Bill Mousoulis
Encyclopedia
Bill Mousoulis is an award-winning Greek-Australian film director
, with approximately 100 films to his name. He is also the founder
of the online film journal Senses of Cinema
in 1999, and the founder of the film co-operative Melbourne Super 8 Film Group in 1985.
. His films were screened by the Sydney Super 8 Film Group in their annual festivals, and also by Melbourne organisations such as Fringe Network. Mousoulis founded the Melbourne Super 8 Film Group in 1985, to promote and exhibit films by other filmmakers, and the Group lasted until 2001 as an active, recognised organisation.
In the mid 1980s, Mousoulis started receiving grants from the Australian Film Commission
to make more professional films. The film Between Us (1989, 37 mins, 16mm) played in film festivals throughout Australia, winning 4th Best Film at the St.Kilda Film Festival, and being nominated for Best Short Fiction at the Dendy Awards, Sydney Film Festival
.
Mousoulis started producing and directing feature-length films from 1993, with the film Open City (1993, 80 mins, Super 8). He has made eight feature-length films, including Desire (1999, 77 mins, 16mm), Lovesick (2002, 70 mins, Super 16) and A Nocturne (2007, 70 mins, HDV), which won Best Film at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival
in 2007, and is distributed by Troma Entertainment
.
Mousoulis' work as a filmmaker is acknowledged by film critic Adrian Martin
, who labelled Mousoulis "one of Australia's most committed independent filmmakers". And current writer for The Age newspaper in Melbourne
, Jake Wilson, has called Mousoulis "an independent film legend".
Mousoulis has also written occasional film criticism for magazines in the past such as Filmnews
, Filmviews and Cantrills Filmnotes. In 1999, Mousoulis founded the online film journal Senses of Cinema
, and was the Chief Editor until September 2000, and the Webmaster until May 2001, and the "Great Directors" Editor until July 2002. Senses of Cinema is a continuing journal, with The Times
newspaper in the UK naming it "Best Film journal website".
Since 2009, Mousoulis has been based in Greece, doing film reviewing for Senses of Cinema
, and journalistic articles for Neos Kosmos
, the Greek newspaper based in Melbourne.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, with approximately 100 films to his name. He is also the founder
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
of the online film journal Senses of Cinema
Senses of Cinema
Senses of Cinema is a quarterly online film magazine founded in 1999 by filmmaker Bill Mousoulis. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Senses of Cinema publishes work by film critics from all over the world, including critical essays, career overviews of the works of key directors, and coverage of many...
in 1999, and the founder of the film co-operative Melbourne Super 8 Film Group in 1985.
Biography
Bill Mousoulis started making films as an independent filmmaker in 1982, utilising the film medium of Super 8Super 8 mm film
Super 8 mm film is a motion picture film format released in 1965 by Eastman Kodak as an improvement of the older "Double" or "Regular" 8 mm home movie format....
. His films were screened by the Sydney Super 8 Film Group in their annual festivals, and also by Melbourne organisations such as Fringe Network. Mousoulis founded the Melbourne Super 8 Film Group in 1985, to promote and exhibit films by other filmmakers, and the Group lasted until 2001 as an active, recognised organisation.
In the mid 1980s, Mousoulis started receiving grants from the Australian Film Commission
Australian Film Commission
The Australian Film Commission was an Australian government agency with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a production arm responsible for production and commissioning of films for government...
to make more professional films. The film Between Us (1989, 37 mins, 16mm) played in film festivals throughout Australia, winning 4th Best Film at the St.Kilda Film Festival, and being nominated for Best Short Fiction at the Dendy Awards, Sydney Film Festival
Sydney Film Festival
The Sydney Film Festival is an annual film festival held in the Australian city of Sydney and is held over 12 days in June. The competitive film festival draws international and local attention, with films being showcased in several venues across the city centre and includes features,...
.
Mousoulis started producing and directing feature-length films from 1993, with the film Open City (1993, 80 mins, Super 8). He has made eight feature-length films, including Desire (1999, 77 mins, 16mm), Lovesick (2002, 70 mins, Super 16) and A Nocturne (2007, 70 mins, HDV), which won Best Film at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival
Melbourne Underground Film Festival
The Melbourne Underground Film Festival was formed out of disagreements over the content and running of the Melbourne International Film Festival...
in 2007, and is distributed by Troma Entertainment
Troma Entertainment
Troma Entertainment is an American independent film production and distribution company founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz in 1974.The company produces low-budget independent movies that play on 1950s horror with elements of farce...
.
Mousoulis' work as a filmmaker is acknowledged by film critic Adrian Martin
Adrian Martin
Dr. Adrian Martin is an Australian film and arts critic from Melbourne. Dr. Martin is Associate Professor, Co-Director of the Research Unit in Film Culture and Theory and Head of Film and Television Studies at Monash University...
, who labelled Mousoulis "one of Australia's most committed independent filmmakers". And current writer for The Age newspaper in Melbourne
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
, Jake Wilson, has called Mousoulis "an independent film legend".
Mousoulis has also written occasional film criticism for magazines in the past such as Filmnews
Filmnews
Filmnews was a monthly newspaper dealing with independent film production, distribution and exhibition in Australia and the federal and state government policies and practices which supported them. It was produced in Sydney but distributed Australia-wide, containing news, reviews, interviews,...
, Filmviews and Cantrills Filmnotes. In 1999, Mousoulis founded the online film journal Senses of Cinema
Senses of Cinema
Senses of Cinema is a quarterly online film magazine founded in 1999 by filmmaker Bill Mousoulis. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Senses of Cinema publishes work by film critics from all over the world, including critical essays, career overviews of the works of key directors, and coverage of many...
, and was the Chief Editor until September 2000, and the Webmaster until May 2001, and the "Great Directors" Editor until July 2002. Senses of Cinema is a continuing journal, with The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
newspaper in the UK naming it "Best Film journal website".
Since 2009, Mousoulis has been based in Greece, doing film reviewing for Senses of Cinema
Senses of Cinema
Senses of Cinema is a quarterly online film magazine founded in 1999 by filmmaker Bill Mousoulis. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Senses of Cinema publishes work by film critics from all over the world, including critical essays, career overviews of the works of key directors, and coverage of many...
, and journalistic articles for Neos Kosmos
Neos Kosmos (newspaper)
Neos Kosmos is a Greek language newspaper published in Melbourne, Australia every Monday and Thursday. In 2010 it launched a third edition every Saturday with Australia's first English language Greek newspaper. Founded in 1957, it is published by Ethnic Publications Pty. Ltd.-External links:* *...
, the Greek newspaper based in Melbourne.
Filmography
(selected)- Doubt (1982, 8 mins, Super-8)
- Dreams Never End (1983, 9 mins, Super-8)
- Back to Nature (1985, 13 mins, Super-8)
- Faith (1987, 27 mins, Super-8)
- After School (1988, 20 mins, 16mm)
- Between Us (1989, 37 mins, 16mm)
- Open City (1993, 80 mins, Super-8)
- Ladykiller (1994, 80 mins, Super-8)
- My Blessings (1997, 78 mins, 16mm)
- Desire (1999, 77 mins, 16mm)
- Lovesick (2002, 70 mins, Super-16)
- A Sufi Valentine (2004, 34 mins, video)
- Spring Rhapsody (2004, 84 mins, video)
- Blue Notes (2006, 93 mins, video)
- A Nocturne (2007, 70 mins, video)
- The Experimenting Angel (2010, 7 mins, video)
Awards
- 1989 St.Kilda Film Festival - Certificate of Merit, After School
- 1990 St.Kilda Film Festival - 4th Best Film, Between Us
- 1990 Dendy Awards, Sydney Film FestivalSydney Film FestivalThe Sydney Film Festival is an annual film festival held in the Australian city of Sydney and is held over 12 days in June. The competitive film festival draws international and local attention, with films being showcased in several venues across the city centre and includes features,...
- nomination Best Short Fiction, Between Us
- 2003 Melbourne Underground Film FestivalMelbourne Underground Film FestivalThe Melbourne Underground Film Festival was formed out of disagreements over the content and running of the Melbourne International Film Festival...
- Best Cinematography & Most Innovative, Lovesick
- 2005 Melbourne Underground Film FestivalMelbourne Underground Film FestivalThe Melbourne Underground Film Festival was formed out of disagreements over the content and running of the Melbourne International Film Festival...
- Best Sound & Jury Prize, Spring Rhapsody
- 2006 Melbourne Underground Film FestivalMelbourne Underground Film FestivalThe Melbourne Underground Film Festival was formed out of disagreements over the content and running of the Melbourne International Film Festival...
- Best Cinematography & Jury Prize & Best Male Support Actor, Blue Notes
- 2007 Melbourne Underground Film FestivalMelbourne Underground Film FestivalThe Melbourne Underground Film Festival was formed out of disagreements over the content and running of the Melbourne International Film Festival...
- Best Film & Best Female Lead & Best Editing, A Nocturne
External links
- Bill Mousoulis on Internet Movie Database
- Seeing in the Night: A Nocturne, by Fiona Villella, Senses of Cinema, Issue 46, 2008
- Subtle strokes from the underground by Rolando Caputo, Realtime, No. 64, Dec 2004 / Jan 2005.