The sixth Screenwave International Film Festival may have been put back a few months in response to COVID-19, but it's shaping up to be bigger and better than ever.
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Dave Horsley and Kate Howat, the Coffs Coast locals who have been staging the festival since 2016, decided back in July to aim for April instead of the usual slot in late January.
But unlike mainstream cinemas, which have been crippled by the delayed release of the blockbusters that supply most of their revenue, Dave said there's been no shortage of high-quality product for their festival.
"The type of films that screen at SWIFF are international documentaries, world cinema films, art house films, independent films. We've been less impacted, the film choice is still outstanding this year," he said.
Over 60 different feature films will be in the program from April 14-29, with the line-up to be announced on March 5 at the sold-out Preview Gala night.
There will be a record number of sessions this year, too - over 120.
Sadly, Bellingen's Memorial Hall won't be one of the venues as it's closed for a major makeover.
The Jetty Memorial Theatre will have 16 days of screenings and a new venue, the Coffs Harbour Education Campus D Block Theatre, will be kitted out with commercial grade equipment so it can host nine days of screenings.
With a capacity of 350, the CHEC theatre will be the larger venue, and its surrounds lend themselves to staging special events.
"We'll have a beer garden and film-maker talks," Dave said. "And this year we're trialling a new food and wine program, starting with an event where we're collaborating with the chefs at Hilltop to have a wine degustation dinner at CHEC's Osprey Restaurant."
To be held on Wednesday April 21, the dinner will star executive chefs Richie Dolan and Carla Jones from The Hilltop Store (Sawtell) and Hilltop At The Lodge (Bellingen), who will prepare a four course plus canapes degustation menu, with five matching wines by Treasury Wine Estates.
"We love food, and film and food go wonderfully together," Dave said.
Dave said both the Preview Gala and the Opening Night events sold out within 72 hours of going on sale.
The demand this year has been crazy. I think people have been culture starved.
- Dave Horsley
"The demand this year has been crazy. I think people have been culture starved, so the events of the festival are selling very quickly and the presales are much, much higher than previous years.
"I think also that's because the festival is maturing as well and people are familiar with it now."
The first discounted wave of film passes is over, but there's still a discount available if you buy before March 6.
"There's a lot of events at the festival that will sell out, so people should get in quickly," Dave said.
For more information, visit https://swiff.com.au/