AND THE RED CARPET WINNER IS?

Beautiful clothes on beautiful people. The 2013 AACTA Awards was a bit of fun I thought I was going to miss, with all the flooding a few days before.

I had serious garment envy, but where would I don such dresses? Maybe I should fan around my computer in an Armani Privi and vintage jewellery while I'm script writing, it could be a real factor in breaking the rusty padlocks from the dank cells hidden in my writers imagination. I'm liking that idea and how glamorous I would feel, just as long as my cats and the dog I'm baby sitting don't require me to chase them around the garden, rub their furry cheeks and pick up poop while I'm brainstorming in my Givenchy stilettos.

"LAWLESS is rich with captivating performances and a sense of humour that balances out the seriously violent bits." ...Naomi Rossdeutscher

'Boardwalk Empire' has been fabulous for a while now, then there was 'Underbelly Razor,' soon we'll have Baz Luhrmann's version of 'The Great Gatsby' and recentlyI enjoyed 'Lawless' - the Prohibition era is really getting some heat and I wonder if that will help me get my Prohibition script produced? When researching the era there are things that beg to be in a script but the films are all varied and compelling in their own way. My script is full of music, mystery, romance and of course crime, you could say it's a dash of Gatsby, Boardwalk Empire and The Usual Suspects, but my lead character is a sassy female fighting for freedom and was inspired by Nina Simone's song 'I shall be released.' Maybe you'll get to see it soon... or maybe it will remain locked in the bottom drawer... we'll see.

LAWLESS

This American gangster story, based on the book "The Wettest County in the World" by Matt Bondurant, is a fictional account of his paternal grandfather Jack and grand-uncles Forrest and Howard's run for the American Dream during the Prohibition-era, in the mountains of Franklin County, Virginia.

In the beginning, the three bootlegging siblings, known as the infamous Bondurant brothers, are prospering until Franklin County's bootlegging is threatened by the arrival of a lethal and corrupt Special Deputy from Chicago (Guy Pearce), which leads to violent confrontations that escalate to a grand shootout, in true Western/Prohibition style.

There's violence and liquor, romance, comedy and beautiful cinematography. The on screen photography reminded me of a scene in another film of this genre, 'Bonnie and Clyde' and many archival photographs of the time.

Photo: Richard Foreman, Jr. SMPSP © 2012 The Weinstein Company. All Rights Reserved

It was a beautiful experience watching MONSIEUR LAZHAR, a sensitive film, full of insight and compassion ...Naomi Rossdeutscher

MONSIEUR LAZHAR

MONSIEUR LAZHAR, set in Montreal, is a perceptive and humorous film about a concerned Algerian immigrant, Bachir Lazhar, who steps in to teach a class of young school children struggling with a recent tragedy in their classroom. The humble Lazhar manages to inspire the children, while experiencing cultural differences and his own private grief and uncertainty.

This beautiful film lead by Mohamed Fellag's subtle performance, is a crowd pleaser that left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside, as well as informed, & lingered in my thoughts long after viewing.

I was blown away by this gritty and intense French film ...Naomi Rossdeutscher

What an extraordinary film POLISSE is, a must see in my book and one of my favourite films screened at the Sydney Film Festival. Now I want to see more of Maïwenn's films

POLISSE

'NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN is a raunchy, Aussie rom-com, well suited for the youth of today and great fun to watch, I highly recommend it' ... Naomi Rossdeutscher

'Mikkel Boe Folsgaad is riveting playing the mad King, the detailed story is engrossing and I'm left wondering what Frederik, the Crown Prince thinks' ...Naomi Rossdeutscher

"I enjoyed every minute of this Romantic comedy" ... Naomi