The unbeatable location alone – the dancefloor of former 1930s night sky and faux Roman statuary picture palace the Forum Theatre – sees the 65 Melbourne International Film Festival upping the ante on festival bars. Add masses of potted palms, a Steinway & Sons concert grand, live music, DJs, linen-covered tables, antipasto packs and tiramisu from DOC, wine from indie booze shop Blackhearts and Sparrows and a late (3am) license and The Blackhearts Club starts to sound like somewhere to be, festival or not.
Featuring the main stage’s original, rarely seen “safety curtain” as on-song backdrop and a resident pianist, cocktail bar veteran Mark Fitzgibbon, Blackhearts is also hosting a series of nights throughout the two-week festival, honouring people featured in the MIFF program, from the likes of Chet Baker and Sharon Jones to David Lynch and Iggy and the Stooges.
Before the screening of Italian film Subarro, DOC is hosting an aperitivo session at the club while a panel of winemakers, sellers and writers (including GT‘s Max Allen) will hold a discussion and tasting following the screening of doco about wine fraud doco, Sour Grapes.
The Blackhearts Club, Forum Theatre, Cnr Flinders & Russell Sts, Melbourne. miff.com.au/blackheartsclub
Open Mon-Fri 5pm-late, Sat-Sun, noon-late, July 29-August 14
