May 14, 2014
Aussie actor and Gold Logie winner John Wood is looking forward to visiting Nanango this week … even if he admits he’s not quite sure where the town is.
John will arrive in the South Burnett on Friday as the special guest for this year’s Big Screen Film Festival, brought to the region by the National Film and Sound Archive and the South Burnett Regional Council.
Local residents will have the opportunity of meeting him at the Red Carpet opening night on Friday and at a special drought relief fundraiser on Saturday.
John took some time out from his busy schedule to talk to southburnett.com.au this week ahead of his visit:
“I haven’t been to Nanango – actually I’m not quite sure where it is – but I really like to get out into regional areas,” he said.
“It sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun.”
He praised the concept of the Big Screen Festival, which delivers Australian films to audiences who may otherwise miss out.
John is probably best known for his role as Snr Sgt Tom Croydon in the TV cop show Blue Heelers, set in probably Australia’s most crime-ridden small town, Mount Thomas (he promised the crooks wouldn’t be following him to Nanango).
That show wound up in 2006 but he has been kept busy since with other film and TV projects.
Amongst them is the comedy movie “Backyard Ashes”, which was released this year and will feature at the Big Screen Festival.
The movie tells the tale of a backyard cricket match played for the ashes of a deceased cat … but animal lovers need not fear, “no actual animals were hurt in the filming of this movie”, John joked.
All the characters in the movie are based on famous cricketers. John is “Merv”, the reason why he is sporting a handsome moustache in all the promo photos for the film.
John also landed the recurring role of Patrick Tyneman, the “Baron of Ballarat”, in the ABC series “The Doctor Blake Mysteries”, a darker character than those he usually plays.
He’s enjoying the role and with shooting to resume later this year on a new series, he’s looking forward to becoming even more involved.
John has also continued his writing career – he penned several episodes of Blue Heelers, as well as Prisoner and Cop Shop – and is currently working on a couple of projects, including a crime drama and a small musical that he hopes to stage.
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Would you like to meet John Wood?
southburnett.com.au has a double pass to give away to the Big Screen Festival opening night and a double pass to give away for Saturday’s gala fundraiser.
For information how to win, see our Facebook page
John Wood will introduce the films at Friday night’s Red Carpet opening night (6:30pm at the Nanango Cultural Centre). Featured will be “Healing”, a new Australian film, plus John’s short comedy “Waiting for Robbo”. John will be joined by the short film’s director Simon Weaving, brother of one of the stars of Healing, Hugo Weaving.
Tickets are also selling fast for the gala fundraiser, 6:30pm on Saturday (May 17), when John Wood will make a guest appearance to introduce his new film Backyard Ashes and take part in some fundraising cricketing fun before the screening.
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A number of new Australian films will grace the screen over the weekend, including the moving war story “The Railway Man”, starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman, at a Friday matinee aimed at seniors.
Saturday afternoon sees a free screening of NFSA collection gem “The Squatter’s Daughter” at 2:00pm from legendary director Ken G. Hall.
“The Man from Cox’s River”, a story about wild brumbies saved from destruction, screens on Sunday at noon and is followed by “Tracks”, the acclaimed film of an epic journey across the desert, based on Queensland-born Robyn Davidson’s international best-selling book, at 2:30pm.
Family-friendly screenings include “Ginger Meggs” on Saturday at 11:00am and the blockbuster “The Lego Movie” on Sunday at 10:00am.
Screenings will also take place at the Satellite Cinema in Kingaroy, when The Lego Movie plays on Sunday at 11:00am, followed by Satellite Boy at 2:00pm.
A selection of locally made short films plus treasures from the NFSA’s collection will screen before most feature-length films over the weekend.
Tickets to all events and sessions at the Nanango Cultural Centre are available from the South Burnett Regional Council offices and Thorps Showcase Jewellers in Kingaroy Shoppingworld, and at the door before each session.
Tickets for screenings at the Satellite Cinema in Kingaroy are available at the cinema.
Visit www.nfsa.gov.au/bigscreen/nanango-kingaroy for all film details, times and ticket information.
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