Social scene at society screenings

IN the post-Second World War era, a movement of film societies was born from the British Film Institute.

Set up in 1954, the Ballarat Film Society is one of these groups, and its members are ready to celebrate the not-for-profit’s 70th anniversary next year.

President, programmer and member of 32 years, Sue Nunn, said attendees can see a balanced range movies they wouldn’t otherwise see in mainstream cinemas, on the second Thursday of each month from February to December.

“We often show arthouse films,” she said. “We show classic European films, world cinema, cutting edge documentaries and independent films.

“We screen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander films for NAIDOC, critically acclaimed films of all genres, and films by female and debut directors.

“We also present films which have often won major international film festival awards because we know they’ll be good.”

An average of 120 members head to the screenings at the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute’s Minerva Room, which used to be the Vegas cinema.

“There’s been a real continuity of screening alternative films in Ballarat over a 70-year period,” she said.

Ms Nunn said the society is a meeting place for people who have a love of film in common.

“It’s very much a social scene and a meeting of like minds,” she said. “People talk beforehand, watch the film, and are then free to discuss between themselves afterwards.

“We don’t always structure in a half-hour to discuss a film, but we sometimes invite film directors to come and talk.”

The BFS gets non-theatrical screening rights and has a strong relationship with Australian distributors.

Ms Nunn is a member of the Federation of Victorian Film Societies and said there are more than 50 functioning movie groups of this kind across the state.

The Ballarat Film Society offers $30 half-year or $60 full year memberships and the 2024 program will be released early next year. Visit ballaratfilmsociety.weebly.com for more information.