Best of short films

THIS year’s Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival team has been hard at work putting together a fantastic line-up of short films from talented filmmakers across the globe. They can’t wait to share it with the Gympie community as they officially launch the October event.
Featuring live music and an ‘Art with Heart’ exhibition, festivities will be kicking off at 5.30pm at the Gympie Regional Gallery.
Artistic director Emily Avila is ecstatic to be sharing the program with attendees, featuring illustrations of beautiful blooms that grow in the Gympie region.
“In collaboration with Blue Mountains-based textile designer/illustrator Edith Rewa, we wanted to create something special that marries our love of cinema with the unique location of our regional festival. Inspired by the golden age of analog film and the elegance of Australian botanicals, Edith has drawn us a collection of gorgeous blooms that grow in Gympie, tied together with a delicate ribbon of film.
“Just like our international array of handpicked shorts, flowers can be found in almost every corner of the globe. Though they may be ascribed different meanings by those who look upon them, they are timeless objects of beauty, universally treasured,” Ms Avila said.
“There’s something for everyone at this year’s festival – for aspiring, emerging and established creatives with we have filmmaker Q & A sessions and industry-led masterclasses. For young families we have a whole day of children’s activities and film sessions, including an animation masterclass from ABC ME’s Doodles. Not to mention our 31 sessions of handpicked shorts from Australia and all over the world,” she said.
Don’t miss the Burning Heart Ceremony on opening night when a giant metal heart built by artist Julian Mayer is ignited on fire in a spectacular light up display to officially kick off the event.
It’s $50 to attend the opening night ceremony, screening and party (including bar tab and nibbles). The Burning Heart is a key symbolic piece of a very special evening.
Hit the red carpet for the Heart of Gold 2016 opening night festivities! Join us for the ceremonial lighting of the heart, a welcome from our artistic director, Emily Avila, and mingle with special guests before our opening night selection of show-stopping shorts.
From the touching animated documentary, The Shining Star of Losers Everywhere to the joyous comedy Spice Sisters to festival favourite Phil’s Camino, our opening night session is an unmissable evening of 24 carat gold quality.
The evening begins at 6.30pm.
The Heart of Gold festival runs from 6-9 October 2016 in historically rich Gympie, Queensland with a four-day program that includes masterclasses, a spectacular opening night gala, awards night party and over 30 sessions of shorts from all genres that capture the Heart of Gold vision to screen films that are positive, witty, entertaining, joyous, uplifting, enlightening and ground-breaking.
To purchase tickets go to www.heartofgold.com.au.