Plenty has been going on in Tasmania, as Tom Busby and Jim Mansbridge report from Hobart.

The Tasmanian Federation of Film Societies is going from strength to strength, with three new societies being formed within the last year.

The first is at Eaglehawk Neck and centres around their community hall.

The second, at Ross, includes the Campbell Town and Oatlands communities.

The third new society is only a few weeks old and is based in the small town of Sprent.

In all, the Federation has thirteen members.

These range from the very large (Launceston with 1350 members) to the quite modest (Break O’Day with 22 members).

Many types of media are employed – 35 mm and 16 mm film, DVD and video.

The Film Societies (in alphabetical order) that make up the Tasmanian Federation of Film Societies and what they are doing are as follows:

Bass & Flinders (B&F) Film Society continues to operate in conjunction with the Bass & Flinders Centre. Last year the Centre won a grant from the Tasmanian Community Fund and makes good use of its larger “cinema” system in the main hall of the B&F Centre. The new system allows the Society to host 60 to 70 members at the same meal/showing, without the patrons having to move from the dining area to the theatre. This has greatly improved the evenings which have become a very popular monthly community event. Currently the society screens once a month and membership has grown to approximately 185 members.

Break O’Day Film Society is the smallest Tasmanian film society with 22 members. However, it has continued with this level of membership for some years, and DVDs are shown monthly that are unlikely to be shown on television. The local cinema, which operated for some five years, has now gone out of business, finding that even the latest releases did not attract enough commercial patronage.

Bridport Film Society has weekly screenings. They are a ‘digital projection’ society, although the VHS format will not last much longer. Operating in the RSL premises at Bridport, the target market has been the ‘Older Generation’.

Bruny Island Film Society, has been operating for 10 years, has 35 members. There are two programmes per month in the Summer and one in Winter. There is also a German Film Festival each year which has been very popular.

Eaglehawk Neck Film Society was formed in July of 2010 as part of the Eaglehawk Neck Community Hall Association Inc. It has separate evenings for family, popular and older films. The concept has been well received and there are about 100 members. The society shows four films per month on the first and third Fridays & Saturdays.

Hobart Film Society screens DVDs and 16 mm films (with the occasional video) at the Philip Smith Centre. Films are screened on Monday and Wednesday of one week followed by a Tuesday screening on the next week. The Monday night screenings allow members access to lesser-known films. Membership is around 300.

King Island Film Society has 38 members, having one screening per month. A drop in membership has caused the committee to rethink their screening programme.

Launceston Film Society, with 1350 members, is probably still the largest film society in Australia. The local Village cinemas are used for 35 mm screenings. Launceston did a poll of members with 83% saying they are satisfied with the programmes, which consist of mainly recent releases (including some foreign films), but not films already screened commercially. The society has introduced ‘Smart-Card’ scanning for the monitoring of attendance.

Lighthouse Film Society is now in its fifth year of operation, with membership holding at 113 members. It shows 12 films per year in the old Wynyard Picture Theatre. The original 35mm equipment, which was taken out in 1960, has been replaced with a motorised screen, digital projector and sound system and 100 chairs and cushions. This year will have also have an outdoor screening in the Gutteridge Gardens, plus live music.

Midlands Film Society has just started with an initial free screening in February 2011 which 140 people attended. The Society covers the communities of Campbell Town, Ross and Oatlands. There are now more than 80 members and the number is still growing. Full operations commenced in April, after assessing what films the members would like to see. As there are no commercial cinemas in the area, popular films to screen are “The Kings Speech”, “Animal Kingdom” and “UP”.

North Western Film Society membership is around 100. The 35 mm films are screened at Devonport’s C-Max. One of their most successful films was the “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”, which C-Max then showed to the public.

Perry’s Pictures Film Society is the film society for Woodbridge & Margate. The committee obtained a grant and were able to purchase a DVD projector, sound system and screen for the Woodbridge hall. The society is continuing to show monthly, with a mix of DVDs and 16mm film. The film format is popular, but is more expensive to screen. Membership is relatively stable at about 40 with 30 turning up to any one performance.

The Tassies are on the move!

The following DVDs have been made available by the Italian Cultural Institute for Australian Film Societies to screen free of charge until April 2012.

This is a great opportunity for film societies to program rare films from the Italian Cultural Institute celebrating the 150 years of Italian Unification.

The DVDs all have English subtitles and all rights have been granted by the Italian Cultural Institute.

Ma che storia (2010) which is a docufilm directed by Gianfranco Pannone looks particularly informative looking at the path to Italian unity via the use of newsreels and documentaries produced between 1910 and the 1980s. This film would be rarely seen.

The DVDs will be held and distributed by Suzanne Nunn in Victoria.

They will be posted out free by Suzanne and return post to be picked up by the film society.

Please allow 4 weeks booking time.

Bookings can be made by emailing Suzanne on sjnunn@ncable.net.au or by phone on 03 53412266.

La presa di Roma (1905) 6 mins

Rome 1870: a huge black and white reconstruction in seven scenes of the historical events of the breach of the Porta Pia by ‘bersaglieri’ soldiers on September 20, 1870 to complete the unification of Italy. The film, directed by Filoteo Alberini, recorded a crucial moment in the country’s recent history: the capture of Rome by the newly-formed Italian army and the election of the city as the country’s capital. General Carchidio is escorted under blindfold from Ponte Milvio to General Ermanno Kanzler of the Papal Army. Carchidio issues an ultimatum to surrender to Kanzler which is refused, and a breach in the city walls is stormed by troops.  The original film was comprised of seven scenes lasting approximately fifteen minutes in total, and was the first film with a complex plot. It was produced with the co-operation of the country’s Ministry of War. The first official projection was held in the anniversary of the breach in 1905.

Il Piccolo Garibaldino (1909) 9 mins

The film, produced by Filoteo Alberini and released in 1909 is a short drama about a young boy who is killed during the Spedizione dei Mille, a military campaign led by revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1860 to defeat the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, an expedition aimed at unifying Italy. Both films were restored by the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematograf ia–Cineteca nazionale as part of a joint project between them and the Grand Orient of Italy to mark the bicentennial celebrations of the birth of Guiseppe Garibaldi.

San Michele aveva un gallo (1972) 90 mins

Directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani

Set in 19th century Italy, the film tells the story of Giulio Manieri, a romantic idealist and leader of a anarchist group. Sentenced to life imprisonment for illegal activities, Italian International member Giulio Manieri holds on to his political ideals while struggling against madness in the loneliness of his prison cell. The brothers Taviani were inspired for the story by a short story written by Lev Tolstoj.

Quanto é bello murire acciso (1975)  85 mins

Directed by Ennio Lorenzini

The story of Carlo Pisacane, Baron of San Giovanni, Italian patriot and one of the first Italian socialist thinkers.  When Mazzini, undeterred by the failure of the abortive Milan rising on February 6, 1853, determined to organize an expedition to provoke a rising in the Neapolitan kingdom, Pisacane offered himself for the task, and sailed from Genoa with a few followers (including Giovanni Nicotera) on board the Cagliari steamer on June 25, 1857. They landed on the island of Ponza, where the guards were overpowered and some hundreds of prisoners liberated, and on 28 of the same month arrived at Sapri in Campania and attempted to reach the Cilento. But hardly any assistance from the inhabitants was forthcoming, and the invaders were quickly overpowered at Padula, Pisacane himself being brutally stabbed with a knife then killed at Sanza by angry locals who did not recognise him believing him to be a wandering gypsy who was stealing their food.  The title of the film refers to a folk Italian song.

Bronte, cronaca di un massacro (1972) 109 mins

Directed by Florestano Vancini

Starring Ivo Garrani, Mariano Rigillo, Ilija Dzuvalekovski

When Garibaldi lands in Marsala on 11th May 1860, Sicily rises up. In the figure of Garibaldi the Sicilian people see not only a liberator from the tyranny of the Bourbons, but also a liberator from the tyranny from the even worse tyranny of poverty. A new Italy is about to be born where the Italian of the North, Centre and South must recognize the new Fatherland.

Allonsanfan (1974) – Drama, 110 mins

Directed by Paolo & Vittorio Taviani.

Starring Marcello Mastroianni, Lea Massari and Mimsy Farmer

In the early 19th century, Lombard aristocrat Fulvio Imbriani (Marcello Matroianni), former political extremist who fought with Napoleon, is finally released from an Austrian jail after a long term sentence due to his involvement in the activities of a secret society. He would like to resume a normal life but his lover, Charlotte, and his former comrades talk him into taking part in a revolutionary cause in southern Italy. Being skeptical about the effectiveness of revolutionary actions, he does not stop his sister Esther from alerting the authorities. However, the trap set to stop the party fails, and while they are trying to flee first Charlotte and then Fulvio perish at the hands of soldiers and peasants.

Viva l’Italia! (1961) – History, 106 mins

Directed by Roberto Rossellini

Starring Renzo Ricci, Paolo Stoppa, Franco Interlenghi, Giovanna Ralli and Tina Louise.

Commissioned 50 years ago to mark the centenary of the Italian nation, Roberto Rossellini’s Viva l’Italia follows acclaimed revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi (Renzo Ricci) as he liberates southern Italy from the Bourbon monarchy. He follows Garibaldi through the most significant moments of his expedition until the iconic meeting with King Vittorio Emanuele II in Teano and his tearful departure for Caprera: episodes where historical and human truth merges into poetry.

Arrivano i bersaglieri (1980) Comedy, 120 mins

Directed by Luigi Magni

Starring Ugo Tognazzi, Giovanna Ralli, Vittorio Mezzogiorno, Carlo Bagno.

On the date of the Piedmontese conquest of Rome (1870), Don Alfonso, a Bourbon officer, kills a ‘bersagliere’ and then finds shelter in the house of a fierce supporter of the Pope, Don Urbano, ignoring that he has killed his host’s very son. Don Alfonso falls in love with Olimpia, an Italian nationalist and don Urbano’s daughter. However, Olimpia is in love with ‘bersagliere’ Gustavo Martini, even though her relationship is strongly disapproved by her father. Don Prospero is in fact ready to marry Olimpia to Don Alfonso in exchange for his help in the organization of a desperate attempt to rescue Rome. Unfortunately, Don Prospero kills Alfonso by mistake, and only after he dies of a heart attack Olimpia and Gustavo are allowed to be together.

Piccolo mondo antico (1941) – Drama, 106 mins

Directed by Mario Soldati, produced by Carlo Ponti. Starring Alida Valli and Massimo Serato

Based on the 1895 novel by Antonio Fogazzaro, the action takes place during the Italian Risorgimento in a Lombardy occupied by the Austrians. Franco Maironi (Massimo Serato) is a young aristocrat in love with Luisa (Alida Valli), a humble clerk’s daughter, and decides to marry her against his grandmother’s wishes. The old lady disowns Franco and causes Luisa’s uncle to lose his job, as he was trying to help. Meanwhile Luisa gives birth to little Ombretta and Franco is forced to go to Turin in search of a job. During his absence, a terrible tragedy upsets Luisa’s life: her daughter drowns in Lake Como and the woman is driven to the brink of madness. Franco returns home for a short time but Luisa reacts coldly towards him. During the Second Italian War of Independence Franco becomes a volunteer soldier in the fight against the Austrians and meets his wife again by Lake Maggiore. Despite Luisa’s coldness, Franco is sure she still loves him and the two spend one last night together.

Ma che storia (2010) – Docufilm, 77 mins

Directed by Gianfranco Pannone

A tragicomic journey through the last 150 years of history via a long and tiring path towards Italian unity. The telling of this half epic is recounted via newsreels and documentaries produced between 1910 and the 1980s and held at the Luce Archive and which, not without rhetoric, span the history of the nation.

In terms of screenings in Victoria, Tasmania, W.A. and S.A. the Italian Institute of Culture asks you to please …

1. Use the title “Special event: 150 years of Italian Unification“
2. Use the IIC Melbourne logo (click here to download it) on any publicity materials pertaining to the event
3. Send a copy of your publicity material to Melissa Palombaro, Arts Administrator, Italian Institute of Culture, 233 Domain Road, South Yarra 3141, Ph: (03) 9820 2054, Email: melissa.palombaro@esteri.it
4. Send the Italian Institute of Culture  a list of the screening dates and venues so that they can help publicise them on their website e-newsletter.

Click here to download the above information as a Word document

Since then film projection technology has changed rapidly and distributors and film library information needs to be updated regularly.

So, the paper based “Film Screening Handbook” has now been replaced by this web version which you can read online or print out any time.

Additional information is available from your local, friendly state Federation

Chapter 1: What is a Film Society

October 2009

Chapter 2: Starting a Film Society

November 2009

Chapter 3: Technical Aspects – Film

Decmber 2009

Chapter 4: Technical Aspects – Digital

December 2009

Chapter 5: The Venue

December 2009

Chapter 6: Legal, Insurance and Incorporation

December 2009

Chapter 7: Copyright Issues

June 2011

Chapter 8: Taxation & Film Societies

October 2009

Chapter 9: The Budget and Finance

January 2010

Chapter 10: Picking a Program

January 2010

Chapter 11: Publicity

January 2010

Chapter 12: Booking a Film or DVD

January 2010

Chapter 13: Feedback

January 2010

Chapter 14: A Night at the Film Society

January 2010

Chapter 15: Other Activities

January 2010

Chapter 16: Join a State Federation

January 2010