Interviews Archives - Jim Schembri

For the Outback family film ‘Buckley’s Chance’ Canadian director Tim J Brown drew upon his deep love of Australia, its inspirational landscape and the aid of an analytical computer program

June 25, 2021Jim Schembri

Canadian director Tim J Brown: “If you come across a dingo I don’t recommend you go and pet it like a dog.” The [...]

Making the low-budget drama ‘Cousins’ involved, spirit, community, culture and saying “F.U.” to the establishment: interview with co-directors Ainsley Gardiner & Briar Grace-Smith

June 15, 2021Jim Schembri

High Spirits: co-directors Ainsley Gardiner (left) and Briar Grace-Smith. Says Gardiner: “There is a hierarchical structure that relies on a single person holding [...]

Making a kick-ass action film for First Nations people, complete with Tarantino references and messaging about Australia’s dark history – review & interview with Victoria Wharfe McIntyre

May 12, 2021May 12, 2021Jim Schembri

“You can’t tell someone to ‘get over it’ without experiencing their story.” The Flood **1/2 (117 minutes) MA In the historical action-drama The [...]

The making of his first feature film ‘June Again’ presented a steeper learning curve than writer/director JJ Winlove expected: interview

May 5, 2021Jim Schembri

“To be able to just switch off that part of my brain and just focus on the directing was such a great opportunity; [...]

Beyond the Placemats – the sprawling new art exhibition ‘She-oak and Sunlight’ celebrates the classics while deepening our understanding of Australian Impressionism and rebranding ‘The Heidelberg School’

April 23, 2021April 23, 2021Jim Schembri

Saved: ‘Spring’ by Arthur Streeton is one of the classic Australian paintings reclaimed by Michael Varcoe-Cocks, Associate Director of Conservation at the National [...]

Finding joy and human connection amidst all his mud-slinging from that bleak, lonely place: Andrew Wolfe review & interview MICF 2021

April 7, 2021April 7, 2021Jim Schembri

“I just like to be the cynic, the jaded, vile antagonist; I don’t think we’ve made the best use of our consciousness.” Circling [...]

Emo smoothly delivers confronting comedy without the need to be confronting in ‘Black Santa’: review & interview – MICF 2021

April 5, 2021Jim Schembri

“My comedy is to bring people together, not to divide.” – Emo. Black Santa by Emo – review & interview Black Santa – [...]

After 5 years Andrew McClelland finally got his G&S piece to sing; he also praises Jobseeker and tells why CV19 made him cry – MICF 2021

April 2, 2021April 6, 2021Jim Schembri

“Although we didn’t make money this season, which is fine, it bodes well for the future.” The limited seven-gig run at The Butterfly [...]

The day after an “off” performance The Umbilical Brothers open up about the difficult demands of their new show ‘The Distraction’ – MICF 2021

March 30, 2021March 30, 2021Jim Schembri

The Umbilical Brothers, Shane Dundas (left) and David Collins, take on the technically toughest show in their 30-year career with ‘The Distraction’. THE [...]

Raw-nerve drama about sexual assault drew from personal observation, not the zeitgeist – interview with writer/director Michael Bentham

March 26, 2021Jim Schembri

Michael Bentham: “There’s an enormous amount of toxicity that comes out of a situation in which your child is either harmed or threatened.” [...]