Dungog Festival: Good Tunes, Flicks and Food in the Hunter

Scott Wallace
25th Sep 2015

From October 22nd to 25th, Dungog Festival will bring a winning combination of music, movies and food to this picturesque pocket of the Hunter Region. Festival Artistic Director Veronica Bolzon explained that "this year's festival is about opening up the streets and hidden spaces of Dungog through taking the moving image, music and food events out of traditional venues and onto the streets."

Like many regional festivals, Dungog Festival brings the things that city-dwellers tend to take for granted - easy-to-find exotic food, live music from renowned artists, and selections of eclectic films - and transplants them to a whole new setting.

The selection of films showing during the festival are top-notch. A particular highlight is The Cambodian Space Project, which was also a stand-out of this year's Sydney Film Festival. The colourful and idiosyncratic documentary explores with humour and inventiveness, Cambodia's golden age of rock 'n' roll scene, through the relationship between Australian musician Julien Poulson and Cambodian karaoke singer Srey Thy. 

Veronica Bolzon explained that Festival Film Programmer Spiro Economopoulos, in selecting the films to be shown as part of the festival, really wanted to offer a snapshot of what's going on in cinema around the globe and showcase new Australian cinema too. Two Australian films will be making their NSW premieres at the Festival - the screwball family comedy Now Add Honey and the Lawrence Leung-written coming-of-age tale Sucker (which also stars Cannes Best Actor winner Timothy Spall). 

Other films on show include two features dedicated to Jim Henson - the shorts compilation Muppet Musical Moments and Muppet History 101 - the powerful Guatemalan film The Volcano (IXCANUL), and a collection of horror and schlock horror shorts referred to as Thriller Night, plus heaps more. 

The festival will combine food and film with the documentary Finding Gaston - following Peruvian Michelin Star chef Gaston Acurio the screening of which will be followed by a communal and convivial Long Table Dinner (a staple of the festival) under the stars on Dungog's main street. 

"It's also about celebrating the beauty of the environment and its people." Bolzon went on to say, "There is a strong community focus on the festival - locals are involved in the running of some events and we have a huge volunteer network, without whom the festival could not exist."

There's an impressive lineup of music that will enhance the natural beauty of the area. Acclaimed Australian electronic and dance musician Paul Mac will headline the Starry Night Concert, along with guest vocalist Ngaiire and support from Melbourne band Sugar Fed Leopards. The Night Market Stage will also play host to a series of great acts, chief among them the unflinchingly raw blues and rock singer Steve Smyth playing a rare solo show.

Perhaps in many people's mind there's something unhip or uncool about these kinds of regional festivals, but Dungog Festival proves that that's not the case. The festival program is full of intriguing and surprising inclusions, and is as open and inclusive as they come.

As Bolzon puts it: "Dungog loves a good festival and has hosted music and film festivals here in the past. This festival aims to encompass many art forms and connect them through the local food and produce growers, artisans, heritage and outdoor enthusiasts." 

For more info, head to the Dungog Festival website, where you can also purchase tickets, as well as find plenty of info regarding accommodation for your visit.