Miss Violence and The Two Faces of January will make their Australian premieres at next month’s Sydney Film Festival.
The Greek film Miss Violence hits Australian audiences in a midst of controversy. The film is about a family who come under investigation after their 11-year-old daughter commits suicide by jumping off their balcony. Greek director Alexandros Avranas sought to use the character of deceased Angeliki as a symbol of many modern-day children who grow up bound by obligation to their families and without any prospects. Drawing on Greek tragedy, Miss Violence examines the complicated relations of Angeliki’s family members. Director Alexandros Avranas won the Silver Lion award for Best Director (Venice Film Festival) and Avranas cast predominantly unknown Greek actors, with Chloe Bolota, who plays Angeliki, making her film debut.
The Two Faces of January is an American film based in Greece. Vacationing in Greece, US couple Collette and Chester must rely on tour guide and con artist Rydal to take them to Turkey after the three of them become involved in the murder of an investigator. The film stars Kirsten Dunst (Spider-Man, Oedipus Wrecks, Melancholia), Viggo Mortensen (Lord of the Rings, A Dangerous Method), and Oscar Isaac (Balibo, Inside Llewyn Davis). It’s a psychological thriller and neo-noir, period piece set in 1960s Athens. The film is the second collaboration of Oscar Isaac and writer-director Hossein Amini, who first worked together on the Amini-written film Drive, and the directorial debut of writer Hossein Amini, who also adapted the Two Faces screenplay from Patricia Highsmith’s novel of the same name.
Miss Violence screens on Thursday 5 June and The Two Faces of January screens on Wednesday 11 June, Thursday 12 June and Saturday 14 June. For tickets and more information visit www.sff.org.au/