Farewell, MWF 2011

As we decamp from Beer Deluxe, accept that no, we can’t live in the magnificent BMW Edge, and unplug our laptops from ACMI powerpoints, I have to admit it’s nice to have some breathing space and an opportunity to reflect on another brilliant MWF.

Of course, there were some low points. For example, when the MWF team thought up the theme ‘Stories Unbound’, I’m pretty sure they didn’t mean that I should accost festival guests with questionable snippets of my life experience every time I had a wine (or eight). Plus, the usual festival dashing about meant that I didn’t catch all the sessions I wanted to; despite daily trying to one-up festival director Steve Grimwade in terms of how many I managed to see, I had to lie to beat him.

But I am always energised when I reflect upon MWF events, and my memories from the past eleven days provide no exception. Here are my 2011 festival highlights, in no particular order:

1. Peggy Frew’s reading at the launch of The Big Issue fiction edition. Like a lot of festival punters, I’m often in two minds about readings, but when Frew finished reading from her Big Issue story, ‘Camping’, you could hear the audience collectively, finally exhale.

2. Speaking with debut and early-career novelists Melanie Joosten, Jessica Au, SJ Finn and Raphael Brous about love, growing up, work and ghosts in Melbourne’s New Wave

3. The passionate and incendiary Mona Eltahawy on the uprising in Egypt and how it was inspired by and will influence the politics of the Middle East

4. Engaging in a bit of Julia Zemiro-love at Friday Night Live

5. The modest but utterly original César Aira discussing his slim novels and his unusual no-editing, ‘flight forward’ technique

While all these experiences are defined by having been part of MWF 2011, they are also springboards that will propel me into directed and engaged reading for the rest of the year and beyond.

As always, my thanks to the MWF team for an inspiring, varied, well-run and exciting festival. And this year, a guernsey too to Melbourne weather, which was mostly salutary, mostly kind.

What were your highlights from MWF 2011?

Five reasons why I love Julia Zemiro

 

1. She’s smart and funny in equal doses.

Evidence for smart? She told The Age earlier this year that if she was transport minister, she’d made public transport free for a year. “I know the system can be pretty poor but a year would be long enough for people to see some real benefits of walking and leaving the car at home.” If that’s not smart, I don’t know what is. Evidence for funny? She was a favourite on improvisation comedy program Thank God You’re Here, but she also manages to insert witty barbs into just about any interview or appearance.

2. She’s a natural at hosting and a terrific interviewer.

She makes the audience feel comfortable and at ease. It’s a rarer talent than you’d think, and you don’t generally notice it because it’s a bit like editing – it’s all about absence (of awkward pauses, imperfect segues, etc.) Talking to Sunday Life a few weeks ago about her job hosting the SBS documentary Sex, she said of interviewing: “I’ve done a lot of waitressing in my life and the whole point of waitressing – or hosting [TV shows], indeed – is to make people feel comfortable. It’s to let them know what the night’s going to be like, and what they can expect. And when you interview someone, it’s about saying hello, and making a connection.”

3. She’s half-French.

Who doesn’t love the French? (Apart from the English.) I could be imagining it, but there seems to be a certain French insouciance in some of her attitudes. On fashion: “There’s a difference between wearing a mini and a great pair of kinky boots and wearing a revolting mini and a pair of Ugg boots, where it’s, ‘Oh yeah, I can see your underwear.’” On pubic hair: “I remember the Joy of Sex book. I don’t wax, or ‘Brazilian’ or anything – I tidy, you know, but I don’t believe in doing the whole thing: a) because I don’t like pain, and b) because I don’t like how it looks. I feel like a child, and I’m a woman.” On SBS’s reputation for racy content: “I think it’s high time people grew up – in Europe, this wouldn’t even be an issue. In Australia what astounds me is, ‘Ohhh, there’s this TV station, SBS, where you can see boobies.’ It’s like – are you for real?” *

4. She’s a feisty, unafraid-to-be-herself, woman. (See above.)

She exudes real. (Yes, whatever that is.) As she told The Age, “Women of different ages often tell me they love what I’m doing and to not get skinny and weird.” I second that.

5. This is a bit shallow, but – she rocks a vintage frock, or a striped tee.

I would love to steal her Rockwiz wardrobe, especially.

 

If you love Julia Zemiro too, you’ll love MWF’s very own Friday Night Live late-night talk show, hosted by Julia herself. At BMW Edge, Federation Square, both Friday nights of the festival, 9-10.30pm. With house band The Bamboos.

Friday 26 August: Steve Hely (The Office, 30 Rock) , Jon Jon Goulian, Tess Gerritsen, Felicity Ward, Gareth Liddiard

Friday 2 September: Simone Felice, John Elder Robison, Rachel DeWoskin, Casey Bennetto, Leslie Cannold, Charlotte Smith