In the heart of the goldfields, a quiet revolution in storytelling is taking place. No big budgets, no film studios, just a camera taken to local streets, kitchens and backyards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the world of LOCALS, the Castlemaine Documentary Festival\u2019s very own showcase of short documentaries created by everyday filmmakers from the local community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe idea for LOCALS sprang from enquiries that kept coming in from community members who were making films. Some were looking for guidance, others were looking for a home for their work. There were clearly people out there with stories they wanted to tell,\u201d said Claire Jager, director, Castlemaine Documentary Festival. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
More than 40 films were submitted in the first year of the initiative with the filmmakers coming from as far away as Gisborne and Ballarat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After refining the program parameters and offering workshops to help any filmmakers that needed it, 22 six-minute films were submitted, proving that the stories of the community were rich, varied and worth telling. Twelve of those were selected to screen as part of the 2024 festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was a really tough call to whittle it down to the allotted time. But we couldn\u2019t let the other films not have their moment in the spotlight,\u201d Claire said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s where LOCALS Redux comes into the picture!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The festival team has partnered with the Chewton Film Society for a gala screening of all 22 of the locally made documentaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Presented in two sessions, and featuring 10 premieres, it\u2019s a celebration of what makes Castlemaine and its surrounds unique, as told through the lenses of those who call it home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n