Special Events

NEWCASTLE - Special Advance Screening

Summer is here! After its debut world premiere at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival, New York, and a sell-out Australian premiere at the Sydney Film Festival, Newcastle takes centre stage in Wagga Wagga on the Regional Digital Screen Network at Forum 6 Cinemas, Wednesday 5 November.

Newcastle is the debut feature for writer/director Dan Castle. "The goal was to create a film that audience members – both young and old – would identify with and experience as true and real to what they feel they are going through, or did when they were teenagers" says Castle.

Set in the coastal city of Newcastle (NSW, Australia) this action drama is a coming-of-age tale of elusive dreams and the eternal wave. Newcastle is an exhilarating new film and features a brilliant ensemble cast including Anthony Hayes (The Square, Suburban Mayhem), Joy Smithers (All Saints, Home and Away, Water Rats) and Barry Otto (Australia, The Secret Life of Us).

It’s a week before the Junior Surf Pro final and Jesse (Lachlan Buchanan) is determined to snatch the title from his best mate, Andy (Kirk Jenkins). Victory would mean a one-way ticket out of Newcastle and a career beyond his pre-destined future – working on the coal barges with his father Reggie (Shane Jacobson) and older half-brother Victor (Reshad Strik), the local bad boy.

Jesse resolves to succeed where Victor failed and become a world-class champion surfer. Yet before Jesse gets his chance, he is disqualified for reckless surfing in the lead-up trial.

As a diversion, Jesse’s surfing mates Andy, Scotty (Israel Cannan) and Nathan (Ben Milliken) plan a weekend of waves with the local girls Debra (Debra Ades) and Leah (Rebecca Breeds). Much to Jesse’s dismay, Fergus (Xavier Samuels), Jesse’s geeky, fraternal twin brother who has never even set foot on a surfboard, gets to tag along. Upon reaching the sand dunes, the teenagers swim, surf and party, and things get hot when a dramatic, unofficial surf contest gets under way.

Surf films, like Westerns, are experiencing a renaissance. The best of the lot are unquestionably from Australia, and Newcastle is no exception. Newcastle is about the joy and fragility of adolescence.” TIMEOUT, NEW YORK

Don’t miss this special advance screening of Newcastle on Wednesday 5 November, at 6.30pm for 7pm. Tickets on sale Wednesday 29 October: $10 single/$8 each for a group of five or more.