Black dog (2024) China, Directed by Guan Hu

 

Black dog 2024 (China)

Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre

Thursday March 19

Doors Open at 6.30pm

Directed by Guan Hu and starring Eddie Peng and Tong Liya, the film tells the story of Lang returning to his home town on the edge of the Gobi desert after serving a jail sentence for manslaughter. 

He joins a team of locals tasked with eliminating a large pack of stray dogs prior to the 2008 Olympic games in China. 

Lang targets a large black dog who has a bounty on its head for biting people and spreading disease. Lang and the black dog become an unlikely team in a landscape of danger and change in Northwest China.

REELS WINE SELECTION

“Black dog”

Wine themes:

#A Chinese Film 

#Dog/A black dog

REDS

“Barking mad” Watervale, Shiraz, 2020

“Black Dog” Bent Creek, McLaren Vale, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2020

“Cali Smooth” By Snoop Dogg, Silky Red, Blend, in partnership with 19 Crimes Wines

NON-REDS

“Mateus” Portugal, Rosé, (note the Chinese flag on the label)

“Sit Stay Society” Clare Valley, Violet’s Grüner, Veltliner, 2022

Jamieson’s Run “Billy’s Shadow” Coonawarra, Chardonnay, 2025, (Shadow = dog; see label)

The teacher who promised the Sea (2023), Spain, Directed by Patricia Font

 The teacher who promised the Sea 2023 (Spain) 

Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre

Thursday February 19,

Doors Open: 6.30pm

Based on the true story of Antoni Benaiges (Eric Auquer), a Catalan teacher who brings innovative

teaching methods to a small Burgos village in1935 just before the Spanish civil war. This story is

matched against the story of Ariadna (Laia Costa) trying to uncover the fate of her grandfathers’

teacher who is targeted by local authorities.

This is an emotional historical drama which comments on the power of education and the

importance of memory.

REELS WINE SELECTION

“The Teacher Who Promised the Sea”

Wine themes:

#A Spanish Film 

#Civil War/Revolution

#A Compassionate Teacher / A Hero

REDS

“Children of the Revolution” South Australia, Shiraz, 2024

“Love not War” Tierra de Castilla, Spain, Tempranillo, 2020

“Seleccion De Fincas” Spain, Garnacha, 2022 (Grenache)

NON-REDS

“Marques de Risqual” Spain, Verdejo 2021

“The Hero” Australia, Rosé, 2025

“Saint & Scholar” Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc, 2023

A Little Something Extra (2024), France, Written and Directed and starring popular French comedian Artus.

 

A Little Something Extra 2024 (French Comedy)

Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre

Thursday January 15,

Door Open: 6.30 pm

To escape the police, a son and his father find refuge in a summer camp for young adults with disabilities. They pose as a resident and his teacher. This gives rise to a wonderful human experience which changes them forever.

A predictable, saccharine, manipulative and contrived movie- while also being genuinely funny and occasionally quite moving – It has its heart in the right place.

Directed by and starring popular French comedian Artus.

Rotten tomatoes Review by Graeme Tuckett 4/5

REELS WINE SELECTION

“A Little Something Extra”

Wine themes:

#A Father and Son on the Run

#Criminals on the Lam

#People with Disabilities – a group that can suffer with being insulted and called names

REDS

Pertaringa, McLaren Vale “Under Cover” Shiraz, 2023

“19 Crimes” Nuriootpa Cabernet Sauvignon

“The Sticks & Stones”, McLaren Vale,

Tempranillo, Tinta Cao, Souzao, Touriga Nacional, 2021

NON-REDS

“The Family”, Trentham Estate, Vermentino 2025

“19 Crimes” Nuriootpa Moscato

“Tread Softly” Sauvignon Blanc 2025

REELS Film Society DVD Collection Sale

 

The committee has decided to offer its DVD collection for sale to members. All movies are pre-2024.

This is your opportunity to purchase some of your favorite DVDs at a bargain price. 

The collection will be on sale for $5.00 each or 3 for $10.00 on Thursday night, 18 December 2025, before the commencement of the movie.

Purchase your favorite DVDs, and watch them at your leisure whenever you like. They would also make the perfect Christmas gift for a loved one. 

The Holdovers (2023), USA, written by David Hemingson and directed by Alexander Payne.

"The Holdovers"

Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre

Thursday December 18,

Doors open: 6.30pm 

The Holdovers is a 2023 American Christmas comedy drama film written by David Hemingson and directed by Alexander Payne.

The movie is a remake of Marcel Pagnol's 1935 French film Merlusse and was named one of the top 10 films of 2023 by the American Film Institute.

The Holdovers was filmed in Massachusetts and is set in 1970, at Barton Academy, an all-male boarding school. 

Paul Giamatti stars as a teacher and former student of Barton. He is equally unpopular with students and other staff at the school and is forced to supervise five students left on campus (or “Holdovers”) during the Christmas holiday break.

REELS WINE SELECTION

“The Holdovers”

Movie / Wine theme:

Five students are “held over” at their boarding school over the Christmas break

This month’s wines have all been 

#heldover - from the Reels Wine selections of previous months in 2025.

ENJOY!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR

The Monk and the Gun (2023) Bhutan, directed, written and co-produced by Pawo Choyning Dorji

The Monk and the Gun

Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre

Thursday November 20,

Doors Open: 6.30 pm

"The Monk and the Gun" was written and co produced in 2023 by Pawo Choyning Dorji, the writer-director of “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom” which we screened in January 2024, with a high general approval of the Reels society members and a star rating of 4.6.

“The Monk and the Gun” is again filmed in the writer’s home country of Bhutan. The story is set during the historical period of 2006 – 2008 when the Bhutanese king abdicated the throne to allow the country’s first democratic election to take place.

Mock elections are being held throughout the country to teach people how to vote and in the town of Ura, the venerated Lama orders his young monk to get him 2 guns so he can “make things right”.

Meanwhile, an American collector is in the country, on the trail of a valuable antique rifle, and the paths of the two inevitably cross.

REELS WINE SELECTIONS

“The Monk and the Gun”

Movie / Wine themes:

# Bhutan – a highly mountainous country

# A revered Lama sitting up on the hill above the village and his obedient Monk

# A Policy of Gross National Happiness

REDS

Sevenhill “Inigo”(Clare Valley) Shiraz, 2022 *

“Sacred Hill” De Bortoli Cabernet Merlot

Nepenthe “Altitude” (Adelaide Hills) Pinot Noir 2022-4

NON-REDS

Sevenhill “Inigo”(Clare Valley) Riesling 2023 *

Vasse Felix (Margaret River) Classic Dry White 2018

(“Felix” means Happy)

“One for All” (NSW) Strawberry Lemon Sorbet Moscato 2023

*Sevenhill winery started by monks

President's report for October 2025 AGM

 President’s Report for October 2025 AGM

 

This time last year, after both the president and vice president retired, the plea went out for someone with computer skills and another committee member. I am very pleased to report that Hoveida and Susie answered that plea.

 

Catarina and Susie have enjoyed and spread enjoyment, to you all through playing Heads and Tails before each movie. As the only extroverts on the committee, they have embraced this challenge with gusto.

 

Hoveida has patiently helped maintain the Reels website and sent out notices, just what every committee needs - (a computer whiz). You would have seen Hoveida when she was offering Persian tea and sweets at our August movie night.

 

This last year (Oct 24 – Oct 25) has seen an average star rating of 4.1, a very good result by any film society standards.  Getting 4 people on the selection committee to agree on ANY movie is remarkable. Starting with up to 60 movies, down to 15 and then finding the film distributers is truly hard and time consuming but satisfying and rewarding. We love it.

 

All committee members have agreed to carry on next year, they are all quiet high achievers, whose actions speak louder than words.  Our membership is still healthy; we may not be bigger than BEN HUR but are still in the top 3 regional film societies of SA and Victoria. This year has seen a marked increase in 3-month membership (around 30)

 

The SRHT is an excellent venue for us and will be back to its best shortly, when the elevator is back in operation.  Five movies this calendar year have been digital and thanks to Marcus (always), have all gone to plan.

 

Thanks to not only to the committee, but to Hoveida, Leeanne, Andrew, Mark, Cathy and John Martin Brown.  Our gratitude also extends to our Public Officer Graham Adams and our Auditor Doug Mullen. Thank you all for being involved.

 

The committee wishes to thank all members for being part of a successful Film Society.

Hope to see you all next year.

 

 

Regards,

 

Graham Carpenter

Reels Film Society

Mount Gambier South Australia