Focus on Cate Shortland AustraliaCate Shortland's much-anticipated first feature film, Somersault, premiered at Cannes this year and screens as MIFF's Opening Night film. In this programme Shortland talks about her creative approach and screens her lyrical, poetic imagery and dynamic (and award-winning) short films:

Strap On Olympia Ennui sets in in the life of a young sex worker; she packs it in, heads for the country and escapes into her fantasy world, oblivious of her surroundings.

D/S Cate Shortland P/WS Tony Krawitz TD 16mm/Col/1995/11mins

pentuphouse Della, a 45-year-old wannabe, couldabeen jazz singer and her lover Dale, a 23-year-old small-time crim, are in the final stages of their dysfunctional relationship.

D/S Cate Shortland P/WS Anthony Anderson TD 35mm/Col/1998/13mins

Flower GirlDaisuke, Hana and Tetsu are sharing an apartment at Bondi Beach in Sydney. After a year of carefree living, Daisuke has to return to Osaka to work in his father's butcher shop. A lyrical vignette of final days and secret videos.

D Cate Shortland P/WS Anthony Anderson S Cate Shortland, Jun Tagami L Japanese w/English subtitles TD 16mm/Col/1999/17mins

JoyThursday night. Late night shopping. Joy, 15, wants to have fun.

D/S Cate Shortland P Rachel Clements WS AFTRS TD 35mm/Col/2000/10mins

Cate Shortland is a guest of the Festival.

Curated by Clare Stewart and presented with the Australian Centre for the Moving Image as part of 2004: Australian Culture Now.