Mudgee’s international short film festival is coming back on Saturday, March 19, with another roller coaster ride of comedy, drama, and animation on the outdoor screen at Bunnamagoo Estate.
Organiser Mike O’Malley said even as a member of the organising committee for the event’s entire 12-year history, he felt fortunate to have an international film festival in Mudgee.
“It’s extraordinary for a little country town to have a world-class film festival,” he said.
The festival’s reputation was demonstrated last year when Sydney’s Tropfest was in danger of cancellation, leading Destination NSW to talk to Mudfest organisers about having Mudgee’s film festival take Tropfest’s place.
While Tropfest found extra funding and went ahead, Mr O’Malley said the discussion showed Mudgee’s festival was held in high esteem by Destination NSW, who had previously taken Mudfest films to Los Angeles’ G’Day USA event in 2012.
Mr O’Malley said organisers liked to keep the list of films a secret until the day of the event, but he could promise beautifully shot shorts, hilarious comedies, and great animation from all over the world.
Films have been included from Canada, Belgium, the UK, the USA, the Netherlands, Poland, New Zealand and Australia.
Each year, the organising committee of Mike O’Malley, Peter Scott, Philip Van Gent and Sean Wolfson select the Mudfest films from hundreds of entries submitted from around the world.
“It is fun,” Mr O’Malley said. “As a committee we get together and have a few beers and watch a few films.”
The team strives to select a varied and entertaining program each year, deliberately making the night a roller coaster ride of moods, themes and genres.
The night begins with live music from 5pm on the grassy hill below the Bunnamagoo cellar door, with meals available and great Bunnamagoo wine and Mudgee Brewing Co beer.
Once the sun goes down, audiences will enjoy this year’s line-up of films in the pleasant surrounds of the rolling hills and the vineyard.
“It’s unique,” Mr O’Malley said. “Where else would you get a chance to do that?”
Source: Sam Paine, Mudgee Guardian, 14 March 2016
