The Rocket was voted most popular feature and The Crash Reel as most popular documentary at the 62nd Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF).
The 17-day festival screened 320 films from 63 countries in 45 different languages, including 23 world premieres and 52 Australian films.
“2013 has been a very successful festival boasting more than 170 sold out sessions,” said MIFF artistic director Michelle Carey. “It’s very heartening to see audiences embracing the program and engaging with our guests both through Q&As and the Talking Pictures program.”
The Age critics (Philippa Hawker, Jake Wilson and Craig Matheison) presented the MIFF Premiere Fund-supported These Final Hours with a $5,000 cash prize and the title of best Australian feature while fellow MIFF Premiere Fund title In Bob We Trust was hailed by Wilson as “one of the best Australian films of any kind in years.”
Highlights of the 2013 Festival included:
– The world premiere of the MIFF Premiere Fund-supported Tim Winton’s The Turning, which set MIFF records of five sell-out screenings including its debut as this year’s MIFF Centrepiece Gala where 16 of the 18 directors were present plus actors and producers.
– Celebrating the 10th birthday of emerging director workshop MIFF Accelerator with a record 16 features from Accelerator alumni in the MIFF screening program, including These Final Hours and fellow MIFF Premiere Fund-supported films Galore (Rhys Graham) and Aim High in Creation! (Anna Broinowski).
– Some 110 guests took part in 69 Q&As.
– Record numbers of MIFF memberships taking advantage of priority booking and member queuing.
– A massive Talking Pictures program, featuring 85 panelists.
“MIFF 2013 also saw the near completion of the switch to digital projection, a record number of meetings and financiers at MIFF 37°South Market, and near sell-outs for all six of this year’s critically-acclaimed MIFF Premiere Fund films,” said MIFF chair Claire Dobbin.
On closing night, the TeleScope Award was presented by the Film Critics Circle of Australia to Danish film Northwest. Telescope is MIFF’s curated program of film from the European Union run in conjunction with FestivalScope.
The audience favourites tallied online were:
Features
1. The Rocket
2. The Past
3. The Broken Circle Breakdown
4. Wadjda
5. Approved for Adoption
6. The Patience Stone
7. Blancanieves
8. A Hijacking
9. Touch of The Light
10.Omar
Documentaries
1. The Crash Reel
2. Valentine Road
3. Gore Vidal
4. In Bob We Trust
5. Cosmic Psychos
6. Lygon Street – Si Parla Italiano
7. The Punk Singer
8. The Sunnyboy
9. Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer
10.Village at the End of the World