Date: 21 Nov, 2024 - Time: 21:20

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• AUBURN LGA CELEBRATES FLEXIFF 2009!

2009-09-23


The First and the Last Experimental International Film Festival (flEXiff 2002 – 2022) will be celebrating its seventh edition at various venues around Sydney such as; The Armory Theatre (Sydney Olympic Park), Reading Cinemas (Auburn), Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre (Casula) and Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery during September 25-27, 2009. flEXiff was established in the Auburn LGA to accommodate works that are experimental by nature and have no access to distribution, promotion and presentation opportunities. Since 2002, the festival received over two thousand titles from all over the world that will inevitably be part of the eternal flEXiff archive.



‘flEXiff is a concept to challenge mainstream films and 'festivals' globally. The structure of flEXiff is hybrid and unpredictable except it lives for 20 years only.’ Mr. Vahid Vahed (Festival Director) says.


flEXiff has no particular selection criteria and/or restriction of date of production or length. Therefore, 11 hours long film was screened in 2005 titled ‘A Victim’s Perspective’ from Denmark and many more enticing works. In the year 2009, the festival received more than 300 titles from 46 countries and over 120 works were selected to showcase in a marathon of screenings across the State simultaneously .



‘It is not surprising that more filmmakers are discovering flEXiff since technology is changing the face of the film industry and breathing new wave of filmmakers with fresh aesthetics and content.’ Mr. Vahed says.



This year, flEXiff is presenting a series of shorts by Iranian Independent filmmakers under its ‘Curatorial and Exchange’ program as well as works by Kurdish contemporary filmmakers. Also, a comprehensive collection of short films from Spain and Latin America is a highlight of this edition. The final selection will compete in three categories;

‘Best Short Film Award’, ‘Special flEXiff Award’ and ‘Best Feature Film Award’.



‘Each year, the selection is more daring in exploring and extending parameters of art of moving images and this is a great opportunity for Australian filmmakers and audeince to observe various approaches to form and content.’ Mr. Vahed says



In a Special Screening on Saturday September 27, 2009, flEXiff presents a session entitled 'Echoes of an Era' that is a compilation of best works from Australia, Czech Republic, Singapore and Spain (2004 2009) at Reading Cinemas Auburn. The Honourable Laurie Ferguson MP, the member for Reid and Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services will open this session and talk briefly about the latest artistic and cultural developments in the region.



'We are excited about Laurie Ferguson opening this session on Saturday night because he has been an influential supporter for Arts and Cultural Development in the Auburn LGA.' Festival Director says.

( Screening of "MINUS" by Kazem Mollaie / 25 & 27 September2009 )