The Barossa Valley will host its first International Film Festival next October; the event is currently under consideration for The Arts South Australia grant, with supporters such as Flight Centre Events, Château Tanunda winery, and the Barossa Council.
“The festival stands to boost the profile of the Barossa nationally and internationally as a region of high artistic integrity and creativity. The high calibre event will not only provide invaluable exposure for the Barossa and its artistic pursuits, but also provide an economic boost through the influx of visitors expected to converge here for the festival,” said David Morcon, CEO of The Barossa Council.
Flight Centre business manager Robert Kalemba added his company believes “the potential of such an event shares synergies with not only our Events department but the global travel community at large.”
The festival is the brain child of Barossa filmmaker Dave de Vries (director of the award-winning thriller Carmilla Hyde).
ADVERTISEMENT
“Carmilla Hyde was selected for a number of their festivals including the Swansea Bay Film Festival. Its organisers. [British events company AMRITSA] then got in touch and asked if we would be interested in helping them establish a festival here in Australia.
“Given that I am a Councillor on the Barossa Council, a former chair of the Barossa Wine and Tourism Association and a former Chair of Tripe Bfm – Barossa Radio – I suggested that they think about establishing it in South Australia (we are, after all, the “Festival State”) and making the Barossa its home. And I’m delighted to say, they said yes,” explained de Vries.
The International Film Festival of Australasia – Barossa will be a four-day event, screening 200 short and feature films, culminating in an awards nights. The festival will be based at the Château Tanunda winery, with screenings also taking place at other wineries and tourism venues – including al fresco screenings amongst the grapefields.
The organisers are considering a number of points of difference from other national and state efforts.
“Like most international festivals in Australia, the Adelaide Film Festival tends to focus on arthouse films, or established local film makers working inside the Australian mainstream,” said de Vries. “In our case, however, the festival will celebrate the films of emerging filmmakers (first and second features), genre filmmakers and underground filmmakers working outside the system.”
“Given that so few film festivals in Australia specifically cater to this type of film making, it’s our hope that this approach will provide our festival with a valuable point of difference, not only to the Adelaide International Film Festival, but to the other international film festivals currently being held around Australia.”
The first edition will take place from October 26-30, 2011.