Cinefest Oz

The Tree screening at Cinefest Oz in beautiful Busselton, Western Australia, went down a treat. Maybe it was the rapturous reception from the country crowd, maybe it was the sunny winter's day, or maybe it was the proximity of the famous Margaret River wine region. Busselton seems like the perfect place to celebrate French-Australian cinema.

The Ace Central Cinemas, Busselton, decked out for the Festival

 Apart from some fantastic premieres from Western Australian filmmakers, also showing at Cinefest Oz was Welcome, by Writer/Director, Phillipe Lioret, an inspiring film with a small connection to The Tree; Post-Production Supervisor, Eric Duriez.

The Tree and Welcome 'Now Showing' at Busselton

Jane Birkin, Serge Gainsbourg and Charlotte Gainsbourg, ACMI Melbourne

Je t'aime: The Filmic Lives of Gainsbourg and Birkin

Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin

For decades, the Birkin - Gainsbourg family has lived music, film and fashion; exploring the taboo and delighting lovers of pop culture.

Experience the cinematic signatures of Serge, Jane and Charlotte in a season brimming with passion and enduring style at the The Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne.  "The Filmic Lives of Gainsbourg and Birkin" showcases the work of the Gainsbourg/Birkin family with a series of screenings from 7 to 19 October:
Curated by Kristy Matheson.

ACMI Media Release

Gainsbourg and His Girls (Gainsbourg, l'homme qui aimait les femmes) An enlightening portrait of Gainsbourg as seen through the eyes of his many muses.

Charlotte For Ever Gainsbourg's third feature as writer/director was created as a gift for his daughter Charlotte.

I Love You All (Je vous aime) Claude Berri's intriguing film starring Catherine Deneuve, Serge Gainsbourg and Gérard Depardieu.

Slogan Birkin's first French-speaking role and her debut on screen (and in song) with Gainsbourg.

Seven Deaths In the Cat's Eye (La morte negli occhi del gatto) With secret vampires and a killer cat, this film has the makings of an unmissable B movie whodunnit.

Jane B. Par Agnès V. This kaleidoscopic work is a charming film/game from one of France's most fascinating directors.

Daddy Nostalgia (Daddy Nostalgie) Bertrand Tavernier's exploration of the intricacies of human relationships.

Kung Fu Master (Le petit amour) An evocative portrayal of female desire.

Come Dance With Me (Voulez-vous danser avec moi) A deliciously entertaining romp with blonde bombshell Bardot in top form.

My Wife Is an Actress Art imitates life in a romantic comedy that casts Charlotte Gainsbourg alongside husband Yvan Attal.

Gainsbourg Lascivious, poetic and dizzyingly inventive; a spectacular tribute to the provocateur and his music.

Je t'aime... moi non plus Gainsbourg's sexual taboo laden film starring Jane Birkin and Warhol superstar, Joe Dallesandro.

Antichrist Lars Von Trier's exhilarating riff on the horror genre, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Check out Philiipa Berry's great piece on Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin here on the ACMI Blog


New interview with Jane Birkin at Boston.com on the recent reissue of a classic...

"It's made my career without anyone knowing anything about me."

Birkin reflects on her relationship and artistic work with the late Serge Gainsbourg, including their infamous song "Je t'aime... moi non plus".

The Tree and Daryl Hannah on a Mission (Beach)

07/09/2010

Daryl Hannah (Our Favourite Tree Hugger) launches The Tree screening at Mission Beach

 The Tree Team have just heard the wonderful news that Daryl Hannah will be launching the 2010 Mission Beach Film Festival prior to the special Gala screening of The Tree.

As an actor, filmmaker and environmental activist, Daryl Hannah is the perfect representative for the Mission Beach Film Festival. The Festival works hard to promote its of values of Respect for Nature, Universal Human Rights, Economic Justice, A Culture of Peace, What the World Could Be...
The Tree Team are honored that The Tree  has been selected to open this fantastic Festival and so excited that Daryl Hannah will be there to share this great experience.

Here's some local Queensland news articles about the Festival Launch:







Find out more about Daryl Hannah's work to promote sustainability at her website: dhlovelife.com
And if you have a moment to spare, check out Daryl Hannah's tree sitting protest at South Central Farm in L.A. youtube
We think she too looks pretty good up in a tree.


Lucky enough to be near beautiful Mission Beach on the 17th September? Check out the website below to find out how to buy tickets. 
 www.missionbeachfilmfestival.com.au
For further information contact Anton Whitehead 0419 274 500 anton@whitehead19.com.au
Mission Beach Film Festival Office 07 4088 8113 .

07/09/2010

The Tree Soundtrack: J.S. Bach

The Tree Soundtrack Artists:

J.S. Bach

'Die Kriegsknechte Aber, Da Sie Jesum
-As performed by The Scholars Baroque Ensemble

The Scholars Baroque Ensemble was originally founded in 1987 and has gained worldwide success throughout the last twenty years.

Each member is a specialist in the field of Baroque music and plays original instruments (or copies) using contemporary techniques. Singers and players work together without a Director to produce their own versions of great baroque masterworks.

The excerpt featured on The Tree soundtrack is a sacred oratorio of Bach. The original Latin title translates to 'The Suffering After John' and was composed by Bach during his first winter at St. Thomas Church for the Good Friday Vespers service of 1742.

The Tree soundtrack CD NOW available to buy online:
www.taylormedia.com.au/products

Or is available now online via itunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/au/album/weak/id387860044?i=387860048&ign-mpt=ou%3D4

The Tree Soundtrack: Gregoire Hetzel

The Tree Soundtrack Artist:


Gregoire Hetzel

Composer

Whilst studying at the Conservatoire National Superior de Musique in Paris, Gregoire gained a reputation for creating musical scores for silent movies, playing the piano during live performances. His first composition for film was for Mathieu Amalric's Le Stade De Wimbledon.
Since then he has scored part of the official selections for Cannes in 2008, and the Emmanuel Bourdieu's Les Aminities Malefiques, which was awarded the Great Critics Prize in 2006. He also writes and arranges songs for Barbara Carlot and in 2003 wrote his first novel Le Vert Paradis.

The Tree Soundtrack CD is NOW available to buy online:
www.taylormedia.com.au/products
Also available to download through itunes here:http://itunes.apple.com/au/album/weak/id387860044?i=387860048&ign-mpt=ou%3D4

The Tree Soundtrack: The Slippers

The Tree Soundtrack Artist:

The Slippers

'Flying Foxes'
'Shiver Shiver'

Christian Byers, who plays eldest son Tim in The Tree features as the guitar, organ and vocals of young band The Royal Slippers, or The Slippers for short.

Evolving from White Stripes covers to soft, glorious folk/blues tracks, they recorded their first EP - The Festival in Megaphon Studios in St Peters, which is now available online through their website.

With future recording in their sights, The Slippers continue to play when they can, and chase up gig opportunities while staying on track with their high school studies.

For more information, or to preview and purchase the EP, checkout The Slipper's myspace:
www.myspace.com/theroyalslippers

The Tree Soundtrack CD is NOW available to buy online here:
www.taylormedia.com.au/products

And is available now via itunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/au/album/weak/id387860044?i=387860048&ign-mpt=ou%3D4

The Tree Soundtrack: The Cinematic Orchestra

The Tree Soundtrack Artist:

The Cinematic Orchestra

'To Build a Home'

Formed in the late 90's, The Cinematic Orchestra is a British Jazz and Electronic outfit who bless The Tree soundtrack with their gorgeous track 'To Build a Home'.

Aptly named for its use of saxophone, piano, drums, guitar and bass, featured vocalists, as well as turntables and samples, it is not surprising that The Cinematic Orchestra are a renown live act, and their recorded work has featured on the likes of Grey's Anatomy, One Tree Hill, and Hollyoaks.

Look out for The Cinematic Orchestra while they continue their European tours in Paris, Berlin and London in September.

Check out all their releases, live updates and pics at their website:
www.cinematicorchestra.com

The Tree soundtrack CD is NOW available online at:
www.taylormedia.com.au/products

The Tree Soundtrack: Asaf Avidan and the Mojos

The Tree Soundtrack Artist:

Asaf Avidan and the Mojos

'Weak'

Appearing at The Tree after party in Cannes, Asaf Avidan and the Mojos treated the guests to a live performance, featuring their track 'Weak' from the opening scenes of The Tree.

Israeli Folk-Rock musician Asaf Avidan gained a strong and devoted following while playing across Israel and in turn gathered the members of what would become The Mojos. The band's unique blend of rock, folk and blues is spearheaded by Avidan's voice while combining honest lyrics and a fantastic live show that has seen them become a national phenomenon and the talk of the international music industry.

After the release of their first album in 2008, 'The Reckoning', Asaf Avidan and the Mojos toured for nearly three years and garnered rave reviews and a fervent following across Europe before signing with Sony-Columbia in August 2009 and releasing a second album 'Poor Boy/Lucky Man'.

With both albums having topped the Israeli charts, Asaf Avidan and the Mojos are now spending most of their days touring across the globe.

To sample or purchase their music, more information, and up to date touring info, please visit their website here:
www.mymojolove.com

The Tree soundtrack CD will be available online here early next week:
www.taylormedia.com.au/products
Or via itunes here now at
http://itunes.apple.com/au/album/weak/id387860044?i=387860048&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Garden dedicated to Charlotte Gainsbourg's father

Last month, Parisians witnessed the inauguration of the Jardin Serge Gainsbourg (Serge Gainsbourg Garden), set up in memory of the famous singer/songwriter/actor/artist who passed away in 1991.

The garden celebrated its offical opening above the Peripherique at the Porte des Lilas on 8 July. The Mayor, Charlotte Gainsbourg, her mother Jane Birkin, and other family members attended.

From left: Roger Madec, mayor of Paris 19th district; Jane Birkin; Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe; Charlotte Gainsbourg. Photo: Getty Images, http://www.daylife.com/photo/08Xm1HEc332nk?q=Jane+Birkin

Previously, fans had paid homage to Serge Gainsbourg in the form of graffiti on the outside walls of his Parisian flat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrKR9Ry-vqA
http://blog.mtviggy.com/2009/11/23/five-years-of-graffiti-dedicated-to-serge-gainsbourg/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/photography/7879711/Serge-Gainsbourg-by-those-who-knew-him-best.html

You asked for it; you got it...The Tree Soundtrack CD

We have had many many requests, and now, yes, it is available!!

The Tree soundtrack can be purchased at Itunes online here.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-tree-original-motion-picture/id387860044The Soundtrack CD features the beautiful track, To Build A Home, by The Cinematic Orchestra, as well as the gorgeous opening piece, Weak, by Asaf Avidan and the Mojos. You will also find the fantastic composition pieces by Gregoire Hetzel, and tracks by The Tree star Christian Byers' own band, The Slippers. Lastly, there is the stunning Bach piece that so many people have asked about.

The Tree; Original Soundtrack CD, will be available in record stores across Australia, and worldwide, very soon. In the meantime, pick it up first from Itunes

From seed to The Tree

Sue Taylor, Australian producer of The Tree, was published in the West Australian Newspaper this weekend, with an article on her experience of making the film...

The article appeared in the Agenda section of the West Australian on the 21st August. You can read the article in full below...

Mission: To find and measure the tree

A professional Arborist, known as Ekka, famous around the world for his fantastic forum on everything to do with trees, Tree World, made it his mission to find, measure and classify the tree from the film The Tree.

And within a few days, his mission accomplished, he returned with measurements, photos and a youtube video, to boot!

Ekka decided to spend an afternoon with the tree and the lovely owners of the property at its location. Thanks to Ekka, we learned something new about Fig Trees! He informed us that our tree is actually not a Moreton Bay Fig Tree, as we had previously thought, but a Port Jackson Fig. According to Ekka, the Moreton Bay Fig Tree has larger buttresses (those fantastic roots that look like they belong on the side of a Cathedral) and larger leaves.

Our fig tree looks like it is over 130 years old, over 20 metres high, and the branches (as they haven't been pruned) reach the ground when they are laden with fruit. Apparently, this is very rare to find!

Check out Ekka's fantastic video here:

Notes from a French-Australian in Paris

We feel very privileged to share with you the blog from Mathieu Ravier(aka Matt Riviera), our winner of the competition to travel to Paris to attend a premiere of The Tree.
He has written up an engaging and detailed account of his trip, including his time spent with the Les Films du Poisson production team, at the traditional first public screening of the film, and the reading of the first reviews in the French press.

"I was surprised how closely I identified with the film. I also moved to Australia as young European immigrant, I too spent Christmases camping by deserted beaches in the bush. Watching The Tree in Paris in these unlikely circumstances turned out to be quite the emotional experience, especially sleep deprived and under the spell of jet lag..."

Matt has also shared some fantastic pictures from the premiere, his journey and the The Tree's first week of release in France on Flickr. You can check out all of the photos here.

The Tree released in France

The Tree opened across France today in over 220 cinemas, and received a fantastic response from the audience. Judging by the 9 am session (attended by the French production team and Matt Ravier, our Paris competition winner) and great reviews in all the major papers (Le Monde, Libération, Le Figaro, Le Parisien...), it seems the French are very taken with our Tree!

The L'Arbre posters are all over Paris. Here's a photo of a bus poster passing a kiosk poster!


















Our Paris comp winner, Matt Ravier beat the jet lag to practically tumble straight off the plane into the cinema for Monday night's advance premiere of The Tree. His late night email reported a full house, with people sitting in the aisles and on the stairs. Matt was very happy to meet Director, Julie Bertuccelli and Producer, Yael Fogiel and share a drink at Cafe Oz after the premiere. He says he has taken loads of photos. Can't wait to see them and share them!

Here's the French poster in the UGC Ciné Cité Movie Theatre, the biggest cinema in Paris.

2010 AFI Samsung Mobile Awards

Well, we are very excited. Why you may ask? Well if you haven’t heard already, our film The Tree has been selected as one of 19 feature films contending for an AFI award this year. The Australian Film Institute have recognized and celebrated excellence in Australian film and television for over 50 years. As of late August, all of the contenders for the AFI Awards will be screened for both AFI members and the public in Melbourne and Sydney at the 2010 Samsung Mobile AFI Awards Screenings.

AFI CEO, Damian Trewhella said: “2010 marked an exceptional year for Australian screen production and we’re delighted 2011 is shaping up strongly as well. Works from both world renowned and exceptional emerging talents illuminate a refreshingly diverse and exciting slate of Australian films that are creating waves at home and abroad. If you’ve an appetitive for big screen entertainment, make sure you catch most of this bumper film harvest and participate in its yield, another intensely competitive awards season.”

After being honoured with official selection at the Cannes Film Festival as well as the Sydney Film Festival and Melbourne and New Zealand International Film Festivals, we are excited about our selection as a contender for an AFI Award. A great big thank you to everyone for your ongoing support! 

And the winner is...

The Tree team are very happy to announce the winner of the Paris competition.

Matt Ravier from Sydney submitted the winning entry, which was judged anonymously, on the answer alone.

Here is his winning answer:

“Like The Tree, I ‘m a French-Australian coproduction. I’ve been branching out, shaking my foliage in Sydney most of my life, but miss my Parisian roots.”

Matt will be heading off to Paris on the 8th August, just in time to attend a premiere screening of The Tree.

The details of the Australian Premiere Competition will be announced very soon.

Good Luck to all and Watch this space!

I Know Where Dad is..

Keep an eye on Cinefest OZ....

Where would a French/Australian coproduction most likely screen in Australia?
How about Western Australia's unique French/Australian Film Festival - CinéfestOZ 10…

25th August to 29th August 2010

Hmmmm... we're just saying....

MIFF sssshhhhhh!!!!!

A little bird in the tree tweeted that The Tree may just be appearing at MIFF also known as the Melbourne International Film Festival at the end of July 2010. Keep an eye on their website here for updates on screenings and tickets...We'll be keeping an eye to update you too!

"To Build A Home" The Cinematic Orchestra

The Tree soundtrack is blessed with the gorgeous track;To Build A Home by The Cinematic Orchestra.
Check out this video of The Cinematic Orchestra featuring Patrick Watson performing To Build A Home live!

The band are touring Europe later this year, with these dates locked in:

September 17 Friday		Paris Ninja Tune XX @ Centre Pompidou, Paris	France
September 17 Friday		Berlin Ninja Tune XX @ Astra, Berlin	Germany
November 14 Sunday		London Ninja Tune XX @ The Royal Albert Hall, London