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Michael Gudinski, The Birthday Party and Little Richard Docos to Screen at Melbourne International Film Festival 2023

The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) has unveiled its Music on Film lineup for 2023, with docos and features focusing on Mushroom Records founder Michael Gudinski, Nick Cave and The Birthday Party, U2, the Indigo Girls, Little Richard, and more included in the program.

Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story was already locked in to premiere at the festival; directed by Paul Goldman – best known for Australian Rules and Suburban Mayhem – the film will show Gudinski’s journey from hardcore music enthusiast to Australian industry titan, and feature interviews with a stable load of artists like  Kylie MinogueDave GrohlSting, and Shirley Manson.

Kiss The Future

Mutiny in Heaven: The Birthday Party will see members of the band recount the story of the post-punk outfit’s wild career in previously unseen studio footage, letters and diaries, interviews, and more from over the years.

Directed by Lisa Cortés, Little Richard: I Am Everything will dive into the complicated legacy of the rock ‘n’ roll legend, who struggled with his sexuality after growing up in a deeply religious household in the deep south of the US. Filmmaker John Waters and actor Billy Porter feature in the doco; you can watch the trailer here.

Elsewhere, you can check out a documentary following Pavement’s Gary Young called Louder Than You Think, or one about the cult folk favourites the Indigo Girls called It’s Only Life After All. There’ll also be films diving into U2’s concert in a fractured Sarajevo in 1997, titled Kiss The Future, and about rediscovering the legacy of forgotten folk legend Judee Sill, called Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill.

Across the rest of the MIFF program, you’ll be able to catch films by Lars Von Trier (The Kingdom Exodus), the Jennifer Connolly and Ben Whishaw-starring Bad Behaviour, a look back on the rise of the Australian Open directed by Ili Baré, and much, much more.

See the full program on the MIFF website. General tickets will go on sale Friday, 14th July.

Further Reading

Michael Gudinski Documentary to Premiere at MIFF This Year

Watch the Trailer for Upcoming Bob Marley Biopic ‘One Love’

John Farnham Doco ‘Finding the Voice’ to Air on Channel 7 Later This Month

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