Issue 37 Aurora Magazine April 2021

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what’s on CINEFESTOZ IN ALBANY Lights, Camera, Action STORY ADAM MORRIS CinefestOZ, which is on its way to Albany at the end of April, has its humble beginnings in the innovative coastal town of Busselton where it was launched twelve years ago. The idea was to grow an event which would enhance the small town’s cultural capital, help local businesses and increase the town’s profile for visiting tourists. Since being established by David Barton and Helen Shervington, CinefestOZ has grown into a nationally recognized stop on the festival circuit taking its place alongside Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide’s prestigious Film Festivals with CinefestOz now offering the largest cash prize for Australian filmmakers to the tune of $100,000 for best feature film. It is this growth and success that CinefestOz hopes to bring to Albany over the coming years as the inaugural festival runs over three days with premieres, guest speakers, wine and film tours and industry events which will give local cinefiles and fledgling filmmakers a sneak peak behind the scenes of just what it takes to become a part of the movie business. The Town Hall on York Street, which has just undergone a major million-dollar facelift, will play host to community screenings over the three days where they will run shorts and feature films in the upstairs, newly renovated theatre where people from all walks of life can come and enjoy brand new Australian features and shorts free of charge. Malinda Nixon, who has been the CEO of CinefestOz since 2009, says the town hall with it’s rolling program of free shorts and features will give people who don’t have much time or might be juggling life duties a chance to pop in and be a part of the festival, even if just for ten or twenty minutes. There will also be screenings at both Orana Cinemas as well as the Albany Entertainment Centre along with the H is for Happiness location tour which will take two busloads of movie lovers around Albany town taking in the shooting locations for one of Albany’s most recent offerings. Malinda Nixon says the event’s success has everything to do with community involvement. It was a festival that was first designed to benefit the local community in Busselton and it will be the local community here in Albany that ultimately will make it a success. Malinda is quick to recognise that Albany has one of the most admired arts communities in all of the Great Southern and South West regions and is confident that CinefestOZ will take its place among Albany’s annual cultural events such as Taste Great Southern, the Southern Art and Craft Trail and The Albany Classic – Around the Houses, just to name a few. For event and festival coordinators like Malinda, Albany has a fantastic mix of enthusiastic locals as well as a council who values events and knows how to support them. Part of this support has come in the form of local Annette Davis, who along with being an artist and arts curator, was a long time CinefestOZ fan, visiting the festival in Busselton numerous times over the previous years. The attraction for Annette was not only in the lineup of fantastic films but also because of the direct benefit to the local community. ALBANY I WESTERN AUSTRALIA RED CARPET EVENTS JUNE AGAIN OPENING NIGHT SCREENING Thurs 29 April | 6.30pm | Orana Cinemas Albany The centre-piece of opening night is the screening of JUNE AGAIN, and celebrates the very best of CinefestOZ, with films, guests, entertainment and pre-screening hospitality. Walk the red carpet at Orana cinemas ahead of filmmakers and festival guests as they support this comedy, along with Producer Jamie Hilton. A pre-screening cocktail function with food, drinks and entertainment. SPECIAL CLOSING NIGHT CELEBRATION Sat 1 May | 6.30pm | Albany Entertainment Centre Albany rolls out the red carpet for closing night celebrations. See filmmakers and talent shine as they walk the red carpet. Enjoy a welcome drink with food on arrival and live music before a special acknowledgment to country Followed by a diverse set of quality Australian short films. After, join the party and take in the great live music, entertainment and generous canapes at the premier venue the Albany Entertainment Centre. ALBANY I WESTERN AUSTRALIA FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAM Pick up your Full Program of events and screenings or visit us at cinefestoz.com SPECIAL EVENT DEADLY INDIGENOUS SHORTS Fri 30 April | 6.30pm Albany Town Hall Light, dark, beauty and strength infuse this showcase of short films by Indigenous filmmakers. These films reinforce the importance of storytelling through film and what we can learn from these stories. Hosted by Jodie Bell, Producer and CinefestOZ Indigenous Film Coordinator, joined by special guests Kelton Pell (Actor and CinefestOZ Koorda), & Brooke Collard (Producer) , will engage in post screening discussion and conversations. 24 LOVE LOCAL Aurora_037_April 2021.indd 24 23/3/21 8:10 pm
what’s on “I was keen to be involved because, as well as it being a really fun event, it gives young people an opportunity to hear from actors and filmmakers, especially through the Cinesnaps program, the Q and A’s and the film tours,” explained Annette. “I know that for my son, who is a filmmaker, it was really valuable for him as a teenager to have a local group, Great Southern Factor Inc (GSFI), which presented opportunities to lean about film making. It validated and fostered his interest which was really valuable.” produced here over the last few years means the town is in a perfect situation to make the most of these local connections. “I hope that, over time, the Festival will link with the wider local creative community, including aspiring filmmakers. It will be great to see the Festival develop to have its own Albany flavour.” Full program and tickets on sale from 30 March at www.cinefestoz.com For Annette the enjoyment of the festival has already started as she has been loving seeing how the Albany community is already embracing the inaugural festival. “We’ve had a terrific response to the call out for volunteers. Every venue is being really helpful, and I’m enjoying working with Simone Klose from the City of Albany, the principal partner. The expression ‘many hands make light work’ is incredibly apt. The CinefestOZ team brings together lots of skills and talents and energy, and I’m loving being part of it.” One event in particular that Annette is looking forward to is the H is for Happiness Tour where locals get to peek behind the creative curtain and hear the inside stories and anecdotes of the film making process directly from producer Tenille Kennedy. Annette explains her personal attraction for the event, “Film making, like all creative pursuits, involves so many choices and decisions, along with determination and hard slog. Then there are coincidences and good luck which help bring some of the magic. To have the producer sharing her stories from the making of this gorgeous film, is going to be terrific.” Annette believes that the fact that Albany has already had so many films and TV series ABOVE: Annette Davis in her art studio at Mary Thomson House, Vancouver Arts Centre, Albany. PHOTO KRYSTA GUILLE Refugium Art Exhibition by MIX Twelve months ago, MIX Artists were embarking on a series of excursions and camps in the local environment, to inspire their ideas and art-making for an exhibition that was scheduled April 2021. Just as they were about to head off on an overnight camp, Covid-19 reared its head and the artists’ plans were put on hold. The forced seclusion did not stop their planning, however, in fact it heightened their appreciation of the safety of where they live, as well as the resilience of nature as a whole. MIX Artists are now presenting the exhibition which grew from the challenges of the last twelve months. The exhibition title is Refugium which is Latin for “refuge” or “hideaway. Within this overall theme, there are many different ideas expressed by the twenty contemporary artists who are exhibiting in this thought-provoking exhibition. A visit to the Twin Creeks Conservation Reserve, hosted by the Friends of the Porongurup Range, was the catalyst for several artworks in the exhibition with the artists inspired by the resilience of nature following the fires in the Stirling Ranges last year. While some artists have focussed on their own neighbourhood, others have looked globally for their inspiration. This fascinating exhibition is on show in the Eclipse Building at the Museum of the Great Southern from 3 to 22 April, and is open from 10am to 4pm daily. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Artworks by Kate Campbell-Pope, Jenny Crisp and Kerrie Argent. Presented by MIX Artists Inc Contemporary art from the Great Southern An exhibition contemplating the extraordinary times we are living through MIX ARTISTS Inc MUSEUM OF THE GREAT SOUTHERN 3rd – 22nd April, 2021 Open 10am-4pm daily ARTIST TALKS Saturday 10th April at 1.30pm Free This project is supported through the State Government’s Royalties for Regions Program as part of the Regional Arts and Cultural Investment Program, and Regional Arts. LOVE LOCAL 25 Aurora_037_April 2021.indd 25 23/3/21 8:10 pm
Page 1 and 2: FREE Aurora Issue 37 GREAT SOUTHERN
Page 3 and 4: contents 4 FOCUS BOB REES Man on a
Page 5 and 6: focus hardships of living a dignifi
Page 7 and 8: spotlight Dance Award in 2018 it’
Page 9 and 10: taste While they were living in Den
Page 11 and 12: taste that communicate with a mix o
Page 13 and 14: So who are they? And why are they s
Page 15 and 16: OOM, ALBANY vogue ON HOP WRIGHT | L
Page 17 and 18: vogue OUR MODEL Our beautiful April
Page 19 and 20: eflect year of nursing the most con
Page 21 and 22: discover iNaturalist where it recei
Page 23: curate the light. Colours bring up
Page 27 and 28: Everything we put in the Gig Guide

Issue 37 Aurora Magazine April 2021

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