The North Bellarine is gearing up for its annual film festival with plenty planned for film lovers.
Festival chair Bill Lussier said the festival provided an opportunity for filmmakers to showcase their work.
“The North Bellarine Film Festival is a popular event on the City’s arts and culture calendar and has been delivering high quality cinema to residents and visitors to the region since its inception in 2017,” he said.
“The Emerging Filmmaker Award has been identifying talented young filmmakers and screening their work since it was established in 2019. The annual award ceremony on the Saturday evening of the festival is a celebration of some of our state’s best young filmmakers.”
The festival opens with the critically acclaimed French film Saint Omer, directed by Alice Diop, which follows Senegalese-French novelist Rama who travels to Saint-Omer to observe and write about the trial of Senegalese immigrant Laurence.
Laurence’s unspeakable crime and her isolation from family and society while living in France lead Rama to question her complex relationship with her own mother and to become increasingly anxious about her life and pregnancy.
Saint Omer has won numerous international film awards including the Grand Jury Prize at the 2022 Venice Film Festival.
The finalists for the 2023 Emerging Filmmaker Award will be screened at 7.30pm on Saturday November 18 with the winner announced at the conclusion of the evening. This award recognises Victorian filmmakers 25 years of age and younger who demonstrate excellence, talent and commitment to their craft, making this event a celebration of some of the state’s best young filmmakers. The audience will also vote for the favourite amongst the finalists in the newly established People’s Choice Award.
Doors open at 6.30pm on both evenings with complimentary finger food provided by Pier Street Cafe and a cash bar.
The festival’s Australian and international short film program will be screened on the Saturday afternoon. Doors open at noon.
The North Bellarine Film Festival is at the Potato Shed in Drysdale on Friday November 17 and Saturday 18 November.
Festival passes and session tickets are available online at the North Bellarine Film Festival website (northbellarinefilmfestival.org), the Potato Shed box office and by phoning 5251 1998.
Further information about the festival is available at northbellarinefilmfestival.org
