The Eaglehawk Film Festival returns to Bendigo’s Star Cinema this weekend

Star Cinema is hosting the second annual Eaglehawk Film Festival, which will take place from 13-16 January.

“Over the years, the state of being alone has been called upon time and again by writers and filmmakers. It’s an evocative theme, and is not necessarily synonymous with being lonely. For 2023, we have put together a selection of films from all over the world that explore this theme via a range of genres and eras from the 1930s to the 2020s.”

Following a successful debut in 2022, the Eaglehawk Film Festival returns with a new theme: Alone.

Commencing Friday 13 January at 8pm, the festival will run until Monday 16 January gifting patrons the chance to experience ALONE through the decades going back to the 1930s with films from all over the world; Russia, Germany, Spain, USA, China, France and Turkey…. eight titles in all!

Keep up with the latest in local news and entertainment here.

From a Turkish exploration of a new relationship and modern life, to a French dystopian fantasy, every film at the festival is simply titled ‘Alone’.   

Here’s the films you can expect to see over the weekend: 

Alone – 1931 

Starring Yelena Aleksandrovna Kuzmina  

Directed by Leonid Trauberg and Grigori Kozintsev

Yelena Aleksandrovna Kuzmina is a young recent graduate who is given an assignment to teach in remote Siberia. Originally planned as a silent film, it would later be released with a soundtrack of special effects, some dialogue and full orchestral score.

Alone – 1997

Starring Hume Cronyn, James Earl Jones, Ed Begley Jr. 

Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg

John Webb (Hume Cronyn) is recently widowed after 50 years of marriage. Living alone on his farm, his only company is Grey (James Earl Jones), the farm’s long-time overseer. His solitude is interrupted when his opportunist family re-enter the picture.

Alone (Spain: Solas) – 1999

Starring Maria Galiana, Ana Fernández, Carlos Álvarez and Antonio Dechent

Directed by Benito Zambrano

The winner of five Goya awards (including Best Supporting Actress, best New Actor and Best New Actress), Alone tells a story of a mother (Maria Galiana) and daughter (Ana Fernández) and their struggle for survival and happiness. 

 

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Alone (Germany: Allein) – 2004

Starring Lavinia Wilson and Maximilian Brückner  

Directed by Thomas Durchschlag

Maria (Lavinia Wilson) is a student of Essen who ekes out a living in an anonymous environment while living with borderline syndrome. One day she meets Jan (Maximilian Brückner), a student who falls for Maria immediately. 

Alone (Turkey: Issiz Adam) – 2008

Starring Cemal Hünal, Melis Birkan, Yıldız Kültür and Şerif Bozkurt

Directed by Çağan Irmak

Alper (Cemal Hünal) is the owner and cook of a popular local, while Ada (Melis Birkan) is a costume designer for kids clothing. Alone explores their relationship, while also tackling sexuality in Turkish culture and the seclusion of modern life. 

Alone (China: Gudu) – 2013

Directed by Wang Bing

Alone is a shorter version of Three Sisters, a documentary following the lives of three little girls (Ying, Zhen and Fen) living in the mountains of the Yunnan province. Circumstances mean Ying is forced to care for her sisters.

Alone (France: Seuls) – 2017

Starring Sofia Lesaffre, Stéphanie Bak and Jean-Stan du Pac

Directed by David Moreau

A contemporary fantasy-mystery-thriller, Alone follows five Gallic kids who wake up one day to discover they’re the only people left on earth. The film is an adaptation of the best-selling French comic book.

Alone – 2020

Starring Jules Willcox, Marc Menchaca and Anthony Heald

Directed by John Hyams

A bereaved lone traveller (Jules Willcox) heads for the city for a change of scene, only to find the path of a sadistic killer (Marc Menchaca) who wishes to make the wilderness her final destination. Alone is a remake of the 2011 Swedish film, Gone. 

The Eaglehawk Film Festival takes place at Star Cinema from January 13 through January 16. Further information can be found through eaglehawkfilmfestival.com