2018 Critics Campus participants podcasting with hosts of the Cultural Capital podcast. Image courtesy of MIFF.
This year marked the sixth edition of the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) Critics Campus, an intensive five-day program designed to help emerging Australian film critics develop their skills amidst the flurry and stress of a live festival environment. There’s nothing leisurely about this process; no time to ponder and let a film marinate in your consciousness for weeks before you talk about it, because the pressure is part of the job. And introverts beware: networking events, dinners and group outings are a key part of the experience, which may be frustrating for those just wishing to immerse themselves in back-to-back screenings and solitary cinephilic moments. I know all this firsthand as I was a mentor in 2016 and found it a bracing refresher.
