Screen Illawarra

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Screen Illawarra

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Screen Illawarra is the local film body for Wollongong, Kiama, Shellharbour and Shoalhaven regions

01/11/2026

At 9.45am today, log onto ABC Illawarra to hear our Chair Nick Bolton interviewed by Nick Rheinberger about the upcoming Screen Illawarra Showcase, the films, and the future of Screen Illawarra in 2027.

▶️ https://www.abc.net.au/illawarra

We will be screening:
Gaga Wakulda by Nicole Smede
The Bowlo by Wombarra Bowlo
Alfredo by Michael Chrisoulakis
Bomb by Angela Blake and Bus Stop Films
Prefer Not To Say by Shaun Foley
Rad Dad by Gabe McCarthy gabatwa
LudoVic by Nick Bolton
Enlargement by Sam Moore
We're All Black Down Here by Milly James

🗓️ Saturday 14th November, Gala Twin Cinemas
Compulsory donation entry fee

🎟️ https://screenillawarra.com/humanitix-events

For the latest features, programs, news, audio, podcasts, sport, recipes, events, photos and videos, the latest weather for Albion Park, Bowral, Braidwood, Goulburn, Nerriga, Nowra, Taralga, Ulladulla, Wollongong and surrounds with ABC Illawarra

19/10/2026

Judges' eyes were caught by LudoVic - a story about a boy, a hat and the end of the world

16/10/2026

10/10/2026

Our friends at Fraser Shorts Film Festival have very good taste.

FSFF have announced this year's finalists and Screen Illawarra is pleased to announce that they have accepted not just one Illawarra film, but FIVE!

Congratulations to:
• Rad Dad by Gabe McCarthy
• Prefer not to say by Shaun Foley
• Ludovic by Nick Bolton
• Linda by Sharon Lewis
• Bin Day by Jane Fullerton-Smith

https://www.frasershorts.com.au/finalists-winners/

08/10/2026

Screen Illawarra had a wonderful screening of the Creative Wollongong Short Film festival at Finding Fillmore last night in Kiama

A packed house enjoyed six films Mamabird, Firebird, Birdwatcher, Faye, Mimic and Bin Day

Afterwards Chair Nick Bolton moderated a Q&A with filmmakers Ruth Larner, Rose Newland, Milly James and Elkie Chadwick

Our thanks to Morgan, Becky and Nick for hosting us. We will be back!

02/10/2026

From Anousha Zarkesh, our Advisory Board Member:

I'm casting acclaimed filmmaker Tony Ayres very exciting new feature films “1978” to shoot next year.

We are on the search for our LEAD ROLE – SIMON:

A young ABC (Australian born Chinese man) - 19-25yrs old from a working class background who covers up his innocence and vulnerability with humour. Simon is smart, sweet and romantic. Because his mother is a conservative Christian, he is torn between his own sexuality, and filial loyalty. He must be able to sing beautifully and of course, act.

Director - Tony Ayres - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0044016/

Producers - Blake Northfield and Michelle Krumm:- Bronte Studios - https://brontestudios.com/

1978 is a bold, diverse and commercial feature film which takes the key narrative moments in the birth of Sydney’s Gay and Le***an Mardi Gras and reimagines them in jukebox musical form. Using disco anthems and power ballads from the era, it is an uplifting, warm, funny and moving big screen experience.

This story captures a defining moment in our state’s and country’s history. What began as a political demonstration, soon became a joyful celebration of tolerance and acceptance. Today, Mardi Gras is one of Sydney’s most significant contributions to national and international human rights. Our creative approach focuses on the emotional truth of this story, the formation of chosen families, and the bravery of ordinary people whose resistance sparked lasting change.

Shooting: Q2-Q 3 2027 in Sydney

18/09/2026

🎥 Member Profile: Nick Bolton, Chair Screen Illawarra: Nick is an ardent filmmaker, actor, producer, director, theatre and arts lover. Film is growing in popularity as a cost effective means of entertainment with households reviewing their budgets. Nick is a passionate and pro active voice in the call to make Wollongong a viable film making destination.

🎥 "It must have been about eight or nine years ago when I first heard about Culture Bank Wollongong (CBW), thanks to Fergus Manning. It just clicked straight away. I thought this is just such an important initiative. I could just see the potential, and so straight away, as a donor, I subscribed and have been ever since. It's my favorite subscription of the year. We don't like subscriptions these days, do we? But this subscription, when it comes through, I'm thoroughly delighted to have that renewed."

🎥 Screen Illawarra (with Nick as its Chair) applied for funding in March this year to run the inaugural film festival for Illawarra First Nations people. Grants from City of Wollongong and CBW were integral to getting the project up and running.

🎥 "We wouldn't have been able to run it on ticket sales alone. It would not have happened. We would not have been able to apply a platform for these six wonderful films to be showcased, and for the community to come and watch them. The project was a huge success. We are running the Port Kembla Film Festival next year, February March, and we want to have a strand of that, which is for Illawarra Indigenous practitioners.”

🎥 “It's so frustrating that sports and manufacturing and all the other arts, in fact, theater and writers and music, all get lots of funding, but film in the Illawarra doesn't. So for us, it's a very important way to receive some money, and to make these films happen, but it's also important for all creatives and all artists because art takes time and money."

🎥 "Culture Bank (grants are) very accessible and easy to apply for and I'm really pleased to see that CBW have partnered with South Coast Arts and have started Culture Bank South Coast (CBWSCA) as well.”

✍🏾 Why not follow Nick and become a Culture Member too? Simply head to our website to sign up or donate (https://www.culturebankwollongong.org.au).

17/09/2026

Coalcliff's old cokeworks has been turned into a film set for Chris Hemsworth’s latest movie, Extraction 3

Address

Wollongong, NSW
2500

Website

http://www.screenillawarra.com/, https://linktr.ee/screenillawarra

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