By Hollie Harris
Music, rock and theatre are not what you would usually expect to find at a film festival, but the upcoming Noosa International Film Festival features two music on film performances, adding a new frequency to your cinema experience.
Men of Wood and Foam explores the fascinating story of the birth of the Australian surfing boom. A documentary made by Noosa filmmakers Phil Jarratt and Shaun Cairns, the film uncovers a golden decade, starting in 1956, when surfing was transformed into a sport and culture with its very own music, movies, fashion and heroes.
Using in-depth interviews with the principal characters as its base, Men of Wood and Foam uses rarely seen archival footage and interviews with many of the leading surf personalities of the day to tell this important story before it is too late.
Bringing the sounds of the pipeline to life are Sunshine Coast musicians, Band of Frequencies who crafted the original soundtrack and will perform live before and after the film.
The Band of Frequencies has been one of the most diverse outfits in Australia for more than a decade, incorporating acid rock, modern jazz and funk into an amazing repertoire of original music.
Men of Wood and Foam screens at The J on Saturday 28 October at 8pm with a live jazzy set by Band of Frequencies.
Also adding a new beat to the film festival is local band HoneyBird, performing a full throttle live rock opera against the 1927 silent classic film, Metropolis.
HoneyBird plays Metropolis in a multi-faceted live production incorporating a full band and string quartet, interfaced with an updated narrative arc for the film by Ian Golding.
Metropolis by Fritz Lang takes place in a highly stylised futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners.
The Metropolis score was developed by HoneyBird and re-imagines the artistic vision and striking meaning of the film.
The highly theatrical work draws parallels to issues of poverty and conflict, power and greed, and political themes as they play out today.
HoneyBird plays Metropolis performs at the Eumundi School of Arts Hall, 3.30pm on Sunday 29 October.
The Noosa International Film Festival runs from 26-29 October, and features 100 films, workshops and special events. For the full program and tickets visit www.niff.com.au.
