Below: Film Society committee members Joseph and Joanna Guthrie talk with Molokai actor Chris Hayward after the film.By Kath Gannaway
WARBURTON’S Filmfest just gets better and better.
The 25th slice of celluloid heaven drew film-lovers from around Victoria on the weekend with average audiences of 130 at each of the nine sessions.
Among many highlights were the Show Us Your Shorts student film competition, the sell-out festival dinner held in the Mechanic’s Institute Hall and the introduction of the Paul Cox directed film, Molokai, by veteran Australian actor Chris Hayward.
Hayward was one of an outstanding cast of Australian and international actors in the Australia/Belgium-made film.
The festival is hosted by Yarra Ranges Film Society and the Shire of Yarra Ranges.
The society’s president Dagmar Limp said he was thrilled with yet another success.
“The feedback has been fantastic and the film competition was wonderful,” she said.
“People commented on the diversity of the films in the competition and we were very pleased to have the local high school involved, along with entries from the Victorian College of the Arts,” she said.
The inaugural Golden Shorts award was won by VCofA student Tali Gal-On with her animation Lucille.
Mr Hayward gave some rare insights into the making of Molokai and spoke of the importance of film festivals in promoting Australian films.
“They are a vital part of building film culture in Australia,” he said.
Australian films, he said, get swamped by simplistic American films.
He said film festivals which show all or predominantly Australian films help educate audiences in our own film culture.
“Jindabyne in an excellent example,” he said. “People might say they didn’t get the killer … it doesn’t have to be wrapped up in simplistic film.
“We have a potentially more demanding audience and that can be confirmed by the number of people attending festivals like this.”
Mr Hayward said including a short film competition raised the importance of the festival dramatically, providing an important outlet for young film makers.
He also paid tribute to Mrs Limp who was recently awarded the Buster Award by the Victorian Federation of Film Societies.
The award is given in recognition of an outstanding contribution to furthering the development of film festivals and promotion of the film industry.
“For any community to develop its social events, things like this festival, you have to have extraordinary people like Dagmar behind them, driving them,” he said.
