Time and time again, critics are reviled for merely being experts at exercising bitter resentment: so the oft-proclaimed mantra goes, film critics are nothing but failed filmmakers. But we say “rubbish”! On Thursday March 11th the AFCA released their list of the best films released in Australia in 2009, and it was a doozy of a list.

Between March 2nd and March 31st, the French Film Festival will tour Australia, stopping in Sydney (2-21st March), Melbourne (4-21st March), Canberra (18-31st March), Brisbane (17-31st March) Perth (17-31st March) and Adelaide (18-31st March) to offer audiences a splash of their ol’ fashioned French film elixir.

Traditionally held one day prior to the Oscars® (this year it was on March 5th), the Independent Spirit Awards celebrate all that is great about American independent cinema made on the tightest of shoestring budgets. But what is so refreshing about the Independent Spirit Awards is that the little films finally get their little moment in the sun after so much time lurking in the shadow of their larger, more expensive brethren… One film which failed to lurk in the shadows throughout this awards season was PRECIOUS, which won the Spirit Award for Best Feature. Everyone’s favourite “Dude” Jeff Bridges grabbed the Best Male Lead trophy, trouncing Joseph Gordon-Levitt and–some may say–robbing Colin Firth, while Woody Harrelson won the Best Supporting Actor Spirit Award for his role as a Captain in the US army faced with the task of notifying the families of fallen soldiers.

Come March, there will be a scarcity of diamonds and Botox in Hollywood, Rachel Zoe will have had at least three stress heart-attacks and one stroke, and Lindsay Lohan will be gate-crashing parties like a 14 year-old on formal night. This month is dedicated to the ten best Directors Suite films never to win the golden statuette. For the most part, the list is comprised of Directors Suite films which were nominated but didn’t win, but there is one exception which I hope you’ll understand.

Direct from its acclaimed world premiere screenings at the Sundance Film Festivals, Madman has acquired EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP, the debut feature from legendary British graffiti artist Banksy. Keep checking www.madman.com.au/incinemas for updates. Banksy is used to fiercely guarding his identity to avoid prosecution, so it was perhaps no surprise when he refused to be filmed by an eccentric French shop owner named Thierry Guetta.

The 60th Berlinale Film Festival will be taking place between February 11th and 21st, with those coveted Berlin Bears shined and ripe for the plucking…

A few of our gallant Madman Cinema leaders have just returned from the freezing land of Utah, where they were accosted by celebrities, forced to go to wild and outrageous parties and made to endure ten straight days of movie-watching.

The world held its collective breath last night as Hollywood announced the nominees for the 2010 Oscars…