Films: Just Not Australian

Watch a curated selection of films that relate to the themes of the exhibition and the included works.

Members get more: enjoy reserved seating at this event.

Past films

Palazzo di Cozzo (2021)

Sunday 21 May

Join us for a special screening of Palazzo di Cozzo, a documentary film focused on the life and career of Melbourne furniture salesman and icon Franco Cozzo whose story is truly emblematic of Australia’s evolution into a more inclusive, multicultural society. Then check out Jon Campbell’s work inspired by the figure of Cozzo in the Just Not Australian exhibition.

Director: Madeleine Martiniello

Cast: Franco Cozzo, Assunta Cozzo, Gisella Cozzo

Genre: Documentary
Run time: 85 min
Rating: PG

Synopsis: Ageing patriarch, Franco Cozzo, holds court over an iconic furniture empire. A pioneer of low-fi television advertising, Franco’s tri-lingual catchphrase sparked a cult-of-personality as kitsch as his baroque bedheads. But his character is more than caricature. Franco’s journey from rural Sicily to the high streets of Melbourne is marked by fame, fortune and family drama. With ten children and a cult status to maintain, he’s a busy octogenarian. Meanwhile, his furniture tells its own story about Australia’s immigration history, gracing the homes of an evolving aspirational migrant class throughout the post-war era. But what will Franco do when the world, and his clientele, begin to move on without him? Part biography, part cultural celebration, Madeleine Martiniello’s film delivers Franco’s story with thoughtful affection, reminding us how the larger-than-life homewares mogul, with his innovative TV commercials, helped to foster a sense of community and inclusivity in a Melbourne that was still coming to grips with the notion of multiculturalism. Overflowing with charm and heart, this snapshot of local history is megalo, megalo, megalo!

The adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

Sunday 16 April

Join us for a special screening of The adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, a cult classic Australian film that inspired artist Cigdem Aydemir in her work. Explore the Just Not Australian exhibition after the film and see Aydemir’s artwork The Ride.

Director: Stephan Elliott
Cast: Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving. Guy Pearce, Bill Hunter
Genre: Comedy, drama, musical, LGBTIQA+
Run time: 98 minutes
Rating: M

Synopsis: This road movie follows two drag queens and a transgender woman as they travel to Alice Springs to perform a cabaret show. Travelling in a bus called ‘Priscilla’, the flamboyant trio are met with hilarity and hostility across the Australian outback. The film won Best Costume Design at the 67th Academy Awards.

Hoda Afshar
Past exhibition

Just Not Australian

19 Australian artists across generations deal with the origins and implications of contemporary Australian nationhood