Event description
Mastercard, in partnership with Westpac, has created Australia’s first feature-length motion picture without pictures, embracing an inclusive cinematic experience through sound.
Directed by award-winning director, Tony Krawitz (‘Into the Night,’ Jewboy,’ ‘The Tall Man’) ‘TOUCH’ follows a young man, Ben, who gets trapped in the consciousness of his father, Frank, after an experiment goes wrong. To escape, Ben must go on an epic adventure through his dad’s memory, learning more about a man he thought he knew.
Featuring globally recognised talent including sound editor Wayne Pashley (‘Elvis’, Mad ‘Max: Fury Road,’ ‘The Lego Movie’), composer Jonathan Dreyfus (‘A Night of Horror,’ ‘Fat Legs,’), ‘TOUCH’ was created by a diverse cast and crew with a shared ambition to redefine what the cinematic experience could be without pictures orienting the storyline.
Tony Krawitz, Director, said, “What would it be like to be in a cinema with hundreds of people and only focusing on sound? A movie without pictures? TOUCH is a one-of-a-kind story that explores a man’s mind, his memories, his tics – all without images. The film has been designed for people to enjoy, and to enable people to experience what it’s like not to have your vision to orient you. To make the audience use their ears as if they’re detectives, gripped by what’s going to happen next.”
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How much do tickets cost?
Tickets cost $38 each + booking fee. Proceeds from all ticket sales will be donated to the charity Blind Citizens Australia.
I'd like to book by phone. Which number can I call?
Please call the venue's Customer Service line on 02 9236 7492 during business hours: Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5pm, and Saturdays 10am - 5pm, for assistance with booking tickets.
I have a Companion Card. Will I need to pay for my Companion's ticket?
We honour the NSW Companion Card programme. If you hold a valid government-issued Companion Card admission is free to accompany a full priced ticket purchase.
There are several ticket types. How do I choose which ticket to buy?
By choosing the correct ticket you will help us plan accessibility requirements on the night for all attendees.
Adult (all seating is general admission)
Adult + Guide Dog/Assistance Animal - If you'll be attending with an assistance animal
Adult + Companion - If you hold a valid Companion Card and will be attending with your companion
Adult + Companion + Guide Dog/Assistance Animal - If you hold a valid Companion Card and will be attending with your Companion as well as your guide dog/assistance animal
I'll be arriving in a wheelchair. Is the venue wheelchair-accessible?
The venue is fully wheelchair-accessible, from entry at street level via the kerb ramp, down the slope which has a 7.5% gradient, and inside the venue. All public dining areas are on the flat. Please contact the event organiser via the Contact Host form on the Event's homepage so we can reserve a space for you and your guests in the cinema.
Will there be staff or support to assist?
Additional trained support staff will be on site throughout the event.
What time do gates open?
Gates will open at 6pm.
Can I reserve seating?
All seats are unreserved at the time of purchase, and self-reserved using our seat card system. If you have specific needs with regards to seating that we can assist with, please tick the appropriate box during the checkout process. Alternatively, please contact the event organiser via the Contact Host form on the Event's homepage.
I'm attending with my guide dog/assistance animal. Where's the best place to sit?
The cinema seating has been arranged so that your guide dog/assistance animal can sit comfortably in the space assigned to your seat. Support staff will be on hand to assist you with self-reserving your seats in the best spot. If you would like more space, we can reserve the cinema seat next to yours for your guide dog/assistance animal. Please advise us in advance by ticking the appropriate box during the checkout process. Alternatively, please contact the event organiser via the Contact Host form on the Event's homepage.
How far back from the screen is the seating, and how large is the screen?
The distance from the screen (when raised) to the first row of seats is 25 meters for this special screening of the Touch movie. The screen is 350 meters squared in size, approximately three storeys high. The spacing between the rows of seats, from the back of each row to the back of the next, is 1.5 meters. This applies only to the flat seating on the ground. Grandstand seats are fixed in position, and are closer between rows.
Once I'm in the venue, can I leave and come back?
Yes, we have a passout system. Please exit via the entrance, and ask the staff to scan you "out". When you return, enter the same way via the main entrance, and please have your ticket ready so that staff can scan it.
What time does the screening start?
The screening will start at 8.15pm.
Do you provide dining facilities inside the venue? Can I bring my own food and drink?
This is a fully licensed venue, so no BYO alcohol or food will be permitted to enter the event. We have a great range of dining choices at both the southern and the northern end of the venue. Both areas have unreserved table seating, with enough tables and chairs to seat close to 1,000 diners.
Do you accept cash at the bars and restaurants on-site?
The venue is a cashless venue, and will only accept contactless payments, i.e. credit card, app and tap payments across the venue. If you need assistance ordering food and/or beverages, please ask one of the Event staff for help
The weather isn't looking good but it's still early in the day. Will you cancel the screening?
As an outdoor event, our Cinema is subject to prevailing weather conditions. Specifically, rain will not prohibit the screenings of films. Screenings will be cancelled only if weather conditions present a danger at Fleet Steps at screening time. We all know that Sydney Summer weather can change quickly so we always hope to proceed with the screening and make weather-related decisions, based on the conditions at our event site at the time of screening. Regardless of the forecast, we monitor the weather closely throughout the day and evening and keep everyone updated on Facebook, Instagram and our website. Our number one priority is safety, so if we have to make the difficult call to cancel to ensure our patron’s safety, we will do so, but our preference is to proceed with screening our great programs of films if possible!
Can I bring my child with me, and what about a pram?
Yes, you may bring a child and a pram; please note that the venue and the movie are geared towards an adult crowd rather than families with young children. If you're planning to arrive with a pram please contact the event organiser via the Contact Host form on the Event's homepage. If your child becomes restless or noisy during the screening, we ask that you please move to a quiet space away from the cinema seating for the time it takes for your child to settle.
I have more questions, who can I contact?
Please call the venue's Customer Service line on 02 9236 7492 during business hours: Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5pm, and Saturdays 10am - 5pm, for assistance.