Dedicated to screening rare & significant films in their original format.
Dedicated to screening rare & significant films in their original format.
The Melbourne Cinémathèque is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run film society.
The Melbourne Cinémathèque is a membership-based film society based in Melbourne, Australia.
We hold screenings at The Australian Centre for the Moving image every Wednesday night for most of the year.
This year many of our screenings are on Monday nights. Please check the program for details.
Admission is by membership, which can be obtained on a short-term or yearly basis.
We are a volunteer-run, not-for-profit organisation.
7:00pm SALADIN
Youssef Chahine (1963) 186 mins – Unclassified 15 +
Chahine’s epic depiction of the titular 12th-century Sultan begins with his armies’ conquest of Jerusalem to counter the persecution of Muslim pilgrims. The ensuing Third Crusade pits his forces against invading European Christians led by Richard the Lionheart. Often seen as an allegory of, or tribute to, Egypt’s heroic pan-Arabist President Gamal Abdel Nasser, an angle no doubt accentuated by the filmmakers to secure the co-operation of the Egyptian Government and military in the production of such a hugely expensive, widescreen spectacle. The film is remarkable for the way it captures the fervent, post-colonialist spirit of the times, an Arab world looking to counter then-prevalent Hollywood international historical blockbusters with an alternative narrative while emulating their grand, overblown style.
The Melbourne Cinémathèque started out as the Melbourne University Film Society (MUFS) in 1948 and changed its name to Cinémathèque in 1984.
The Melbourne Cinémathèque aims to present films in the medium they were created and as closely as possible to screen films the way they would have originally screened (i.e. big screen, celluloid prints, not video or DVD).
Programmes include a diverse selection of classic and contemporary films showcasing director retrospectives, special guest appearances and thematic series including archival material and new or restored prints.
We have on occasion hosted numerous seminars featuring renowned film scholars such as David Bordwell, Adrian Martin and Ian Christie. We are also dedicated to providing new annotations on the films we screen via the CTEQ annotations, hosted as a part of the quarterly online film journal Senses of Cinema.
The Melbourne Cinémathèque is self-administered and membership-driven relying on support from individuals, foundations, corporations and government funding to maintain its high standard of excellence. If you would like to be involved, or to offer donations or sponsorship, please contact us.
Presented by The Melbourne Cinémathèque with the Australian Centre for the Moving Image.
Curated by Michael Koller, Adrian Danks, Eloise Ross and Cerise Howard for the Melbourne Cinémathèque
Subtitling Logistics: Lorenzo Rosa
Music Synchronisation: Michael Koller
Supported by Film Victoria, RMIT University & The City of Melbourne Arts Grants Program.
For all the latest news including program changes follow us via Twitter & Facebook.
© The Melbourne Cinémathèque
ABN 59 987 473 440
Supported by Film Victoria, RMIT University & The City of Melbourne Arts Grants Program.