Funnybunny Films News

Nocito to screen at Cinema des Cineastes - Nov 22 2009

2009-11-26T11:53:00.003+01:00

Nocito will be screening on Sunday November 22nd 2009 at Cinema des Cineastes, as part of Le week-end du courts, a weekly weekend screening of short films that occurs over the next 5 months at this wonderful Parisian cinema at Place Clichy, Paris. The screenings will start from midday with four quality short films on offer. What makes this event even more wonderful is that the cinema shares with the four filmmakers who present their films 30% of the box office!!! Yes!! Can you believe that? SHARES their box office with the filmmakers! What a wonderful incentive to show your short films and a innovative way to promote your short film!! I just wish the cinemas in Australia were as culturally advanced as the French, especially when it comes to cinema. Unfortunately, they aren't.

Industry bodies, funding bodies and all the rest like to think they are ahead of the game but they aren't, they just cant keep up with the more advanced film cultures of France and Europe. Perhaps they are too busy having champagne cocktail nights and giving that rare thing called 'funding' to the same filmmakers over and over again. Boring! Unless innovative thinkers come on board and industry bodies actually LISTEN and SUPPORT filmmakers - and I am not talking just your standard, "Big-Budget", well-known kind of filmmakers, but the small independent filmmakers with strong stories (who might actually have a voice in Australian cinema), THEN maybe, just maybe the state Australian cinema might change.

And part of that is independent cinema. They are dying in Australia, and apart from the thousands of short film festivals on offer, all offering the same kind of fare, its wonderful to see that short film culture is very much alive here in Paris, France.
Thankyou Cinema des Cineastes.

Take note Australia!

Added note:
I want to send a BIG thankyou to Sophie Fangain at Cinema des Cineastes.
Actors: Patrice Le Petit, Ivan Sellier and Nathalie Astruc
Musicians: Lamplight, Nathalie Astruc, Dubshack (Marky Power), Alexandre Kinn
Aric Babson who translated the script
Crew: Thomas Primard, Youenn Denis, Greg Maréchel, Charis Orchard
and all the kind supporters who came along to see my film on a cold, wintry day in Paris!

Kissing Paris to screen at ACMI

2009-06-04T10:57:00.005+02:00

Kissing Paris, Anna Kannava's second feature film will screen at ACMI cinemas in Melbourne to celebrate France's Bastille Day.

Check out Kissing Paris Blog for more details!!

Go to What's on Melbourne for more information.

Cannes Film Festival 2009

2009-05-27T19:00:00.018+02:00

Cannes film festival 2009 – I can now breathe a sigh of relief that it is all over…for now. After a solid week of racing around, being inundated from the sights, sounds, the hot sun on my skin, the “meetings” AND the madness of getting from one venue to another I can now stop and reflect on what I have learnt from the festival. And I must say information OVERLOAD!

After having submitted my short film “Nocito” to the short film corner at Cannes I discovered what was to be a very huge short film market. With more than 1900 short film submissions in the Short Film Corner (SFC) it’s really hard to imagine that anyone would actually give a toss and watch your film. There were simply too many!

What was great about the SFC at Cannes though was that every evening at 5pm was happy hour – and free alcohol up for grabs for the cash strapped filmmakers who had travelled half way around the world to be part of the Short Film Corner – and like me learning the ropes. Many filmmakers exchanged business cards and postcards, and soon learnt very quickly that it was all about “promoting” their film, in any way possible - including luring other filmmakers to “screenings” of their short films in the mini-theatres that were made available by the SFC at filmmaker’s disposable. Many were successful in filling up the 12 or so seats, and often filmmakers traded viewings – you see my film, I see yours. What was very clear though was that the short film buyers weren’t coming to these screenings. Ultimately, how beneficial this was, I am not sure.

I kind of liken the whole experience to speed-dating. You meet a “filmmaker”, you talk yourself up for 5 or so minutes with your key credentials, a few names dropped-in etc etc (which got really tiresome by the 3rd day of the festival, I for one am not really ‘into’ this practice) until the “filmmaker” realises you have nothing really to offer them (or they realise you don’t know anyone important enough), and then they are off to the next filmmaker. It kind of felt like a one-night stand – I felt a little cheap by the end. I got a few business cards out of it but I wander if they will remember my name?

But back to the reason I went to the festival – 1. To find a sales agent/distributor for Australian Writer/Director/Auteur Anna Kannava’s Kissing Paris, the feature film with me in it (yes, now who is blowing their own horn now?). And 2. To get some feedback for my short film “Nocito”. Let’s start with No. 2, because No. 1, well, its rather boring. Quite frankly nobody gives a toss about this film back in Australia. Except the Brisbane Internatinional Film Festival where it premiered in August last year. But I won’t give up. So I will leave it at that. Now back to No. 2. So, after much ahhhing and, well, aahhhhing, I am seriously considering chopping the film up a little, making it shorter and remaking the ending. Now, I could just leave it alone, but the nagging feeling and the persistent comments of “it’s a good film but it could be better” continued to stay with me and for me, well, I don’t think I could just move on and let it go.

So to change the topic a bit, other wonderful things I also learnt was this new thing (well, not so new but its just the start of the beginning of something big) called crowd funding, (google it!) how you can utilise the net to your advantage and looking outside the conventional box of film distribution to other avenues of getting your film seen. Whew!

Some interesting filmmakers whom I met along the way include: Australian filmmaker Scott Wurth, who made a wonderful documentary called “Tira Bakal/Striking Metal” about the crucifixions in the Philippines. I found it gruesome to watch because I basically have a weak stomach but it really is a marvellous doco. And expect big things to come from Scott in the future.

I was also fortunate enough to meet Al Mehicevic, who made the short film “Razor” which will screen at the St Kilda short film festival this year. What was also a very funny side note, my parents has sent me a news article from their local paper (Noble Park) about local filmmaker Al and his film, so as soon as I saw him at the Screen Australia Welcoming Drinks I recognised him straight away. It made for a lovely introduction too. I also came across Perth Filmmaker Camille Chen, who I will always remember for having the most impressive press kit I have ever seen for a short film.

One amazing thing did happen though - i use the term amazing because it was just a bloody miracle. I actually lost not just one mobile but two mobile phones in the Palais during the fest. One was an iphone and the other one of my crappy, well used, fallen down the toilet numerous times kind of mobile phone. During an intense 45 min I had left my mobile phone near a computer station somewhere. When I realised it was missing, retracing my footsteps and trying to get people to assist me was another matter! After receiving no help, and discovering that the Lost and Found was closed I pretty much all but gave up on ever finding it again. The next morning I went to the Lost and Found and the slightly hostile woman told me she had nothing and that I should tell the police. I didn't bother, I knew it would be a waste of time. During the day I felt completely lost without my phones. And I lost faith in humanity. I hoped that whoever found my mobile would be enjoying them!

It was just a last minute thought in the afternoon when I decided to go back to the Lost and Found hoping for some miracle. Well the miracle did happen. As soon as I announced that I had lost my mobile phones the same said woman before disappeared into another room and emerged with both my mobile phones. I cannot begin to express how grateful I was at that moment. The woman sensed my relief and after promising that I would kiss her and expressing my utmost gratefullness I left, completely stunned that I had found back my phones. The woman transformed by the end, seeing my joy, could not help but feel enormously happy for me. So...the moral of the story is - miracles can happen!

SO, if you are ever thinking about coming to the Cannes Film Festival it is definitely worth it, if not for the sheer amount of information overload then at least being fully immersed in what is truly, (and sadly to some extent) what the film industry is all about.

A Greek kisses Paris - Neos Kosmos

2009-04-03T23:01:00.000+02:00

Melbourne independent filmmaker Bill Mousoulis interviewed Anna Kannava, director of Feature Film "Kissing Paris" for Melbourne Greek newspaper Neos Kosmos.(Dec 15 2008)

See Kissing Paris blog for the full story!!

Nocito in Top 10 films of the year?

2009-01-31T20:45:00.001+01:00

Hi All,
Go to Nocito's blog page to find out more,

FB girl

Nocito Film trailer

2008-12-31T23:37:00.000+01:00

I have just posted the film trailer for Nocito. Just go to the Nocito blog page....The music featured is from Lamplight. In fact, it is a piece written ny Indiana Avent, the violinist and flutist from the band. The piece is called Amour. Such a beautiful song....

Enjoy...

Photos of Nocito

2008-10-31T20:21:00.000+01:00

Hello all,
I have just posted some wonderful photos of my time in Nocito. You can find them Nocito blog page. Click on the link. There were some wonderful, special moments there. It is hard to describe how wonderful Nocito is. And to my wonderful new furry friends, Bilbao, Catchuru and Beebop who were the most fabulous friends a girl could have. Catchuru followed me everywhere, he was my guardian angel. When I felt a little lost, he was always by my side. Irreplacement, that is.

FB girl.

I just finished my new short film Nocito

2008-09-30T19:59:00.001+02:00

Bonjour a Tous
I have just finished my new short film Nocito....go to my blog page for Nocito for all news relating to the film....

http://nocitofilm.blogspot.com/

FB girl

Kissing Paris selected for Brisbane International Film Festival

2008-06-25T17:00:00.000+02:00

We are proud to announce that our feature film "Kissing Paris" has been selected to screen at the Brisbane International Film Festival in July 2008. We hope this is the beginning of more wonderful news to come. There has been a lot of hard work involved in making this 'little' film with virtually no money. I can't wait to hit Oz soon and see it for the first time on the big screen...very exciting indeed!
Kudos!

The beginning of the beginning

2008-04-18T16:58:00.000+02:00

Hello and welcome to my website funnybunnyfilms.com. Its all sparkly and new with lots and lots of work behind the scenes to make it happen. A big thank you to John Forman for making my dreams come true and working so hard at it.

I hope to keep you informed on all the going's on of funnybunnynat (me) as I venture into all kinds of creative territories.

So stay tuned. Also, don't forget to listen to the Oz Music Hour - Paris, a one hour show presenting the best music from around Australia - from France. And if you are feeling really excited like me, please advertise it on your website and myspace sites. The more people know, the further the songs will spread.

so peace
love and music,

Natalie
AKA funnybunnygirl

Natalie features in local paper "Dandenong Leader"

2007-12-01T21:14:00.000+01:00

Here is an article dating back to November 2007. The article is about my research on a documentary about Noble Park. The media are very excited because, well, Noble Park is not the most exciting place on earth. In fact it is really a suburb without any real identifiable characteristics. Why this place should have a film about is, well, I grew up there. And for me it has many memories. So for me, the film is about my memories, and about place. To others it may not seem very interesting, but on a more broader scale we all have a connection to place, the place where we grew up. An ultimately, that is the theme of this film.