APRIL 2019 Volume 23 // Issue 3
Club of Woodend
FIRST PUBLISHED 1997
DISTRIBUTING 3850 FREE COPIES ACROSS WOODEND’S POSTAL DISTRICT
Hollywood - here we come! From a young age, Flynn Mazza and Kale McQuade have had a very strong passion for film making. So, in 2017, they decided to test their talents by entering a short film into the International Youth Silent Film Festival. Held in America, New Zealand and Australia, the International Youth Silent Film Festival allows young and aspiring filmmakers to produce a 3-minute-long, silent short film. The top three finalists from every region then get the opportunity to have their films screened to an international audience in Portland, USA for the World Grand Final. Flynn and Kale’s entry ‘Out of Time’ - a time-travel oriented - short film took three months to produce and film. The film was shortlisted as one of the 17 Victorian regional finalists and was screened at the Astor theatre in St Kilda, where it won the Audience
Choice Award! In 2018 the young filmmakers went for a much more ambitious story and production. They also reached out to local businesses and used Holgate Brewhouse and Red Wine Bar and Bistro as locations. The short film – a murder mystery titled “Suspected” – was once again shortlisted as one of 16 Victorian regional finalists at the regional awards ceremony and screening, the film took home first place! As a result, in June this year, Flynn and Kale will be traveling over to Portland, Oregon, to represent Australia in the World Grand Final and at the festival of film activities leading up to it. They’ve started their GoFundMe page (“Help Flynn & Kale get to America for film award”), to try and help make the trip possible, as they have to pay all their own expenses. You can support Flynn and Kale by
making a donation or by buying a snag from them at the Coles BBQ on the 6th April 10am - 2pm, sponsored by Sacred Heart College and again on on 13th April 10am - 2pm when they’ll be running the monthly Rotary BBQ. All proceeds from the 2 days will go to help them achieve their goal.’ SUBMITTED BY MIKE HAMER, ROTARY WOODEND
First Nation Signage Launch in the Park… This month saw the installation of First Nation signage at the entrance of the Woodend Children’s Park, with a Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country by the Djaara Elder Uncle Rick Nelson. The ceremony marked the ongoing connection to Country and custodianship of the Dja Dja Wurrung in Woodend Macedon Ranges Shire Council, the Dja Dja Wurrung Corporation and Uncle Rick developed the sign, and collectively we have worked to make the broader community aware of the Dja Dja Wurrung culture and history in Woodend. This sign was inspired by conversations with Uncle Gene Roberts, a proud Yorta, Murray and Djaara man who was a strong advocate for greater recognition of this culture in the Macedon Ranges. Sadly, Gene passed
away last year before, he could see this sign. He would have loved this event held in his honour. An unanticipated but welcome outcome of the project was that the local schools have all had similar signs erected in their school halls. At the launch ceremony we had representatives from Early Learning Daycare, Kindergarten, Woodend Primary School, St Ambrose Parish School and Braemar College, who all spoke about the value of learning this culture. The children from Woodend Kindergarten, reciting their daily Acknowledgement of Country, stole the show. Muntrie (native cranberries) muffins, lemon myrtle shortbread, kutjera (bush tomato) relish and crackers, Davidson Plum chocolates were all devoured as morning tea after the launch ceremony. It was a beautiful, spiritual
morning event that was many years in the making, but was very much worth every minute. SUBMITTED BY JANE WALDUCK