This heartwarming film is a beautiful reminder of the goodness in humanity and the power of unlikely friendships (and books!).
Based on the novel of the same name by Carston Henn, the story follows Carl, an older gentleman. Carl’s job involves walking around the town (in Aachen, Germany), delivering books to a variety of interesting people.
Carl is an awkward, shy, but kind man, drenched in loneliness, and obsessed by books. So much so, that he refers to his regular clients by the nicknames he has (sometimes not so secretly) ascribed to them; based on fictional book characters, who each have their own quirks.
Nine-year-old Schascha has just moved to the town. In dealing with her own sadness in losing her mother, she also finds solace in books and reading.
Schascha begins to follow Carl on his daily book delivery, and an unlikely friendship develops. The two main characters end up working together to make some big, positive changes in the lives of the people Carl delivers his books to. As well as for themselves.
This enchanting story is full of themes of friendship, community, and embracing differences. It highlights the importance of kindness in humanity and community, and is a great reminder of the power of books and reading.
This is a wonderful film that the whole family will enjoy! The acting is brilliant from the entire cast. The cinematography is stunning for what is in essence quite a simple but powerful story of humanity.
Note that the film is in German, with subtitles in English.
The German Film Festival runs from 30 April to 28 May. To book tickets to The Door-to-Door Bookstore, or to any other films in the festival, please visit https://germanfilmfestival.com.au/.
Few things are more delightful than a glass of sparkling wine enjoyed riverside. The Bubbles Festival delivered exactly that and more at this year’s Melbourne session at the stunning River’s Edge in Docklands.
The atmosphere was elegant without being stiff, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Yarra and the golden glow of autumn light. This wasn’t a crowded scramble for samples but a perfectly paced event where guests could relax, discover, and indulge.
Founder Natalie Pickett opened the event with warmth and wit, reminding us that sparkling wine is beautiful and should be enjoyed with all the senses. Her tasting tips were charming and personal: listen to the bubbles, take in the aroma, and always pair with food. The canapés were curated accordingly, with a seafood station offering plump prawns, fresh oysters, mussels, and calamari and a generous cheese station of soft and hard cheeses. Additional bites roved the room, matching the mood and the wine effortlessly.
On the tasting front, the festival truly delivered on its promise of diversity. There was something for every palate, with around 18 different wines available — including French Champagnes, Italian sparklings, and standout Australian drops from the Yarra Valley, Great Western and Mornington Peninsula. A personal highlight was the Flinders Bloom Elderflower Spritz, inspired by the classic Hugo. Light, floral, and utterly refreshing, it combined méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine with lemon myrtle and elderflower for what can only be described as springtime in a glass.
VIP guests were treated to a tasting of Champagne Philippe Fourrier Millésime 2017 Blanc de Noirs, a refined pinot noir as elegant as the event itself. With a private tasting, RIEDEL glasses to take home, and a charitable contribution to Sacred Heart Mission.
Beyond the wine, guests could browse and purchase Susan Kerian’s gorgeous Parisian-style illustrations, a lovely visual complement to the day.
If you’re a sparkling lover, this event isn’t just worth attending — it’s essential. Whether you’re discovering a new favourite Prosecco or sipping vintage Champagne, The Bubbles Festival is a celebration in the truest sense.
Visit The Bubbles Festival website to book tickets and discover more about each city’s event; dates for 2025 are: Melbourne – 3 May 2025 Brisbane – 9 & 10 May 2025 Sydney – 16 & 17 May 2025 Adelaide – 31 May 2025 Perth – 21 June 2025
The Beep Test follows Jane, Zach, Cooper and Sandra in their year 7 beep test and Sir, the PE teacher enforcing this hell upon them. The show explores the pressures and high stakes of high school, the importance of finding your own worth and what an absolute nightmare the beep test is, all in a short and sweet 60 minute run time.
At the first toll of the titular ‘beep’ you could practically feel the shiver that went down the spine of every audience member. Sat beside a friend of mine from high school, she gripped my arm, bracing for impact. Such a clever concept to take one of the most hated Australian school activities and draw it out to interrogate the themes that affect teenagers of this age.
Like high school, the stakes feel ridiculously high, the perfect vessel for big laughs, which The Beep Test delivered on at every point. The show crammed as much comedy as it could into its 60 minute run time, milking every second of stage time and every ounce of physicality to ensure our cheeks hurt by the end. With a full audience, not a single joke didn’t land. Through this, what I most admired was how each emotional beat still landed. Neylon and Peele balanced the stakes for these characters while keeping us laughing, but never at the expense of rushing through appropriate character development. It was almost pantomime how quickly the show had the whole audience uproariously laughing, to then cooing with a sea of “aww’s” as the romantic storyline progressed, or as another detail was revealed about a student’s depressing home life.
Each actor really shone as well, hitting the comedic beats and every note. The vocals were particularly impressive from the leads Sara Reed and Axel Duffy who portrayed Jane and Zach respectively. Similarly, I adored the chemistry between Sebastian Li, who played Cooper and Carly Jaz, who played Sandra. I was hook, line and sinker for every moment of their storyline. With the exception of the musical number ‘Zachiarah Nicholson’, the songs between these two characters won my heart over every time.
The staging was great. The back wall of the school gym was riddled with graffiti and secret silly details, and my friend and I spent each moment before the lights went down and as the lights came out pointing out to each other and giggling. It was a really well-executed use of space, immersive and simple, with essentially the only key props being a bench seat and the cones the characters had to run between.
There were a few aspects of Jane’s storyline I wanted slightly more from. For me, she was the character who had the least backstory, and her motivation felt a little one note. Sara Reed performed as Jane fantastically; however, with so much of the dialogue in the show putting her down for being a girl, with that simple term being used as an insult, I wanted more rage from her character. It’s clear she wants to beat Zach to prove to herself that she can, but I almost feel like there was further possibility for comedy in pushing that motivation further and tying it into the playground misogyny that is consistently thrown her way.
The Beep Test is an undeniably charming comedy musical bursting with passion, heart and consistent laughs.
The Great Yawn of History is a multi-layered debut piece written and directed by Aliyar Rasti, featuring as part of the 11th Persian Film Festival, Australia. Opening in Sydney and then touring both Melbourne and Armidale from the 24th of April to the 11th of May 2025, the program includes an official competition of feature and short film categories, which culminates in the Festival Jury presenting the Golden Gazelle Award to the best film in each section.
Staring Mohammed Aghebati known for When There Were Trees (2023) A Hero (2021), They (2018) and as the Director for 1001 Frames (2025), and Amirhossein Hosseini, an Iranian actor and visual artist, known for his diverse performances in cinema and theatre, The Great Yawn of History follows the journey of Beitollah (Mohammed Aghebati), a religious man who experiences constant and vivid dreams of finding gold coins at the end of a dark cave.
His religious beliefs mean that recovery of this lost treasure is haram, or more specifically, ‘sinful’, and therefore religiously forbidden in Islam. Due to this, Beitollah engages the assistance of the agnostic Shoja (Amirhossein Hosseini) to travel with him as he grapples with his ethical, moral and religious beliefs.
Throughout their journey, both actors bring different energies to the roles as they unpack the complex and specific character types – Aghebati expertly delivers an overbearing, sharp and to-the-point performance while Hosseini’s burdened posture translates into a believable portrayal of the worn-out and sceptical companion.
Iran’s staggering unemployment is also reflected in the manner in which Shoja is chosen for the task as Beitollah drops fake $100 bills on the street knowing that only a non-believer would pick up money found in this way, leading to the paradox lying at the heart of the storytelling – a contrasting moral dilemma – just the thing needed to ensure a successful and purposeful outcome.
Rasti combines faith and superstition with visually engaging cinematography that effectively displays the harsh landscape of Iran, providing the viewer with insight into its reality. Some prior knowledge of the Muslim religious belief system may be advantageous for a deeper connection to this meditative journey; however, this is not a ‘must’ to be able to discern the conflict of the opposing beliefs that are portrayed in this partnership and journey.
The Great Yawn of History is a slow and steady burn full of multidimensional layers.
The Persian Film Festival will run from 24 April to 11 May 2025 in Sydney, Melbourne, and Armidale. For session details and to book tickets to this and other films, please visit https://www.persianfilmfestival.com.
