The Real Film Festival (RFF) is back for a fifth year bringing with it a star-studded collection of industry heavyweights in Australian film.
Held on 28-30 October 2016 in Newcastle, the festival celebrates the art of storytelling through film and attracts a diverse and passionate audience from all over the country, offering the chance to immerse in a complete arts experience set to the backdrop of Newcastle’s thriving arts community.
While still in its infancy, the festival is continually growing and injects around $2million into the Hunter’s economy.
Festival organiser, Annette Hubber, of Screen Hunter, said the festival had come a long way since its early days and credits its success with the industry’s unwavering passion.
“We’ve seen the RFF evolve into a significant player on the Australian film festival scene, one that is fast becoming entrenched in the Australian arts calendar,” Annette said.
“The festival attracts some of the Industry’s elite and while these film professionals are in the region, we intend to promote the Hunter as an ideal location for their next production.”
The RFF commences on Friday, 28 October with a full day of industry workshops and a panel discussion featuring leading Australian film industry, before the festivities kick off at Newcastle’s Tower Cinemas with the official festival opening and feature film screening of Queen of Ireland. This is an engaging, emotive and down-right entertaining film that follows drag queen Panti Bliss as she rises to be one of the leading Irish activists for same-sex marriage and the LGBTIQ community.
A series of thought provoking feature and short films and documentaries will play all weekend at Tower Cinemas with a highlight Saturday night’s 6.30pm screening of Australian film Down Under, a black comedy that is set around the aftermath of the infamous Cronulla Riots. The film will be introduced on the night by its young star Lincoln Younes. There will also be fun for the whole family with a free outdoor cinema screening of A Dolphin’s Tale on Saturday at Civic Park from 6pm.
The festival will culminate on Sunday night with the announcement of the short film competition winners ahead of the screening the inspiring film for the teenage audiences called Breaking a Monster, which is about a child prodigy musician trying to make it big.
“Festivals like this are significant to the culture of Newcastle,” Annette said. “For our industry to sustain itself we need to have talented people stay here, study here and collaborate here. That is why we include a full day of industry workshops; they are a great way for young emerging talent to connect with industry leaders.”
IMAGE | From one of the RFF films – Down Under
