Screening dates set for Michael Hutchence ‘Mystify’ doco

The long-awaited doco movie Mystify Michael Hutchence officially hits Australian cinemas on July 4 – and there will be advance screenings in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

The Australian showings come after Mystify received its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York and Hot Docs Toronto to sell-out sessions and strong reviews.

The Sydney Film Festival will host the Australian premiere on June 6 at the State Theatre followed by a second screening on June 7 at Event Cinemas George St.

The Melbourne premiere is at The Astor on June 8 and IMAX on June 12.

The film will have its Perth premiere at Luna Leederville on June 12.

Director Richard Lowenstein will be part of Q&A sessions at the Sydney and Melbourne screenings, which the general public can buy tickets to.

Lowenstein, who directed several INXS videos, was part of the band’s inner sanctum and managed to get home movies, as well as access to INXS members, celeb friend and south of France neighbour Bono, siblings Rhett and Tina, stepmother Susie, producer Nick Launay and one time girlfriends Helena Christensen, Michele Bennett and Kylie Minogue.

Mystify comes to grips with Hutchence’s turbulent ride, from fractured family life to achieving global stardom to being dissatisfied with that level of celebrity wanting to break into more “creatively satisfying” pursuits as indie music, underground movies and poetry.

Already embroiled in the divorce between TV presenter lover Paula Yates and her husband Bob Geldof, a violent incident on a Paris street changed him forever and, some say, left him unable to cope with changes in his personal life.

The review in Screen Daily noted, “What lifts it above the majority of documentaries about celebrities and artists is its extraordinary intimacy… more than worthy tribute.”

Mystify is distributed in Australia through Madman Entertainment.

Its managing director Paul Wiegard says, “The stellar reviews from Tribeca have further fuelled our ambitious plans for Mystify.

“The film is fresh, cinematic and will play on wide release from July 4.

“We want audiences across the country to rediscover Michael Hutchence.”

The doco will be aired in November as part of ABC’s Ausmusic Month celebrations.

Mystify Michael Hutchence was produced with the assistance of Screen Australia, the British Broadcasting Corporation, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Film Victoria.