The cast of Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) National Film and Sound Archive
The cast of Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) National Film and Sound Archive
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) Picnic Productions

ACMI presents

Picnic at Hanging Rock – Director's Cut

Brand new 4K restoration

Peter Weir | Australia | 1975 | G
Film

This event has ended and tickets are no longer available.

Tickets

Full

$18

Concession

$14

ACMI Member

$12

When

Fri 20 Jan - Tue 14 Feb 2023

See below for additional related events

Peter Weir’s sublime film adaptation of Joan Lindsay’s preternatural mystery novel is an undisputed classic of the Australian Gothic genre.

A spell-binding mystery fuelled by awe and wonder. Chilling and hypnotic... a remarkable work.

The New York Observer

St. Valentine’s Day, 1900. On an intoxicating summer’s day, a party of boarders at the exclusive Appleyard College and their chaperones, Mathematics mistress Miss McCraw (Vivean Gray) and the graceful Mademoiselle de Poitiers (Helen Morse), travel to the magnificent ancient rock formation at Mt. Macedon. When Miss McCraw and three of the senior girls – Irma, Marion and the ethereal Miranda (Anne-Louise Lambert) – vanish during the course of the afternoon, their disappearance sets off a chain of disquieting and tragic events.

Curator's Note

Credited with reinvigorating the ‘70s Australian new wave in film, Peter Weir’s enduring mystery classic was shot by not one but two key creatives who would go on to each win an Academy Award – Cinematographer, Russell Boyd (Master and Commander, in 2004) and camera operator, John Seale (for 1996’s The English Patient). Boyd’s experiments with diffused exterior light were key in establishing the film’s dream-like atmosphere, as were Bruce Smeaton’s evocative score and Gheorghe Zamfir’s haunting pan flutes. Beyond the mystical elements in Joan Lindsay’s literary classic, screenwriter Cliff Green was also alert to the nuances of representing the presence of an anachronistic colonial class grafted onto a primeval landscape predating civilisation.

A uniformly excellent cast also features Rachel Roberts as the imperious Mrs Appleyard, Jacki Weaver, John Jarratt, English actor Dominic Guard – as the upper crust Michael Fitzhubert, hopelessly in thrall to Miranda – and Margaret Nelson as the blighted, vulnerable Sara.

– Roberta Ciabarra; Curator, Film

Language: English
Source: Fixafilm
Courtesy: Picnic Productions
Runtime: 108 min

Event duration

107 mins

Rating

G

Where

Cinemas, Level 2
ACMI, Fed Square

How to get there

Not an ACMI Member yet?

Experience ACMI in the very best way. Get a range of discounts and invitations to exclusive previews.

SEE MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

Multipasses – see more films in this program for less


Learn more

Anne-Louise Lambert as Miranda in Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) National Film and Sound Archive

Days of Summer program (Sat 17 Dec 2022 – Tue 14 Feb 2023)

There are no upcoming related events at this time.

ACMI building exterior at night - Shannon McGrath

Plan your visit

COVIDSafe visitor guidelines, information on accessibility, amenities, transport, dining options and more.

Start planning
Hero gnocchi - Jake Roden

Looking for dining options?

Our restaurant, cafe and bar in the heart of Fed Square features a seasonally driven menu developed by acclaimed Melbourne chef Karen Martini.

BOOK A TABLE & FIND OUT MORE
ACMI Shop items - red and blue colour scheme

ACMI Shop

Melbourne's favourite shop dedicated to all things moving image. Every purchase supports your museum of screen culture.

Shop online

Join our newsletter

Get updates on the latest news, exhibitions, programs, special offers and more.

You might also like