The Dungog Film Festival was a not-for-profit arts organization that was dedicated to celebrating and promoting the Australian screen industry.
[5] The 2010 festival attracted over 9,000 people and national media coverage including Sunrise, NBN News and Network Ten.
It is historically known for its timber, cattle and dairy produce and is also home to the James Theatre, the oldest still operating purpose-built cinema in Australia.
Prior to white settlement the area was populated by the Gringai tribe, who called the region "Tunkok" or "Tungog", or "the place of thinly wooded hills" in the Awabakal dialect.
Road Train (Xavier Samuel, Sophie Lowe, Bob Morley, Georgina Haig) screened at the 2010 Festival and was initially unable to obtain a theatrical release.
[10] The Jammed, initially heading straight to DVD, was picked up for a theatrical release at the 2007 festival by John L. Simpson Producer and CEO of Titan View.
Dungog Film Festival's Rural School's program gives students in regional communities the opportunity to be mentored by industry professionals in screen arts.
This program allows writers, actors and producers to road test their work on a real audience before heading into production.
Two screenplays previously read at "In the Raw" have gone into production: Pauline Chan's Mei Mei (starring Claudia Karvan and Guy Pearce)[13] and Julia Leigh's Sleeping Beauty (starring Emily Browning, Michael Dorman and Ewen Leslie).
Actors brave a two-minute, open, speedy audition, with only ten finalists invited to the festival to compete in the final round.
These included Jeremy Hartley Sims, Nadia Tass, Brendan Cowell, Rowan Woods, Denise Roberts, Cameron Daddo and CEO of Paramount Mike Selwyn.
[15] This program gives young actors an unparalleled chance to shine in front of the Australian film industry and a wide audience.