Adelaide Film Festival returns to host some of the best films circulating in the industry. From the most recent winner of the Palme d’Or to a documentary feature debut, CityMag looks at some of the exquisite picks heading our way.

ANORA

From acclaimed director Sean Baker comes his newest film, Anora. The film has garnered wide-spread attention after winning the Palme d’Or for this year.

As a reimaging of the cinematic classic Pretty Woman, Anora is a dark tragicomedy that revels in its thrilling drama. The film follows a young sex worker – Anora – who gets entangled with the son of an infamous Russian oligarch.

After hearing of their marriage, Ivan’s family step in with two intimidating brutes to coerce her to end their arrangement. Anora must cling onto the indulgent lifestyles of the rich, while stopping the annulment of her marriage. Anora is fundamentally focused on telling a story of empowerment for womanhood and cinema.

This film features multilingual dialogue, covering English, Russian and Armenian with English subtitles. Distributed by Neon, this film provides a thrilling story, using its comedy elements to elevate the joyful moments. The famous Cannes standing ovations did not disappoint this year, with seven-and-a-half minutes.

Mikey Madison stars as the lead actor in this film, giving a generational performance as Anora. Madison found a minor role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, predicting her skyrocketing career trajectory early. Mark Eidelstein is also a breakout talent, being dubbed the ‘Russian Timothée Chalamet’. Their chemistry displayed on-screen is said to be a highlight of the film, boasting an electric romance.

Anora will be a must-see during it’s premiere at the AFF.

CROSSING

Levan Akin’s Crossing arrives at AFF after its premiere in the 74th Berlin International Film Festival. This being Levan’s third feature film, his intriguing style and dramatic resonance is prevalent once again. This LGBTQIA+ drama is a testament to the beauty of world cinema.

Based on a true story, retired teacher Lia searches for her long-lost niece, Tekla, seeking answers from a young man, Achi, who is seeking shelter in her old address. The two journey to Istanbul for more clues on Tekla’s whereabouts, finding a lawyer specialising in trans rights named Evrim. With his help, they embark through Istanbul with the goal of finding Tekla.

“I drew a lot from my own experiences, asking myself if my grandparents were living today, would they accept me for who I am? Probably not – but in showing these examples of acceptance I hope to inspire new ways forward,” Levan says.

The Swedish born director comes from Georgian descent, giving personal significance to the film and its message. Crossing also features the Georgian language, as well as Turkish and English with subtitles.

A member of the team had their parents see the film, Levan says, and after the viewing, “they expressed remorse” for having had “anti LGBTQIA+” ideologies. Crossing is an example of cinema’s power to push forward against established prejudice.

MAKE IT LOOK REAL

In this debut documentary feature, Kate Blackmore shines the spotlight on one of film’s most integral safety-net operations.

Make It Look Real provides an innovative look into the uncomfortable dynamics between intimacy coordinators, actors and the director.

Following protagonist and intimacy coordinator Claire Warden, the film centres on an Australian production Tightrope.

This expert of simulated sex works with a group of actors on a scene involving a threesome.

With tension amongst crew and the director, Claire becomes uncomfortable with her place in the production. When further conflict arises with one of the actors and their boundaries, Claire must negotiate a way to appropriately portray this act.

The film was monetarily supported by the AFF Investment Fund and Screen Australia.

“I was moved to create Make It Look Real after hearing of Maria Schneider’s account of her experience on Last Tango In Paris,” Kate says.

She refers to the real-life abuse that took place during the filming of a now infamous scene. This moment prompted people to look at the directors who have dominated the cultural sphere and question how they are contributing to an unsafe work environment, Blackmore says.

Make It Look Real also focuses on the stressful nature of these scenes on actors and their psychological strain.

This is an important film for a multitude of reasons and CityMag can’t wait to watch this ambitious project.

TEACHES OF PEACHES

Canadian music artist Merrill Nisker (Peaches) is the subject of this charming feature documentary. Winner of the 2024 Berlinale Teddy Award, Teaches of Peaches is a unique LGBTQIA+ story about the 20th anniversary tour of one of Peaches’ albums.

Frequent collaborators Philipp Fussenegger and Judy Landkammer created this film, drawing on the biography of the queer artist. The film is a tribute to her ongoing activism for women and LGBTQIA+ rights.

“Recording footage of The Teaches of Peaches Anniversary Tour, we were able to gain intimate insights into her first years as Peaches thanks to her provision of countless hours of exclusive and private archival material,” Philipp and Judy say.

The tour took place in 2022, but Teaches of Peaches also uses a mix of archival and anecdotal footage. The filmmaking duo says the visual style and language of the film is directly inspired by the creativity of Peaches.

Challenging norms such as gender-stereotyping, patriarchal structures and sexual identity all culminate in the life and work of Peaches. This film oozes personality and revels in its flamboyance.

The film is brought to life by the team of dramatist Susanne Heuer, producer and production manager Robert Kreuzaler and producer Cordula Kablitz-Post. Philipp and Judy duo hope to appeal to both existing fans and new audiences that enjoy a bold story.

Adelaide Film Festival is taking over local screens from October 23 ‘til November 3, 2024. Find out more at adelaidefilmfestival.org.