The Cinefest Festival offers South West students the chance to see both Australian and world cinema that they wouldn't normally have access to. Year 10 and Year 11 Media Production and Year 11 English students had the opportunity to attend films, talks and workshops over the course of the festival.
On Thursday, Media Production students attended a full day excursion to Cinefest Oz. After a viewing of the Australian feature film “Emo the Musical”, students participated in a Q&A with the director, Neill Triffett. The film is based on a ‘holy war’ in a high school setting, as a group of Christian musicians and Emos battle it out for the annual State School Rock Competition, with one young couple caught in the crossfire. Neill was a wealth of knowledge and engaged the students well past the allocated time for the session, giving them an insight into the time frame, costing and challenges of the Australian film industry.
Students then met with Jennifer Perrott, a multi-nominated and award winning writer and director of short films. Students were treated to a viewing of Jennifer's short film "The Ravens" which is an emotional look into post-traumatic stress. Jennifer talked about developing her debut feature, Winter Sun (aka Dust of Life) with support from Screen Australia and discussed the importance of being humble and making positive connections within the industry, encouraging students to get out there and make films of their own.
Their final viewing for the day was the French buddy comedy "Microbe and Gasoline", a hilarious film about young friends who embark on a road trip across France in a vehicle they build themselves. This gorgeous foreign film rounded off a great day perfectly, and students returned to school with much discussion and inspiration for their own creative endeavours.
On Friday, Year 11 students attended the festival screening of "Constance on the Edge". Directed by Belinda Mason, it tells the story of one family, two wars and three countries. The documentary film gets to the heart of a contemporary untold story about the courage and resilience it takes to build new lives. It also highlights the important role communities play in welcoming, healing and encouraging a sense of belonging for everyone.
After the viewing, students listened to the director discuss her process in telling the family’s story, and they were also able to ask questions about film making, the personal process of storytelling and the outcome for the family involved.
The Cinefest Festival is a brilliant opportunity for students to view Australian and world cinema, meet people who actually work within the industry and gain inspiration for their own creative work.
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