News

One of Australia’s most popular podcasts, The Imperfects, is back for Season 7, with new episodes dropping from 10 February via its new home, LiSTNR.

Season 7 of The Imperfects will kick off with legendary Australian surfer, Mick Fanning, sitting down to chat vulnerably about mental health, loss, grief, connection and resilience with hosts Hugh van Cuylenburg, Ryan Shelton and Josh van Cuylenburg.

Fanning has experienced soaring highs and crushing lows both in his time as a professional surfer and in his life away from the public eye. He has lost all three of his brothers in separate tragic incidents, and in 2015 was catapulted to global attention when he had an encounter with a great white shark while competing in a surfing competition in South Africa. While the incident cemented Fanning as 'legendary' in many people's minds, he admits on the podcast the heaviness he felt in its aftermath and the ongoing...

Organised by Sos (Save Our Selves), Live Earth is a series of concerts set to take place around the world on July 7th, 2007 to engage people on a mass scale to combat our climate crisis.

Concerts will include performances by more than 150 of the world’s top musicians performing at various venues around the world.

Venues and musicians include:

Sydney, Australia:

Blue King Brown Crowded House Eskimo Joe Ghostwriters Jack Johnson John Butler Trio Missy Higgins Paul Kelly Sneaky Sound System Toni Collette and The Finish Wolfmother

Shanghai, China:

12 Girls Band Anthony Wong Eason Chan Evonne Hsu Huang Xiao Ming Joey Sarah Brightman Soler Winnie Shin

Hamburg, Germany:

Chris Cornell Jan Delay Juli Katie Melua Lotto King Karl Mana Mando Diao Michael Mittermeier Reamonn Roger Cicero Sasha Silbermond Snoop Dogg Shakira Enrique Iglesias

Tokyo, Japan

AI Abingdon Boys School Ai Otsuka Ayaka Bonnie Pink Cocco Genki Rockets Kumi Koda Linkin...

Ellie and Abbie star Zoe Terakes has made history ahead of this year’s Aacta Awards, becoming the first non-binary Australian actor in consideration for Best Lead Actor in a Feature Film.

Terakes enters the category for their role as Abbie, the love interest of Year 12 student and school captain Ellie (Sophie Hawkshaw) in Monica Zanetti’s romantic comedy. The film premiered at the Mardi Gras Film Festival in 2020 as the first Australian film in 27 years to open the festival and received a national theatrical release on November 19, 2020

In a group statement, Aacta said while there had been other non-binary entrants and nominees in the past, Terakes was the first non-binary actor to have engaged them in conversation and exercised their right to choose which award suited them.

The organisation also believes they are the first person to enter a gendered award for a role portraying a different gender character.

In eight-part ABC factual series Back To Nature, hosts Aaron Pedersen and bestselling author Holly Ringland will guide viewers through the wonder and awe of the Australian landscape, exploring stories that reconnect the audience with the natural world and with Country.

Premiering on Tuesday August 10 at 8pm, in each episode Holly and Aaron visit a new Australian location, each within easy reach of a city or town. This series isn’t about travelling to exotic, faraway places, but about seeing the local and accessible with fresh eyes and deeper appreciation. Along the way, the hosts meet people connected to the landscapes. A few are well known, like John Williamson, Missy Higgins, and Poh Ling Yeow, however many have ancestral connections with the country stretching back tens of thousands of years.

Back to Nature is a Media Stockade and Threshold Pictures production, with Rebecca Barry and Madeleine Hetherton producing with Jane Manning series producer.

A new documentary featuring some of Australia’s most prominent musicians is being used to show the sense of community among asylum seekers ahead of Refugee Week.

John and Lizzi Swatland’s Scattered People follows Mas and Saha, two young Iranian asylum seeker musicians, as they navigate a new world of immigration detention.

Forced to flee their homes for the crime of making music, they are isolated from everything known and familiar. In immigration detention, the pair discover the Scattered People band, and through a shared love of music, once again find hope, community and a way to be heard.

Led by founder, Brian Procopis, with members including Gang Gajang’s Robbie James, the Scattered People band not only perform for but incorporate refugees – including Mas and Saha, in writing, performing, and recording songs.

The film features interviews with interviews with musicians including Missy Higgins, John Butler, Dan Sultan, Archie Roach,...

Comedian, author and Archibald Finalist Anh Do returns to the ABC for season six of Anh’s Brush with Fame, premiering on March 30 at 8.00pm on ABC and ABC iview.

This series will see Do paint and interview Jamie Durie, Dr Harry Cooper, Missy Higgins, Kate Ritchie, Peter Garrett, former Justice of the High Court, Michael Kirby and Gai Waterhouse.

Anh’s Brush With Fame is a Screentime production.

The post ‘Anh’s Brush With Fame’ (Season 6 Trailer) appeared first on If Magazine.

Just in time for the Australian Open — the first Grand Slam event of the tennis season — streaming service Pandora has released a list of the most “thumbed up” songs by Australian artists on its platform. The new data is part of a collaboration between Pandora and the Tennis Channel, timed to the start of the Australian Open tournament, which runs from February 8th to February 21st.

Gotye and Kimbra’s 2011 mega-hit, “Somebody That I Used To Know,” tops Pandora’s list, followed by Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” (featuring Charli Xcx), and AC/DC’s classic,...

Antony Partos at last year’s Screen Music Awards.

Antony Partos leads the nominees for the upcoming Screen Music Awards, staged by Apra Amcos and the Australian Guild of Screen Composers (Agcs).

Partos, the Agcs president, is among 46 nominees across 12 categories, with 36 projects recognised across shorts, TV, advertising, features and soundtrack albums.

Given Covid, this year the awards will be held online, streaming via YouTube on December 1 from 7pm Aedt. Justine Clarke will preside over hosting duties.

Partos has earned two nods for his work on Operation Buffalo, including Best Television Theme and Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie. He’s also up for two more awards: Best Music for Documentary for Maralinga Tjarutja and Best Original Song Composed for the Screen for Total Control’s ‘Edge of Something’, with co-writers Missy Higgins and Matteo Zingales.

Melbourne screen composer and music producer Cornel Wilczek has scored three nominations, including...

‘After We Collided.’

Five new mainstream titles entered the market last weekend – but none could beat the third frame of Warner Bros’ Tenet, which is benefiting from repeat business.

Product-starved exhibitors welcomed the influx and were pleasantly surprised by the turnout for Roadshow’s After We Collided but disappointed with Madman Entertainment’s Bill & Ted Face the Music.

A home entertainment release in the US, Paramount’s Paw Patrol: Jet to the Rescue drew a reasonable number of kids and families while fans of Korean boy band BTS flocked to Trafalgar Releasing’s Break the Silence: The Movie.

Released by Universal, Slim & I, Kriv Stenders’ biopic on country music star Joy McKean and her determination to be recognised as a performer and songwriter in her own right, resonated in regional locations.

Numero reported the top 20 titles generated $4.2 million, nearly 30 per cent up on the previous frame. “We have what I...

On Tuesday, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continued their royal tour of Australia with a reception hosted by the Governor-General at Admiralty House in Sydney. During the event, Meghan and Harry met a number of influential Australians, including singer Missy Higgins and her husband, playwright and comedian Dan Lee, plus a very special guest: the couple's baby daughter, Luna. Though Meghan's had many cute interactions with kids over the years, this was the first time we'd seen her interacting with a baby since hearing the exciting news of her own pregnancy. Meghan smiled warmly at the sleeping baby, as she shook hands with her parents. Missy later shared some photos of the encounter on Instagram, saying, "I said I felt sorry for her having to do all these meet-and-greets while 4 months pregnant!" She also shared a sweet story about Prince Harry, revealing that "he squeezed Luna's legs and said 'who's this little cutie?...

The Studio, Sydney Opera House

Missy Higgins’s voice provides a crucial, beautiful lifeline to the folk and soul informing the show’s gospel-driven score

The opening night of Miracle City at the Sydney Opera House is a moment more than 20 years in the making.

The chamber musical, by a pre-Boy From Oz Nick Enright and composer Max Lambert, has always been a jewel of a piece. Set in Johnson County Tennessee, evangelists Ricky and Lora Lee Truswell (inspired by Jimmy and Tammy Faye Bakker) are hosting another episode of their morning TV ministry: Ministry of Miracles.

Continue reading...

Here in L.A., it can sometimes feel like the fall season is really more like spring. New things are born...like TV shows making their fall debuts! Shake off the summertime sadness and celebrate the dawning of a new season and another chance to immerse yourself in all this town has to offer. Now is the perfect time to reawaken your inspiration and remind yourself why you love this place. See a world-premiere play.Give yourself a taste of the glamorous Hollywood life of your future when you attend the final preview performance of the Australian Theatre Company’s new comedy “Grey Nomad” (September 10). Included in the ticket price is food, champagne, and, best of all, a chance to win a trip to Australia valued at over $8,000. Stay afterward for a special concert performance by Aussie vocalist Missy Higgins. (Tickets: $100) Preview the fall premieres of your favorite TV shows.

This year, Australia.s longest running children.s series, Play School, celebrates 50 years on air. To mark the occasion, ABC Kids has enlisted some famous faces to join with Big Ted and Humpty Dumpty to host a special series. Entitled Play School Celebrity Covers, the mini-episodes will feature a lineup of popular Australian personalities, actors and musicians turning their hand to being a Play School presenter, either performing a song or reading a story. Daily episodes will air from July 4 on ABC Kids, as well as on iview. Featuring in Play School Celebrity Covers are: Adam Goodes, Annabel Crabb with Leigh Sales, Architecture in Helsinki, Benita Collings with Don Spencer, Bernard Fanning, Carrie Bickmore, Costa Georgiadis, Dami Im, Dan Sultan, Delta Goodrem, Emma Wiggle, Guy Sebastian, Hamish and Andy, Jeremy Fernandez, John Hamblin, Josh Thomas, Kate Ceberano with her daughter Gypsy, Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan, Kurt Fearnley with Rachael Coopes,...

St Kilda Film Festival.

The St Kilda Film Festival has revealed its 2016 lineup with films including Perry, Whoever was Using This Bed and Young Labor leading the pack.

The Festival will kick off at the Palais Theatre with about 3,000 industry guests and film-lovers on the red carpet to sample a selection of the best shorts from the 2016 program..

For the second year, the St Kilda Town Hall will be transformed into a cinema to host Australia.s top 100 short films, music videos, archival footage, international programs, youth screenings and an extensive filmmaker development program.

Festival Director Paul Harris said he was delighted to announce a world-class line up of short films created by some of Australia.s most talented filmmakers..

Highlights from Australia.s Top 100 short film program include the world premiere of the Matt Day directed, Perry, starring Toby Schmitz, Ryan Johnson, Adrienne Pickering.

Perry tells the story of...

Michael Gudinski.s Mushroom group is re-activating its theatrical distribution arm, kicking off with the documentaries Unity and Heaven Adores Us.

Writer-director Shaun Monsoon.s Unity explores the themes of love, tragedy and hope as it examines humanity.s impact on the world.

The cast of 100 narrators includes Ellen DeGeneres, Geoffrey Rush, Jennifer Aniston, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Spacey, Helen Mirren, Amanda Seyfried, Rose Byrne, Minnie Driver, Missy Higgins, Moby, Olivia Wilde, Phil Donahue, Portia de Rossi and Susan Sarandon.

Mushroom Distribution has booked 21 cinemas and the limited season begins on August 12 in a simultaneous worldwide release.

The venues include the Jam Factory, Cinema Nova and Rivoli in Melbourne; Event Cinemas George Street, Palace Cinemas Leichardt and the Chauvel in Sydney; Palace Centro in Brisbane; Palace East End in Adelaide; and Cinema Paradiso in Perth. A New Zealand season will follow.

Mushroom.s Kate Gudinski decided to buy the rights for...

Featuring an unprecedented cast of 100 celebrity narrators, the timely documentary Unity will be distributed by SpectiCast in select theatres worldwide beginning August 12.

Written and directed by Shaun Monson (Earthlings), produced by Melissa Danis and Monson, the film explores the interconnectivity of all life on Earth and our responsibility to do better. A production of Monson’s Nation Earth, Unity will is expected to premiere on 1000-1200+ screens across the globe. SpectiCast has partnered with Fathom Events for the domestic release on select U.S. screens. Tickets and more information including participating theatre locations and global distribution partners coming soon.

Seven years in the making, Unity explores humanity’s impact on the world and our opportunity for transformation. Presented in chapters, Unity takes an in-depth look at what it means to be human, exploring themes of love, tragedy and, ultimately, hope. Coupled with stunning cinematography, Unity is a singular and unforgettable cinematic experience.

The longlist for the Best Song category in the Oscars has been announced – so what should make the cut?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the longlist of songs for its Best Original Song Oscar in 2014, ahead of the nominations for the shortlist on January 14.

The list features 75 songs written for movies over the last year, with artists including Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, U2, Coldplay, Kings Of Leon, Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and M83 all making the grade. Pharrell is included for his hit Happy, currently in the top 5 of the UK charts, which appears in Despicable Me 2, and other animated films make up a large proportion of those selected: Epic, Turbo, The Croods, Planes, Escape From Planet Earth and Monsters University all also get a mention.

The Great Gatsby, with its bold and incongruous soundtrack of modern musicians, gets five mentions for songs by Jay Z,...

In this roundup from the Encore and Mumbrella Annual, we look at the best radio stunts of the last 12 months.

1. Nova Sydney, Dangi

Nova’s Fitzy and Wippa brought the world’s smallest person, Nepal’s Chandra Bahadur Dangi, to Australia.

The house the Melbourne built

Partnering with property group Lend Lease and building development company Burbank, Mix101.1’s Jane and Chrissie gave away a house valued at $450,000.

3. Triple M Drive Time, Nullabor Nymph

The Nullarbor Nymph, directed by Matthew J Wilkinson, was destined for the Back-of-Bourke Film Festival (not a real festival) when Triple M’s Merrick and the Highway Patrol intervened to give the B-grade flick a sell-out red carpet premiere.

4. Nova Brisbane, Ash The Musical

Ash Bradnam: The Musical came about when the Nova presenter turned 40 and didn’t want anyone to ‘make a song and dance about it’. The show involved song parodies by the Nova team.

Tags: Morning BrewMissy HigginsButterfly BoucherPerson of InterestTegan and SaraSara RamirezRuby RoseEllen DeGeneresThe DallowayIMDbSharon Leal

Good morning!

Tegan and Sara have released a trailer for their upcoming album, Heartthrob.

Last night Out magazine had a party for their Out 100 and there were a few lesbians in attendance. More went to the after-party at the Dalloway.

Kim Stolz

Photos by Slaven Vlasic/Getty

Kara Laricks

Missy Higgins won for Best Female Artist at the Aria Awards in Australia. She attended with bandmate/producer Butterfly Boucher and played a song from their album, The Old Razzle Dazzle.

Photos by Chris McKay

Speaking of Aussies, Ruby Rose has released her first single, "Guilty Pleasure." Unfortunately you can only watch the video if you live in Australia.

June Thomas at Slate wrote about why she doesn't want to get married. I agree with her on most things but on this one we'll just have to agree to disagree!

The nominations for this year's Aria Awards have been revealed. Following his nomination in a record seven categories last year, Gotye is given the nod in five categories ahead of the annual Australian music industry awards ceremony. The musician will go head-to-head with Kimbra, his collaborator on international hit 'Somebody That I Used To Know', for the 'Best Pop Release' award. However, it is Melbourne rapper 360 who leads the way, with nods in half a dozen categories. Other multiple nominees include Australian Music Prize winners The Jezabels, who are in contention for five awards. Hilltop Hoods and jazz/blues singer-songwriter Lanie Lane are nominated in four categories each, while Missy Higgins, Guy Sebastian, The Temper Trap, Jessica Mauboy and Cold Chisel are among (more)...

fun. have topped the Aria singles chart with 'Some Nights'. The track, which marks the band's second Australian number one after 'We Are Young' earlier this year, knocks Pink's 'Blow Me (One Last Kiss)' down to two, while Rudimental's 'Feel The Love' completes the top three. Meanwhile, Maroon 5's 'Feel The Love' vaults 21 to four, Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Good Time' leaps 11 to six, and Flo Rida's 'Whistle' completes the top ten. Further down the chart, Missy Higgins jumps 31 to 11 with 'Everyone's Waiting', B.o.B and Taylor Swift's 'Both Of Us' climbs 26 to 14, and Train bound 33 to 16 with '50 Ways To Say Goodbye'. Florence + the Machine's 'Spectrum' debuts at 30, Pitbull (more)...

Rewind courtesy of NBC as Ben Stiller talked with Jay about movies he used to make as a child and getting his father, Jerry Stiller, to be in them. Later, Stiller talks about his home in Hawaii and his new movie, .The Watch.. Rose Byrne talks about some of her celebrity sightings including the biggest one she has ever had and her show .Damages.. Missy Higgins performs. Jay Leno.S Monologue Highlights Friday, July 20, 2012 Before We Begin Tonight.What Happened Last Night In Colorado, I Think Is On Everybody.S Mind, Our Thoughts And Prayers Go Out To The Families And Friends Of Those. But What We Try To Do Here Every Night Is To End Your...

Pink has stormed to the top of the Aria singles chart with 'Blow Me (One Last Kiss)'. The track marks her sixth chart-topper in the country, fending off competition from fun., who hold at two with 'Some Nights'. Meanwhile, Rudimental jump from six to three with 'Feel The Love, Justice Crew vault 24 to five with 'Boom Boom' and Gym Class Heroes' 'The Fighter' completes the top ten. Further down the chart, Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Good Time' climbs 15 to 11, Outasight's 'Tonight in the Night' re-enters at 18 and Maroon 5 debut at 21 with 'One More Night'. B.o.B and Taylor Swift's 'Both of Us' lifts from 36 to 26, Missy Higgins's 'Everyone's Waiting' starts (more)...

Lennon and Maisy Stella first shot into internet superstardom when their a cappella cover of Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend" -- performed in the style of Swedish a cappella group Erato -- went viral in June. It even landed the Stella sisters a spot on ABC's new fall show "Nashville," starring Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere.

Now the internet's most famous preteens have released yet another cover. This time Lennon, 12, and Maisy, 8, took on British songstress Imogen Heap's "Headlock."

Once again, big sister Lennon is the main vocalist, while little sister Maisy provides the harmonies. To put that into perspective: even adult singers struggle with harmonies, so the fact that an 8-year-old has mastered them is pretty impressive. You can also check out Maisy’s rendition of Missy Higgins’s “Secret" if you need an example of this little girl's big voice.

To watch more of Lennon and Maisy's covers,...

Australian singer also prepping U.S. tour and re-release of his 2006 album.

By Gil Kaufman

Gotye

Photo: Eleven

Gotye has scored the longest-running #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Somebody That I Used To Know." So if one hit is good, 10 must be better, right? That seems to be the logic behind the upcoming release of a "Somebody" remix album, which, according to The Hollywood Reporter, is scheduled to drop on iTunes June 8 and feature reworkings of the song by Adrock, Tiesto, Gang of Colours, Bibio, M-Phazes, Faux Pas, 4Frnt, Sneaker Fox, Dan Aux and Miami Nights 1984.

"Somebody" just marked its seventh week at #1, passing the year's other inescapable single, fun.'s "We Are Young," which held the top spot for six weeks. And if you're psyched about that Gotye bounty, you'll be even more excited to hear that the singer's Australia-only 2006 sophomore album, Like Drawing Blood, will get re-released in the U.

Missy Higgins has revealed that she thought everyone would forget about her during her music hiatus. The Australian singer, who is best known for songs such as 'Scar' and 'The Special Two', quit the music industry three years ago after becoming homesick and tired while touring the Us. Higgins later went to university to study indigenous studies and carried out some activism and volunteer work, but said that she lost her passion for songwriting. However, she said that performing at the Lilith Fair in America 18 months ago triggered her inspiration and made her want to stage a musical comeback. She told The Daily Telegraph: (more)...

Australian musicians including Missy Higgins and Jimmy Barnes have launched a campaign to help people who have hit hard times. A series of online adverts will be published on YouTube this week to raise awareness of Support Act, a charity that aims to help artists who have medical or financial problems. Other musicians taking part in the campaign include John Butler, The Living End frontman Chris Cheney, Ricki-Lee Coulter, Shannon Noll, Kate Miller-Heidke and James Reyne. Support Act ambassador Josh Pyke told (more)...

Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder? In "Brand New Day", an aboriginal youth goes on the run from a fate in the seminary, and while I'm not an expert on all things Australian, it's entirely possible the road trip that ensues occurred on a hippie trail with a head full of zombie. He does meet a strange lady, granted it's Missy Higgins, and she did make him kind of nervous and at one point she does cook him breakfast. It's like the film was intentionally reenacting Men at Work's "Land Down Under". It's weird. If you're wondering, yeah, the rest of the verses also apply to film, except the third one, because the story never extends to Bombay. 2 out of 3 ain't bad, and for an independently produced musical, it's rather enjoyable.

Admit it, you're curious to see "Land Down Under" play out on the screen with Missy Higgins and Geoffrey Rush.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Dia Frampton first won me over with her original rendition of Kanye’s ‘Heartless’ and she continues to amaze me with her covers of Adele, Zac Brown Band and many others!

I have to confess something. I miss Dia Frampton. It’s only been a few days since The Voice ended but I’m already wishing her first solo album was available and listening to “Inventing Shadows” on repeat. To tide me over until she’s done recording it (get on that, Dia!) I decided to compile my favorite YouTube covers she’s done of various artists like Taylor Swift, Adele, Rascal Flatts and more!

Dia takes to her guitar and her piano in these homemade videos that are simple but touching. Her pure and distinguishable voice is the driving force behind her songs, her vocal chords need no editing. The videos were...

Bran Nue Dae, directed by Rachel Perkins and written by Ms. Perkins, Mr. Chi and Reg Cribb, follows the rebellious odyssey of Willie (Rocky McKenzie), a goody-goody Aboriginal teenager who runs away from the Catholic boarding school in Perth where he is the pet student of its insufferably paternalistic priest, Father Benedictus (a silly Geoffrey Rush).

Once Willie flees, Bran Nue Dae turns into a singing and dancing road movie whose Oz-like destination is his hometown of Broome, 3,000 miles away in western Australia. Father Benedictus, who gives chase in his Mercedes, suffers sundry comic humiliations while on the road. To reach Broome, Willie teams up with Annie (Missy Higgins) and Slippery (Tom Budge), a hippie couple in a van winding their way through the Australian outback.

Accompanying them is Uncle Tadpole (Ernie Dingo), a free-spirited old drunk whom Willie meets at a homeless camp. Tadpole might be described as the story.s tipsy,...

"Bran Nue Dae" starring Geoffrey Rush, will be distributed on U.S. soil via Freestyle Releasing. The Australian musical will see a platform release in September and then followed by a nationwide rollout. Film is based on a successful Australian stage musical and helmed by Rachel Perkins ("One Night the Moon"). The story follows the romantic adventures of a young Aboriginal couple. Also starring are Jessica Mauboy (2008 "Australian Idol" winner), Magda Szubanski, Rocky Mackenzie and Missy Higgins. Musical is a hit in Australia and premiered in the U.S. at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Perkins and Reg Cribb co-wrote. Music is by Jimmy Chi, Kuckles, Patrick Suttoo Bin Amat, Michael Manolis Mavromatis and Stephen Pigram. Robyn Kershaw produced.

Freestyle Releasing will distribute the Australian musical "Bran Nue Dae," starring Geoffrey Rush, in the U.S. It will begin with a platform release in September, followed by a nationwide rollout.

Its marketing will be overseen by Cinemarket's Peter D. Graves in conjunction with specialized film veteran Steven Raphael's Required Viewing.

Based on a successful Australian stage musical, the movie, directed by Rachel Perkins, revolves around the romantic adventures of a young Aboriginal couple.

Along with Rush, it stars Jessica Mauboy (winner of the 2008 edition of "Australian Idol"), Rocky Mackenzie, Magda Szubanski and singer-songwriter Missy Higgins.

A hit at the Australian boxoffice, the indigenous musical has grossed more than $7.5 million. It had its U.S. premiere at January's Sundance Film Festival.

Financed by Omnilab Media, "Dae" was co-written by Perkins and Reg Cribb and features music by Jimmy Chi, Kuckles, Patrick Suttoo Bin Amat, Michael Manolis Mavromatis and Stephen Pigram.

The stars of the musical The Sapphires, Christine Anu, Casey Donovan, Hollie Andrew and Kylie Farmer, could be the leads of the upcoming film adaptation.

“All options are to be considered – both known actors and those completely unknown, hence the open cast call,” producer Rosemary Blight told Encore.

The producers recently announced a nationwide casting process (www.sapphiresopencall.com), looking for four Indigenous women (aged 16-28) to play the lead roles.

The success of Bran Nue Dae (with performances by singers Jessica Mauboy and Missy Higgins) is an indication that there is a market for fresh, Indigenous-themed musicals.

“Bran Nue Dae, along with other films such as Mao’s Last Dancer, showed that Australians will embrace stories that have heart and soul and leave them filling emotionally fulfilled,” said Blight.

The Sapphires is based on a true story, that of the singing McCrae sisters – ‘Australia’s answer to The Supremes...

Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair concert tour has been finalized, with artists such as Selena Gomez, Rihanna, Sheryl Crow, Erykah Badu, Kelly Clarkson and Missy Higgins joining the bill at selected shows.

The tour will raise funds for women’s charities in each city it visits, and organizers have launched Choose Your Charity on Facebook to help decide the beneficiaries. According to the organizers: "By becoming a fan of the Lilith Facebook page, users can participate in the Lilith-Involver Choose Your Charity campaign, where they’ll have the chance to vote on the pre-selected local women’s charities in their cities.

“The first round of voting goes until 11:59 Pm Pst on Monday, May 3, 2010. At that time, the top five charities from each city will move on to a second round of voting beginning at 10:00 Am Pst on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 and ending at 11:59 Pm Pst on May 31, 2010. The Lilith founders—Sarah McLachlan,...

Bran Nue Dae is an over-the-top musical based on the late 1980s Australian play of the same name, about an Aboriginal boy who defies his original destiny and travels across the continent to get back home.

Featuring bisexual singer-songwriter Missy Higgins in a supporting role (and one of the film’s chief singers), it’s a fun, colorful romp through fresh territory.

We follow our title character Willie (Rocky McKenzie) as he hangs out in the tiny town of Broome. He’s a dreamer and a doer, a serious young guy who spends much of his time at boarding school in faraway Perth, where he’s studying to be a priest. He pines for the prettiest girl in town, Rosie (Jessica Mauboy, an Australian Idol runner-up), who herself is pursuing a musical career.

Once at boarding school, Willie lives under the thumb of Father Benedictus (Geoffrey Rush, in what may...

I suspect that I'm like many people who don't live in Australia in that, well, I don't know very much about Australia. Or rather, I didn't until recently, until I traveled there to visit some long-lost family for most of January. Once I got there, and got settled in, I can say without hyperbole that I absolutely didn't want to leave. Australia fascinated me more than any place I've ever been (admittedly through a tourist's rosy glasses) -- the people are all fit, handsome, and friendly as hell, the food is fantastic and the beer tasty, the beaches will stop you in your tracks with their beauty, the weather is perfect, public transportation (at least in Sydney and Melbourne, where I was) is a breeze, and everyone seems genuinely happy. After two weeks, I wanted everyone I know to move there. Seriously, all of you (except for the jackasses) ... let's move to Australia.

Country music icon Loretta Lynn and rock icons Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart have joined the growing list of performers hitting the road as part of the 2010 Lilith tour line-up. The summer music festival will also feature Norah Jones, Cat Power, Sia, Gossip, La Roux, Beth Orton, Ceci Bastida, Erin McCarley, Frazey Ford, Julia Othmer, Kate Nash, Lights, Missy Higgins, Lissie, Marina & The Diamonds, Priscilla Renea, Rosie Thomas, Melissa McClelland, Toby Lightman and Elizaveta. Tour organizers are expected to add more names to the festival in the coming weeks. The tour has also expanded to 15 more cities and will now feature stops in Edmonton, San Diego, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Detroit, Hartford,...

The eleventh and last part (W-z) of my extensive 2010 preview guide I'm still at work on and should be hitting the site either Tuesday or Wednesday. Before that though it is time to plug a few holes.

With release dates always in flux, there is no true definitive list of films opening this year as the number of titles change day-by-day and many aren't really locked in yet. As a result, there's definitely been some guesswork assembling this list, albeit carefully considered and researched to try and fit in what will come out, what's important enough, and what can be reasonably done.

However, there are always titles that slip through the cracks. Thankfully some ever vigilant readers have been keeping an eye out and sent in some suggestions of key projects I've missed. Not everything can be included of course, otherwise this list would take forever, but there are fourteen...

Leading the Aussie's sunlit march to Sundance 2010 is an underworld criminal thug, Jessica Mauboy and Missy Higgins making their acting debuts and a persistent swarm of cane toads. The light is shining brightly on these three feature-length films - Animal Kingdom, Bran Nue Dae and Cane Toads: The Conquest - in the build up to the influential Us film festival in late January.   Also, in contention to take out one of the many awards are three Australian shorts - Glottal Opera, My Rabit Hoppy and Young Love.   But Australia's involvement doesn't stop here! Joining the march later this month will be actor Michael Piccirilli.

Jessica Mauboy has revealed that she was nervous before filming a recent kissing scene. The singer, who stars in musical comedy Bran Nue Dae with fellow Aussie stars such as Geoffrey Rush, Missy Higgins and Magda Szubanski, said that she initially was not sure if she could handle the role. Mauboy told The Daily Telegraph: "I was like, 'Ahhh, you know I've done no acting in my life'. I was very nervous, especially with a couple of scenes I didn't know I was going to do, like the kissing scene. (more)...

Michelle Boyaner and Barbara Green (the real life couple behind Greenie Films) have made a documentary that, at first glance, may seem like a hard sell. A Finished Life: The Goodbye & No Regrets Tour, introduces audiences to Gregg Gour, a 48-year old gay man with AIDS who is given six months to live, then decides to end his life on his own terms.

Gour, HIV-positive for 24 years, gives away his belongings, buys an Rv, and travels across the United States with his dog to say goodbye to family and friends. He stops taking his medication, and he stops fighting death. Filmmakers Boyaner and Green accompany him and create a record of his journey, and the result is surprisingly life-affirming.

A Finished Life is a hit on the festival circuit, recently had a run on here! television, and this week was released on DVD by First Run Features. We caught up...

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In some fantastic news (Thanks for the tip, Jenni!), The Runaways has a premiere date at Sundance this year, which means that (hopefully) national distribution won't be far behind. The 2010 Sundance Film Festival runs January 21-31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, which isn't too far away, when you consider how long I've been waiting to see Kristen Stewart in action as Joan Jett.

Also making its debut at Sundance is Bran Nue Dae, a musical film starring bisexual musician Missy Higgins.

Liz Feldman made a guest appearance on The Today Show this morning as a "weather apprentice" and told the audience, "It looks like there's gonna be some sunshine, and the sun's gonna be wearing sunglasses!" She creeped out Al Roker by hugging him against his will ("It's like hugging a teddy bear that's lost all it's stuffing."). As Feldman herself said on the show, "Nailed it!"

In other lesbian/morning television news,...

Visibility Matters is a monthly-ish column by AfterEllen.com Founder Sarah Warn about larger trends affecting lesbian/bi women in entertainment and the media.

Visibility Matters: Entertaining the Future

Lesbian/bi visibility in entertainment today is a mass of contradictions. It's both better and worse than it was when I started writing about it more than seven years ago.

There are more lesbian talk show hosts than ever before on network TV, but still very few fictional lesbian characters on broadcast or cable TV.

We now have well-developed, prominent lesbian characters and superheroes in comics — from Willow to Batwoman — but even the most minor lesbian characters are missing from, or "straightened out" in, most studio theatrical releases. Sometimes an entire lesbian subculture is de-gayed, as demonstrated in Whip It.

Female musicians are coming out left and right as gay or bisexual, as we saw when Brandi Carlile finally confirmed last week that she's a lesbian,...

Hear the words "The Best Is Yet To Come" and a dapper Sinatra will likely flash across your mind, dressed to the nines in black coattails and topped with a hat, crooning those famous lyrics. Less likely to come to mind is Cy Coleman, the man behind this and many of the other songs that fill our collective consciousness. The composer and songwriter's life catalog amounts to over 2,000 songs, a number of which were popularized by the likes of Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole on the radio, and Lucille Ball on the Broadway stage. On Sept. 15, a new compilation of Coleman songs entitled (you guessed it) The Best Is Yet To Come will be released on New West Records. The record will include renditions of Coleman songs by 12 modern songstresses, including Nikka Costa, Missy Higgins, Madeleine Peyroux and Patty Griffin.

Missy Higgins has become the latest public figure who lends her celebrity status to support People for the Ethical Treatments of Animal (PETA), appearing in the organization's latest anti fur ad. "The only difference between your 'best friend' and animals killed for their fur is how we treat them. All animals suffer and feel pain. Please don't wear any fur or fur trim," read the tagline that accompanies her ad shot.

Supporting PETA's causes, in fact, isn't something new for Missy Higgins. A few years back, she appeared in its pro-vegetarian ad. At that time she was photographed holding a pig with both of her hands.

Missy's latest appearance on PETA's anti-fur ad puts her in line with the likes of big screen beauty Charlize Theron and "Friday Night Lights" star Aimee Teegarden, both of whom have spoken up for animals who are killed for their fur.

Fans of Gilmore Girls watched Alexis Bledel's Rory grow from a prep school teenager into a college co-ed.

Now Bledel will be showing up as a university graduate who's about to experience a "pre-life crisis" in her new film Post-Grad.

According to the MTV Movies Blog, Bledel plays Ryden Malby, a young woman who leaves college and "the slow process of finding a new life, a new job and new love."

The film also stars Jane Lynch and Carol Burnett, which means it should at least a little hilarious. I mean, come on — those two women alone are easily two of the funniest on film. Together, they can only create pure magic. Burnett plays a "grumpy grandma" and Lynch is her daughter-in-law — I'm already excited.

According to Wikipedia, bisexual musician Missy Higgins is rumored to be working on songs for the film's soundtrack, which would give the movie a...

Want to know the status of a particular movie, TV show, or band? Wondering what a certain actress is up to these days? Want to know if someone is openly gay? (We won't out anyone, but we'll let you know what they've said publicly.) Send your entertainment-related questions to [email protected] — with your first name, city and country — and we'll try to answer as many as we can.

Question: Is [actress] Clea DuVall a lesbian or has she ever come out and said anything about her sexuality?

— Melissa, Syracuse, New York

Clea DuVall

Answer: The 31-year old actress has never publicly stated her sexual orientation.

She is a favorite among lesbian viewers for her work in several films by out director Jamie Babbit, including But I'm A Cheerleader (1999), Sleeping Beauties (a short film starring Radha Mitchell, of High Art fame), Itty Bitty Titty Committee (2007), and her role in the HBO film,...

In our annual Visibility Awards, we formally recognize the people who have positively or negatively impacted lesbian and bi visibility in American entertainment during the year. (See previous years here: 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004).

From Best Movie to Worst Song to Lesbian/Bi Woman of the Year, these awards recognize the television shows, movies, music, books and people who entertained, inspired, or disappointed us in 2008.

In previous years, the winners have been editorially chosen by the AfterEllen.com staff (note: winners do not necessarily represent any individual staff member's preference). This year, we opened up some of the categories for nominations, posted the finalists, and thousands of you voted. We've designated those categories with this symbol:

We've also included more international people, shows and movies this year, a reflection of the increasing awareness of lesbian and bisexual visibility around the world made possible by the internet.

Now on to the best and worst of...

On one charming night in Boulder, with Ray Lamontagne as her biggest threat, this saucy Aussie wins by a nose.

Missy Higgins knew what she was up against. Her own opening act, Joshua Radin, nearly turned the estrogen-oozing audience into a Girls Gone Wild set by wooing them with only his voice and guitar as he walked into the middle of the throng to perform his set closer, the Bob Dylan classic “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All...

Geoffrey Rush has joined the cast of coming-of-age musical Bran Nue Dae, producers told The Hollywood Reporter. The Oscar-winning actor will play a missionary priest in the indigenous film, to be directed by Rachel Perkins. Rush will co-star with aboriginal actor Ernie Dingo and Australian musicians Missy Higgins and Dan Sultan. He described the comedy, which is set in the northwest Australian town of Broome, as a "kick-arse (more)...