Cowboy hats and costumes cap off successful Bangalow Film Festival

FILM lovers donned cowboy hats, neck scarves and ponchos for the sold-out closing-night screening of Gaucho Gaucho at the Bangalow Film Festival, capping off what organisers described as a highly successful event.

The costume theme continued a new festival tradition of dressing up for the final screening, which began last year with Milano: The Inside Story of Italian Fashion.

Festival director Christian Pazzaglia said the western-inspired attire added to the atmosphere.

“We had quite a few cowboys and cowgirls so I think the theme appealed to people,” he said.

Pazzaglia said the 2024 black-and-white documentary was selected in part because it was made by the same directors behind The Truffle Hunters, which screened at the inaugural Bangalow Film Festival in 2021.

“It was by far one of our most beloved films ever screened,” he said.

Among the highlights of the 11-day festival was the immersive film event Sounds of the Ocean, which combines sweeping ocean visuals, original underwater imagery and whale and dolphin recordings with live meditative music performed by Maori vocalist and multi-instrumentalist WHAIA.

“The film is directed by an American filmmaker and WHAIA composed the vocal score, and we are lucky enough to have her in the region,” Pazzaglia said.

“It was a phenomenal night.”

Six international guests also attended this year’s festival, taking part in Q&A sessions following screenings.

“It’s always a pleasure to do those here because the audience is so switched on,” Pazzaglia said. “A few of the filmmakers told me afterwards that they really enjoyed the Q&As because people were asking really interesting questions.”

Planning is now underway for next year’s festival, which will again be held in June. The event moved from its traditional March timeslot after being postponed by the floods in 2022 and Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred last year.

The scheduling also provides an opportunity to attract international filmmakers, producers and industry guests who are already in Australia for the Sydney Film Festival.

“It’s much more stable weather and it’s quiet so people really showed up wanting to be entertained,” he said.