Our last movie for 2023 takes us to a corner of Italy where things are not necessarily as they should be, unless you're the wealthy landowner taking advantage of people's naivety.

Working as a sharecropper on a tobacco farm Lazzaro is befriended by the cruel owner's son, and is persuaded to help in a scheme to stage a fake kidnapping. The plan goes awry, but has an outcome nobody could have foreseen.

We end the year with a highly regarded Italian movie described as a fantasy drama.

As always doors will open at 6:30, screening at about 7:00. If you would like to get in early for your 2024 membership we will be more than happy to accommodate you. Our fees remain unchanged at $75 full membership ($65 concession).

Look forward to seeing you then.

 Reels Hits the Road

Coonawarra, Australia’s “Other Red Centre” was the venue for the Mount Gambier based Reels Film Society to hold a bonus movie screening on Friday 3^rd November.  It was in appreciation of people who were part of  membership growth since the Covid era when movies and membership were adversely impacted.  It was also a  way of saying thank you to the numerous members from the Penola district who have been part of Reels for many years by screening a movie in their own backyard.

Over 70 members took part in a "Road Movie" of their own and travelled to Coonawarra in a chartered bus or made their own way to the Coonawarra Memorial Hall to watch the audience award winning documentary “Blind Ambition”.   Where else, but Coonawarra would you show an inspiring story of four Zimbabwean refugees who not only conquered the odds to become South Africa’s top sommeliers and then with unshakeable pride and passion represented  Zimbabwe in the Olympics of the wine world, the “World Wine Tasting Championships” in France.

Their uplifting story celebrating how irrepressible the human spirit can be was awarded a high rating of 4.4 stars by the appreciative audience after they enjoyed not only the film but the local food and wine on offer.

Feedback was positive with members texting “It was a great night".  "Loved the movie and their determination, their funny personalities and they way they have since gone on and given back to their home communities". "We really enjoyed being in the Coonawarra hall and the food and wine were fantastic. ”

Comments such as these have started the Committee thinking as to where and when the next bonus members night shall be held.  Becoming a member is easy, go online, anytime and register.

 Following a very successful members night at the Coonawarra we return to our regular screenings on Thursday 16th November.

Digging gold and gunfighting prowess were not the only ways to riches in the Wild West, some entrepreneurial spirits sought other paths, This is the story of the unlikely  pairing of Cookie, the kitchen loner and a Chinese labourer as they seek to make it big. But to do so they need a special, hard to get, ingredient.

As usual the doors will open at 6:30 allowing time for members and guests to enjoy a bovine themed tipple and some nibbles before the screening. This month's selection consists of:

Whites

* Cow Bombie (Sauvignon Blanc)

* Noble Fellows "Baron Betsy" (Pinot Gris)*

* Brown Brothers "How Now" (Moscato)

Reds

* "Lovers not Torreadors" (Tempranillo)*

* "Farm Hand" (organic Shiraz)

* Cow Bombie (Cabernet Merlot)

*to confirm the bovine connection check the label.

We'll be screening at 7, see you there.

 Following the thrills and spills of this year's AGM we will be enjoying Antonio Banderas' playing a talented director forced to look back on his career and the life choices he made; the good, the poor and the indifferent.

As mentioned previously, our movie will be preceded by the 2023 AGM. The AGM will commence at 7:00, as usual doors will be open at 6:30 with time for a quick tipple and light snack before all the excitement begins.

Looking forward to seeing you on the night.

No Time Machine Needed

 Thank you to all the observant members who noticed my whoopsie in this week's AGM notice. Our AGM will not be held two months ago, and it won't even be on the 17th.

It will be on Thursday the 19th October. Apologies for the error. Looking forward to seeing you there and then.

AGM NOTIFICATION

 Our official AGM will be held on Thursday 17th August at 7:00pm, immediately before our October screening.

All members are encouraged to attend and be involved. The AGM is your opportunity to hear about how the society is tracking and, if you feel so moved nominate for the committee.

If you can't join us please let us  know so we can record you as an apology.

 Our cinematic travels this month take us to Paris, but not the the romanticised City of Light, rather we see the more mundane side, in the struggles of single mother Julie Roy (played by Laure Calamy) to make ends meet. Finally an opportunity presents itself in the form of an interview for the ideal job that promises a chance to get ahead - then come the national transit strike.

The winner of numerous awards at international festivals Full Time was described by the Guardian as wonderfully evocative of the stress felt by Julie - allow time to decompress afterwards is the critics advice.

Thursday 21st September is the day , 6:30 for a 7:00 start is the time, the Sir Robert Helpmann theatre is the place.

 Our film this month is a documentary focussing on renowned American Author Kurt Vonnegut. Perhaps best known for his novel "Slaughterhouse Five" (from which the "unstuck in time" part of the title is derived), Vonnegut wrote a total of 14 novels, three short story collections, five plays and  five non-fiction works.

This film was produced over a number of years by Vonnegut's close friend Bob Weide, but still provides a warts and all portrait.

Thursday 17th August is the day and date, 6:30 for a 7:00 start is the time and the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre is the place. See you there.

 First, just a reminder that this month we're on the **fourth** Thursday (the 27th). So feel free to head down to the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, but don't expect to see us or this month's film.

Next Thursday we will be watching a Russian speaking Ukrainian massage away the anxieties of his Polish clients, as he assumes a guru like status in their community.

As always doors open at 6:30, screening starts around 7:00 after the pre-film warm-up.  

 As winter sets in, our cinematic journey takes us to the British Isles where this story of a woman escaping from an abusive relationship finds herself caught up in a broken housing system to the point she has to take serious action. In building her own home she discovers a strength within, and herself.

Join us next Thursday (the 22nd) at the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, as usual doors open at 6:30 and screening starts around 7. See you there.

 Suburban mother (Agnes - played by Kelly MacDonald) feels unappreciated by the family she cares for. She finds she has a talent for doing jigsaws and the pieces of a revised life start to fall into place. 

Our May offering is the last Hollywood film of Lunch Box star Irrfan Khan.

We will be screening on Thursday 18th May, as usual doors open at 6:30pm, screening at 7. Look forward to seeing you there.

 A hero of the Kurdish war of independence takes up the role of sheriff in a small valley at the border of Iran, Iraq and Turkey; a tough neighbourhood. He finds himself very much an an outsider, along with the school teacher. She has the added challenge of being an unmarried female.

This Iraqi drama has rated very highly on both Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB.

Thursday 20th April is the day and date, 6:30 doors open, 6:55 for last drinks and screening starts at 7:00.

Look forward to seeing you then.

 Here's a fun fact, since 2019 there have been five movies named Limbo, one of them is about a pair of Hong Kong policemen; but that's not the one we'll be seeing on Thursday. So please ignore my earlier post, we are actually going to see the Limbo telling the story of Omar, a promising Syrian musician waiting on a remote Scottish island to hear the outcome of his asylum application.

Hopefully next month I'll get it right first time.

The on thing I dis get right is that  the screening will be on Thursday 16th March is the day and date, 6:30 doors open, 6:55 for last drinks and screening starts at 7:00.

Look forward to seeing you then.

 After getting into a bit of a pickle last month we're confident we'll be in Limbo this time.

A rookie cop and his veteran partner are tasked with bringing a brutal and obsessive killer of women to justice, hunting them through the labyrinth of Hong Kong. 

Thursday 16th March is the day and date, 6:30 doors open, 6:55 for last drinks and screening starts at 7:00.

Look forward to seeing you then.

 Two strangers heading to Murmansk have an actual and metaphorical journey of discovery as being thrown together leads to self-discovery.

Thursday the 16th of February will see the second offering of the Reels 2023 season. This time a Finnish drama set on the northbound Russian train to Murmansk.

As usual doors open at 6:30, bar closes at 6:55 and screening starts at 7:00(ish).

If you are a member but not receiving our emails, please speak to John at the front desk.

 It can be hard to get back into the swing of things after Christmas and the New Year, so a slightly late reminder of our first movie for 2023.

Our 2023 season will commence on Thursday 19th January. We will be starting with the Spanish comedy/drama "The Olive Tree", an unusual road trip from Spain to Germany to recover a special  olive tree.

As usual the doors will open at 6:30 with the screening starting at 7:00. Our bar will be closing at 6:55, so please try to get your drinks before then so our bar volunteers can clear up and not miss too much of the film.

**REMINDER**

Membership renewals are due. If you want to avoid becoming part of the Queue Conspiracy please consider paying by bank transfer. Our bank details are:

Account Name: Reels Film Society Inc

Bendigo Bank (Mount Gambier)

BSB: 633-000

Account Number:  165 144 858