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Aquarius
Fri
25
Fri 25 Oct 5:00 PM
Palace Nova Eastend: ExiMax
General Admission
82 Mins | 2024 | Australia | Director: Wendy Champagne | Documentary | Feature | Feature Documentary Competition | World Documentary | Guest in attendance
A revelatory chronicle of the 1973 Aquarius Festival in Nimbin, which changed Australia forever.
Aquarius is an enthralling documentary directed by Wendy Champagne, chronicling the transformative Nimbin Aquarius Festival of 1973. This festival left an indelible mark on participants and established Nimbin as a global countercultural hub.
Around 10,000 individuals, including students, artists, and activists, converged on Nimbin for a 10-day festival. They lived, created, and explored new social paradigms together, despite resistance from locals and interference from law enforcement. The festival ignited enduring activism that continues to influence First Nations rights, women's issues, and environmental movements in Australia.
Champagne’s documentary is crafted from 95% archival footage, much newly unearthed. She collaborated with groups including Bush Video Archive, Aquarius Filmmakers Collective, Anthony Lupi Archive, and the University of NSW Architecture Students Project, to assemble a compelling narrative. Interviews with festival participants and organisers provide vivid, first-hand accounts.
Aquarius is a poignant celebration of collective action. It’s a must-see for anyone interested in transformative grassroots movements and the vibrant history of counterculture.
Aquarius is an enthralling documentary directed by Wendy Champagne, chronicling the transformative Nimbin Aquarius Festival of 1973. This festival left an indelible mark on participants and established Nimbin as a global countercultural hub.
Around 10,000 individuals, including students, artists, and activists, converged on Nimbin for a 10-day festival. They lived, created, and explored new social paradigms together, despite resistance from locals and interference from law enforcement. The festival ignited enduring activism that continues to influence First Nations rights, women's issues, and environmental movements in Australia.
Champagne’s documentary is crafted from 95% archival footage, much newly unearthed. She collaborated with groups including Bush Video Archive, Aquarius Filmmakers Collective, Anthony Lupi Archive, and the University of NSW Architecture Students Project, to assemble a compelling narrative. Interviews with festival participants and organisers provide vivid, first-hand accounts.
Aquarius is a poignant celebration of collective action. It’s a must-see for anyone interested in transformative grassroots movements and the vibrant history of counterculture.
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