WATCH THE FILM INDUSTRY BLOSSOM

The city’s screen industry continues to bloom with the 22nd Gold Coast Film Festival taking shape.

The city’s biggest celebration of film returns April 17-28 as the festival officially launches its 2024 program today. This year’s event will include 12 days of premieres, exclusive preview screenings, outdoor cinema, red carpet screenings, industry panels and filmmaker Q&As.

For Scenic Rim farmer Jenny Jenner the festival will mark an emotional triumph.

Ms Jenner will see her story of hardship come to light in filmmaker Neil McGregor’s latest documentary, Growing Happiness.

What she thought would be a 30-minute documentary is now set to premiere as a full feature length screening at the leading industry event.

The documentary follows the journey of two farmers, Jenny and Russell near Kalbar in Queensland’s Scenic Rim, who stage a Sunflower Festival to save their farm in the midst of drought. The festival now attracts more than 20,000 visitors.

Mr McGregor said it was inspiring to be able to share their story.

“On surface value it’s a couple of farmers that pivoted to growing sunflowers to bring happiness to the world,” he said.

“But it’s so much more than that – it’s about an earned happiness.

“With the world now people just want instant gratification but this story illustrates that it’s from problems we grow.”

Festival ambassador and local actor Lincoln Lewis said he was thrilled this year’s event would showcase the world premiere of his new romantic comedy, He Loves Me Not shot in Queensland.

Tickets to the April 17 to April 28 festival are available via www.gcff.com.au

The Gold Coast Film Festival launch at HOTA will include the world premiere of Growing Happiness, which is about the Sunflower Festival filmed by Neil McGregor (left) and starring Jenny Jenner, and romantic comedy, “He Loves Me Not”, starring Lincoln Lewis (right). Picture Glenn Hampson.