TIME FOR SHOOTING STARS TO SHINE

THE focus is already turning to New Year now that the presents are unwrapped and we finish picking at the Christmas leftovers. It’s a time to look back but also a great opportunity to look forward to a bright year ahead and new opportunities.

For one group of Far North filmmakers, most of 2021 has been a labour of love, working on the movie Lindy Lou.

The short-film project won some arts funding to get it started but the driving force has been local creativity and in-kind donations of time, equipment and effort.

The regional Far North locations might well be a long way from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood but it’s a great showcase for all that our region has to offer the industry.

And with 2022 heralding the start of work on the film hub at the old Bunnings premises in Cairns, the time is right to give local talent the resources and opportunities to take it to the next level.

The investment in Cairns can attract top-level filmmaking to our region, but it’s also a platform to harness the skills already here.

Our tropical paradise has long been the perfect backdrop for fly-in fly-out operations to get their beaches and palm trees in shot.

Most recent successes include Dive Club, filmed at Port Douglas for Channel 10 and international release on Netflix.

With each passing project, local actors and the talent that works behind the camera get new exposure to the workings of the industry.

Lindy Lou is now ready for release and it’s something that the local industry can be proud of.

You might not easily see it at a cinema near you, but it could well make a significant impact at film festivals and streaming services.