To celebrate our sister event Hybrid World Adelaide kicking off tomorrow in a celebration of tech culture, we’ve put together a list of five innovative Australian films – feature and documentary – to look out for. Are they on your list of top 3 Australian films #YOUMUSTSEE? Let us know!
Sam Klemke’s Time Machine (2005) dir. Matthew Bate
In 1977, decades before the era of the selfie, Sam Klemke started documenting his life on film. At the same time as the beginning of this self-documentation project, NASA launched the voyager craft into deep space to expose humanity to extraterrestrial life. The film Time Machine follows two parallel self-portraits, one travelling through space and the other grounded to Mother Earth. The work consequently explores the fascinating relationship between time, space, memory and humanity.
Mad Max series dir. George Miller
Not much needs to be said about the films that make up this series: they’re iconic, and such is their visual nature that you could arguably watch in silence and still be blown away. Every film in the series is a non-stop adventure, and feature special effects that were impressive at the time of their respective releases – and still are!
The Infinite Man (2014) dir. Hugh Sullivan
This science-fiction film follows a scientist travelling through time in the hopes of reliving a romantic weekend with his girlfriend. However, his quest for perfection backfires, and his lover becomes trapped in an infinite loop. The film embraces the concept of time-travel in a refreshingly inventive way.
Cargo (2017) dir. Yolanda Ramke and Ben Howling
Cargo is a post-apocalyptic thriller which follows a father searches for someone to look after his child in the midst of an epidemic. It’s set in the outback (with some incredible shots of South Australia), and contrasts the importance of life and the fragility of our future.
Dark City (1998) dir. Alex Proyas
With similarities to the Matrix series, this American/Australian co-production is a neo-noir science-fiction film that follows an amnesiac protagonist who finds himself suspected of murder. He attempts to discover his true identity and clear his name while on the run from police and a mysterious group of extraterrestrials called the ‘strangers’. If you’re looking for a film that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this is it.
Words by Ellie Worthington