Italian Film Fest ready to roll

WHETHER you fancy watching a comedic, romantic or dramatic movie this weekend, the 2021 Ballarat Italian Film Festival has something for you.

Running this Friday, 13 and Saturday, 14 August, the Ballarat Italian Association is inviting their members and residents of the broader community to head to Showbiz Cinemas in Delacombe and enjoy the lifting of lockdown with a few flicks.

Association president Frank Cotronea said three movies will be shown as part of the festival.

Aspromonte is screening at 6.30pm on Friday evening, while Odio L’estate and Martin Eden will be presented on Saturday at 2pm and 6.30pm respectively.

“We encourage everyone to attend and enjoy the culture. All the films are great, they have subtitles, and cater for different demographics,” he said.

“This event has been running for over six years now, and our numbers are always good, with about 40 or 50 people attending each session.

“A lot of us are aching to get out after lockdown, but we can’t have family at home, so this is an opportunity to get out of our own four walls, enjoy Italian friendship and fellowship, and the Italian films.”

Visit showbizcinemas.com.au for tickets which are $12. Showbiz members can attend for $10.

Mr Cotronea also asks the community to save the date for a Ballarat Italian Association fundraiser on Sunday, 12 September.

“We are hosting a Three Tenors Tribute Show from Melbourne at the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute,” he said.

“We ask people to buy tickets early as we will be giving a large portion of the evening’s profits to a community organisation. The tickets are very reasonably priced.”

Keep an eye on ballaratmi.org.au/events.