by Melinda Shi

Staying up for 2 days without sleep is a piece of cake, right? We’ve all been there, done that, and capped off our sleepless weekend with a walk of shame. The very next time your internal organs cry out for help, why not try something good for you and your liver?

Cue Kino Kabaret - all you need is yourself, a few mates, a video camera and a head full of ideas to be part of a creative melting pot that bubbles for 48 hours straight. The rules are pretty simple; a theme is drawn out of a hat. The participants create a short film and at the end of the 48 hours there’s a screening, followed by lots of pats on the back.

KINO started in Montreal in January 1999 as a simple bet between friends: produce an original short film every month until the new millennium and the 'End of the World'. Kabarets have now become a household name all over the globe. From Berlin to Adelaide and Quebec to Sydney, there are regular monthly sessions in over 50 cells in 14 countries on four continents. Check www.kino00.com for your local cell. If there isn’t one, well, you can just start your very own.

Here's a selection of some of kluster's favourite kinos: