Instagram star brings classic cinema to life in Geelong

Local actor and award-winning filmmaker Cassidy Krygger will this year bring her love of classic cinema to audiences across the region with a series of film screenings celebrating Hollywood’s golden age.

It follows the success of her viral Instagram account ‘Hollywoodland Photos’, which Krygger launched in 2016 as an outlet for her fascination with timeless cinema and has since amassed a community of more than 300,000 like-minded followers, including celebrities Ariana Grande, Nancy Sinatra and Joan Collins.

The first session will take place on Sunday, February 9 at Bellevue Receptions in Pakington Street with a screening of fast-paced 1940 American screwball comedy His Girl Friday.

Starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, the story centres around a newspaper editor who uses every trick in the book to keep his ace reporter ex-wife from quitting and remarrying.

The film, which has long been considered an archetype for the romantic comedy subgenre, is celebrated for its sharp writing and ground-breaking portrayal of a female reporter.

“It’s such an iconic, fun film to watch, but so many people – just because it’s not one of [director Howard Hawks’s] most famous films – aren’t watching it, so I’m like ‘Damn, I’m going to show you all’,” Krygger said, laughing.

“It was one of the first screwball comedies [to come out of] Old Hollywood, so what we have today with comedies, romance, rom-coms, is due to films like His Girl Friday.”

The screening will begin at 1pm and, in the spirit of former Australian film critic and historian Bill Collins, will be followed by an exclusive talk and Q&A with Krygger, who will share insights into the film and its stars.

“For so long, I’ve just showed photos and behind the scenes stuff online, but I feel like it’s a more real experience if I can actually show the film,” Krygger said.

“[These films] paved the way for movies that we have today and…it scares me that they’re becoming a lost art.

“I had a young actor I was working with – she was 16 and didn’t know who James Dean was, and I nearly fell over.

“I want to just make sure that, especially in Australia, we still watch these incredible films.”

Attendees will be greeted with a red carpet and drink on arrival, with popcorn and grazing boards also available, for what Krygger describes as a “perfect afternoon to escape life”.

Future screenings will be announced on Krygger’s Instagram page @Hollywoodlandphotos

To purchase tickets to the February 9 showing of His Girl Friday, head to bit.ly/4aqacuw