Western Australia’s celebrated Revelation Perth International Film Festival is underway until July 19th with COUCHED, an online version of the fest featuring a spectacular assortment of films and documentaries from Australia and around the world you can stream comfortably from home. There are so many unique and wonderful feature documentaries to choose from this year.
Here are three of our recommendations…
“PUSH”
The rising cost of housing is impacting individuals around the world. It’s pricing people out of the market and pushing them from homes and communities they’ve lived in for years. “PUSH” directed by Fredrik Gerrten is an investigative look into why housing in cities has become so unaffordable. You wouldn’t expect a film on the housing crisis to be riveting but “PUSH” is exactly that. Leilani Farha, the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, enraptures on screen as she travels the world seeking to keep people and governments accountable on upholding human rights. The film is devastating at times, particularly when the horrific Grenfell Tower fire is discussed. An hour and a half long, “PUSH” also has moments of levity as viewers meet a few of the unique characters that make city living so interesting. For anyone who’s ever loved a city before, “PUSH” will inspire conversations and make you see home in a new light.
“No Time for Quiet”
Directed by Samantha Dinning and Hylton Shaw, “No Time for Quiet” follows a group of teenagers as they take part in Melbourne’s first ever Girls Rock! camp. Offering a revealing look at the issues of gender diversity and the impact of mental illness on youth, “No Time for Quiet” is a film for anyone who’s ever been a teenager or for those who have ever raised one. Over the course of a week, the teens are followed as they gain confidence through music and confidence in who they are. The young people featured are wise and well spoken and you can’t help but root for them and hope they achieve their dreams. You’ll be inspired by their openness, talent, and authenticity. “No Time for Quiet” is less about music as it is acceptance. It’s a broader look into what it’s like to grow up feeling different and how having outlets like music, where one can be themselves, can make all the difference.
“Cold Case Hammarskjöld”
“Cold Case Hammarskjöld” isn’t the easiest film to describe, but it is totally fascinating. Filmmaker Mads Brügger and private investigator Göran Bjorkdahl team up to examine the mysterious death of Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations who perished in a mysterious plane crash in 1961. What follows is a whirlwind exploration of theories surrounding whether Hammarskjöld’s death was accidental or whether he was actually murdered. “Cold Case Hammarskjöld” isn’t a film to watch if you are tired and just want to relax. It is an intense story with many moving parts that will utterly engulf your brain. If you don’t know who Dag Hammarskjöld is and are worried whether the film will still interest you or not—100%. It will absolutely keep your attention and have you musing about many of the theories it presents. While lengthy at two hours long, Brügger masterfully unfolds the film in a way that is informative and entertaining. It’s hard to imagine this documentary being made by anyone but Brügger and still having the same impact. “Cold Case Hammarskjöld” is a film that should be among the top of your must-see list.
For ticket information and to learn more about the 2020 Revelation Perth International Film Festival COUCHED, visit: revcouched.eventive.org.
