Mayor Wayne Kratzmann welcomes guest star, and former Blue Heeler, Martin Sacks to Nanango

May 18, 2012

A crowd of about 200 cinema fans thronged the Nanango Cultural Centre tonight for the official opening of the 6th annual Big Screen Film Festival.

Guests milled in the Centre, dining on a wide range of finger foods, beers and South Burnett wines while actor Martin Sacks – this year’s Festival celebrity guest – patiently posed for photographers before a screening of his new short film “This Dog’s Life” and the Festival’s opening feature, the new Aussie thriller “Wish You Were Here”.

Patrons came from as far afield as Brisbane to attend the event, which has steadily grown to become a very popular item on the region’s annual arts calendar.

The Big Screen Film Festival is put together each year by the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra. It celebrates new Australian films, and the South Burnett is the only location in Queensland where it’s shown.

The Festival will continue throughout the weekend in Nanango and – on Sunday – at Kingaroy’s Satellite Cinema, as well.

You can find out what films that will be showing and their screening times on our Daily Calendar.

Big Screen is brought to the region by local sponsors which this year included the South Burnett Regional Council, the Heritage Bank Nanango Community Branch, Nanango Foodworks and the Nanango Race Club.

PS: Martin Sacks will also be making an appearance at the Nanango Races on Saturday afternoon, then returning to the Cultural Centre at 7:45pm to discuss his role in “The Cup”, an inspiring new Aussie film about jockeys Damien and Jason Oliver and Damien’s win on Media Puzzle in the 2002 Melbourne Cup. His short talk will be followed by a screening of that movie.

Dannii Agius and Jen Wilkins, Nanango

Elyssa Perrett and Chanelle Buck

Bernie and Judy Cooper, from Crane Wines

Andrea and Doug Somerfield, Wondai

Joan Andersen and Tammi-Lynn Atkinson, Nanango, and Sally Prouse, Brisbane

Elaine Madill and Cr Kathy Duff

Shannon and Megan Scott, Taste South Burnett

Rosie and Darren Schmidt

Michelle Hunter and Carolyn Knudsen

South Burnett Region Council CEO Ken McLoughlin, Cr Cheryl Dalton, Cr Keith Campbell, Cr Kathy Duff, guest star Martin Sacks, Mayor Wayne Kratzmann and Cr Barry Green