Feature film in focus at Setting Sun festival

Co-directors Harley Hefford (left) and Evan J Martin (right) have a feature film screening as part of the Setting Sun Film Festival. Photo by Damjan Janevski.

By Benjamin Millar

A feature film set in Macedon will enjoy its Australian big screen debut when the sixth annual Setting Sun Film Festival takes over the Sun Theatre in Yarraville in early May.

Audiences will be treated to the local premiere of About An Age, a coming of age feature length film directed by Footscray locals Evan J Martin and Harley Hefford, which won the Best Ensemble Cast award at last year’s  Orlando Film Festival.

This year’s festival will feature a record number of films across a packed program featuring drama, comedy, horror, documentaries, experimental and animations.

Festival director Anna Bourozikas said there would be something for everyone among more than 100 films to be screened over five days. Stories range from an award-winning claymation about a pesky hipster to a man that makes a hologram of the perfect woman that no one can touch.

Although proudly based in Melbourne’s west, the festival will this year feature dozens of short films from America, the Middle East, South Africa, Korea, Cuba and Canada.

Filmmakers are in the running for more than $10,000 in cash and prizes in a range of award categories, including new awards for Indigenous filmmakers and creators of online series.

Film producer Sue Maslin will again be sponsoring the ‘Rouge’ program of films that are written, produced and directed by women.

“They are the exciting voices of the future and we look forward to watching their filmmaking careers develop,” she said.

The sixth annual Setting Sun Film Festival will screen at the Sun Theatre in Yarraville from May 2 to 6.

Details: www.settingsun.com.au