Spring awakens at ACMI with a monster season of programming

SPRING AWAKENS AT ACMI WITH A MONSTER SEASON OF PROGRAMMING

A roaring universe of frights and delights awaits at ACMI this spring, as a four-day festival celebrating the 70th anniversary of Godzilla takes over the building from 31 October – 3 November 2024.

GodzillaFest will unleash an action-packed line-up of free and ticketed activities, including films, talks, trivia, videogames, and an after-hours Halloween bash, transforming ACMI into the ultimate destination for kaiju fanatics.

The all-ages extravaganza will trace the monster's mighty footprint across screen and popular culture, giving insight into the craft behind the colossal cultural icon – exactly 70 years after the release of the first film.

On November 3, 1954, Godzilla awakened from a deep slumber and stomped his way into cinematic history when Ishirō Honda’s box-office-breaking film opened in Japan. Audiences were captivated by the storytelling and visual effects, and equally hushed by the film’s timely anti-nuclear stance personified by Godzilla. The international release of the film saw the monster’s popularity soar, becoming the first character to spawn a global film franchise.

ACMI Director & CEO Seb Chan said: “Godzilla is one of the most recognisable screen icons of the 20th century, appearing in 38 films and countless comic books, TV shows, videogames and advertisements spawning the kaiju genre. ACMI’s celebration of the undisputed King of Monsters gives fans, old and new, a fun look into Godzilla’s enduring legacy on filmmaking, and our social and cultural imagination. GodzillaFest foregrounds ACMI as a place for intergenerational fandoms – where screen culture enthusiasts, makers and players can feel at home. Get ready to unleash your inner monster!”

ACMI’s gigantic birthday bash for the Kaiju King will be packed full of free, fun and games for visitors of all ages. Find Godzilla hidden throughout ACMI’s centrepiece exhibition, The Story of the Moving Image; craft an origami creature to take home; take on the beast in vintage videogames and limited-edition pinball; pose for a photo in a tokusatsu-inspired miniature city; and learn more about the monster and his profound impact on filmmaking in a series of free talks hosted by Melbourne-based writer, producer, and filmmaker, Silvi Vann-Wall.

ACMI Cinemas will screen five key films from the eight-decade franchise, including the original 1954 film that introduced the monster to the world. Godzilla (1954), Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974), Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), Shin Godzilla (2016) and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) will screen across the weekend, allowing kaiju enthusiasts to witness Godzilla’s blazing battles in all their big-screen glory.

Full-blown monster mayhem will erupt on Halloween, with two separate after-hours events. Halloween Monster Bash will bring together DJs, Godzilla-inspired craft from Kitiya Palaskas, pop-ups, culinary delights, and playable vintage videogames for a celebration of both Godzilla and Japanese culture. Godzilla Movie Marathon & Trivia will put kaiju enthusiasts to the test at an evening of fun and facts hosted by comedian Alex Hines, showcasing the King of Monster’s iconic position in cinema with Godzilla (1954), Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) and Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971).

GodzillaFest forms part of a monster spring season of programming at ACMI. Godzilla will square off against the Goose when the world premiere of Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition opens on 17 September. The free exhibition dives into the making of global-hit videogame Untitled Goose Game, featuring a horrible goose on the loose. It flies into ACMI ahead of Melbourne International Games Week 2024.

Using CGI, live-action footage and game engines, fast-rising Korean artist Ayoung Kim has created a moving image multiverse that blurs the boundaries between space, time, and the self. Opening 22 August, Delivery Dancer's Arc: 0° Receiver is an ACMI-commissioned sequel to Kim’s award-winning Delivery Dancer’s Sphere (2022).

The films of maverick Romanian director Radu Jude are the focus of a three-week cinema season beginning 6 September. The wild man of Romanian New Wave experiments with narrative structures, creating films that are bold, innovative, and thoroughly engaging. His new film Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World will screen exclusively at ACMI Cinemas.

GodzillaFest runs 31 October – 3 November 2024 at ACMI, with a mix of free and ticketed events. A Monster Pass is available giving visitors entry to all activities. 

For tickets and further details about GodzillaFest and ACMI’s spring programming, visit acmi.net.au.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

• Images, GIFs and video files are available to download here.
• For further media enquiries please contact Stephanie.payne@acmi.net.au.

Listings Information

GodzillaFest
31 October – 3 November 2024
ACMI, Fed Square, Melbourne
acmi.net.au

Tickets
GodzillaFest features a range of FREE & ticketed events. A Monster Pass is available giving entry to Halloween Monster Bash, Movie Marathon & Trivia plus all four film screenings outside of the movie marathon. Full $98, Concession $84, ACMI Members $77.

GodzillaFest Film Screenings
1 – 3 November 2024
Single screening tickets from $12, 3-session pass from $33
Shin Godzilla (2016), Fri 1 Nov, 5.30pm
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), Fri 1 Nov, 8.15pm
Godzilla (1954) Sat 2 Nov, 11.30am
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974), Sat 2 Nov, 3.00pm
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), Sat 2 Nov, 5.00pm
Godzilla (1954) - Sun 3 Nov, 2.15pm

GodzillaFest Halloween Monster Bash
31 October 2024, 5pm – 9pm
Tickets $9

GodzillaFest Movie Marathon & Trivia
31 October 2024, 8pm – 2.30am
Tickets for the Movie Marathon & Trivia include entry to Halloween Monster Bash. Tickets from $45
Godzilla (1954)
Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Free GodzillaFest Talks
Godzilla: Global Pop Culture Icon
3 November 2024, 11.30am
FREE
A deep dive into the massive impact Godzilla has had on pop culture and the continuing evolution and success of the franchise. Hosted by Silvi Vann-Wall. Speakers include Dr Andrew Lynch, a lecturer in cinema and screen studies in the department of Media and Communication at Swinburne University of Technology.

Building Godzilla
3 November 2024, 1pm
FREE
Discover the special effects that changed how films are made. From Eiji Tsuburaya's development of tokusatsu (or suitmation) and the use of miniatures to bring Godzilla to life, to the VX innovations that have transformed special effects on film. This talk explores the impact monsters have had on global film design. Host Silvi Vann-Wall will be joined by tokusatsu expert Dr Sophia Staite and Brendan Seals from Luma Pictures, the visual effects supervisor for Godzilla vs. Kong.

Godzilla: Monster as Metaphor
3 November 2024, 2.30pm
FREE
A look at how the threat of nuclear war has been explored in feature films and how Godzilla continues to embody fears of warfare and climate destruction. Hosted by Silvi Vann-Wall. Speakers include Dr Naja Later an academic tutor at Swinburne University of Technology, and Dr Jason Jones, lecturer in Japanese Studies in the School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics at Monash University.

Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition
17 September 2024 – 16 February 2025
Gallery 3, ACMI, Fed Square
FREE

Delivery Dancer's Arc: 0° Receiver
22 August 2024 – 2 January 2026
Gallery 2 (inside The Story of the Moving Image exhibition), ACMI, Fed Square
FREE

Focus on Radu Jude
6 – 23 September 2024
ACMI Cinemas, ACMI, Fed Square
On sale 29 August with early access for ACMI Members
Tickets from $12, 3-Session and 6-Session Passes are available.

ABOUT ACMI
ACMI is your museum of screen culture. Watch, play, make and discover the universe of screen-based art, films, TV and videogames. Visit us in Melbourne’s Fed Square, online and on tour. Our museum attracts millions of visitors through a vibrant offer of exhibitions, screenings, commissions and festivals. ACMI’s industry, education and creative incubator programs inspire and develop the next generation of screen creatives. We are a globally recognised hub that connects people, communities, technology and ideas to shape our futures. More at acmi.net.au.