MIFF 2000

Sandra Sdraulig
#49

Welcome to the 49th Melbourne International Film Festival and prepare yourself for 18 days of new and exciting cinema from all corners of the globe. This year's theme "See what's out there" recognises that intrinsic to film is the element of voyeurism and spectatorship and encourages you to both indulge and challenge your senses.

In seeing what's out there we also promise to introduce a generation of bold and brave filmmakers, to expose trends in world cinema and explore the ever changing possibilities for the future of film.

The cornerstone of this year's programme is a tribute to the films of France. Unfortunately it's only possible to include a mere sample of this country's extraordinarily innovative rind dynamic work. Nevertheless it demonstrates both a deep appreciation of their output and is a formal acknowledgment of their tremendous status in this industry

Complimenting our Spotlight on French Cinema is a retrospective of the work of Claire Denis, a rare filmmaker who has consistently produced films of exceptional poetic and sensuous quality.

The festival also marks the centenary of the birth of Surrealist master Luis Bunuel with a selection of films representing the power of his visual imagination and the playful wickedness of its form.

Films from the Asia Pacific Region are only infrequently released theatrically in Australia consequently the festival plays a crucial role in highlighting both work and talents from our near neighbours. Following on from our recent tribute to Tezuka, Takeshi and Studio Ghibli we will present Violence and Beauty an examination of the career of stylish and controversial Japanese director Seijun Suzuki. This Spollight is bound lo inspire and provoke and as with the focus on Ken Russell, includes films rarely seen.

I hope that this celebration of cinema with its many themed and varied forms, offers you a unique way of seeing what's out there by staying indoors.

Sandra Sdraulig
Executive Director

Introduction taken from the 2000 official guide

Festival Program
166 feature films and 111 short films were screened from 19 July to 6 August
Full Program

Program in Focus
With a new millennium came a bigger program for MIFF audiences. 277 films were grouped under categories such as New French Cinema, International Panorama, Australian Showcase, 100 years of Luis Buñuel, music films and Citadel - video exploring the city limits. A retrospective of the work of Ken Russell - labelled the Bad Boy of British cinema - was also screened.  A program of contemporary experimental film and video looked at titillation in the moving image. 

Filmmaker in Focus
Seijun Suzuki. A retrospective of the filmmaker's work was screened. 
More

Filmmaker in Focus
Claire Denis. A retrospective of the filmmaker's work was screened.
{focus Claire Denis}

Opening Night Film
Wonder Boys (Curtis Hanson, 2000)
More

Image Gallery

Films

MIFF 2000

Blown in With the Wind

Zanesyonnye Vetrom
MIFF 2000
MIFF 2000
MIFF 2000

I PREFER THE SOUND OF THE SEA

Preferisco il Rumore Del Mare
MIFF 2000
MIFF 2000
UK
MIFF 2000
UK
MIFF 2000

SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR

Sånger Från Andra Våningen

THE EXHIBITED

De Udstillede
MIFF 2000

THE WIDOW OF SAINT-PIERRE

La Veuve de Saint-Pierre
MIFF 2000
MIFF 2000
USA
MIFF 2000

WATER DROPS ON BURNING ROCKS

Gouttes d'eau sur pierres brûlantes
MIFF 2000

From the Festival Files

You Had to Be There

The thrill of the festival happens in a moment. In the shared moments created in being present at the festival, and in sharing experiences with others in the MIFF community. These moments are the instances that set the festival apart from the everyday, that remind us that we live in the present, and that some experiences are just too unique to replicate. … Each year, we return to the festival to …

On Screen and in the Cinema

The magic of the festival is reached through its screens. These are places and spaces that captivate our attention, providing windows where films come to life before our eyes. As portals to the world, the festival’s screens allow us to travel the globe, move through time, and see through another’s eyes. … Yet these screens also remind us of home. They are fixed in place, in our memories and in o …