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Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival 2014

THANKS FOR COMING

Newsletter / Wednesday 19, November 2014
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BOFA 2014
Thanks For Coming

What made BOFA 2014 a smash hit? Well, you did! The boxoffice for our fifth Tasmanian BOFA Film Festival was up an amazing 60% on 2013 and exceeded even our most optimistic forecasts. More than a quarter of the 29 films were sell outs and two out of every three available seats were occupied over the four days of the Festival. Tasmania embraced BOFA 2014 and the BOFA team would like to say a huge thank you for your support.

Festival Director Owen Tilbury said that this year’s response puts BOFA firmly on the calendar of significant Tasmanian festivals.
“We have been steadily building for five years and it’s great to see full theatres and visitors from all over Tasmania and the mainland,” he said.

The Tasmanian State Government has shown a lot of faith in the future and potential of BOFA and this year we were delighted to host the Minister for the Arts, Vanessa Goodwin, for two days of the Festival.

We now have a new benchmark to build on for BOFA 2015”.

We’d love to hear your feedback on this year’s Festival- complete our survey.

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Desert Runners star Samantha Gas swapped running shoes for high heels at the Opening Night party

Photo: Desert Runners star Samantha Gas swapped running shoes for high heels at the Opening Night party. Photo by Scott Gelston

Highlights Of BOFA 2014

Opening Night

Our opening night documentary Desert Runners, was one of the hits of the Festival, enriched by the presence of the extraordinary and inspiring young Australian ultra marathon runner (and star of the film) Samantha Gash.  At the after-party, Mud chef Don Cameron produced some exquisite Tassie fare and great Tassie wines ensured that this was once again one of Launceston’s parties of the year.

The Films

It takes a lot of work to track down and access the best of world cinema and the 2014 program was undoubtedly our best yet- thanks to the work of Program Director Helen Tilbury and Artistic Director Trish Lake. The Cannes Palme d’Or winner Winter Sleep was a highlight, as was Cannes Best Actress winner Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night. Superb documentaries were a feature of BOFA 2014- the unforgettable Virunga, Rob Bryden’s hilarious Trip to Italy and the inspiring Next Goal Wins made sure that the Festival Lounge was buzzing with lively conversation.

The Film Makers

The demand was so great we had to switch theatres for The Sound of One Hand Clapping, attended by the Director and Man Booker prize winner Richard Flanagan. Also at the packed screening were Arabella Wain, who played the 3 year old Sonya in the 1998 Tasmanian film, and head set designer Brett Kellaway.  After the screening, Richard Flanagan talked about the experience of writing the screenplay and the considerable challenges of making a film in Tasmania 25 years ago.

New Zealand film makers Jeff McDonald and Bridget Lyons hosted a sold-out screening of their deeply moving film The Inheritance, and Niall Doran gave the Festival audience an intriguing preview of his Tasmanian documentary feature 16 Legs – Spider Love.

And finally, many of the film makers who made the screening list from our BOFA Short Film Competition  attended the Festival and were there to see their film on the Festival screen. These short films, screened before every BOFA feature and documentary, were a delight, full of originality, passion and wit. Winner of the BOFA Devil Award was Michael Johnston for his short film To Be a Poet.  The future of film making is alive and well, and BOFA is delighted to be able to foster and promote these talented film makers.

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Opening Night
Festival Lounge
ABC personality Paul Barclay moderates the Big Picture Debate on fracking.

Photos: Opening Night party at Mud, Festival Lounge and ABC personality Paul Barclay moderates the Big Picture Debate on fracking.

Making A Difference

More than 80 people from all parts of the state attended the Action Session Regional Innovation, State Growth, led by Dr. Anton Kriz. The session was such a success that a working group has already formed and an annual Regional Innovation forum will be part of all future BOFA Festivals.

Feedback was also overwhelmingly positive about the Action Day Collaborating for Collective Impact and the Sunday session What Makes a Man a Man with Sydney psychologist Agi O’Hara.

Radio National’s Paul Barclay was moderator for a stimulating and controversial Big Picture Debate, Fracking in Tasmania: Good or Bad? The debate, and his In Conversation interviews with Samantha Gash and The Inheritance film makers Jeff McDonald and Bridget Lyons, will be broadcast on Radio National, taking BOFA to more than half a million listeners.

So again, thanks for coming- work has already begun on making BOFA 2015 bigger and better

Festival Director Owen Tilbury with Richard Flanagan

Photo: Festival Director Owen Tilbury with Richard Flanagan

BOFA Devil Award winners Sara Cooper, Chris Pattinson and Trish Lake

Photo: BOFA Devil Award winners Sara Cooper (Entrepreneurial Spirit), Chris Pattinson (Script) and Trish Lake (Champion)

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Save The Date For BOFA 2015

Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th November 2015

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Details
Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival
06 - 09 November 2014
Inveresk Railyards Launceston TAS

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