Festival Forges Friendships

An annual staple in the local calendar, the two-day event draws people from near and far, and although the two ladies had just met that morning, they gave every impression of having known each other for years. A similar interest in the arts beyond the mainstream was fueling the conversation and discussion of the morning’s film “Bromley: Light After Dark” revealed the stimulating dialogue which film choices can generate in these events.

An annual staple in the local calendar, the two-day event draws people from near and far, and although the two ladies had just met that morning, they gave every impression of having known each other for years. A similar interest in the arts beyond the mainstream was fueling the conversation and discussion of the morning’s film “Bromley: Light After Dark” revealed the stimulating dialogue which film choices can generate in these events.

While there is a long history of people returning year after year to the Festival it’s not always the movies which are the main drawcard.

For some it brings an opportunity to catch up with family. For others it’s a chance to delve deeper into distant family ties and re-connect with the past. It may even be as simple as grabbing the opportunity for a weekend get-away!

For Bronwyn, the reasons were varied and plentiful. Meeting with like-minded people, alternative films to the standard commercial fare, acceptable pricing for a seasons’ ticket which included suppers and lunch, strong film choices, and a convivial atmosphere.

Having attended other film festivals, Charlton’s appeal came from the length of the program (“not too long”) the attractive option of lunch being included in the package (“a lovely home prepared meal”) and the scope of film genres – starting with a drama (“One Life”) and ending on a high note with comedy (“Red, White & Brass”).

Brigitta also applauded the shared times following the screenings where discussions could flow. With both ladies hankering for access to a diversity of film, a proposal for an alternate festival (perhaps of world movies) was mooted.

For first-time attendee, John Smith (Melbourne), it was a chance to visit the country. Accompanying his friend Myf Van de Meene, the festival has become an indulgence of sorts where settling in to watch a succession of films can be enjoyed. A little closer to home the Fisher and Elder families from near Quambatook saw the weekend as a pleasant outing where they could sit around as well as catch up with friends.

Charlton Arts Film Festival Coordinator, Carolyn Olive said coming up with the right mix of movies was important and the formula of light-hearted, documentary and sub-titled offerings seemed to work well.

“This year we have two films that, although set in Australia (“Shayda”) and New Zealand (“Red, White & Brass”) still have some foreign language component,” Carolyn said.

“With more films not having theatrical releases now or moving quickly into streaming services, the selection is becoming more difficult.”

The opening night film, “One Life” starring Anthony Hopkins, had undoubtably hit the mark with patrons speaking effusively about the affecting storyline.

As a reflective drama, the story concentrates on British humanitarian, Nicholas Winton (Hopkins), who helped save hundreds of predominantly Jewish children from the Nazis on the eve of World War II. A topic which carries resonance with today’s Middle-Eastern crisis, this generated many talking points amongst the first-night crowd.  

Following a successful outcome for their first event of 2024, the vibrant members of Charlton Arts will now begin planning for their up-coming entertainment and cultural offerings for the year ahead.