A tragic local connection is part of the world of inspiration, laughter, intrigue and drama promised at the expanded 2nd annual Sunshine Coast Film Festival.
The documentary Fire Front, which screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival, begins with our own 2019 fires at Peregian Beach.
The film traces a timeline of devastation during the 2019-2020 tragedies, labelled “Black Summer”.
Sunshine Plaza’s Birch Carroll and Coyle Cinemas Maroochydore has four screenings this year, adding to the Noosa Heads, Nambour and Caloundra program and creating a truly regional film festival with a range of foreign language features and documentaries from October 4-30.
Last year’s inaugural Sunshine Coast Film Festival highlighted the calibre of curated movies on show, with many sessions sold out.
This year’s festival already has sold out October 4’s 7pm screening in Caloundra of A Stasi Comedy (Stasikomodie, German with English subtitles).
Among other much-anticipated, diverse film offerings on the program this year is The German Lesson, which will be imported directly from overseas for the event.
And in a rarity for subject matter comes a Scottish surf film.
Ride The Wave is a documentary about a young Scottish surf champion who overcomes bullying to successfully take on the biggest waves to come in from the Atlantic Ocean.
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In a major coup, and a nod to the esteem in which the festival and founder Murray Power are held, Madman Films CEO Paul Wiegard – responsible for releases including Animal Kingdom, Searching for Sugarman, Kenny and Hunt For The Wilderpeople – is special guest.
Wiegard, who celebrated 25 years of Madman Films late last year, will host a round-table discussion with up-and-coming filmmakers, giving them a rare opportunity to meet with one of the nation’s biggest names.
“It’s over-subscribed and we now have two round tables – that’s how keen people are to meet this guy,” Mr Power said.
“Producers are coming up from Brisbane.
“It’s a big deal for the Sunny Coast, and a good indicator of our growing strength as creative region.”
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