documentary / feature

Welcome to Wonderland

album-art
Hungary Mediawave Film Festival
(2007)
Official Selection
Hungary Slow Film Festival
(2007)
Official Selection
Byron Bay Film Festival
(2007)
Official Selection

As the sky darkens, a sound pulses through outback Australia; it is primal, it is irresistible and it is calling. In clouds of dust, feet pound the earth with rhythmic intensity as vibrations from speaker stacks stir raw energy. As the sun rises and morning shadows emerge, thousands embrace the new day united by one motive: to celebrate life through music and dance – Welcome to Wonderland.

Year:
2005
Director:
James Short
Producer:
James Short & Clara Hornley
Editor:
Sioux Currie
Prod Company:
Short Documentaries
LINKS:
welcome to wonderland dvd

“Visually, Welcome to Wonderland has captured the heart of the Australian bush blended with the magic of an Aussie bush doof. There is nothing like a wide-angle camera span of the Australian bush, especially when the sun goes down and the lasers come out! ”

Andre Cato
Inpress Magazine

“Welcome to Wonderland depicts all the positive reasons we go outdoors and party to trance music. With killer imagery, loads of fantastic looking freaks (sadly missing on the SA scene these days) and meaningful dialogue this DVD comes highly recommended and should encourage even the most jaded of trance-heads to wanna stomp once more."

Dave Mac
BPM Mag

"The film is a stellar, first time effort." "It’s a five-year epic production composed from hundreds of hours of footage, captured at numerous Australian outdoor dance parties, and scored with an amazing soundtrack. Welcome to Wonderland is an absolute must watch for anyone who loves music or dance. However, it’s also a film to share with people who know nothing about this culture, as it will give them a glimpse of the experience.”

Mark Luckey
In The Mix

“Like no other film on psy-trance culture Welcome to Wonderland penetrates this difficult membrane, exposes the organic machinery, and captures the heart of dance, or more specifically, the social characteristics of modern trance dance. With a great score that includes work by Sugar and Ben Last, and an excellent series of ‘extra’ dance montages and interviews, this film should not be missed by any trance enthusiast or indeed anyone interested in electronic dance music culture.”

Dr Graham St John
EdgeCentral