Calling All Film Lovers – Armidale Friends of the ABC, the International Film Foreign Festival Committee and the UNE’s Arts New England Research Centre have much pleasure in co-sponsoring a visit to Armidale by David Stratton in early November. He will be entertaining his audience with a ‘mystery’ film, followed by a talk and a question and answer session.

David Stratton is one of Australia’s most celebrated film critics and personalities, and, with fellow critic Margaret Pomeranz, at present co-hosts the popular ABC television program, ‘At the Movies’.

He has been a former Director of the Sydney Film Festival, former critic for the international film industry magazine Variety, and is currently film critic for The Australian. David has also served as a President of the International Critics Jury for the Cannes and Venice Film Festivals and lectures in Film History as part of the Continuing Education Program at the University of Sydney.

His responses in this interview reveal something of his feelings and thoughts about some aspects of the film industry.

What is your earliest film memory?

Being terribly upset when Bambi’s mother was shot by hunters, at the age of 3 or 4. This made me a lifetime opponent of hunting.

On average, how many films would you view during a typical week?

Ten.

What do you like most about your work?

Lecturing on Film History at the University of Sydney.

For you, what are the major drawbacks of being a film critic?

The increasingly dreadful quality of mainstream American films, all of which I have (reluctantly) to see.

For personal enjoyment, would you prefer any genre more than another?

I enjoy most genres, so it’s easier to name the ones I don’t particularly like – sporting dramas and prison pictures.

Which directors have brought you the most pleasure?

There are too many to mention, but here’s an incomplete list: Peter Weir, Woody Allen (but not recently), Ernst Lubitsch, Alfred Hitchcock, Howard Hawks, Gene Kelly / Stanley Donen, Billy Wilder, John Ford, Akira Kurosawa, Jean Renoir, Milos Forman, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese (but not recently), Michelangelo Antonioni, Bernardo Bertolucci (but not recently) etc. etc. etc.

Do you have a fondness for the films of any particular country?

No. I have a fondness for good films, no matter where they come from. For example, I’ve seen some terrible French films and some great French films.

What form of training would you recommend for budding film critics?

See lots of films, especially films from the past (including silent films), and write about everything you see. If you can’t appreciate the major films of the past, you’ll never make a good film critic.

What’s your view on current changes in the technology of making films?

I don’t think modern technology (CGI, 3D) has added a great deal to the quality of cinema; they’ve probably detracted from it. What matters is the screenplay, the direction, the casting, the cinematography, the editing – all old technology.

On a blue day, which film would cheer you up?

Singin’ in the Rain.

Thank you David.

Event: Film Critic David Stratton presents a ‘mystery’ film with following talk and question time.

Venue: UNE Arts Theatre (A1) on Saturday, November 6 at 6.30pm.

Proceeds will go to the 2011 Armidale International Film Festival.

Tickets: $20 ($15 concession) available at NERAM, at the door on the night, or by contacting Val Sherwell (Ph 6772 0342 or valsherwell@bigpond.com). Advance booking is recommended.

David’s presentation should prove to be an outstanding experience for cinema lovers in Armidale and will also prove valuable for students from the UNE and TAFE film studies courses.

Three local organisations are co-sponsoring this event.

For almost 30 years across Australia, Friends of the ABC have been raising funds, lobbying, campaigning, recruiting members and raising community awareness of threats to the quality and existence of this unique Australian organisation.

We aim also to highlight the value of the ABC to our community, to celebrate the quality and diversity of its programs and to showcase the extraordinary talents of its presenters.

David Stratton joins such well-known ABC identities as Phillip Adams, Geraldine Doogue and Julie Rigg in visiting Armidale at the invitation of our local branch, which was created in 1995.

Profits from the coming event will assist the 2011 Armidale International Film Festival, for which local ABC Radio is one of the sponsors.

The Armidale International Film Festival (AIFF) – now in its eighth year – is an annual event over one weekend in August, organised by a not-for-profit community group of film lovers.

In cooperation with the local cinema, thirteen award-winning foreign films are shown. In the past, such films have been usually accessible only to city audiences. The committee sources their films from all over the world and has built up such a reputation that Armidale has had Australian premieres! The AIFF has become a much valued fixture in the Armidale cultural calendar and is patronised by diverse and enthusiastic audiences.

UNE has a long history of research excellence in the area of the Arts, and Arts New England is the now the focus for a dynamic portfolio of activities that support UNE’s research impact and reputation, with a particular focus on interdisciplinary work that involves innovation and the Arts.

The centre will support UNE Arts research, with an emphasis on regional needs, issues and interactions. UNE already undertakes a number of outreach activities, including the UNE Mentor program, HSC Booster / Regional days, Music and French Postgraduate days, Cultural Evenings in the languages and other ad hoc events, and the Centre will now provide a focus for investigating ways that UNE Arts researchers can further encourage flows of learning, research and practices from and into our communities.