The Travelling Film Festival (TFF), Australia’s longest running travelling film festival, showcases Australian and international features, documentaries and short films in regional Australia. TFF currently tours to 18 locations annually, screening in the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.
Founded by David Stratton in 1974, the TFF is committed to providing audiences in regional Australia with access to films they would otherwise not have the opportunity to see on the big screen. The TFF presents cinema in a festival environment and promotes a film experience that encourages debate, community involvement and interaction. In addition to screenings, the TFF presents regional Australia with the opportunity to meet film industry professionals through its film industry guest and workshop program, whenever possible. The TFF facilitates a direct and invaluable dialogue between regional audiences, local film practitioners and Australia’s wider film community, an opportunity enthusiastically embraced by all parties.
“One of the great privileges of directing movies is to finally have the opportunity to talk with audiences directly and the people in regional Australia seem pleased that the effort to share and communicate has been made. They feel included in the cultural agenda. That’s a very good thing.” – Peter Duncan, director Unfinished Sky.
The TFF creates a program specific to each location. Films are chosen in consultation with the cinema and/or local film society and where possible, are selected from the previous Sydney Film Festival program with an emphasis on diversity of style, mood and country of origin. The Festival screens over a full weekend; opening on a Friday night complete with an Opening Night function, and continues over Saturday and Sunday, screening a total of nine features and two Australian short films.
“Thanks! Great to have an opportunity to see these films – especially in a remote area.” – a happy filmgoer from Cairns.
Read up on Travelling Film Festival’s history, including photos, stories, and essays from past Travelling Film Festival programmers, in Sydney Film Festival 1954 to Now: A Living Archive.