Five local films made by five local filmmakers, exploring local historical issues, (with modern, universal application) will premiere in the Maleny Community Centre, 23 Maple Street, Maleny over the Australia Day weekend 23-24 January 2009.
The films, which have been a year in the writing, shooting and editing, have been designed to celebrate 150 years of Queensland history since the 1859 separation from the colony of New South Wales; and to inspire film-making within a local community.
The five film-makers (all women) attended a month-long Screenwriter-in-Residence course at the beginning of 2008, heading for completed scripts and full-scale productions to be screened within 12 months, in time for the 150-year celebrations.
‘Miraculously, we are all on target for our deadline,’ said local author Jill Morris, who chose a local iconic building with a multi-mystery past as the focus for her 38-minute documentary: ‘A Peace of Green: Cornerstone of a Community’. Other films focus on one man’s 20-year career capturing his human surroundings on film; a pioneer’s journey through acceptance of the loss of his wife and child ; child-bullying; and a study of how greed can send a community crazy. The stories range in length from 15 minutes to 90; in genre, from documentary to feature-length comedy.
‘This festival – which we run every year on the Australia Day weekend – is an eclectic mix, with something for everyone, including children,’ said Joie Sumby, president of the Maleny Film Society which is hosting the festival.
The film-makers have ‘drowned in research’, digging up themes from Maleny’s past that have modern fascination.
Screening over two days (Friday 23 January evening and Saturday 24 January afternoon and evening), the five films are: Reconstructing Peter (Jess Begun), The Clearing (Leanne Farmiloe), It’s a Bear Thing (Jacqueline Megaw), A Peace of Green (Jill Morris) & GodSend (Katie Lindsay).
The film-makers received some grants but they basically self-funded their year-long projects.
‘Half of Maleny appears in my story,’ said Katie Lindsay, whose feature-length comedy premieres on the Saturday evening. ‘I found some deliciously old locations in the area – no one knew some of them still existed.’
A number of locals were interviewed by Jess Begun to counter-point archival footage shot over 20 years by Peter Erdmann, the subject of Reconstructing Peter to be shown at the champagne festival opening on Friday 23 January (party starts at 6pm).
Festival tickets are available from The BowerBird of Monteville, 178 Main St (Montville) and Maleny Imaging, 15 Maple Street, Maleny.
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