MEDIA RELEASE
3 November 2022
STRONGER THAN FICTION DOCUMENTARY SERIES
CLOSES THE 2022 SEASON & ANNOUNCES 2023 FESTIVAL GAP YEAR.
Stronger than Fiction’s 2022 Documentary Series closes with an immersive, soothing, and sublimely beautiful visit to Yoyogi Central Park in Tokyo, Japan.
As Stronger than Fiction closes its 2022 series, it will also be saying farewell, and see you soon to its community and patrons. Festival Co-Directors, Deborah Kingsland and Hannah DeFeyter adapted the festival’s structure in 2022, responding to the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic brought. After experimenting with how to best get their curated documentaries to the Canberra community, Deb and Hannah will now take a festival gap year, as they research, and reflect on what the future of documentary film festivals could look like.
The two have chosen Yoyogi Haiku to close the 2022 series. A considered choice; perfect for Canberra’s first Spring in two years without a day of lockdown and its alignment with Stronger than Fiction’s values and vision.
“Many people have their ideas about what documentary is—shaped by mainstream broadcast or streaming series. Yoyogi Haiku challenges this—shaking up the art of documentary, while returning to the medium's historically fundamental practices. And this is what Stronger than Fiction is about, challenging the perception of documentary, presenting the innovative and the creative. We are thrilled to be returning to our most fundamental roots in our 2022 season’s closing night film, Yoyogi Haiku.
Estonian filmmaker Max Golomidov takes us on a meditative journey through the park, indulging the pure pleasures of both nature and people-watching. The result is a paradox: despite being a collection of simple shots of everyday actions, Yoyogi Haiku manages to be completely fresh and unexpected. The perfect confluence of light, time and space transforms ordinary human activity into poetry, helping us to find beauty and transcendence within the rush of our daily lives. It’s an exquisite, singular cinematic experience.
“We chose a special film for our season’s closing night special event. Yoyogi Haiku is sublime. It warms, and welcomes you. It is a film full of moments of serendipity - small things that delight. I smiled from start to finish,” shared Co-Director Deborah Kingsland.
Stronger than Fiction invites the Canberra community to celebrate the art of diverse, creative documentary at the festival's closing night and screening of Yoyogi Haiku. Stronger than Fiction invites all to join them for a closing night reception after the
screening on Sunday 20th November to celebrate the end of the 2022 series.
YOYOGI HAIKU Screenings
3pm Sunday 20th November
6.30pm Friday 25th November
Dendy Cinemas, Canberra Centre
TICKETS AVAILABLE here
PRESS PACK here
ABOUT STRONGER THAN FICTION DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
Since 2013, Stronger than Fiction has been screening the finest documentary cinema from around the world in Canberra, giving audiences unique insights into the lives of people from all corners of the globe. Often made over several years by passionate independent filmmakers,the films tell local stories that connect with national and international issues. These films are ‘Stronger Than Fiction’: the emotion, the suspense, the humour and the deep truths about human nature that we expect from great movies are all there, while staying factual. Engaging with these superbly crafted under-marketed gems, audiences have the chance to get behind the headlines and better understand the big stories of our time.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Deborah Kingsland, STF Co-Director
E: hi@strongerdocs.com
