CinefestOZ Albany will take place from April 28 to May 1, 2022, allowing Great Southern film lovers to experience and celebrate the very best in Australian film.
The McGowan Government is supporting the expanded four-day event with Lotterywest funding through Screenwest.
This year, the festival will host the Albany premiere screenings of three feature films supported by Screenwest – ‘How To Please A Woman’, ‘Stage Changers’ and ‘I Met A Girl’.
Building on the success of the debut festival in 2021, CinefestOZ Albany 2022 will provide four huge days of film screenings, a one-day Industry Program, free community screenings, a short film set featuring Western Australian shorts, and IndigifestOZ films. The Gala Night event on Saturday will also feature four Indigenous short films, including Karla Hart’s film ‘Tooly’.
The Albany Town Hall will serve as the festival hub, with local businesses, accommodation providers and food and beverage suppliers benefitting from the festival crowds.
The first free Albany community day, Kinjarling Koort, has been made possible through Lotterywest support and will feature Indigenous films, filmmakers, music and community-based activities.
Founded in 2008, the CinefestOZ festival is held annually in August in Busselton, Margaret River and Bunbury, and has become one of WA’s premier film festivals.
CinefestOZ took out gold in the Festival and Events category of the 2021 Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards, silver at the 2022 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, and is now member of the WA Qantas Tourism Awards Hall of Fame.
As stated by Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:
“The McGowan Government knows the great community and economic value of arts and cultural events such as CinefestOZ, and I know audiences will be looking forward to this year’s incredible line up.
“As well as promoting the Australian and Western Australian film industry, the festival’s program helps highlight the Great Southern region and will boost tourism during a traditionally quieter time of year.
“CinefestOZ Albany brings the talent of our creative industries to a broader audience while supporting local business and the economy.”
As stated by Albany MLA Rebecca Stephens:
“This is such a fantastic event for the Albany community. It is pleasing to see local Great Southern-raised filmmakers Joel Jackson and Karla Hart as Festival Ambassadors this year.
“This is the second time it has been held in our city and I know that many people are really looking forward to seeing some of the interesting and diverse films that will be screened.”
