OZ Film Files

In this episode, Steve and Kirsten Stevens discuss the early days of the Melbourne Film Festival, reflecting on its formative aims and challenges. They also consider the rise of virtual film festivals and unpack the industrial, cultural and organisational logics involved in running a contemporary film festival. Kirsten also names her favourite all time film festival!

Steve speaks with Melbourne film director and exhibitor Gus Berger about the logistics of literally building a cinema from the ground up. They unpack film curation versus programming, cultivating community beyond audiences, and discuss Gus’s superb documentary, Lost City of Melbourne.

In this episode, Steve talks with archivist and film historian Graham Shirley about his path from teenage film enthusiast to a leading figure in Australian film preservation and history. Graham reflects on his early research, studying at AFTRS, his work at the ABC, and major restoration and oral history projects at the National Film and Sound Archive, offering rich insights into Australia’s screen heritage.

Cerise Howard—film critic, curator, and long-time champion of Australian screen culture—reflects on her path through festivals, programming, and advocacy for diverse cinematic voices. With Steve, she discusses her curatorial philosophy, the importance of community, and the enduring significance of the Melbourne Cinémathèque.

Director and producer Maggie Miles talks to Steve Gaunson about her impressive filmography that includes producing films with Paul Cox and Robert Connolly, working with Jack Thompson and her recent shift into documentary direction including the 2025 release Journey Home, David Gulpilil.

Bill Mousoulis is an unsung legend of Australian independent cinema on many levels. Though many know him as an Greek-Australian independent filmmaker he is also the co-founder of several Australian film cultural institutions such as the Melbourne Super 8 Film Group (1985) and the online journal Senses of Cinema (1999). In this chat Bill also tells Steve why film co-ops remain crucial in building film collectives and why filmmakers are becoming too precious in holding their films back from public view.