Nicole Kidman and Jack Thompson join other familiar faces to support the Sydney Film Festival (SFF) in a new film, Stories.
The film features Australian industry icons reading Stories, a poem written by M&C Saatchi group creative director Andy Flemming about the importance of creativity, debate, discovery and truth-telling.
"Stories are one of the fundamental reasons for us being us. From stories calved onto Egyptian tombs, embroidered into tapestries or shot on 35mm, they share knowledge, history and humanity," Flemming says.
"We live in an age where many of our stories are picked for us by a computer algorithm, so film festivals are critical for how we see the world. As a film lover, it was a privilege to write these words – and made it even more exciting to hear some of the world’s greatest talent delivering them.”
Gillian Armstrong, Rose Byrne, Marta Dusseldorp, Nash Edgerton, Damon Herriman, Nicole Kidman, Ewen Leslie, Heather Mitchell, Daniel Monks, Sam Neill, Miranda Tapsell, Jack Thompson, Lynette Wallworth, Rachel Ward, Hugo Weaving and David Wenham contributed their voices to the initiative, filming the collective poem.
The timing of the piece is especially pertinent for the film festival, which will be virtual this year for the first time in its history.
But whether movie or computer screen, the festival is adamant that stories from around the world are even more important in these troubled times.
“Sydney Film Festival is thrilled to have sparked such a moment of creative reflection from some of Australia’s most talented filmmakers and storytellers,” Sydney Film Festival CEO Leigh Small says.
All talent and expertise were donated to the philanthropic campaign.
The initiative, in collaboration with advertising agency M&C Saatchi and production company FINCH, sees a cast of 16 formidable Australian actors and filmmakers join forces via video to champion the Festival.
Sydney Film Festival has partnered with international film festivals and local streaming service SBS On Demand, to find new ways to connect audiences to film and to support the film industry, which has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Credits
Creative Agency M&C Saatchi
Chief Creative Officer: Cam Blackley
Executive Creative Director: Mandie van der Merwe
Executive Creative Director: Avish Gordhan
Group Creative Director Andy Flemming
Writer: Andy Flemming
Art Director: Rosita Rawnsley-Mason
Account Director: Charlotte O’Brien
Strategist: Alexi Hall
Production Company: FINCH
Director: Kyra Bartley
Executive Producer: Loren Bradley
Editor: Jack Hutchings, The Editors
Post Production: Atticus
Sound Mix: Abigail Sie, Song Zu
Composer: Adrian Sergovich, Song Zu
Sydney Film Festival CEO: Leigh Small
Sydney Film Festival Philanthropy Manager: Georgia Shepherd
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