Murwillumbah hosts international Craft Film Festival

21 February 2020

Be inspired by a host of creative films

Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre is proud to present a selection of short films exploring the human relationship with making and materials.

The Gallery is hosting Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival, which celebrates craft and makers from around the world.

Held at the Regent Cinema, Murwillumbah on Saturday 21 March, the film festival will present 28 short films screened across two separate 90-minute sessions with an interval in between. This is a family-friendly event with the first screening beginning at 11.30am and the second screening at 2.30pm.

Be prepared to extend your idea of what craft is. The short film festival celebrates making in all its facets. From traditional to contemporary, from heart-warming to subversive, the program is an eclectic mix and sometimes delivered in unexpected ways, including music videos and hand-crafted animations.

At the heart of the short film festival is the celebration of what it is to be human and to make, and to consider our relationship with materials. The festival is also taking place on the same day as the Makers & Finders Market in the nearby M|Arts Precinct.

“It was the passion of local artists that brought the festival to our attention in the first place, so it’s fantastic to be hosting the festival’s tour in Australia here in the Tweed,” Acting Curator Public Programs Meredith Cusack said.

Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival is the first festival from the United Kingdom dedicated to craft and moving image, showcasing a wealth of short films that explore themes of making, makers, materials and process. The 28 films selected range from 30 seconds to 14 minutes in duration, and feature three films from Australia.

“This craft film festival is a perfect accompaniment to the exhibition JamFactory ICON Clare Belfrage: A Measure of Time currently on display at the Gallery,” Gallery Director Susi Muddiman OAM said.

“Clare is a consummate craftsperson with an international reputation who has made an extraordinary contribution to contemporary glass art. We’d love to see artists from the region being inspired by these films, and perhaps we will see an artist from this area in the next selection,” she said.

Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival is produced by the Crafts Council UK. Its tour to Australia is courtesy of Maker&Smith. This screening is in partnership with the Australian Design Centre and Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre.

To purchase tickets to one or both screenings, visit https://realtoreeltweed.eventbrite.com.au. Tickets prices are $20 for each session, or $30/35 for both sessions. Children under 12 years are free but must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information on the Real to Reel Screening Program, visit https://www.makerandsmith.com.au/events/australian-tour-dates-real-to-reel-the-craft-film-festival/