WHAT’S ON?
Thai new year celebrations in Eumundi Cont. from p1 Sunny Coast Showdown competition – as a director. Paul, together with Lincoln, another Home and Away star, also features in the film. Nambour-born Jon Coghill who is the former drummer with Powderfinger is Executive Producer. Ryan said he has been overwhelmed by the support and generosity given to the production especially from the local community and council. “We have a scene set in a surgery and thought we would have to mock one up,” said Ryan. “However a local hospital made a real surgery available for filming.”
Our local Thai community will celebrate Thai New Year at Eumundi market terraces from 10am-2pm on Sunday 23 April and everyone is welcome! Songkran is also known as the 'Water Festival' and is Thailand’s most famous festival. It marks the beginning of their new year and is an opportunity to wash away the old and welcome the new. The name Songkran comes from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘passing’ or ‘approaching’. Getting wet is what makes this festival so famous and welcome in Thailand as it comes at the end of a long dry season. There it is all about pouring and squirting as much water on as many people as possible!
Bec Bebbington’s beautiful B&B at Black Mountain is metamorphosed into a chilling, abandoned Victorian mansion with dilapidated furniture, a taxidermist’s dream of stuffed creatures and forgotten mementos of a longgone family.
In Eumundi the celebration will be more sedate, beginning with a welcome by Thai community members in traditional costumes. There will be performances of song and dance along with the opportunity to try a variety of Thai culinary delights.
Beerwah-based Ryan adores the Sunshine Coast especially the Eumundi Markets. His next short film, Bin Days, is already underway locally using his winning script from the Showdown competition. “It’s a comedy about a couple trying to remove a pest from their garden – in this case a zombie!” he said.
Pomona Art Gallery exhibition
With just a slight rain shower before shooting the final scene of The Gorge, Matt and Ryan believe the Sunshine Coast is perfect for film productions offering great locations, talent and weather. After editing by Channel 9’s William (surname forbidden!) The Gorge will feature at film festivals later this year and hopefully on TV. Eileen Walder
Local artist Janet Luttrell’s solo exhibition Secret Garden opened on 25 March at the Pomona Railway Station Gallery and runs until 27 April. Janet uses a playful contemporary style with acrylic on canvas. In this exhibition she draws on all things found in a garden including plants, birds, butterflies, flowers and trees. Visit: pomonartgallery.com. 3