Speakeasy Cinema presents a surprising tale of love, secrets, pain, adventure - and dual realities.

This inspiring documentary is about a man who chooses to build a new life, and a brave new world, in a miniature town. After Mark Hogancamp was gravely injured in a bar brawl he couldn't afford the long-term physical rehab he needed and so turned to art as a DIY therapy tool. Formerly an artist but unable to draw after his attack, Hogancamp sets about creating a fictional 1/6th scale World War II-era Belgian village, populating it with figurines of friends, family and his attackers and implanting an ongoing and painstakingly detailed narrative life into the miniature world. The result is similar to a stop-motion film that conveys all the fear, pathos, adventure and hope for love that fills Hogancamp's 'real' life; a tableux that he captured in thousands of photographs, images that are filled with such stunning and often comic realism that they confound the scale of their models. As The Village Voice's Michael Atkinson wrote, 'The dolls frozen expressions somehow work to convey emotion, Todd Hayness Superstarstyle.' So arresting are these photographs that Hogancamp is invited to exhibit in a New York gallery, a huge proespect for a man that hasn't left his town, or Marwencol, since his attack. Jeff Malmberg's riveting documentary traces the making of Marwencol, Hogancamp's story, and the spectacular imitation between his life and his art as the two worlds become enmeshed.

VENUE DETAILS The Playroom Rear 413 Brunswick Street (entry on Westgarth St) Fitzroy The Playroom sits above the restaurant formerly known as Eat Drink Man Woman. It's big, lovely and will be serving dinner, drinks and snacks to you from 7pm. More about the venue and its menu on our website later this month.

For more info

speakeasycinema.com.au