News

Connection: Dubbo Women Talking Workshops & Live Event

Image of trees on the banks of the Wambuul River with a red curvy line running across the top and the word "Connection - Voices of Women. This is Dubbo story telling workshops."

We have changed the shape of this event in response to the community.

Studio 138 is thrilled to once again partner with Voices of Women to bring story telling workshops and a live event to Dubbo.

The storymaking workshops

Come and have a yarn, share or create a new story.

If you can speak you can write. If you have a story to tell, you are welcome to these storytelling sessions (of course, writers are also welcome!) During the workshops, we will work together to share ideas and stories, with the aim of developing them into monologues that may be performed by actors and musicians at a live reading event on Sunday in Dubbo.

Maybe the stories are inspired by your real-life experiences – with relationships, climate change, drought or other issues that you are facing. Maybe the stories come completely from your imagination! Our workshops bring women together in a safe, friendly space to collaborate and create magic from ideas and words.

You’ll be surprised what happens when we get together and get creative. There’s a lot of laughter, but also stories that inspire us about how we live our lives, about how we navigate the people and the place around us, and how sharing can make all the difference as we face the future.

The workshops are in small groups (maximum of 15). They begin with a focus on the place where we live, collecting sounds and colours, conversations and experiences from our area. Then we turn to storymaking and shaping a short piece. In the middle of it all we share refreshments, jokes, and connections.

We will work together to share ideas and stories, with the aim of developing or recording them into monologues that may be performed by actors and musicians at a live event on Saturday.

The workshops are fun and inclusive, facilitated by Voices of Women Artistic Director Lliane Clarke and Dubbo writer and performer Kalina Davis, supported by Studio 138 Dubbo producer and director Erifili Davis. We walk alongside First Nations women and welcome women from diverse communities, including women from LGBTQI+ communities.

Choose your session or come to both! The most important thing is to register.

There will be 2 workshops to be held:

Fri 15th Mar 2024, 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm

Sat 16th Mar 2024, 10.00 am to 12.00 pm

The workshops are facilitated but because of their flexible nature, each workshop will be completely different!

Single workshop including refreshments – $15 +bf

Two workshops including refreshments – $25 + bf

Location:

Art Club Dubbo Studio, 13b Bultje Street, Dubbo (next to FastLane drive through coffee)

Ticket link:

https://events.humanitix.com/connection-dubbo-women-tell-stories

The Live Event

Hear the stories read live by trained performers, wrapped in live music by award-winning composer in residence Elizabeth Jigalin. Watch short films made by local women, hear from local creative Shannon Barnes, a proud Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan woman and Managing Director of Boomalli Consulting, and watch the award-winning Entanglement film, screened around the world including at the United Nations Women’s Conference in Rwanda 2023.

Includes refreshments.

Sat 16th Mar 2024, 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm

Tickets – $25 + bf

Art Club Dubbo Studio, 13b Bultje Street, Dubbo (next to FastLane drive through coffee)

Ticket link:

https://events.humanitix.com/connection-dubbo-women-tell-stories

2024 Romance Rules Film Festival

The official selections of the 2024 Romance Rules Film Festival were screened at the Black Box Theatre Theatre at the Western Plains Cultural Centre, Dubbo, on February 16, 2024.

What a fantastic night of diverse films!

Program

Official selections

  1. Slow Dating, dir Adam Szudrich (Australia)
  2. For a Moment, dir Coco Tolentino (United States)
  3. A Rose in the Mud, dir Kailey McComas (United States)
  4. Dear Heartbreak, dir Ffion Pritchard (United Kingdom)
  5. TutuTango, dir Dorothee Elfring, Michael Finbar Sheehan (United States)
  6. Bud, dir Jamie Martinez (United States)
  7. Beta Days, dir Dan Walls (Australia)
  8. The Holidaze of Noelle Snow, dir Courtney Anne McLaren (United States)

Featured film (non-competition)

  1. Greek Philosophia And Chickens, dir Aimiende Negbenebor Sela (United States)

Nominees and award winners

Audience Favourite Award Winner

Winner:

TutuTango, dir Dorothee Elfring, Michael Finbar Sheehan (United States)

Equal second:

  • The Holidaze of Noelle Snow, dir Courtney Anne McLaren (United States)
  • Slow Dating, dir Adam Szudrich (Australia)
  • Beta Days, dir Dan Walls (Australia)

Best Cinematography

Winner:

Brendan Williams – Slow Dating

Finalists:

  • Ryan Chernin – Bud
  • Mariam Salahvarzi – For a Moment

Best Actress

Winner:

Julie Collis – Slow Dating

Finalist:

Janina Picard – Bud

Best song/music/soundtrack/score

Winner:

Michael Lira – Slow Dating

Finalist:

Noah Berry – The Holidaze of Noelle Snow

Thrills and Chills Fest – Semi-finalists January 2024

We’re excited to announce our January 2024 monthly semi-finalists of our Thrills and Chills Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Horror Fest. Our semi-finalist films will be in consideration to be selected for our live screening in October 2024, where the annual winners for each category will be announced.

Find our more about the film festival here:

studio138.com.au/thrills-and-chills

Enter your short film or screenplay on FilmFreeway

Best short film: Horror / Thriller semi-finalists

“Ruined Date” – dir Antonio Rotunno

“Demon Dog” – dir Juliana Purnell

“I Was” – dir Matteo Capatti, Lorenzo Mazzucchi

“La Soglia” – dir Nicolò Tonani, Sofia Gasparetti, Simone Colombo

Best short film: Fantasy semi-finalists

“Tales of the Hunted” – dir Téa Mancini

Best short film: Sci Fi semi-finalists

“Lab Rat” – dir Ben Hargreaves

Best cinematography semi-finalists

“I Was” – Matteo Capatti and Lorenzo Mazzucchi

Best actor semi-finalists

Juliana Purnell (Laura Duncan) – “Demon Dog”

Best sound design semi-finalists

“Tales of the Hunted” – James Thomson, Ned O’Leary

Best visual effects semi-finalists

“Tales of the Hunted” – Karl Johann Te, Thomas Wensor, Amanda Molinari Ortiz

Best mobile phone or tablet film semi-finalists

“Demon Dog”

Screenplay – Horror / Thriller semi-finalists

“Drip, Drop-” by Irlanda Martinez

“In-Between” by Glenn Lissner

Honourable Mention

“Head-Jobs” (Trailer) – dir Clinton John Connelly

2024 Romance Rules Film Festival – Official Selections & Tickets

Join us for the 2024 screening of the Romance Rules Film Festival. We have a great line-up of short films from around the world all about romance – the good, the bad and the ugly!

When: February 16, 2024 @ 7.30 pm
Venue: Black Box Theatre, Western Plains Cultural Centre,
76 Wingewarra Street, Dubbo, New South Wales, 2830
BYO: Drinks & snacks
Some films include adult themes, sexual references and occasional coarse language

Tickets: $12 each (including GST) online and at the door

Featured film (non-competition)
“Greek Philosophia And Chickens”

We are so excited to present the award winning short Greek Philosophia And Chickens, written by Despina Moraitu Politzi, directed by Aimiende Negbenebor Sela and starring Germaine Gaudet (How to Successfully Fail in Hollywood, River of Ghosts), Brian D Cohen (Nash Bridges, The Rookie), Lukas Hassel (Blacklist, Slapface, Limitless) and Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Gigli, Tango Shalom).

Part drama, part comedy with a hint of romance, Greek Philosophia and Chickens follows a sixty-something best-selling romance author who, feeling invisible as woman, hires an assassin to take her out. An encounter with chef/restaurant owner, Niko, and his vivacious waitress mother, Katina, from whom she learns a Greek philosophy/saying that really gets her thinking maybe…?

Official Selections

Beta Days, dir Dan Walls (Australia)

A Rose in the Mud, dir Kailey McComas (United States)

Bud, dir Jamie Martinez (United States)

For a Moment, dir Coco Tolentino (United States)

Dear Heartbreak, dir Ffion Pritchard (United Kingdom)

The Holidaze of Noelle Snow, dir Courtney Anne McLaren (United States)

Slow Dating, dir Adam Szudrich (Australia)

TutuTango, dir Dorothee Elfring, Michael Finbar Sheehan (United States)

All official selections will be eligible to be voted as “Audience Favourite”.

Finalists

Category winners will be announced at the end of the screening.

Best Cinematography

  • Brendan Williams – Slow Dating
  • Ryan Chernin – Bud
  • Mariam Salahvarzi – For a Moment

Best Actress

  • Julie Collis – Slow Dating
  • Janina Picard – Bud

Finalists best song/music/soundtrack/score

  • Noah Berry – The Holidaze of Noelle Snow
  • Michael Lira – Slow Dating

Thrills and Chills Fest – Semi-finalists December 2023

We’re excited to be announcing our December 2023 monthly semi-finalists of our Thrills and Chills Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Horror Fest. Our semi-finalist films will be in consideration to be selected for our live screening in October 2024, where the annual winners for each category will be announced.

Find our more about the film festival here:

studio138.com.au/thrills-and-chills

Enter your short film or screenplay on FilmFreeway

Best short film: Horror / Thriller semi-finalists

“Chrissy” – dir Larry Collicott

“Play Deaf” – dir Yorgos Keramydas

“Hidden Prey” – dir Kalina Davis

Best short film: Sci Fi semi-finalists

“Reboot” – dir Chris Qi Yao

“Unit 17: Week 3” – dir David Kaye & Theresa Stefaniak

Best director semi-finalists

Kalina Davis – “Hidden Prey ”

Best actor semi-finalists

Milla Ross (Caitlin) – “Hidden Prey

Georgie Saunders (Amber) – “Hidden Prey”

Best poster semi-finalists

“Chrissy”

“Hidden Prey”

Best trailer semi-finalists

“Chrissy”

“Hidden Prey”

Best sound design semi-finalists

David Kaye – “Unit 17:Week 3”

Best visual effects semi-finalists

Kalina Davis & Daniel Rutter- “Hidden Prey ”

Best mobile phone or tablet film semi-finalists

“Hidden Prey”

Watch “Fell Purpose”

Fell Purpose is an award winning short film based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth and made in Dubbo with local cast and crew. A dark fantasy, we’ve also added a bit of a twist to the story. The project was led by women, both on-screen and off and has screened at festivals around the world.

After emerging victorious from a battle for King Duncan, Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, believes his fate is assured, but is he merely destiny’s play thing? A short film adapted from Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”. For cast and crew see: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22458712

Director Statement

Fell Purpose is a re-imagining of “Macbeth”, with women at the centre and in control, both on screen and off, made possible through the support of Orana Arts. In order to be agile on the shoot, we made the decision to shoot on smartphones (specifically iPhone 11 Pro Max and 13 Pro Max).

Watch it now on YouTube.

Fell Purpose was shot in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia on Wiradjuri country.

Awards, nominations and selections:

  • Jul-23 Luleå International Film Festival Winner Best women Filmmaker (Erifili Davis)
  • Feb-23 Mobile MovieeFans Festival Nominee
  • May-23 Nassau Film Festival Honorable Mention
  • Mar-23 International Online Web Fest Nominee Best Music (Wez Thompson)
  • Jul-23 Dreamachine International Film Festival Winner Best Adapted Short
  • May-23 Sofia Art Film Awards Winner Best Sound Design (Michael Davis)
  • May-23 Sofia Art Film Awards Nominee Best Mobile Film Jun-23 Berlin Kiez Film Festival Winner Best Mobile Short Film
  • Jan-23 Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival Winner Best Production Design
  • Nov-22 One Eye Film Festival Official Selection
  • Oct-23 Ojo Móvil Fest 2023 Official Selection
  • Oct-23 Diabolical Horror Film Festival Official Selection
  • Apr-23 Transparent Film Festival Nominee Best Actress (Georgie Saunders)
  • Jul-23 ConGregate Film Festival Official Selection
  • Jan-23 Independent Horror Movie Awards Nominee Best Production Design
  • Jan-23 Independent Horror Movie Awards Nominee Best Music (Wez Thompson)
  • Jan-23 Independent Horror Movie Awards Winner Best Sound Design (Michael Davis)
  • Dec-22 Shockfest Film Festival Official Selection
  • Jan-23 Top Indie Film Awards Nominee Best Sound (Michael Davis)
  • Jan-23 Top Indie Film Awards Nominee Best Music (Wez Thompson)
  • Jan-23 Top Indie Film Awards Nominee Best Writing (Erifili Davis)
  • Apr-23 International Mobile Film Festival Official Selection

Thrills and Chills Fest – Semi-finalists November 2023

We’re excited to be announcing our very first monthly semi-finalists of our Thrills and Chills Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Horror Fest. Our semi-finalist films will be in consideration to be selected for our live screening in October 2024, where the annual winners for each category will be announced.

Find our more about the film festival here:

studio138.com.au/thrills-and-chills

Enter your short film or screenplay on FilmFreeway

Best short film: Horror / Thriller semi-finalists

“Defiance” – dir Kalli Reid 

“They’re Coming” – Camy “Cameron” Arnett

“Halcyon” – dir Brenton McNally

Best short film: Fantasy semi-finalists

“Hinter-Land” – dir Christopher Angus

Best short film: Sci Fi semi-finalists

“Oblivious” – dir Rafael Star

Best director semi-finalists

Camy “Cameron” Arnett – “They’re Coming”

Christopher Angus – “Hinter-Land”

Best actor semi-finalists

Cameron Arnett as Mr Arnett – “They’re Coming”

Best poster semi-finalists

“They’re Coming”

Best song / score semi-finalists

Paul Shrofel (score) – “Hinter-Land”

Caj Christie (score) – “Halcyon”

Best visual effects semi-finalists

“They’re Coming”

Best sound design semi-finalists

“They’re Coming”

Best screenplay: Horror / Thriller semi-finalists

“Chrysalis” by Lachlan Anderson-Schmidt

Romance Rules Film Festival is back for 2024

We’ve had a break but Romance Rules Film Festival is back and open for entries!

All genre’s are welcome, as are non-English films (as long as there are English subtitles). Films should be 10 minutes and under.

A number of selected films will be part of our live screening in February, 2024. Early deadline ends November 2023.

Enter on FilmFreeway.

Support “Fell Purpose” and receive an on-screen and IMDB credit

Three women in hoods against a background of tree silhouettes with the words "Fell Purpose"

Fell Purpose is a short film based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth and made in Dubbo with local cast and crew. A dark fantasy, we’ve also added a bit of a twist to the story. The project was led by women, both on-screen and off.

Whilst production has been completed, your support will allow us to enter film festivals around the world. You’ll be kept up to date with screenings and we’ll let you know where it will be screened and how to get tickets, giving you the option of attending in person (if you would like!)

We have several different sponsorship levels. Please note: all are GST inclusive. A Tax Invoice can be provided on request.

Please note: to be listed on the IMDB page, your name will need to comply with IMDB requirements. Usually this means providing a first name and surname with more than one letter in each name. Your sponsorship is appreciated but does not entitle ownership of the project.

Click here to see Fell Purpose listed on IMDB

Anny issues or questions? Click here to send us an email.

“Special thanks” credit – $66

You’ll get:

  • Your name on the IMDB listing under “Special Thanks”
  • You name listed on the one-screen credits of the film under “Special Thanks”
  • Updates on the film’s film festival run (via email)

Use link below for secure payment via PayPal. Please allow up to 2 business days to confirm the name for your IMDB and on-screen credit and to issue a tax invoice. PayPal account will appear as QuickSmart Publishing & Media.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=R5CJEMX2MD2PN

“Associate producer” credit – $330

You’ll get:

  • Your name on the IMDB listing under “Associate Producer”
  • You name listed on the one-screen credits of the film under “Associate Producer” with a maximum of 2 other names on the screen
  • Updates on the film’s film festival run (via email)
  • An exclusive “supporters-only” streamed version of the short film during the film festival run and prior to public release (available from December 2022 for 6 months)
  • (optional) A shout-out for you or your business on the Studio 138 business page

Use link below for secure payment via PayPal. Please allow up to 2 business days to confirm the name for your IMDB and on-screen credit and to issue a tax invoice. PayPal account will appear as QuickSmart Publishing & Media.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=P794BE9S8WULE

“Executive producer” credit – $550

You’ll get:

  • Your name on the IMDB listing under “Executive Producer”
  • You name listed on the one-screen credits of the film under “Executive Producer” – your name will appear om its on own on the screen
  • Updates on the film’s film festival run (via email)
  • An exclusive “supporters-only” streamed version of the short film during the film festival run and prior to public release (available from December 2022 for 6 months)
  • An A4 poster of the film (including postage if you are not located in Dubbo)
  • (optional) A shout-out for you or your business on the Studio 138 business page

Use link below for secure payment via PayPal. Please allow up to 2 business days to confirm the name for your IMDB and on-screen credit, confirm delivery arrangements for your poster and to issue a tax invoice. PayPal account will appear as QuickSmart Publishing & Media.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=5UJNGHVMAF638