BEACHES, MOUNTAINS + 16 DAYS OF FILM AND MUSIC
A pulsing arts scene has emerged in beachside Coffs Harbour over the last few years, with the ever-growing Screenwave International Film Festival (SWIFF) at its core.
Started eight years ago by sea-changing, film-loving, husband-and-wife team Kate Howat and Dave Horsley, SWIFF has emerged as a major independent arts festival that now attracts audiences in their thousands from all over Australia.
SWIFF’22, starting next month (Apr 21 – May 6), will host over 130 feature film screenings, opening with Robert Eggers’ third feature, star-studded epic Viking saga The Northman, with 40 countries visited on a roundtrip celebration of cinema.
And the festival is shifting gears this year.
SWIFF is adding a new one-day music festival into the mix called STORYLAND, happening on Saturday April 23, over ANZAC Day long weekend, right on Coffs Harbour’s pristine waterfront.
Headlined by Grammy-nominated Australian artists Courtney Barnett and Hiatus Kaiyote, STORYLAND includes an eclectic line-up of 14 touring music acts, plus three large scale film-themed arts installations, including the 10.5m ONE SECOND OF FILM obelisk, a [MOVIE] TRAILER PARK of film diorama versus battles built inside three caravans (Pink Flamingos Vs Priscilla Queen of the Desert!), and the immersive, interactive sci-fi experience GLADE RUNNER.
SWIFF’22 will also host the SWIFF Create industry program for filmmakers, the Nextwave Youth Film Awards, an outdoor long table Autumn Feast, live soundtrack events – all hosted in the town which boasts Australia’s largest fibreglass banana.
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STORYLAND
SWIFF’s new one-day music festival takes place over ANZAC Day long weekend (Sat 23 Apr), featuring main stage artists Courtney Barnett, Hiatus Kaiyote, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Ngaiire, Emma Donovan, Hachiku, and Horns of Leroy. Read more for the full music artist and installations line-up.
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SWIFF'22 SPECIAL EVENTS
Twin Peaks live soundtrack screening, outdoor long table Autumn Feast wine dinner, the 2022 Nextwave Youth Film Awards, May the Schwartz be with you – Spaceballs 35th anniversary screening – plus plenty more.
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THE VERHOEVEN EXPERIENCE
A dedication to controversial Dutch provocateur Paul Verhoeven, SWIFF presents a seven film program, The Verhoeven Experience, including 35th anniversary screening of Basic Instinct, Robocop, Spetters, and Verhoeven’s newest feature Benedetta.
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BUSINESS OR PLEASURE
Sex worker stories have their own sealed section at SWIFF. From Ninja Thyberg’s porn starlet biopic Pleasure to Jacques Audiard’s heated Celine Sciamma collab Paris, 13th District, Business or Pleasure is a six-film program set to raise an eyebrow and a pulse.
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DRIVE MY CAR
Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s pensive and heartfelt Japanese drama about a stage actor reckoning with his past and future won Best Screenplay at Cannes Film Festival – and over 15 Best Film awards around the world.
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ANONYMOUS CLUB
Danny Cohen’s Courtney Barnett biopic is an authentic, genuine, and introspective lyrical journey – just like Barnett’s music. Courtney Barnett and director Danny Cohen are guests of the festival.
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I GET KNOCKED DOWN
The Brit Pop 90's: Cool Britannia was in full swing. The Oasis vs. Blur rivalry was real. The Nokia 3210 was a must-have. And there was that song; and a group of anarcho-punks squatting in leads wrote a chart-topping banger 'I Get Knocked Down', aka ‘Tubthumping’. This is front man Dunstan Bruce’s story.
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HIT THE ROAD
A chaotic, tender family is on a journey across a rugged Iranian landscape, but despite the frequent outbursts of car karaoke and debate about Batman movies, their family road trip has an undisclosed purpose. Directed by Panah Panahi (son of revered director Jafar Panahi).
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THE SADNESS
Comically ultra-violent Taiwanese virus film about two lovers, Kat and Jim, trying to reconnect across Taipei, while dealing with victims of the Alvin virus – which transforms people into sadistic, homicidal maniacs. Disclaimer: contains ridiculously high impact violence.
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COMPARTMENT NO. 6
Winner of Cannes’ Grand Prix award, Juho Kuosmanen’s train movie coming of ager focuses on Finnish archaeology student, Laura, crossing paths with loutish Russian worker, Ljoha, on her way to study in Moscow. Heartfelt and nuanced with superb performances.
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