Cancelling the 2020 Sydney Film Festival was a difficult but necessary call, festival director Nashen Moodley says. “It was very sad to me, as the festival program was taking wonderful shape and there were many great films and talented filmmakers due to attend. But we had no choice, given the regulations, and of course agreed that the safety of our community was of paramount importance.”
While he hopes many of the international highlights will reappear in brighter days for the 2021 edition, for now movie lovers can rejoice in not one but two bits of good cinematic news. Not only will SFF take part in We Are One, a previously announced team-up with international film festivals, but Moodley and his team are staging SFF after all.
Much like the Sydney Writers’ Festival’s phoenix-from-the-flames move, SFF is going digital. Stepping into the same June 10-21 slot, the festival will showcase Australian docos, shorts and a package of European movies from some of the northern hemisphere’s most exciting female directors. The festival will also present awards for each stream. And for the first time in SFF's 67-year history, movie-lovers from across Australia will be able to buy tickets and packages to experience SFF online.
Moodley says he can’t wait to unveil the program on May 27. “As soon as the 2020 edition of SFF was cancelled, we were determined to find ways in which we could support the film industry, and the Australian one in particular,” he says. “It took time to bring all the elements together, but we’re really delighted to be offering a digital edition in this difficult time.”
The online offering will be distinct from SFF's involvement in the international We Are One festival, Moodley says. “For We Are One, SFF will program a selection of films that have made an impact at SFF in the past. The SFF virtual edition will be made up of premieres of new Australian documentaries and short films along with our joint program with European Film Promotion: Europe! Voices of Women in Film.”
He’s excited to showcase what SFF does on the international stage, too. “We began discussions with Tribeca Film Festival, who initiated We Are One, over Easter, and it’s rather incredible that 20 international festivals came together so quickly on this exciting project. For SFF, it’s a great opportunity to put the spotlight on Australian cinema. There’s also the opportunity for our audience to get a sense of the atmosphere and identity of each festival involved.”
Moodley and his team are still working on the pricing and packages of the digital SFF program, with all to be revealed on May 27. “We’re very happy to be keeping the festival alive this year through our various online initiatives,” he adds. “There have been challenges, of course, because screening films online is completely new for us, and very different in terms of rights compared to our usual cinema screenings. That said, there’s been a very enthusiastic response, and we’re really excited to present excellent films in June.”
Pumped Sydney's major artistic festival are enjoying new digital life? Read all about SWF's podcast series here.
This article is supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas.
