Bunbury events group spotlights CinefestOZ
The head of the Bunbury Event Coordination Group Monique Warnock says they want to take the popular CinefestOz film festival to the “next level”.
For the first time last year, the film festival was held in Bunbury, and was a success with a red carpet event at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, a school’s program and free community screening at the Bunbury City Library.
The Bunbury City Council will next week consider a recommendation from the group to provide funding of $20,000 in cash and $15,000 in in-kind support for this year’s event in the city.
However, a condition of the funding would be for members of the group and the council’s event staff to be involved with the promotion of the festival in Bunbury.
The recommendation is less than the $40,000 in cash and in-kind support the council funded last year and the $50,000 request from the festival organisers for this year.
But Ms Warnock said the committee can help to bring more benefits to Bunbury from the event.
“CinefestOz is a national event and the Bunbury Events Coordination Group sees CinefestOz developing into an exciting, icon event for Bunbury, ” Ms Warnock said.
“The BECG has asked the council for funding and in kind support for CinefestOz which, if approved, will include an experienced council events officer allocated to the CinefestOz team eight hours a week.
“In addition members of the BECG who have events and PR expertise would work side by side with the CinefestOz committee to ensure this event is taken to the next level and brings even more vibrancy and economic benefit to Bunbury.”
CinefestOz festival manager Malinda Nixon told the South Western Times sheconceded they would review the proposed package of events for the festival if the council does not meet their funding request.
Ms Nixon hoped they could work with the council to help provide a successful event in Bunbury.
“Our hope would be to work with all parties involved to deliver a fantastic CinefestOz in 2014,” she said.
Ms Nixon and another CinefestOz representative will be at next week’s council meeting.
