I’m happy to report that the annual Revelation Perth International Film Festival has survived the virus to celebrate its 23rd year. This year over 30 features, documentaries and short films by independent filmmakers from 21 countries, will run from December 9 – 13. Here are 23 reasons why you should check it out.

In no particular order … well okay some order, I thought these sounded interesting (note I haven’t seen any of them as yet):

1. Opening night selection of FIRESTARTER – be inspired by the story of Sydney’s Bangarra Dance Company. Dance is a continuing theme with the controversial documentary BARE screening as part of the online program (which runs until 20 December);
2. THE WORLD’S BEST FILM – take in a personal documentary, born from a filmmaker’s own close brush with mortality, about people who are living their fascinations and are the ‘best’ at what they do;
3. iHUMAN – explores the powerful possibilities of Artificial Intelligence;
4. LYDIA LUNCH THE WAR IS NEVER OVER – explore the ground-breaking, controversial career of Lydia Lunch and New York no-wave/post-punk scene; 
5. FourByFour  – Rev producing 4 experimental VR dance projects with which will be screened as part of XR:WA 3-6 December;
6. STRAY – a documentary that follows the life of three dogs as they roam free. It offers a unique take on the Turkish city of Istanbul and its inhabitants;
7. MORGANA – follow the unsatisfied Australian housewife who, in middle age, reinvented herself as a sex positive porn star, becoming a contemporary feminist icon for her ethically produced porn;
8. American indie features including: THE FLORIST – who earns a living selling hypnotic flowers to fashionable eateries in LA; SAVE YOURSELVES – about millennials addicted to their phones; and coming-of-age drama DINNER IN AMERICA;
9. A WORM IN THE HEART – experience what it means to be queer in Russia and celebrate all things fabulous with 90s flop SHOWGIRLS. Screening as a double with companion documentary YOU DON’T NOMI on Saturday 12 December this double comes with pre-screening entertainment courtesy of DAFAQ Entertainment and Fanta-Sea and prizes for ‘Best (read: most trashy) Dressed’;
10. LOST ON THE ROAD TO SHANGRI LA with Kai Smyth and his musical partner Tim Mager as they search for inspiration for their new comedy show with a trip through Asia and India;
11. COLLECTIVE – investigates a deadly fire at Bucarests’s Collective nightclub. It plays out live a True Detective novel, equal parts thrilling and disturbing;
12. THE NEW CORPORATION, THE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL – speculate on developments in political and social power of corporations in the chillingly relevant documentary. This comes 17 years after the ground-breaking documentary, THE CORPORATION). The somewhat Borat style title has me intrigued;
13. DESERT ONE – revisit the Iran hostage crisis of 1980 and the audacious US military action designed to rescue 52 Americans held captive in their own embassy;
14. MY REMBRANDT – get a glimpse at the cut-throat world of international art;
15. THE TROUBLE WITH BEING BORN – experience the controversial film some critics are saying is the world’s worst film (which was banned from MIFF);
16. MY DARLING VIVIAN – discover Johnny Cash’s first love; 
17. Q&A SCREENINGS with local filmmakers behind THE XROSSING and LAURA’S CHOICE will take place at Luna Leederville on Thursday 10 December and Saturday 12 December respectively.
18. GET YOUR SHORTS ON! and the City of Vincent Film Project provides the opportunity to support some of WA’s talented emerging filmmakers and Revelation’s WESTRALIA DAY features sessions of locally-produced content including CARMENTIS, THE KIMBERLEY MAN, ANTECEDENTS, MYSTIC PINES, SPIRIT OF HAPPINESS, RAISING JOEY, SPIRIT OF THE STREETS, THE XROSSING, COCKRAT and AN IDEAL HOST at The Backlot on Saturday 12 December, accompanied by an all-day sausage sizzle; 
19. LONG SHORTS – Rev’s popular program returns on Sunday 13 December with THE SAND AT THE SEA – a drama set in an opal mining red dirt of South Australia; NORM – about the joys of married life; IDOL – which follows a Chinese celebrity called into emergency after a fan commits suicide and BROKEN LINE NORTH – where two strangers form an unlikely connection over one night in a roadside motel. 
20. ANIMATION SHOWCASE of short films from across the world on Friday 11 December;
21. Two EXPERIMENTAL SHOWCASE sessions of shorts examining form, structure and material on Saturday 12 December and Sunday 13 December and family friendly shorts FREE of charge at Luna Leederville daily from 10.30am Thursday 10 December – Sunday 13 December;
22. VISION FOR BEATS – uniting filmmakers and musicians will be a celebration of the art of music video making will take place with on Saturday 13 December at Johnny Ma Studios.
23. And if all that’s not enough they now have their very own streaming portal REVonDEMAND.

The festival culminates with the inaugural WA Screen Culture Awards on Sunday 13 December, marking the first time in five years that the Western Australian screen industry has had an official awards platform. Geared specifically towards recognising excellence across the WA screen sector in a new media environment, the Awards embrace all forms from new, established and emerging screen practices with 18 categories including documentary, feature film, computer game, moving image or installation.

The full line up is online at www.revelationfilmfest.org with tickets for all screenings available now.