse Emmerson
Wadumbah, dir. James T. Webb
Crosshairs, dir. Mike Hoath
Walk Tall, Stand Strong, dir. Dean Daley-Jones
Polarised, dir. Steve Fleming
Perished, dir. Aaron McCann and Stefan A. Radanovich

7:15 p.m.: Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines, dir. Kristy Guevara-Flangagan. This documentary examines the wide cultural impact that strong female characters have had on the real world.

9:00 p.m.: Vigilante Vigilante: The Battle For Expression, dir. Max Good. This documentary explores the world of graffiti art, from those who put it up to those who hope to permanently cover it up.

9:15 p.m.: Archeo (Archeu), dir. Jan Cvitkovic. Three strangers meet in an empty, strangely uncanny landscape.

July 13

5:00 p.m.: Way of the Morris, dir. Rob Curry & Tim Plester. This documentary explores the unusual tradition of “Morris dancing.”

6:00 p.m.: Battle For Brooklyn, dir. Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley. Shot over the course of seven years, this documentary chronicles the long fight between the residents of Brooklyn who have to fight the city and greedy developers looking to tear down a beloved neighborhood to make way for a basketball stadium surrounded by enormous skyscrapers. Includes appearances by NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, architect Frank Gehry, Jay Z, developer Bruce Ratner, Steve Buscemi and others. (Read the underground movie review.)

7:45 p.m.: Mongolian Bling, dir. Benj Binks. This documentary examines the impact that hip hop has had on Mongolia.

9:00 p.m.: “Revel8 Super 8 Film Festival”

9:30 p.m.: Rampart, dir. Oren Moverman. A corrupt cop tries to stay one step ahead of those who are investigating his illegal working tactics.

11:00 p.m.: Yakuza Weapon (Gokudô heiki), dir. Tak Sakaguchi, Yûdai Yamaguchi.

July 14

10:30 a.m.: “In conversation with Paul Fraser”
Paul Fraser (My Brothers) will discuss writing for feature films.

12:00 p.m.: “Jeff Keen Retrospective”
Wail (5 mins) 1960
Flik Flak (3 mins) 1964-65
Marvo Movie (5 mins) 1967
White Dust (33 mins) 1972
The Dreams and Past Crimes of the Archduke (7 mins) 1979-84
Omozap + Omozap 2 (1 min each) 1991
Artwar (6 mins) 1993
Plasticator (2 mins) 1990s
Joy Thru Film (20 mins) 2000

12:30 p.m.: Surviving Progress, dir. Mathieu Roy & Harold Crooks. This documentary questions how humans’ rapid evolution is having an effect on our world cultures.

2:30 p.m.: Those Who Kill: Shadows of the Past (Fortidens skygge – Den som draeber), dir. Birger Larsen. A police detective and a legal psychiatrist race to catch a serial killer before he murders his next victim.

2:45 p.m.: Eames: The Architect and Painter, dir. Jason Cohn & Bill Jersey. Narrated by James Franco, this documentary profiles the visionary married artists, Charles and Ray Eames.

4:30 p.m.: Beauty Is Embarrassing, dir. Neil Berkeley. This documentary profiles artist Wayne White, who has created puppetry, sculpture and fine art and who worked on the groundbreaking Pee-Wee’s Playhouse TV show.

4:45 p.m.: The Substance: Albert Hofmann’s LSD, dir. Martin Witz. This documentary examines the history of LSD and the impact it has had on modern culture.

6:30 p.m.: Vigilante Vigilante: The Battle For Expression, dir. Max Good. This documentary explores the world of graffiti art, from those who put it up to those who hope to permanently cover it up.

6:45 p.m.: My Brothers, dir. Paul Fraser. Three siblings go on a quirky road trip to replace a prized digital watch their dying father won years earlier.

8:45 p.m.: Paul Williams Still Alive, dir. Stephen Kessler. Whatever happened to ’70s music icon Paul Williams? This documentary will tell you as well as take you on a journey through ’70s pop culture.

9:00 p.m.: The Trouble With Bliss, dir. Michael Knowles. A 35-year-old slacker living in New York City is seduced by his precocious 18-year-old neighbor.

10:45 p.m.: The Color Wheel, dir. Alex Ross Perry. A young woman enlists her brother’s help to remove her belongings from her ex-boyfriend’s apartment, except that the siblings share an especially acrimonious relationship that may prevent them from actually ever getting anything done.

11:00 p.m.: The Caretaker, dir. Tom Conyers. A vampire vows to protect a group of humans from other vampires as long as they protect him during daylight hours.

July 15

11:30 a.m.: “State of Independents”

12:00 p.m.: My Brothers, dir. Paul Fraser. Three siblings go on a quirky road trip to replace a prized digital watch their dying father won years earlier.

12:00 p.m.: Shock Head Soul, dir. Simon Pummell. Based on the 1903 book Memoirs of My Mental Illness, a judge falls into madness and gets locked in an institution for nine years.

2:15 p.m.: “Noko”
The group Noko; comprised of ine artist Barry William Hale, sonic artist Scott Barnes and video artist Michael Strumm; combine experimental music, images and magic for this live performance.

2:30 p.m.: The Trouble With Bliss, dir. Michael Knowles. A 35-year-old slacker living in New York City is seduced by his precocious 18-year-old neighbor.

3:30 p.m.: Mongolian Bling, dir. Benj Binks. This documentary examines the impact that hip hop has had on Mongolia.

4:30 p.m.: The Sheik and I, dir. Caveh Zahedi. The radical filmmaker nearly sparks an international incident when he creates a scandalous movie for a Middle Eastern Biennial.

5:15 p.m.: Rampart, dir. Oren Moverman. A corrupt cop tries to stay one step ahead of those who are investigating his illegal working tactics.

6:45 p.m.: Love, dir. William Eubank. A Civil War soldier embarks on a journey to see something amazing while an astronaut in the future wonders why all of his contact with Earth has been broken.

7:30 p.m.: Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines, dir. Kristy Guevara-Flangagan. This documentary examines the wide cultural impact that strong female characters have had on the real world.

8:45 p.m.: Bad Brains: A Band in DC, dir. Mandy Stein & Ben Logan. This documentary profiles the extremely influential hardcore punk band from Washington, D.C.

9:15 p.m.: Buff, dir. Gavin Bond & Ian Abercromby. This documentary examines the notion of film fandom by interviewing fans about their favorite movies.