Europa! Europa Film Festival To Open With The Testament Of Ann Lee, Expands To Brisbane, Hobart And Auckland

Europa! Europa Film Festival returns for its fifth year, screening again in Melbourne and Sydney and expanding for the first time to cinemas in Brisbane, Hobart and Auckland. For one month, from 19 February to 19 March, the festival will present an exciting line-up of European cinematic treasures, comprising 43 films from 22 countries.

The festival has announced its opening night film, Mona Fastvold’s The Testament of Ann Lee, the remarkable true story of the founder of the devotional Christian sect known as the Shakers in the mid-18th century.

The third feature directed by Norwegian Mona Fastvold (co-written with her partner Brady Corbet, their follow-up to the Academy Award-winning The Brutalist), The Testament of Ann Lee is an ambitious and visually stunning musical portrait of an unconventional religious leader, who is played with reverent commitment by Amanda Seyfried, who is nominated for a Golden Globe for the role.

The film will screen on Thursday 19 February at Classic Cinemas and Lido Cinemas in Melbourne, Ritz Cinemas in Sydney, Angelika Cinemas in Brisbane, State Cinema in Hobart and Bridgeway Cinema in Auckland.

In Sydney at Ritz Cinemas, the film will screen in 70mm.

“We couldn’t be more excited to open our festival with this impressive feature from Mona Fastvold that is as propulsive and passionate as its subject” said Artistic Director Spiro Economopoulos. “This film encapsulates what Europa is all about: bold filmmaking and epic storytelling that spotlights fascinating subjects and showcases European talent.”

The festival has also announced its first retrospective strand spotlighting one of the most revered and influential directors of the 20th century with Michelangelo Antonioni: Modernist Master, which includes four films from the Italian director’s artistic zenith.

Collaborating with icon and muse Monica Vitti on L'Avventura, La Notte, L’Eclisse and Red Desert, Antonioni shaped a century and invented a new film language that dissected the tensions between people and their modern worlds with an elegant, eerie cool. The four films will screen throughout the festival in Melbourne and Sydney.

THEDETAILS: 
OPENING NIGHT FILM – THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE 
MELBOURNE 
Classic Cinemas, Elsternwick 
Thursday 19th February

• 6:45pm – Opening night event
• 7:30pm – The Testament of Ann Lee

Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn 
Thursday 19th February

• 6:45pm – Opening night event
• 7:30pm – The Testament of Ann Lee

Tickets include drinks, DJ and nibbles.

SYDNEY 
Ritz Cinemas, Randwick 
Thursday 19th February

• 6:45pm – Opening night event
• 7:30pm – The Testament of Ann Lee in 70mm

Tickets include drinks, DJ and nibbles.

BRISBANE 
Angelika Cinemas, Woolloongabba 
Thursday 19th February

• 7:15pm – Drink on arrival
• 7:30pm – The Testament of Ann Lee

HOBART 
State Cinema, North Hobart 
Thursday 19th February

• 7:15pm – Drink on arrival
• 7:30pm – The Testament of Ann Lee

AUCKLAND 
Bridgeway Cinema, Auckland 
Thursday 19th February

• 7:15pm – Drink on arrival
• 7:30pm – The Testament of Ann Lee

Tickets include a drink on arrival.

FESTIVAL DATES & VENUES 
MELBOURNE 
Classic Cinemas, Elsternwick 
Thu 19 Feb - Thu 19 Mar

Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn 
Thu 19 Feb - Thu 19 Mar

Cameo Cinemas, Belgrave* 
Fri 20 Feb - Mon 2 Mar

SYDNEY 
Ritz Cinemas, Randwick 
Thu 19 Feb - Thu 19 Mar

BRISBANE 
Angelika Cinemas, Woolloongabba* 
Thu 19 Feb - Sun 1 Mar

HOBART 
State Cinema, Hobart* 
Thu 19 Feb - Sun 1 Mar

AUCKLAND 
Bridgeway Cinemas, Auckland* 
Thu 19 Feb - Wed 4 Mar

*New venue

Stay up to date withEuropa!Europa: 
Website:europafilmfestival.com.au
Facebook:facebook.com/europafilmfest 
Instagram:instagram.com/europafilmfest/

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