Nothing stirs your imagination and fills your soul quite like watching a brilliant film, and that’s what The Revelation Perth International Film Festival is all about.
One of the key arts festivals of the Western Australia calendar, and celebrating its 21st year, Revelation sets itself apart from other film festivals by focusing on signature works in contemporary independent cinema, and embracing films that speak to audiences of all ages, tastes and backgrounds.
It’s a well-loved event that’s famous for showcasing a particularly strong selection of experimental and documentary films. And as an added bonus to this year’s incredible line-up, 43 percent of the of the films included in the festival have been directed by women.
It’s an extremely poignant and timely fact following the recent Cannes Film Festival, in which Cate Blanchett, Kristen Stewart and Salma Hayek led 81 women in an unprecedented red-carpet protest to press for improved gender equality in the film industry – especially among directors.
But with so many intriguing films on offer at Revelation, it may be hard to narrow down exactly which ones you are going to prioritise seeing.
So, we’ve plucked five of the films that feature women at the forefront to help you decide:
A Woman Captured
This will be the Australian premiere of A Woman Captured, from Hungarian filmmaker Bernadett Tuza-Ritter.
The harrowing yet brilliant documentary follows a 53-year old woman called Marish who has been a domestic slave for more than for 10 years. As the film progresses, we experience Marish’s existence in gripping detail, showing the depths of “modern slavery” and a way of living that’s so extraordinarily distant to our own lives.
A Woman Captured is not just about the narrative that is being told, but it also takes a deep look at the idea of filmmaking and the role of documentary cinema.
It was selected for the Sundance Film Festival, and now this revelation is coming to Revelation.
Betty Davis: They Say I'm Different
Musician Betty Davis was the raunchiest and wildest star you’d ever care to hear about - she was once married to Miles Davis, who allegedly accused her of having an affair with Jimi Hendrix!
But there is so much to this '60s and '70s funk and soul queen's story that has been left largely untold. Until now.
True fans of Davis will know that she inexplicably left the music scene without a trace after recording some of her biggest hits.
Now, filmmaker Phil Cox has used the art of cinematic storytelling to tell the tale of a brave and complicated woman, charting her career progression and attempting to track down the elusive Davis in a true crime style narrative.
The Wake
This screening will be the Australian premiere of the film The Wake, which is a must-see movie as it tells the story of the changing events in the life of a young woman called Tina, who seeks to restore order to her world.
The Wake, which was shot in shot in Wales and Mexico, is beautifully realised film that uses a type of restrained, almost poetic storytelling devices in order to tell this young woman's story.
The Breaker Upperers
If you've ever found it hard to break-up with a lover, then this is the movie for you.
Filmaking duo Jackie Van Beek and Madeleine Sami, who co-wrote and co-directed the film, star as Jen and Mel also known as The Breaker Upperers.
The film follows Jen and Mel who, for a fee, will do whatever it takes to help you end your relationship. The Breaker Upperers is set to be a laugh-out-loud comedy about friendships, love, sex, sexuality, and breaking up.
As an added bonus, Jackie Van Beek and Madeleine Sami will be attending the screening of The Breaker Upperers on 16 July at Revelation.
Queerama
Australia's national debate around same-sex marriage may be in the past, but the themes explored in the film Queerama are still extremely relevant to the conversations we are still having now.
This offering is made up of material from feature films going back to some of the earliest, news reports, investigative TV programs, education and instructional films and even TV commercials.
The true beauty of Queerama is its emotional hook, as it features stories from television interviews with both men and women about their experiences of being LGBTIQ. These are stories that are both deeply moving and completely horrifying all at the same time.
Queerama brings themes of social justice, politics, gender, sexuality and film and media history to the table.
The Revelation Perth International Film Festival runs from July 5 to July 18 2018. View the full festival guide here.
This content was created with thanks to our brand partner Revelation Perth International Film Festival.