Curious premieres ‘Norwegian Wood’ and ‘Toomelah’ at Sydney Film Festival in June
Curious has affirmed its arrival as a film distributor with an eye for fresh content with two films in the Official Competition of the Sydney Film Festival.
Twelve features in all are selected for Official Competition on the basis that they demonstrate ’emotional power and resonance; are audacious, cutting-edge, courageous; and go beyond the usual treatment of the subject matter’.
‘Norwegian Wood’ and ‘Toomelah’ will have their Australian premieres at the Festival, which runs from 8th – 19th June 2011. Curious is distributing both independent films in Australia and New Zealand.
Says Matt Noonan, executive producer at Curious: “As a production company, we think it’s important to give local audiences the opportunity to experience original filmmaking. And as filmmakers, distributing independent films enhances our expertise in the film process from producing, writing and directing content, right through to the business of distributing.”
NORWEGIAN WOOD is a film adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s best-selling novel, which sold 10 million copies in Japan and 2.6 million copies worldwide. Directed by Tran Anh Hung (Cyclo, The Scent of Green Papaya), it is a story about teenage angst and sensuality, set in Tokyo in the 1960s. Stunningly shot, the film reveals the intense inner lives of three young Japanese lovers.
TOOMELAH is an Australian film starring 10 year-old discovery Daniel Connors (pictured left centre with Christopher Edwards and Ivan Sen), playing a 10 year old wannabe gangsta who lives in an indigenous community struggling to find its own sense of identity. It has also been officially selected for the 64th Cannes International Film Festival and played in Un Certain Regard.
“The independent films we select have proved to be memorable for the reason that we search out filmmakers who have a curious eye for imaginative content. Whether they’re funny, challenging, or just cleverly told, our films seek to further enrich the local visual landscape,” says Pete Grasse at Curious in Sydney.
WINTER’S BONE was the first film distributed by Curious in Australia and New Zealand, and it premiered at Sydney Film Festival in 2010. It was subsequently nominated for four Oscars at this year’s Academy Awards, proving Curious is a purveyor of award-winning entertainment, commercials and feature films.