Revelation Film Festival revs up for its best program yet
Who’d have thought one of Western Australia’s most respected film festivals began in the back room of an underground jazz bar?
Revelation commenced its formal life in 1997 in the basement back room of the Greenwich Club, Perth’s legendary jazz venue, with a humble program designed to showcase ideas “at point” in contemporary independent film. Back then, short films were presented on analogue 16mm from the back of the room. No projection room, no digital sound, no fuss and hype – but plenty of great experimental ideas put to celluloid.
Today, the event includes over 200 international films presented at cinemas and bars across Perth and Fremantle.
Combined with moving image / art collaborations at the Fremantle Arts Centre and the XR:WA Games & VR expo, Revelation now attracts around 22,000 patrons and an army of national and international guests across two weeks, while the film showings happen over the one weekend. This year’s films are being shown from Wednesday 12th July to Sunday 16th July.
In looking at film entries, Revelation takes an active curatorial approach, with all titles submitted viewed first by the Festival Director. A shortlist is then made – usually consisting of around 30% of the titles submitted in each category – and those films are then viewed by the Program Director to ensure all films selected add up to one complete and cohesive program.
It’s this kind of love, program care and exposure to broad audiences that bring more and more films and cutting-edge filmmakers to Rev.
Now entering its twenty-fifth year, Revelation continues to focus on independent cinema, emergent talent – both local and international, cutting-edge documentaries, and much more.
The entry deadline for this year’s festival has now passed but next we’ll be letting you know what gems made the cut in June some time.
Antonino Tati
The Revelation Perth International Film Festival is on from July 12-16, 2023.
For more information, visit revelationfilmfest.org.
CREAM MAGAZINE 
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