BAZ LUHRMANN'S ELVIS WILL SCREEN IN SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL ALONGSIDE CLASSIC RESTORED, STRICTLY BALLROOM

The 69th Sydney Film Festival announces it will present Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis at the State Theatre (June 15), alongside National Film & Sound Archive’s brand-new restoration of Strictly Ballroom, both direct from screening at Cannes 2022.

Elvis is Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann’s cinematic drama of Elvis’s (Austin Butler) story, seen through the prism of his relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). The film delves into the complex partnership between the two, spanning more than 20 years, from Presley’s explosive rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America.

“Being able to present Luhrmann’s latest film direct from Cannes, while also screening the restored version of his directorial debut is an exciting coup for the Festival,” said Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley.

Screening as part of the Classics Restored strand will be Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom, with audiences being able to revisit the glittering Pan-Pacific Grand Prix Championship in a new restoration, courtesy of NFSA.

Music in the Festival won’t end there, with Sounds on Screen in partnership with Mountain Goat, presenting four inspiring musical stories ranging from an all-female thrash metal band from Lebanon, to a celebration of the iconic New Orleans Jazz Fest featuring archival footage of greats including Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Earth, Wind & Fire and Bruce Springsteen.

6 Festivals is Macario de Souza’s Australian feature film about a group of friends celebrating the vibrant Australian festival circuit, including footage from hot acts like Dune Rats, G Flip and Bliss n Eso.

International documentaries include: rousing rock-doc Sirens, following Shery Bechara and Lilas Mayassi of the all-women metal band Slave to Sirens in Lebanon, where pro LGBTQIA+ lyrics and heavy metal are frowned upon; the pulse-pounding love letter to ‘00s New York postpunk scene, Meet Me in the Bathroom, which is packed with interviews and live footage of The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol and LCD Soundsystem; and the feel-good doco JazzFest: A New Orleans Story, celebrating the 50th anniversary of New Orleans’s iconic jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, R&B and soul music festival.

The full Sydney Film Festival 2022 program can be found online at sff.org.au.

Sydney Film Festival runs in cinemas 8-19 June 2022. Tickets and flexipasses to Sydney Film Festival 2022 are on sale now. Please call 1300 733 733 or visit sff.org.au for more information or to book.