Mercury CX is committed to ensuring the safety of all patrons and staff by observing
all Government regulations, ensuring all our staff are double vaccinated and
implementing the following protocols for guests visiting our venue.
Mercury CX requires all employees, patrons, contractors and visitors to be
double-vaccinated, unless medically exempt. Evidence of double-vaccination or of a
medical exemption may be required for admission. Patrons who are unable to provide
evidence may not be admitted to cinema sessions, public events or workshops.
Stay home if you are unwell
Complete mandatory check-in upon entry
Follow COVID Marshal directions
Wear a mask inside unless eating or drinking
Practise hand hygiene with the sanitisers and soaps provided
Social distancing should be observed wherever possible
The above form part of Mercury CX COVID Management Policy. For all questions, please
contact us.
City of Adelaide and Mercury CX are excited to announce
the four recipients of the inaugural Hothouse Creative Residencies.
In partnership with the City of Adelaide through their Cultural Strategic
Partnerships Program, Mercury CX’s Emerging Hothouse Scheme provides two emerging
screenwriters, a producer and a cinema programmer/projectionist with a 12-week,
flexible residency. Following an extensive callout and review of applications, four
creatives have been selected to be the initial Hothouse Creative Residents. The
inaugural 2021 Hothouse Residents are:
DYLAN COLEMAN - Screenwriting
Award-winning novelist, First Nations academic and social justice activist, Dylan
Coleman is working on a screenplay adaptation of a novel manuscript that won the
black&write Writing Fellowship, to be published in the near future.
SALLY HARDY – Screenwriting
Award-winning playwright and children’s author Sally Hardy is working on an
adaptation of her play Night Light scheduled to be performed in 2023.
CRAIG JACKSON – Producing
Transitioning from a career as a cinematographer to producing, Craig Jackson is
developing a factual television series, whilst also producing one of this year’s
Mercury CX Quicksilver production fund short films.
AIMEE KNIGHT – Cinema Programming & Projection
Film critic and The Big Issue’s small screens editor Aimee Knight brings an
understanding of contemporary cinema to the programmer and projection residency and
is currently programming the final session of Adelaide Cinematheque for 2021 with a
focus on ‘difficult women’.
Back row L-R: Craig Jackson, Sally Hardy, Dylan Coleman, Mentor Ruth
Estelle, Aimee Knight
Front Row L-R: Karena Slanenka, CEO Mercury CX, City of Adelaide Lord Mayor
Sandy Verschoor
Attracting diverse creatives and projects
In announcing the recipients, Karena Slaninka, CEO Mercury CX spoke of the
exceptional candidates who applied. “We’ve had an excellent response to the program
in the first year and are thrilled to have such talent seeking to be part of this
year’s residencies.”
“Transitioning from one area of creative industries to another, or seeking to elevate
one’s career, can benefit from mentoring, structure, and a supportive environment in
which to achieve creative outcomes to set goals and to develop craft and contacts.
Hothouse facilitates that while providing resources and the structure to be able to
work toward a specific creative outcome.”
“Hothouse is a unique initiative in supporting artists and creatives who are
developing and advancing in their creative practice is an important part of our
vision for Mercury CX to be a national centre of excellence for story,” Slaninka
said.
“Adelaide is one of the most liveable and creative cities in the world with artists,
makers and festivals at its heart,” the Lord Mayor said.
“The City of Adelaide is working in partnership with our arts and culture sector to
support artists and create opportunities for them. We are curating a city filled
with dynamic arts and cultural experiences for people to enjoy.”
The Hothouse Residencies provide the opportunity for creatives to focus on specific
works in a supportive environment surrounded by resources and mentors to help take
their projects to fruition. The flexible program allows for each participant to draw
on both the resources of Mercury CX as well as mentoring and industry connections to
further their projects.
Screenwriting resident Dylan Coleman said the appeal of the program was in the idea
of the hothouse. “As the word suggests, Mercury CX provides an opportunity
to grow quickly and to develop the skills in a warm supportive environment that
might otherwise take years or even decades to reach. The alchemists of old turned
mercury to gold, that’s the chemistry at work here.”
Creating connection through immersion in the screen industry
In addition to mentoring and access to Mercury CX facilities, the residency program
included the 2021 MCX Screenmakers Conference, providing unique access to industry
leaders and the opportunity to pitch their projects.
The opportunity for residents to deepen industry connections can be a defining step
for their projects. Playwright and screenwriter Sally Hardy secured additional
industry meetings about her project through the conference.
“This year’s MCX Screenmakers Conference was a godsend. As well as hearing from
people at the top of their game in the industry, I was able to discuss my feature
film with festival programmers, producers and distributors” she said.
Producer Craig Jackson said that MCX Screenmakers proved to be a valuable part of
achieving the goals of his residency. “So much of the development process involves
getting feedback from others as a project progresses and having ongoing access to
informed and experienced professionals is invaluable to shaping an effective
treatment and pitch,” said Jackson.
Mercury CX Script Executive and screenwriting mentor Ruth Estelle knows from
experience the importance of dedicated space for the development process. “Writers
need space and support, and at Mercury CX we are well-placed to provide both. The
results, I’m sure, will speak for themselves when we see their work on the big
screen!” she said.
Discussing the opportunities afforded by the residency Sally Hardy said, “As a
playwright adapting my own play into a feature film, the opportunity to work closely
with experienced and talented mentors like Ruth Estelle is invaluable.”
“It’s incredibly helpful having access to Ruth’s knowledge of structure, audience and
genre, as I deconstruct my story and create it anew for the medium of film. It’s
also priceless to have a creative workspace available 24/7 for the duration of the
residency, where I am free to write away from domestic distractions!”
Bringing a different lens to stories on screen
In explaining why she chose to apply, Dylan said “I saw it as a wonderful opportunity
to work with a trusted local organisation who has supported First Nation writers and
filmmakers and mentorships in the past. Being able to share our stories as First
Nations writers is so important. I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity to
spread my wings.”
The third residency focus area is Cinema Programmer + Projectionist, an underexplored
field in the screen industry.
Aimee Knight spoke of how this rare opportunity complements her work writing about
screen culture “enriching my critical perspectives on cinema by learning the
intertwined art of film curation.”
There is more to cinema programming than just choosing films. The residency will help
Aimee gain a practical understanding of the big-screen distribution process. ”All
that nitty-gritty administrative stuff that comes with contracts, budgets,
marketing, and promotion. I’m particularly keen to spend time in the hallowed
projection booth, where the alchemy of exhibition happens.”
Knight’s curation will draw on her background in film criticism and include putting a
series ofdifficult
women on the big screen as part of the new Adelaide Cinematheque
program from 1 to 10 November.
These words curse women for doing their jobs – especially in Hollywood, where
clear-eyed femme directors have been blacklisted for applying the same discipline
and commitment that gets their male peers labelled ‘visionary auteurs’.
This November, Adelaide Cinematheque celebrates
these so-called ‘Difficult Women’ with a season showcasing their tenacity, humour
and artistic excellence. Curated by Aimee Knight – Mercury CX’s Emerging Hothouse
resident in cinema programming and projection – the four-film strand runs from 1–10
November at the Mercury.
Streisand’s directorial debut is a masterwork of mainstream feminist cinema. The
multihyphenate shines as the titular difficult woman who, in turn-of-the-century
Poland, adopts a male persona so that she may study Jewish theology. This leads to a
love triangle that destabilises gender, sexuality, patriarchy, and the gaze.
Jennifer’s
Body (2009) Dir. Karyn Kusama
Wednesday 3 November, 7pm
“Hell is a teenage girl.” So opens this oft-misunderstood film about the horror and
romance of women’s friendship. Written by Juno’s Diablo Cody, the witty
script flips the body monstrous on its head, while Megan Fox – backed by director
Karyn Kusama (Destroyer) – gives a wink and a nod to the monotony
of misogynist.
Just Another Girl on the
I.R.T. (1992) Dir. Leslie Harris
Monday 8 November, 7pm
With her sharp mind and sharper tongue, Chantel (Ariyan A. Johnson) is 17 going on
30. She dreams of leaving Brooklyn, going to college, and graduating into
middle-class security. Can Chantel really navigate a world that wasn’t built for
her? The first and, to date, only feature directed by Leslie Harris remains
feverishly relevant.
Ishtar (1987) Dir. Elaine
May
Wednesday 10 November, 7pm
Starring Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman as palpably untalented lounge singers,
this notorious flop sealed Elaine May’s fate as Hollywood’s #1 difficult woman. But
as the writer, director and Taurus sun observed, “If all of the people who
hate Ishtar had seen it, I would be a rich woman today.”
So, let’s reimagine the canon as we commend these four directors – and every woman
whose career has been hindered by whispers, but whose work endures regardless.
Amanda Krentzman serves as the Head of International Originals
at Snap, where she oversees the company’s original series outside of the United
States and also works on unscripted and scripted original series globally. Krentzman
came to Snap by way of Netflix, where she was one of the first executives developing
and producing international original series in key markets such as Mexico, Germany,
Denmark, Spain, Turkey, Italy and Australia. Prior to Netflix, she worked closely
with Ben Silverman at Electus where they developed the international formats such as
‘Jane the Virgin’ for the U.S.
