A selection of Australian and international films to screen in the Playhouse in May
SOH: Playhouse Theatre
Press Release
Sydney
Cinema returns to the Opera House this May with an exciting selection of acclaimed international and local films showing in the Playhouse. Originally run as a cinema space in the 1970s and 80s, the 300+ seat venue will play host to nine films across four days, including Oscar-winning features, a gripping First Nations documentary, a family-friendly animation, an iconic archival concert film and epic live theatre pieces from across the globe.
Stuart Buchanan, Head of Screen at the Opera House says: “This year marks the first regular Opera House film program in decades, and I am delighted to welcome film audiences back after a long time away. Our mission with this revived cinema project is to engage a wide range of artists, filmmakers, and communities, and to welcome more people to this iconic venue. This season includes Academy Award-winning features, performance films and family favourites, with further seasons announcing soon.”
Highlights from the upcoming programming include:
- The Zone of Interest (2023) – The 2024 Academy Award-winner for Best International Feature Film, The Zone of Interest examines the dangers of ignoring atrocities through its depiction of the family of the Nazi commandant of Auschwitz in the 1940s. Directed and produced by revered filmmaker Jonathan Glazer, the film premiered to critical acclaim earning five-star reviews from The Guardian, BBC and The Independent.
- Winhanganha (2023) + Q&A – From Wiradjuri artist and poet Jazz Money, Winhanganha (Wiradjuri language: Remember, know, think) is a poetic journey of archival footage, sound poetry and original composition. It is an examination of how archives and the legacies of cultural collections affect First Nations people and wider Australia. This production is co-presented by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.
- Shakespeare’s Macbeth (2023) – This Australian premiere screening stars Tony and BAFTA Award- winner Ralph Fiennes (Antony & Cleopatra, Schindler’s List, Coriolanus) and Olivier Award- winner Indira Varma (Present Laughter, Game of Thrones, Luther) in a new production filmed live at Dock X, a custom-built theatre space in London.
- Stop Making Sense (1984) – Lauded as the ‘best concert film of all time’ and recently remastered for its 40th anniversary, Jonathan Demme’s Talking Heads film Stop Making Sense was filmed at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre in December 1983, where renowned filmmaker Demme (The Silence of the Lambs) captured the band at their exhilarating best.
- Waitress: The Musical (2023) – The Tony-nominated Broadway phenomenon comes to the big screen, featuring composer-lyricist Sara Bareilles (“Love Song,”, “Brave”) as Jenna Hunterson, a waitress and expert pie maker stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. Waitress features a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam) and direction by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus (Jagged Little Pill, Pippin).
- The Boy and the Heron (2023) – Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, Hayao Miyazaki‘s (Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro, Ponyo) latest film follows a young boy named Mahito who, whilst yearning for his mother, ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead. A semi-autobiographical fantasy about life, death, and creation, in tribute to friendship.
The season also includes Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist (2023), Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days (2023) and encore screenings of Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus (2023).
EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: Playhouse Cinema
WHEN: 2-5 May 2024
WHERE: Playhouse, Sydney Opera House
PRICES: From $30 + $8.95 booking fee
TICKETS: On-sale now
