Film festival returns

After being rescheduled from November, the North Bellarine Film Festival festival is set to kick off at Drysdale’s Potato Shed on February 25 and 26.

The festival opens at 7.30pm on the Friday with a screening of The Lobster, a feature film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman.

Set in a dystopian future, this wickedly funny satire takes aim at couples-fixated society in which single people who do not find a romantic partner in forty-five days are transformed into beasts of their choice and sent off into the forest.

Two sessions of Australian and international short films will be screened on the Saturday afternoon, beginning at 1pm.

Returning to the festival will be the Emerging Filmmaker Award.

The Emerging Filmmaker Award is a jury-selected prize that recognises Victorian filmmakers 25 years of age or younger who demonstrate excellence, talent and commitment to their craft.

The award has been presented by the festival since 2019.

Winning and runner-up films will be screened at the award ceremony beginning at 7.30pm on the Saturday, making the event a celebration of some of Victoria’s best young filmmakers.

North Bellarine Film Festival chairman Bill Lussier said he was looking forward to seeing the festival go ahead in just four weeks’ time.

“The North Bellarine Film Festival is a popular event on the City’s arts and culture calendar and has been delivering high quality cinema to regional residents and visitors since its inception in 2017,” he said.

“The Emerging Filmmaker Award has been identifying talented young filmmakers and screening their work since it was established in 2019.

“The award ceremony on the Saturday evening of the festival will be a celebration of some of Victoria’s best young filmmakers.”

Tickets are available at the Potato Shed ticket office, online at geelongaustralia.com.au, at City of Greater Geelong customer service centres or by telephone at 03 5251 1998.

Details: northbellarinefilmfestival.org