A successful Swanpool Environmental Film Festival 2023 was presented to a full house on Saturday June 17th, 2023, at Swanpool Cinema.

The festival ran from 1pm until 9.40pm and included afternoon tea and dinner prepared and served by the Swanpool Catering Team and volunteers. 

The first two of our guest speakers have provided their presentations in pdf format to be made available on the BSFG website.  Full details about the Festival Programme.

Sue Lebish, Chief Executive Officer, Winton Wetlands titled her presentation ‘Winton Wetlands: A Story of Hope and Renewal’.  Download Sue's presentation.  The film screened in the first session was The Rights of Nature, A Global Movement.  Watch the film.

Professor David Karoly, Hon. Prof. University of Melbourne, Climate Council Australia titled his presentation ‘Update on Climate Change Science, Impacts and Solutions for Victoria.  Download David's presentation.  The film screened in the second session was Greenhouse by Joost.

Our final session was introduced by Landcare Facilitator Claire Birch, https://www.landcarevictoria.org.au/donate.  After describing the work of Landcare, Claire introduced Bertram Lobert from the Save our Strathbogie Forest Group, https://strathbogiesustainableforests.wordpress.com/. With support from group members Bert presented recent actions which have resulted in the cessation of logging in the Strathbogie Forest.  Video supported the groups presentation.

The final film screened was the Bob Brown film The Giants, https://www.thegiantsfilm.com/.

The 2023 Festival was the 10th anniversary of the Swanpool Environmental Film Festival.  Professor David Karoly spoke at our first festival in 2013.

Thank you to the ongoing contributions from our supporters in enabling another successful Swanpool Environmental Film Festival in 2023.  The $30 entry to the festival covers the cost of afternoon tea and dinner.

The Swanpool Environmental Film Festival is timed around World Environment Day which is June 5th.  Working in partnership with Swanpool Landcare, BSFG has again supported another thought provoking film festival to be held at the Swanpool Cinema on Saturday 17 June.  Three sessions commence at 1.00 pm sharp and include afternoon tea and evening meal.

Session One: Sue Lebish, CEO Winton Wetlands and short films. Film 'Rights of Nature: A Global Movement'

Session Two: Prof David Karoly, Hon. Prof. University of Melbourne, Climate Council Australia and film 'Greenhouse by Joost'

Session Three: Strathbogie Forest Group presentation by Bertram Lobert and film 'The Giants'

Download Festival Programme.

Download Festival Flyer.

$30 includes three sessions, afternoon tea and dinner. Catering by Swanpool Catering Team.

Bookings essential on Try Booking - https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1045861

Saturday 17 June 2023 1:00 PM - 9:40 PM (UTC+10)
Swanpool Cinema
2386 Midland Highway, Swanpool Victoria 3673

Details on Swanpool Cinema website www.swanpoolcinema.com.au
Phone 0498 007 988 for enquiries. 

Adding the FB post  'for the record' in August - however the date for this wonderful event, 18 June 2022!

Session One: Assoc. Prof. Michael-Shawn Fletcher, feature film ‘River’
Session Two: Dr Kerryn Higgs, feature film ‘GrowthBusters’
Session Three: Short Enviro Film Fest, feature film ‘Once You Know’
​
See Swanpool Cinema website for programme details.
Download Festival Programme.
Download Festival Flyer.

Tickets $30.
Booking essential on www.trybooking.com/BYVCL. 
Bookings will open May 21st.
Phone 0498 007 988 for enquiries.

Afternoon tea and dinner included. Catering by Swanpool Catering Team.

​Ian Herbert

Did you know that this year is UNESCO’S ‘Year of the Creative Economy and Sustainable Development’? 

A creative economy is based on people's use of their creative imagination to increase an idea's value and broadly includes audiovisual products, design, new media, performing arts, publishing and visual arts.

During the past two years of pandemic, the impact on some areas of the creative economy has been enormous while at the same time climate change is causing an increasing underlay of anxiety in many communities.

The recently shown series ‘Fires’ on the ABC is an example of the involvement of creativity and the creative economy in raising the issue of climate change.  A project which provided the employment and cultural engagement of writers, actors, filmmakers and many more, it will hopefully be recognised and nominated for many awards.

If I were asked to submit nominations for an imagined ‘Inaugural Benalla Sustainable Futures Group Benalla and District Creative Economy for Sustainable Development Award’ which recognises the use of creativity to raise the issue of and the value of sustainability, six nominations come to mind:

Artist Tim Bowtell – for his ‘Cornography’ mural on the side of the Seniors’ Centre facing towards the library (Wall to Wall 2018); and for his portraits of Greta Thunberg (2019) and David Attenborough on the Council Office’s window in (2020) as part of the Window to Window.  Tim’s tenacity and courage in using his practice to provoke a deeper consideration of sustainability is inspirational.

Sculptor – Tony Levy, for a creative outlet during retirement using recycled objects to create accessible, sustainably created sculptures

SCRAP Art Festival – for developing a concept which not only validates and disseminates the work of artists working with recycled materials, but advocates for recycled art and a circular economy.

Swanpool Environmental Film Festival – for so effectively linking finely crafted films on environmental issues in a program which deepens understanding in a package which includes film, inspirational and well-informed speakers, and good food and company.

Benalla Art Gallery – Bush Fire Posters exhibition

Luke Davies and the Recycled String Band – for their song ‘Recycle and Reuse’. 
​
Who would you nominate and why?    
 
Bev Lee

Further reading: 
https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/international-years/creativeeconomy2021
https://research.qut.edu.au/creativehotspots/defining-the-creative-economy/
https://unctad.org/news/creative-economy-have-its-year-sun-2021

​"BREAKING NEWS: The Swanpool Environmental Film Festival has been CANCELLED.  The uncertainty with COVID 19 restrictions has forced the organisers to this disappointing decision. Hopefully next year sometime"  Swanpool Cinema Website, accessed 24 September, 2021.

The Swanpool Environmental Film Festival 2021, already rescheduled from June to October 23, is, for the second year, a casualty of the Pandemic.  Postponed to next year 2022, possibly at the usual time in June, the Festival Program was to feature Professor Michael-Shaun Fletcher 'Indigenous Knowledge and the Shackles of Wilderness' and film 'Beyond Burning', Dr Kerryn Higgs 'Collision Course:  The Growth Delusion' (2021 update) and films 'Fairytales of Growth' and 'Once You Know; and will culminate in  a  panel discussion 'State of the Nation' and film 'Wild Things'. 

Hopefully this program will be able to go ahead next year, with the Swanpool Catering Team volunteers once again sustaining Festival audiences during breaks providing opportunities for audience members to network and catch up with friends.

Coming out of COVID, will we return to ‘business as usual’
or will Australia embark upon a linear path towards zero emissions? 

SWANPOOL ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL 2021

Feature films, documentaries, guest speakers!
Three sessions with breaks for afternoon tea and an evening meal:

Session One: Ass Prof Michael-Shawn Fletcher and film ‘Beyond the Burning’

Session Two: Film 'Fairytales of Growth', Dr Kerryn Higgs, and film ‘Once You Know’
 
Session Three: Panel Discussion and Short Films, and film “Wild Things’

Booking essential on TryBooking.
Phone 0498 007 988 for enquiries.

Afternoon tea and dinner included.
Catering by Swanpool Catering Team.