Ride, the little magician who years to become famous, rides around the village of Bugarach
The Antenna Documentary Festival launched its fourth edition with the premiere of the most fascinating and crazy documentary seen yet, Bugarach. The year’s festival motto is “you couldn’t make this up…” and we certainly couldn’t when we take a look at the quality of the 2014 documentaries.
From October 14 to 19, Antenna offers its most ambitious documentaries yet with 35 features from more than 20 countries, including five Australian entries. Emerging talents or confirmed filmmakers, the program has enough choices to satisfy any doco-lover.
“Looking at this year’s line-up, we are extremely proud of the films that we have programmed ahead of Antenna 2014 for Sydney audiences,” said Festival Director David Rokach.
“We are thrilled to be screening films by established directors, such as Martin Scorsese’s latest documentary The 50 Year Argument, as well as by many talented and emerging directors from Australia and around the world.
A villager embraces the power of the mountain in Bugarach, Pyrenees
“A documentary festival is a created world that is out of time and space.”
A world out of time and space is a very apt way to describe Bugarach, the documentary which screened on opening night. Released in 2014 by Ventural Durall, Salvador Sunyer and Sergi Cameron, Bugarach depicts the eccentricities of life in a little village at the foothills of the Pyrenees, France. The hilarious film shows how the village became the centre of an international media circus in a few months as we all waited for the world to end. You see, Bugarach was predicted by the Mayans to be the only place that would survive the 21 December 2012 apocalypse.
Between absurdity, curiosity and mysticism, the documentary explores a full range of emotions striking the 200 inhabitants and visitors. The uncommon story of Bugarach is guaranteed to provide a few good laughs in the hilly landscapes of southwest of France.
The festival also offers audiences a unique experience this year, giving them the power with Choose Your Own Documentary (CYOD). Based on the classic ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ books, the film follows Nathan Penlington and a team of filmmakers as they embark on an epic quest to unravel the mystery of an old notebook they have discovered. But there is a twist and with over 1,500 paths and multiple endings, the audience decides Nathan’s fate by using remote controls.
Not for the faint-hearted but not to be missed, the Antenna Documentary Film Festival is ready to challenge, seduce and inspire.
Bugarach will be screened again on Sunday 19 at 5pm at Chauvel Cinema with a Q&A with Ventura Durall.
Documentaries will be screened between Palace Verona, Chauvel Cinema and Giant Dwarf Theatre. For tickets and more information visit antennafestival.org
