October 29, 2015
The future of the Big Screen Film Festival looks bleak unless some method of funding it locally can be found.
Mayor Wayne Kratzmann told Wednesday’s Council meeting he has been advised Federal Government funding for the Festival has been axed.
He said this was a great disappointment.
Next year would have marked the Festival’s 10th anniversary in the South Burnett, which would have been a significant milestone.
The only way Big Screen could be run next year is if one or several new sponsors can be found to support the event, he said.
More than 1000 people attended screenings of eight Australian Films at this year’s Festival, which was held at the Nanango Cultural Centre.
And over 200 people attended the Festival’s gala opening night to meet special guest star Ryan Corr over canapes and drinks before a screening of “The Water Diviner”, in which Corr played one of the major roles.
The 2015 Festival was jointly sponsored by the National Film and Sound Archive, Heritage Bank Nanango, Screen Queensland and the South Burnett Regional Council.
Big Screen specialises in screening Australian films which have either been released in the previous 12 months or are about to be released.
This year’s attendance figures set a new record for the event, which was originally brought to the region by the former Nanango Shire Council.
The South Burnett was the only location in Queensland where the Festival ran.
