9/8/2012: DUBBO DOES FILM & CULTURE

The city of Dubbo is set to be transformed into a film and entertainment destination throughout most of September 2012 when it plays host to the largest ever month-long regional festival in the country, opening with Mental, starring Toni Collette and directed by Muriel’s Wedding director P. J. Hogan.

Celebrating art, culture, film and music, the Dubbo Festival including the Inland NSW Film Festival consists of 26 days of events, exhibitions, screenings, performances, parties and workshops including premieres of a number of Australian feature films and documentaries and a major installation, which will illuminate the city.

The program, launched last week by Graham Perry, the CEO of Inland NSW Tourism, includes:
• 23 Australian films and documentaries, including the premiere of PJ Hogan’s film Mental where he’s reunited with his leading lady from Muriel’s Wedding, Toni Collette and the world premiere of the Adam Geiger directed documentary Dingo: Wild Dog at War – and more than 100 shorts ; 
• Film industry seminars, forums, live script readings and talent quest speed auditions.
• 10 free events ranging from the Zoo flicks, the Red Ochre & Multicultural Festival and the Dream Family Fun day;
• 8 educational based programs including workshop and the Cockatoo Institute In the Raw program to advance skills and showcase talent of artists;
• Four art exhibitions, including the DREAM Light Illumination and the Nikon Walkley Photojournalism Exhibition;
• The popular Zoo Grooves concert featuring Aussie music icon Ian Moss, with support from popular cover band Jelly Bean Jam, and local band Mumblepants. 
• The DREAM Artist of the Year Award, which recognises home-grown talent who successfully pursued their dreams; and, 
• The world’s first parade of its kind, the Carnival of the Animals
The Festival was an initiative of the Inland NSW Film Festival together with Events Dubbo and other organisations from the city, region and State to bring together a wide range of arts and entertainment events under one umbrella.

Festival Director of Inland NSW Film Festival, Stavros Kazantzidis, said the concept for Dubbo Festival was born out of the success of the Dungog Film festival which he and Allanah Zitserman started six years ago and which has become a major attraction.

“We were encouraged by how the people of Dungog embraced the Festival and how it had provided them with not only great economic benefits but gave them access to a whole new world of film,” Kazantzidis said.

“With that Festival now having matured, we wanted to expand into other parts of NSW, so we can make the riches of art and entertainment more readily accessible to more people within the State.

“We are pleased to have joined with Events Dubbo and other organisations including Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Orana Arts, Short & Sweet, the Walkley Foundation and Mortimore Arts Prize, to have been able to bring together the largest regional festival of its kind.”