BIFF 2019

A must-attend for Brisbane film buffs, BIFF 2019 brings more than 110 features, documentaries and short films by emerging and established talent from around the world to GOMA and Brisbane's boutique cinemas from Oct 3-13.

The festival will also feature an exciting host of events celebrating film with live music, food, workshops, discussions and much more.

Setting the mood for a classy red-carpet opening night event at GOMA on Thursday 3 October is Judy & Punch, by Australian actor and first-time director Mirrah Foulkes. The striking dark comedy, set in the peculiar, turbulent 17th-century town of Seaside, is about Judy and Punch, married puppeteers who hope their act will get them out of their backwater town and finally bring them fame and fortune.

Other highlights of the 11-day Festival include the Queensland premieres of Céline Sciamma’s sizzling Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Pedro Almodóvar’s deeply personal Pain and Glory, for which Antonio Banderas was awarded Best Actor at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Two new films starring Hugo Weaving – Ben Lawrence’s Hearts and Bones, and Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure - are highlights from the Australian line-up.

BIFF 2019 also features the captivating new documentaries Memory: The Origins of Alien, an investigative ode to Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic; Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang’s fearless One Child Nation, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival; and the world premiere of Quilty: Painting the Shadows, Catherine Hunter’s look at the work and life of Australian artist Ben Quilty.

BIFF's exciting world premiere film and live music events will include champion Brisbane beatboxer Tom Thum and special guests performing a new score to early Russian science-fiction classic Aelita: Queen of Mars 1924, and Australian band HTRK playing their highly layered guitar and electronic soundtrack to Jeffrey Peixoto’s documentary Over the Rainbow 2019.

Meanwhile in a feast for the senses, stunning eco-documentary Honeyland will be followed by a sumptuous, one-time-only honey-themed degustation from QAGOMA Executive Chef Doug Innes-Will. Tickets to this special event on 10 October are limited so book now.

Nice to know - BIFF 2019 welcomes as its Patrons Academy Award-nominated writer, director, and producer Baz Luhrmann and Academy Award-winning costume and production designer Catherine Martin. Their much-loved films Strictly Ballroom 1992, Romeo + Juliet 1996, Moulin Rouge! 2001, Australia 2008, and The Great Gatsby 2013 will be screened during the festival.

Need to know - BIFF 2019 will be presented at QAGOMA’s purpose-built Cinémathèque and at partner venues Dendy Cinemas Coorparoo, The Elizabeth Picture Theatre, New Farm Six Cinemas, Reading Cinemas Newmarket and the State Library of Queensland.

QAGOMA is a valued partner of Must Do Brisbane.com