World cinema comes to the South West

Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre is hosting 44 screenings of 12 films from nine countries this month as part of its annual International Film Festival.

With the festival having started last week, BREC executive director Fiona de Garis said it was great to see people back in the building.

“We’ve tried to go as inter-national as possible and have a great range of films with something for everyone,” Ms de Garis said.

“We have a very interesting documentary from Sudan about the renaissance of the cinema culture they had and it’s a really interesting storyline.

“The Extraordinary is a great French film about adults with complex autism, which was really fascinating and after its first screening it got a round of applause, which says something about how good it is.”

This year, the centre has introduced a BREC Film Conversation Club where film buffs can discuss the film they have just seen in a book club style conversation.

“The conversation club gives people a chance to share their thoughts with others and enjoy the diverse perspectives of your fellow cinephiles,” Ms de Garis said.

“A special guest facilitator, bringing an extra perspective to the discussion, hosts each session, it’s a great way to meet new people and have a chat.”

For those looking to escape the sizzling summer heat, Ms de Garis said BREC’s Sky Bar was the perfect solution.

“You can taste summer in the Sky Bar with locally made gelato or a glass of South West wine while you kick back and enjoy live music from local musicians on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays,” she said.

“The Sky Bar is open an hour before the first film of the day, so you really can spend all day at BREC if you’re hiding from the heat.”

The festival runs throughout January and booking is essential to secure your seat.

For the full film guide, visit the BREC website.