Gallery | Vogue Australia 50th Anniversary Party

Miranda's made another appearance -- and my favorite this year so far at that! On July 31 2009, the lovely Miranda Otto attended the Vogue Australia 50th Anniversary Party in Sydney with actor-husband Peter O'brien, looking nothing short of stunning in a strapless, leopard-print gown. Check out the photos of Miranda at the event at our gallery! Enjoy.

- Vogue Australia 50th Anniversary Party (31/7/09)

Posted by Sandra on 03 Aug 2009 | 0 Comment(s)

Movies | Otto: "If you're depressed, it's hard to give"

Have a look at this interesting interview from today's Melbourne International Film Festival Blessed premiere, in which Miranda Otto et al. discuss the film and its premise. Courtesy of The Age:

Miranda Otto says there is something primal about being a mother.

She tells the story of her mother running to the rescue when young Miranda was being hassled by some vile children. "She ran out and slapped one of them. It wasn't a big slap," she says.

Otto, with actors Frances O'Connor, Victoria Haralabidou and Deborra-lee Furness, was at the Sofitel Hotel yesterday morning talking about motherhood and love.

"If you're depressed, it's hard to give," Otto says. Furness adds: "Some people just don't have the tools to be good parents."

They weren't talking about their fellow actors but the characters they play in Blessed, a film that weaves together stories about mothers and children living in hard circumstances.

Otto's character is lonely, lost and addicted to the pokies. She loses track of herself and of her kids, who wander the night. Furness plays a hard-working mother with a jobless, emotionally dehydrated husband (William McInnes) and an awareness that her family is more akin to the walking dead than a thriving entity. Haralabidou plays a young widow struggling to put food on the table.

It all sounds pretty grim, but the glue and light of the film is "the universality of motherhood"

Posted by Sandra on 25 Jul 2009 | 0 Comment(s)

Gallery | Miranda Otto @ Melbourne Film Fest

As we reported earlier this month, Miranda Otto is indeed active at the ongoing Melbourne International Film Festival in Australia, and recently attended both the MIFF Opening Night on July 24 and the festival 'Blessed' Premiere on July 25 2009 (i.e. earlier today). Have a look at the first medium-res photos of the lovely Miranda at both events at our gallery. Enjoy! Report from the Blessed premiere courtesy of Brisbane Times:

The chance to explore the complexities of the mother-child relationship in the new movie Blessed was too much to pass up for real-life mothers Miranda Otto, Deborra-Lee Furness and Frances O'Connor. The three acclaimed Australian actresses join forces in director Ana Kokkinos' film, adapted from the play Who's Afraid of the Working Class.

Furness plays Tanya, a married mother of a teenage boy. She is the family's sole breadwinner. Otto is Bianca, who is more like a sister than a mother to teenage Katrina and O'Connor is cast as Rhonda, a welfare-dependent woman whose three children have different fathers. [...]

Otto, Furness and O'Connor all have four-year-old children - O'Connor a son called Luca, Otto a daughter Darcey, and Furness a daughter Ava, in addition to older son Oscar. "It's a huge responsibility," Furness agreed. "Because if there's something dysfunctional that's going on, you are going to hand it on to that child and that child's going to hand it on. You look at the characters in this film, like Frances' character - you can see obviously her mother would have handed on not a very positive message." [...]

Despite their flaws, Otto said the women were very human characters who she could relate to. "I think we can all find parts of ourselves a little bit, in each of the characters," she said.

Blessed, which also stars William McInnes, Tasma Walton and Sophie Lowe, opens nationally on September 10.

Posted by Sandra on 25 Jul 2009 | 0 Comment(s)

Movies | 'In Her Skin' promo still and news

Finally, we have an update on Simone North's upcoming drama film, In Her Skin. Kicking things off with the good news, we have a first medium-res promotional still of Miranda Otto in the film, which has been uploaded to the gallery. Miranda looks lovely, as always.

In less positive news, Inside Film reports distribution issues for In Her Skin continue to disrupt the film's release process, issues that apparently are the result of unauthorized editing of the film by international distributor Reliant Pictures:

The Pacific Film and Television Commission’s case to wind up the production company behind local feature In Her Skin was adjourned for a second time this week. The two parties have been in ongoing negotiations since the PFTC launched its action on May 28 in the Queensland Supreme Court. The next hearing is scheduled for July 17.

In Her Skin, starring Guy Pearce and Miranda Otto, has been in limbo for several months after international distributor, Reliant Pictures International, re-cut the film without the involvement of the filmmakers. The delay caused Liberty Films to miss its deadline to repay approximately $2.3 million to the screen agency’s revolving film finance fund and spurred the court case.

The PFTC has also launched a separate case against Omnilab Media (and Mapp Group Holdings), which had underwritten Reliant’s original distribution guarantee, in a further attempt to recover the funds.

Posted by Sandra on 15 Jul 2009 | 0 Comment(s)

Movies | 'Blessed' trailer and MIFF info

Another update on Ana Kokkinos' drama film Blessed! The Melbourne Film Festival organizers recently publicized their 2009 Program, according to which Blessed will receive a first screening on July 25 at 7 PM local time, followed by a second screening on August 6, also at 7 PM. Don't forget Miranda Otto is expected to attend the premiere! For more information and tickets, please visit the festival official site. Stay tuned for updates!

On a related note, the film distribution company behind Blessed have put up a small "official" website for the film over at Icon Movies, where you'll find a poster and some small photos (all sans Miranda), a synopsis as well as a first trailer, of which 24 medium-res screen captures have been added to the gallery. From Icon Movies:

During the course of one day and night, seven children wander the streets in an urban odyssey. But not all of them will find their way home.

Dawn breaks, and it's the same day but now we experience the viewpoint of the five mothers. Over the course of their respective journeys we understand that they are as lost and defenceless as the children they care for. Blessed is a film about mothers and children, about love and beauty, about being lost and finding your way home.

Posted by Sandra on 10 Jul 2009 | 0 Comment(s)

Movies | 'Blessed' @ Melbourne Film Fest

Heads up, Australians! According to The Australian, Anna Kokkinos' drama film Blessed, starring Miranda Otto as Bianca opposite Frances O'Connor and Deborra-Lee Furness, will be premiering at this year's Melbourne International Film Festival!

Although the organizers have yet to release a detailed program for the event -- due for announcement July 10 2009 -- the festival will run July 24 - August 9 2009. What's more, according to the source, Miranda's expected to attend the premiere! Stay tuned for updates.

Posted by Sandra on 07 Jul 2009 | 0 Comment(s)

Gallery | Louis Vuitton Bondi Store Opening

Miranda's been active in public once again! Earlier today, July 7 2009, the lovely Miranda Otto was photographed at the Louis Vuitton Bondi Store Opening in Sydney, Australia. The first 16 medium-res photos of Miranda (and her awesome bun) at the event have been added to the gallery. Enjoy!

- Louis Vuitton Bondi Store Opening (7/7/2009)

Posted by Sandra on 07 Jul 2009 | 0 Comment(s)