We are called Isolated Nation for a reason: time and time again, the city of Perth, Western Australia, has always been referred to as one of the most isolated cities in the world. Tucked away on the fringe of a continent that is mostly surrounded by desert, perhaps it is this geographical seclusion that perpetuates a sense of collective isolation we feel as residents of Perth.

The odds of having a rich culture were against us in the first place: Musical tours and gigs often give us a miss, international retail stores and restaurant chains never seem to reach our shores, and unless they are big commercial studio movies, the smaller independent films from around the world rarely make it into our theatres. But over time – like the various gears that turn and work in unison in order to operate a car – numerous organisations and groups of people who are passionate about the expansion of Perth’s culture have each played crucial roles in its enrichment, collectively working in order to drive the rife and well-oiled ‘cultural vehicle’ that Perth has become today.

One of those crucial ‘gears’ is the Relevation Perth International Film Festival.

The Revelation Film Festival has come a long way since its conception back in 1997. Starting out as an underground venture in the basement of Greenwhich Club, it has now become one of Australia’s fastest growing annual independent film event. The purpose of Revelation is to showcase a wide range of unique and creative feature films, documentaries, animations and short films from around the world that are at the forefront of contemporary independent filmmaking. Additionally, Revelation is also a celebration the arts and culture: In the past, the event not only exposed Perth residents to a carefully curated selection of engaging underground independent films, it also featured live music, poetry and guest presentations as well. This year is no exception.

*Still image from documentary "Burn", directed by Tom Putnam*

Revelation kicks off on the 4th of July, leading this year’s event with an Opening Night at the Luna Leederville, screening the Australian premiere of the US firefighter documentary, Burn, for which director Tom Putnam will be also present. Last year’s opening night featured the premiere of Lynn Shelton’s Your Sister’s Sister, starring Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt – something that this writer deeply regrets not attending to this very day (Never again, Howie. Never again.).

This year’s films and documentaries of the festival will be screened at Luna Leederville, Cinema Paradiso (Northbridge), and Luna on SX. Special Revelation events include: the WA Screen Awards, Goblin Play Suspiria, Revel-8, Get Your Shorts On!, and much more. Meanwhile, Dome Café Leederville will serve as the RevHub, where people can gather and hang out pre- and post- screening.

“There’s nothing much to do here in Perth” - We often hear that phrase being casually thrown around, but from July 4 to 14, you would be wrong for even uttering those words.

Whether you’re a raging cinephile, a self-professed film buff, or just the casual movie-goer, Revelation is an essential and fun cultural experience that should not be missed. With its remarkable ability to assemble filmmakers and film lovers from across to globe in one place, Revelation is a celebration of screen arts, and is proof that despite our geographical seclusion, Perth is not such an isolated city after all.

Howie Ng

Film Enthusiast

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Click here for ticket prices and more details of the festival, Click here for the full lineup of the festival.

Also: Our writers here at IN will be covering the festival. We’ll be posting festival updates, trailers and reviews of the films either prior or after the screenings. So watch this space and stay tuned! Meanwhile, let us know if you’re going and tell us which film you’re excited about in the comment section below!