MA15+ | 107 Mins | Cult Classics with Venus Mantrap | 1995 | DCP | US, UK, CAN | D: Gus Van Sant

Arc Cinema presents a series of irreverent Friday night filmic feasts, curated and hosted by drag artist and culture warrior Venus Mantrap.

Cult Classics with Venus Mantrap explores the archives to showcase cinema with bite: films that unnerve, push buttons, ask questions and just look good on the big screen! Gather your tribe of misfits and rowdy rebels and join Venus for edgy movies, fan favourites and hidden gems.

Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) is a weather reporter in the fictional town of Little Hope, with aspirations that bleed beyond the confines of her small-town existence. With her husband (Matt Dillon) standing in her way, she exploits three aimless adolescents (including Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck) to clear a path to success.

Winding up our ‘Warped Winter’ mini-series is Gus Van Sant’s darkly comic film that scrutinises America’s tabloid culture with a scathing satirical lens, whilst extracting one of Kidman’s best screen performances in a role she famously lobbied for.

“To Die For changed the Kidman conversation. Her performance was seen as a revelation of previously unknown talent.” – SBS

“To Die For is the kind of movie that’s merciless with its characters, and Kidman is superb at making Suzanne into someone who is not only stupid, vain and egomaniacal (we’ve seen that before) but also vulnerably human. She represents, on a large scale, feelings we have all had in smaller and sneakier ways. She simply lacks skill in concealing them.” – Roger Ebert

Includes pre-screening introduction and live performance by Venus Mantrap.

Images Courtesy of Park Circus/ITV Studios

The details
What: Screening of To Die For with introduction and live performance by Venus Mantrap
When: Fri 29 Aug 8:00 PM
Where: Arc Cinema, NFSA Acton
Cost: $18 Full / $14 Concession (+$1.50 booking fee) via the NFSA website

Accessibility
We believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience film. We provide specialised equipment for a range of accessibility needs. Arc Cinema is fully wheelchair accessible. For more information, call 02 6248 2000 or email tickets@nfsa.gov.au