A Film Lovers Guide to Paradise, Online

To all Lotterywest Films fans out there, now’s the time to start ticking off your ‘must watch’ list!

We know you're sad our film season ended a little early, so we've put together our top recommendations for excellent online content in the world of film!

Discover the classics, watch those new releases that you missed at the cinema, listen to insightful and fun podcasts and support your film industry. 

WANT TO EXPERIENCE THE FILM FESTIVAL CIRCUIT?

Well now you can, kind of ... We Are One Global Film Festival brings together curated programming from 20 of the top film festivals around the world for a 10 day free online festival via Youtube. Featuring Tribeca, Cannes and Sydney joined by the Berlinale, Sundance, Toronto International Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, New York Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival and Annecy International Animation Film Festival to name a few.

This is not a drill! – block out your diaries and take up this rare opportunity so see films that are not usually accessible for wide public viewing. We can't wait! Happening 29 May – 7 June. 

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SBS On Demand

It’s an obvious one but SBS On Demand have really stepped it up recently with a superb selection of classic and contemporary cinema FOR FREE. 

Our top picks:

Volver In honour of Pain and Glory that ran as our first film this 2020 season, here's another beautiful must-see from Pedro Almodóvar

Woman at War If you missed it at our 2019 Lotterywest Films season you’re in luck!

Capernaum Another very popular film from our 2019 season that won our Golden Deckchair people's choice award. 

Black Narcissus A haunting classic from Powell and Pressburger about nuns sent to an abandoned castle in the Himalayas. While you're on this train watch the suite of Powell and Pressburger's stunning creations with A Matter of Life and Death, The Red Shoes and I Know Where I'm Going.  

Our Little Sister From our 2016 program don't miss this gem from acclaimed director Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, whose Palme d'Or winner, Shoplifters featured in our 2019 program. 

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REVonDemand

Explore the history of independent film seen through WA's Revelation International Film Festival. Here's the top picks from our Lotterywest Films programmer Tom Vincent. 

Aaaaaaaah! The human condition is told through a language of grunts and gibberish creating a remarkable film.

Heavy Metal Parking Lot Considered one of the greatest rock and roll movies of all time, this is actually a hilarious documentary tribute to rock and roll.

The Act of Killing A stunning, deeply provocative film.

Good Hair Comedy legend Chris Rock sets out to examine the $9 billion black hair industry. 

Dave Made a Maze A gloriously realised, low budget, magical realist comedy that nods to adventure films and existential comedies.

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Virtual Cinémathèque

Enjoy a new film each week! Melbourne Cinémathèque & ACMI bring you Virtual Cinémathèque with screenings announced every Tuesday via social media. They'll have accompanying annotations and introductions for screenings. 

ACMI At Home: The Screen Life of the Eternal City

It's no surprise that ACMI is coming up with the goods right now! Each fortnight experience the best of ACMI at Home. They will be sharing curatorial insights into some of the world’s most influential films, artworks, TV series and videogames. Start with this list of films set in Roma – rent or stream some of the most iconic films in this ode to Italian cinema, curated by Roberta Ciabarra.

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Kanopy – Free Streaming for Students/ Professors and Public Library Card Holders

An excellent platform (especially if you're short on cash) with a huge array of some of the best films out there! Here's our picks. A few highlights from their world cinema catalogue are Italy's iconic film, The Great Beauty and Céline Sciamma's (director of Portrait of a Lady on Fire featured in our 2020 program) Girlhood from our 2015 program.

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Bong Joon-ho Binge

We were really looking forward to bringing you two nights of Bong Joon-ho's films to celebrate the momentous occasion in film history when Parasite won for Best Picture. We highly recommend having a binge night and streaming The Host and Parasite online. Plus check out his fan favourites, Okja and Snowpiercer which are available on Netflix right now. 

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Portrait of a Lady on Fire

This film is simply stunning – do yourself a favour and watch this superbly elegant masterpiece as soon as possible. 

One of the best reviewed films of the year and winner of the coveted Best Screenplay and Queer Palm awards at the Cannes Film Festival, Portrait of a Lady on Fire from Céline Sciamma is an intimate and deeply affecting period drama about freedom, love and desire.

It's best experienced on the biggest screen you have available so it might be time to get out that projector!

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In My Blood It Runs: Cinema Release is Now Online!

Kicking off with four special event online Virtual Cinema screenings, enjoy live Q&A’s with filmmakers and partners and watch the film at the same time as others as it streams to you simultaneously.

There are four Virtual Screening times for you to choose from:
Thu 16 Apr, 7pm | Fri 17 Apr, 7pm | Sat 18 Apr, 7pm | Sun 19 Apr, 2pm

Want to book? CLICK HERE

Fundraising for Indigenous Communities: 30% of online screening profits will go towards immediate crisis response work of Children’s Ground and Akeyulerre Healing Centre to support communities to prepare for and prevent terrible health impacts of coronavirus. 20% will go directly towards supporting those in the film who live in the Northern Territory to stay safe during this uncertain time.

PODCASTS WE CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF

Movie Squad

Your local movie lovers podcast hosted by Tristan Fidler and Simon Miraudo with special guests. Hear them discuss movies at length and in detail, covering every kind of topic and every type of movie, from blockbuster extravaganzas to arthouse fare, from celluloid excellence to glorious trash! 

The Big Picture

We live for the banter on The Big Picture from The Ringer as host Sean Fennessey sits down with Hollywood’s biggest filmmakers, breaks down the latest industry trends, handicaps the upcoming Oscars race, and reviews new films with Ringer colleagues.

You Must Remember This

For anyone obsessed with the Golden Age of Hollywood, this podcast explores the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood's first century. This podcast became hugely popular for the series on the Manson Murders. It's highly addictive – we recommend starting from the very early episodes. 

The A24 Podcast

No host, no ads, no rules. Hear conversations between film makers and actors from the people behind The Lighthouse, Midsommar, The Farewell, Eighth Grade, Hereditary, Lady Bird, Moonlight, The Witch, The Lobster, Ex Machina, and more.

Spoiler Specials

Journey with Slate critics into spoiler filled breakdowns of classic and contemporary movies and they dissect twist endings, plot holes, and other secrets you won't read in reviews. WARNING: This podcast contains spoilers (duh). 

The Rewatchables

Yep, it's just like the title says! Delve into the most 'rewatchable' movies of all time with HBO's and The Ringers' Bill Simmons and a roundtable of people from The Ringer universe discussing movies they can’t seem to stop watching.

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Every Friday 12 young film lovers from our Good Film Club (an initiative as part of our Connect program) headed to our cinema under the stars at Lotterywest Films to take in what the best international cinema has to offer.

As aspiring young cinephiles, we wanted to know what they thought of the flicks! Go to our blog and read their insightful reviews. Some highlights - Portrait of a Lady on Fire from Damon Brown and In My Blood It Runs from Ainslie and Mia. 

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DocPlay

Discover this curated collection of the world's most amazing documentaries, including some of our Lotterywest Films past favourites!

Our top picks? 20 Feet from Stardom, Dark Horse, Faces Places, Hip Hop-eration, Sherpa, Pecking Order, Pick of the Litter, Inventing Tomorrow, The Music of Strangers and The Salt of the Earth.

Watch 75 SXSW Short Films, Right Now!

The Festival may have been cancelled but Oscilloscope Laboratories and Mailchimp have partnered with SXSW to give official short film selections "a digital home", allowing anyone with an internet connection and a love of cinema to watch them for free online!

WE COULDN'T LEAVE YOU WITHOUT OUR TOP 3 FOR:

Stan.

The Killing Stanley Kubricks 1956 film noir about a heist. Well worth the watch!

The Master If you haven't seen this masterpiece yet, now's the time. 

Frances Ha Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig, need we say more? This one will give you all the good feels! 

Netflix

God's Own Country A stunning film from our 2018 program that digs into the nature of humanity.

Magic Mike In all seriousness this is a great film from Steven Soderbergh that's perfect if you want to just switch off!

Uncut Gems For those that love an 'edge of your seat' film, this is a truly intense and compelling film set in the diamond district of New York. 

STILL LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO?

Download Letterboxd

This super fun social network discovery app is free and lets you catalogue, review and compile lists of every film you've ever seen. You'll feel a huge sense of achievement, plus the user reviews will keep you entertained for hours!

Check out film director, Edger Wright's list of favourite comedies here.

Banner image: Union City Drive-in, 1993 by Hiroshi Sugimoto. He photographed cinema halls – exposing his shots for the length of the film. See more of his work photos here.