Famous Five lift our rail trail short film

14 August, 2022

CMRT Vice President and Campbells Creek local Sandy Harman has teamed up with CMRT member and Strangways visual artist Briele Hansen to re-imagine a short film about the rail trail. Sandy provides an update on the film and its exciting trajectory for 2022.

We’re making a video! Thanks to some amazing local kids and the talent and creativity of a dedicated team we’re back filming for our short film about the trail.

We’re grateful for the generosity and patience of the Maldon & District Community Bank which backed our project in 2021. The bank’s been amazing throughout: when first Covid lockdown disrupted, and then we did a courageous pivot on creative direction.  

Our short film brings fun and playfulness to the possibilities of a 55km recreational trail that links Castlemaine and Maryborough and the townships in between.

CMRT’s short-film takes the perspective of young people, and explores the good things that will come if we’re successful in transforming the derelict rail corridor into a vibrant new way to connect local communities.

We’ve been really fortunate to have local documentary maker Mal Bloedel of Saint Street Productions to direct, film and edit the collaborative production. Mal is also working on the forthcoming doco about the ground-breaking Mt Alexander Falcons women’s football team.

Local artist and moving image producer Briele Hansen has taken a lead in production. Casting director Fiona Dann found the fabulous bunch of five local kids. The soon-to-be Famous Five!

Djed, Charlotte, Billy, Dylan and Rennie who will star in the forthcoming short film have been a dream to work with. 

We spent a day on location this month at Strangways filming along the old tracks and nearby locations. It was a great day – everyone was pretty knackered by the end of it, but there were smiles all round and the rushes show the effort was totally worth it!

We’re looking forward to launching the short film in the December quarter of 2022. Looking forward to sharing. Stay tuned!