Hervey Bay Film Festival debuts; community invited

FRASER Coast’s creative community is invited to participate in the inaugural Hervey Bay Film Festival. 

This event aims to showcase local and international talent and encourage community involvement in the arts.

The festival will feature movie screenings on Thursday, September 12, from 5-8 pm at Bigscreen Cinemas. 

The festival will culminate in an awards evening on Saturday, September 21, in the Fraser Room at the Boat Club.

The film festival is calling for entries in various categories, including feature fiction, feature documentary, series (single or multiple episodes), and short films made in Australia and internationally. 

Filmmakers, screenwriters, and photographers are encouraged to submit their work. Submission fees are $15 per student and $20 for non-students, with a deadline of September 6.

Festival Director Nigel Squires stated, “We want to support and promote locally-made films, pilots, and trailers to encourage investment towards full production and distribution.” 

Squires aims to put Hervey Bay on the film festival map, provide creative opportunities for the local community, and attract new visitors to the region, boosting local tourism.

The festival has garnered significant support and excitement within the community.

Jason Kastner, media teacher at St James Lutheran College, commented, “This is an excellent opportunity for my students to create their own short films and understand the diverse roles needed in film production. It also provides local schools with a meaningful event to base their curriculum around, inspiring students to pursue further study and careers in the film and media industry.”

HBFF Productions, led by Squires, is committed to providing cost-effective filmmaking resources to students and low-budget filmmakers. 

They offer crew and filmmaking equipment at reasonable rates and host group workshops and training sessions to help young people develop their skills in the creative arts.

Additionally, there are opportunities for partners to get involved with the festival. 

Sponsorship packages include video production, brand placement in festival marketing, and naming rights to prize categories.

on movie submissions, partnership opportunities, or to purchase tickets, visit hbff.com.au